Having the perfect airgun pellets for your particular gun can make the difference between hit and miss. So how can you decide? Read through the following and you’ll be in a good position to make the right purchase – and make that all-important difference to your shooting. You can find…
Guns
How to match ammunition to your rifle using a chronograph
Q: I am after a cheap way of measuring the velocity of my .22 subsonic CZ rimfire so I can work out its trajectory. Is the new FX Chronograph any good? I use a lot of different chronographs to measure my rifle’s muzzle velocity. A: The new FX model is…
Getting a first air rifle
My parents bought me a second-hand Diana Model 23 .177 air rifle in 1984 as my first air rifle. The bluing was well on its way out and the cheap beech woodwork bore the marks of a life of hard graft. A series of hatches were etched into the stock,…
Are English guns the best?
The famous makers of English guns – Holland & Holland, Boss, Purdey, William Evans, Westley Richards. These names are revered as the finest examples of the gunmaker’s art around the world. Or is that really true? Inherited English guns You’ll see plenty of people turning up at a smart driven…
Is a 20-bore better than a 12-bore for long, walked-up days?
The proposition was put to me recently that the ideal gun for walked-up shooting is a lightweight 20-bore side-by-side shotgun. It got me thinking, in these days where 20-bore mania is still gripping the nation, what is the enduring appeal of the Victorian ladies’ gun to the strapping six-footers who…
How can my firearms cabinet be opened lawfully?
What arrangements should I make for the orderly disposal of my firearms after my death, and how can my firearms cabinet be opened lawfully?
How to clean and care for a semi-auto shotgun
Take 10 minutes to clean a semi-auto shotgun properly every time you use it and you’ll avoid a lot of issues. Another reason is that you also save money on repairs and get more for it if you ever want to trade it in or sell it. Lack of cleaning…
How to pick the right gun for you
Whether you’re looking to buy a brand new gun or second-hand, what should you be considering? Visiting any gunshop you are faced with racks and racks of guns, so how do you pick the right gun for you? The one that is going to enable you to shoot to the…
Why doesn’t everyone pick up their plastic cartridge cases?
What do you do with your empty plastic cartridge cases? Plastic wads are already verboten on many game shoots. But plastic cartridge cases are another matter. They are still very much the rule rather than the exception. Unlike wads, which are blasted to God only knows where, cases are much…
How to choose the best load for a 20-bore
A 20-bore shotgun is really used for game shooting and although 20-bores can easily and convincingly be used to shoot clays, most dedicated clay Shots use a 12. In this article I give overview of the most appropriate cartridge loads for differing quarry types. Ease of movement with 20-bore The…
Five .22 rimfire sound moderators reviewed
I have selected five .22 rimfire sound moderators of varying prices, ranging from under £40 to £150, each designed primarily for subsonic cartridge use, though some can be used for .17 HMR or .22 Hornet cartridges.. I tested using Winchester Max 42-gr subsonic ammunition as this has a velocity of…
Should I buy a spring-powered airgun or a PCP?
Choosing the right airgun isn’t an easy decision. Once you’ve decided on your budget you will have to think about the power source and it’s this that most buyers usually have the most difficulty over. Years ago the only option was a spring-powered airgun but in the last 15-20 years…
The pros and cons of lead-free bullets
There is a growing push towards lead-free bullets. But what are the pros and cons of lead-free bullets? These are the advantages and disadvantages as I see them and of copper bullets. There are serious considerations for both but lead shot is, of course, being phased out over a five-year…
The evolution of an Italian design classic
It’s one of the best-known, best-selling shotgun designs of all time, but does that make the Beretta Silver Pigeon or 68 series one of the best guns of all time? Gunmaking is a little like the industrial version of Darwin’s theory of natural selection. The most adaptable survive. The best…
Why Holland & Holland ‘Royal’ guns are sought after
Mark Sullivan works quietly at his bench, producing the heart of many bespoke gun-building projects. An auctioneer by trade, he used to work at Holland & Holland. Now he works for the wider trade, happy to let someone else put their name to his work while he remains quietly anonymous…
What should I do about shotgun storage if I’m away?
I intend to take a long holiday away from home and wonder what obligations I am under in respect of storage of my shotguns while I am away?
What happened when Bruce Potts carried out a high velocity ammunition test?
Speed, power and accuracy are essential for successful pest control — Bruce Potts tests six of the classic .22LR high velocity ammunition rounds to see which is the top performer. There is a vast number of manufacturers and styles of bullet to choose from – most popular are the .22LR…
What would be the best all-round shotgun for you?
How to choose your best all-round shotgun If you had to have one gun that would work for you in all your shooting, what would it be? This would not necessarily be your dream gun and some tough choices would have to be made. We are talking here about someone…
What are the choices available if you’re looking for lead-free ammunition?
Like many people, you may be considering trying some steel shot for your game shooting this season. But with so much misinformation available online, how do you know where to start? Moving towards lead free ammunition We must begin by realising that what is right for somebody on Facebook may…