“I would dearly love to be able to afford a sidelock O/U from a prestigious maker, but I can’t afford one. Instead, I am going to have to settle for a side-plated boxlock. I have a budget in mind, but I will happily exceed it to get the right gun.”…
Guns
How to clean and maintain your rifle scope
Q: With all this rain of late, do you have any tips for cleaning my rifle scope and keeping it safe? Bruce Potts, our resident expert gives his advice A: People tend to put a scope on a rifle, then forget about it and never consider cleaning it until something…
Top 10 reasons to keep an airgun
Using an airgun regularly, especially a springer, can improve your marksmanship. This will also improve your shooting skills with any rifle, even a full-bore. If you can manage the adverse recoil of a spring-powered airgun and shoot accurately with it, you will find shooting a full-bore rifle a cinch.…
Is the side-by-side shotgun history?
“Snobbery and inheritance are the only reasons why people use a side-by-side.” So said one keen Shot, once described as the best of his generation. “But I’m not that bothered. I just like to shoot straight.” Once upon a time, the side-by-side was the only gun to use. Turn up for…
What’s a good second-hand rifle for deer stalking?
Q: I want my son to come out stalking with me; he is keen and a good shot. Can you recommend a good-value second-hand rifle? Will any brand be OK providing the rifle meets the right specifications, and if so what specifications should I be looking for? A: It is…
Three value-for-money secondhand semi-auto shotguns
Hatsan Escort Magnum Target Price: £330 In the 1960s, two trend-setting semi-autos were introduced – one from the USA and the other from Italy. Both were no-nonsense guns that became favourites, primarily with clay target and pigeon shooters. The American offering was the Remington 1100, while the Beretta A300 came from Italy. The Remmie was so…
A look at three second-hand, low recoil guns
It surprises me that sensitivity to recoil seems to have little to do with physical build. I’ve met guys built like Jack who find recoil painful, and also skinny guys like me who don’t seem to suffer at all. It’s not that I don’t bruise when shooting heavy loads, but…
How many guns can you store in a gun cabinet?
Q: When I got my shotgun licence three years ago I bought a four-gun cabinet. I’ve just bought my fifth shotgun and have been told by my firearms enquiry officer (FEO) that I am only allowed to own four because that is all my cabinet was intended for. Do I…
The history of airguns
Once the playthings of the aristocracy, later silent military killers, airguns have been around in one guise or another for some time. Bill Harriman looks into their history
Three popular game guns to buy second-hand
Mike George’s buying advice for game guns When people ask for multi-use, most experienced shooters recommend a sporter. Sporters are built to tackle our domestic sporting disciplines and similar targets under the international FITASC rules, all of which try to simulate targets encountered in field shooting. Most sporters weigh within…
Five .22 rimfire sound moderators reviewed
As far as noise reduction goes, the humble .22 rimfire has reached its peak, yet the shooting industry continues to enhance, modify and improve methods of suppressing its signature report. Now all we need to do is consider the price, material used, longevity, balance and strippability of the newer designs.…
How to care for your sound moderator
If not, you will have a badly fitted and sometimes dangerous moderator and suffer the consequences of moderator failure long before its sell-by date. It constantly amazes me that some people never clean their rifles, let alone any ancillary equipment – they are just stacking up trouble for the future.…
A closer look at a Baikal shotgun
Considering a Baikal shotgun? Mike George explains why the Russian-built shotgun is one of his top ten guns produced during the last half-century
Will Garfit on cartridges for pigeon shooting
A recent question from a reader asked what cartridges I used for pigeon shooting. The answer is simple: Gamebore Velocity, 28gram loaded with No.7½ shot. But the explanation for my choice is more complicated and requires some explanation. A miss is a miss I am no cartridge or ballistics geek…
Second-hand super semi-auto shotguns
Mike George advises on buying second-hand semi-auto shotguns Over the years the Italians have made some super semi-autos. In the 1970s, Franchi autos were a great favourite among pigeon shooters while some of the Berettas from the 1980s – notably the A302 and the A303 – were legendary for their…
Your cartridges are going to cost you more
Thinking of buying new cartridges to replenish your dwindling stock? If so, perhaps you should do it sooner rather than later as cartridge cost is set to go up. The rising cost of lead on the world market in 2016 forced UK cartridge makers to increase prices last month and…
The modern cartridge vs the flintlock
If you have ever fired a flintlock, you will know that it feels as if the world has suddenly slipped into slow motion when you compare the experience to that of firing your modern shotgun. When you pull the trigger on the flintlock, you are very aware of a sort of “click – fizz – bang”…
What if I load airgun pellets backwards?
Q: I’ve heard that loading airgun pellets backwards is a great way to achieve a dum-dum e ffect when controlling pests such as rats. Does it work and could it damage the barrel of my airgun? A: Loading airgun pellets backwards is unlikely to harm your barrel but it is not conducive to accurate…
What gun for a novice shooter – who’s also a big, rugby playing lad?
Q: I have recently taken a real interest in shooting through my girlfriend’s family. I will be looking to get myself a gun for next season and was wondering what to get. I am 6ft 2in and 104kg, so a relatively big, rugby-playing lad. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.…
Can I break my gun down into parts to store it?
Q: I need to buy a gun safe for my house, but I don’t have room for a full-size cabinet. I will therefore need to break my gun down into its parts to store it. Will this cause any problems with the gun? A: None whatsoever. Shotguns are designed to be broken…