The Scottish Government has finally confirmed that the new airgun licence fee will be £72 for new applications. Visitor permits will be £20, while there will be a £5 charge for existing shotgun and firearm certificate holders. Shooting organisations, which opposed the introduction of the new legislation, have once again voiced concerns. “While…
Guns
Zoli of Italy: a story of success
It’s not surprising that Zoli of Italy has built an excellent reputation. The company has a 400-year history of gunmaking in Brescia and its 40 staff show a passion and enthusiasm for their work that helps their employer and its products stand out from an increasingly crowded market. The company’s history…
Ammo options for .22 centrefire
Those of us who like rifles and rifle shooting often develop an interest in calibres and cartridges that are a bit out of the ordinary. It also gives us something else to talk about. However, it is a huge subject, so for today’s purposes we’ll just look at .22 centrefires…
Three value-for-money second-hand Sporters
Medalist Sporter More than 30 years ago, the UK Browning importers could offer an impressive range of guns – everything from £1,000-plus competition and game guns to exotic and expensive hand-built examples of John Moses Browning’s immortal B25. But one thing they didn’t have was a “starter” gun retailing under…
Second-hand semi-autos selection
Mike George picks out three second hand semi autos that you should look out for on the second hand market. He has previously chosen his three favourite second hand Sporters, second hand value for money shotguns and second hand European shotguns. Remington CTI target price is hard to say Most…
Re-barrelling an old rifle
Q: I have an old Sako Forester rifle that I really like in .308 Winchester, but the barrel is now past its best. I was thinking of having it re-barrelled to the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge when I vary my firearms certificate. Is it a good round? A: The 6.5 Creedmoor…
Tony Galazan: the gunmaker from Connecticut
Tony Galazan was born to be a gunmaker. Gunmaking as a trade is renowned for its great innovators; men who spent their lives striving at their benches and poring over their drawing boards to produce the world’s finest sporting arms. Names such as Manton, Purdey, Boss, Grant, Woodward and Holland…
The right rifle for crow control
Crow shooting is no longer solely for shotgunners. Bruce Potts investigates the relative merits of centrefi res and rimfires for a safe and humane despatch
Inside Yildiz the Turkish gunmaker
Eighty miles due north of Antalya is the small city of Burdur. Best known for its vast, ancient fishless lake, Burdur sits on a handsome plateau and is surrounded by low, stunning hills. As well as the wetlands, Burdur is also known as a centre of marble production. And now there is something…
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…
How to clean your rifle
A rifle is a precision instrument and such things really do need to be kept clean if you expect them to work properly. But – and it’s a big BUT – I have seen as many rifles damaged by over- cleaning as ruined by lack of it. As always, there is a…
The advantages of reduced-load .22 rimfire ammunition
With cattle in the barns and grain stored over the winter months, it seems an endless task to keep hungry vermin species at bay. As soon as I have to battle against colder and wetter weather, most of my vermin control heads indoors — in and around the barns and outbuildings now…
Scottish airgun licences required by New Year
It will be illegal to hold an airgun without a licence from 31 December, but BASC says that the “lead in” period is shorter than anticipated and could place an extra burden on the police. Apply for a certificate from 1 July The Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Michael Matheson, last…
Are we fixated on the amount of choke?
I’ve never been able to make up my mind on what’s the right amount of choke to have in a gun. Tight guns bring certain advantages when shooting any of the five trap disciplines, but how much — or how little — is best for a gun used in the field, or on…
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…
