Gun buying guide
Three value for money second-hand shotguns
Mike George has previously picked out the best second-hand European shotguns, high grade guns and Sporters, now he is back with his top three value for money second hand shotguns ranging from £1,000 to £1,800+ from Miroku, Browning and Zoli. Miroku MK70 target price £1,000 If I describe the MK70…
Three second-hand over-and-under Sporters
This selection of second-hand over-and-under Sporters can be found on the second-hard market from £600. Bettinsoli X-Trail Sporter Target Price £600 One of the questions we are frequently asked on the forum section of ShootingUK is whether it is best for a newcomer with a limited budget to buy a second-hand…
What sort of deer stalking rifle should I buy?
Our expert at Sporting Gun advises: A: Well, your budget is decent. That’s good news because a suitable rifle with quality optics is usually about £1,500 for each piece of kit to ensure you get a sound combination. So with this budget you’ve got some money left over to spend…
William Evans: a London gunmaker with a Continental twist
Providing clients with a combination of quality, value and variety has always been the goal for William Evans, an English gun manufacturer involved in making quality sporting arms since 1883. That practice continues today and a key factor in turning what was once a traditional English gunmaker into a contemporary…
Three secondhand shotguns
Mike chooses three secondhand shotguns on the market priced from £450 up to £1,050 to help you make your next gun purchase a bargain. Hatsan Escort Xtreme Max Target Price: £450 It takes a manufacturer with extreme self confidence to advertise a 12-bore semi-auto shotgun as able to cycle loads all the way from 24…
Three secondhand high-grade guns
If you’re in the market for a high-grade gun but don’t want to pay the full price, the secondhand market has plenty of prestige brands. Here Mike chooses three secondhand high-grade guns from Beretta, Perazzi and Purdey. And with prices starting from just under £2,000, maybe your next gun purchase can…
The Jackal Woodsman air rifle
Bruce Potts reflects on the Jackal Woodsman, an accurate and powerful air rifle from one of the most innovative gunmakers in Britain
Secondhand Winchester selection
Fifty-two years ago, Winchester introduced a new O/U shotgun which, in the eyes of many shooters on both sides of the Atlantic, set the standard for all medium-priced factory-made guns to be judged by. It was the famous Winchester 101, built on the Kodensha plant in Japan, and it was to remain in production for more than 20 years.…
Second-hand Webley Patriot
All you need to know about a secondhand Webley Patriot, including how this high-powered air rifle with impressive pellet strike shaped shooting
The gun you shouldn’t have sold
Most of us, I’m sure, will have experienced that sinking feeling at some time or other — the one when we realise that we should never have sold that gun. A rifle or shotgun is rarely just a tool — it becomes a treasured possession. But, for whatever reason, be it monetary necessity or the lure of a…
Three top secondhand Sporters
Here’s Mike’s selection of secondhand Sporters that offer great value for money. Baikal O/U Located 600 miles east of Moscow, Izhevsk’s main factory produces pistols and rifles, several variations on the AK assault rifle theme, air guns – and the Baikal shotgun. The Baikal dates to the Cold War, and was once humorously said to be…
Secondhand aluminium guns
Mike George picks out his recommendations for secondhand aluminium guns. Bettinsoli Crypto Lite Bettinsoli are well respected as makers of entry-level guns, and a new Crypto Lite (now known as the Crypto Extra Lux Lite) comes in at just over £1,200. The gun pictured is last year’s model, weighing 6lb 5oz. The gun achieves…
Perazzi HPX shotguns: John Jeffries interview
What’s the most radical change you’ve ever had made to your shotgun? There are lots of alterations a gunsmith can make to give us a better picture of our target, but how about gluing on a reversed rib? That might sound a little fantastic, but it’s exactly the kind of…
Guns for pigeon shooting for under £500
If you’re gameshooting then you’ve got to be aware of etiquette. You have to dress the right way and say the right things. And be a safe Shot of course. Pigeon shooting is different – although you obviously still need to be a safe Shot. What you wear is dependent…
So you can’t afford an English side-by-side shotgun?
English shotguns: Here, we go on a mission to find an English shotgun, in excellent condition, at a reasonable price.
Which is the best.17 HMR bolt-action rifle?
This review pits the Sako Quad Synthetic, CZ Synthetic Silhouette, Browing T-Bolt Synthetic and Anschutz 1517 Thumbhole against each other to find the best .17 HRM bolt-action rifle
Three good value over-and-under Sporters to buy secondhand
Lanber Sporter – target price £500 All guns eventually go out of production, but the saddest loss of recent years has been the Spanish-built Lanber. The basic design goes back to the early 1970s and the gun had been for sale in small numbers in the UK, but it wasn’t until…
Our expert reviews three of the best PCP air rifles and reports back
Bruce Potts tests three 10-shot repeater pre-charged pneumatic air rifles for around £500.
Second-hand FIAS .308 stalking rifle
This good-looking FIAS .308 stalking rifle, with its sporter barrel and smooth action, is a real bargain, says Bruce Potts