Pigeon flighting – reliable Enough is enough. I had the eighth person come up to me in the pub asking: “When do you think we will be shooting over the…
Shooting Times
How have other countries coped with the lead shot ban?
For advocates of lead ammunition, the arguments have become academic. The leaders of our major shooting and countryside organisations have signed a statement in support of the removal of lead…
Tips for shooting rabbits
Go out into the field shooting rabbits and you will improve your hunting and shooting skills, learning about how animals avoid humans and predators. The rabbit ranks as some of…
A recipe for pheasant stock
In my kitchen, making stock from leftover bones or carcases is part of an economic plan. It is a simple process that extracts a greater value from the bones of…
Why you shouldn’t let your dog drink from puddles
Q: I have often found my dog drinking from puddles. Is this source of water for dogs safe? Are there any risks and should I prevent her from doing this?…
Will my shotgun be safe with steel shot cartridges?
I would like to try steel shot for wildfowling in my 2.5in chambered gun, but I have been told by some of my friends that I cannot do so unless…
How to service and store a shotgun at the end of the season
Storing a shotgun The usual way I care for my shotguns when I put them away at the end of the game season is as follows: Intermittently strip the gun.…
Professional shotgun cleaning: Why it’s worth every penny
Professional shotgun cleaning Faced with a bill of just over £800 for putting his grubby old gun back together, a local sportsman wasn’t very receptive to my advice that it…
How to use an air rifle for pest control
What do you do when grey squirrels, rats and corvids are robbing nests of eggs? You get out the airgun - and you lay in wait, as Mat Manning explains
All about sound moderators
Sound moderators – or suppressors – are used to reduce the amount of noise and visible muzzle flash your firearm or air rifle generates when firing. Moderators are sometimes referred to…
How to shoot an air rifle more accurately
Mat Manning offers some key pointers to improve your airgun accuracy and get you on target
Why raw chicken wings are perfect for dogs
Raw chicken wings for dogs are ideal It’s often claimed that chicken bones are brittle, liable to splinter and are thus dangerous for a dog to eat. That’s certainly true…
Things that affect rifle accuracy (and how to correct them)
Problems with rifle accuracy frequently frustrates rifle shooters. It’s not surprising really. A rifle is a fine precision instrument. Everything within it needs to work correctly. Many things can affect…
Where do stolen guns end up?
Should you find a Purdey under the bed when an aged relation shuffles off this mortal coil, there will be a few procedures to follow before you can safely consign…
Is a cavalier King Charles spaniel a gundog at heart?
I’ve always had a sneaking suspicion that inside many a cavalier King Charles spaniel there’s a cocker spaniel trying to get out. So I wasn’t really surprised when I read…
Shooters need to try harder to improve biodiversity credentials
Shooting is good for conservation, right? Yes it is, and if I were not convinced of that, I would not still be part of the GWCT advisory service. Helping shoots…
Rizzini RB Regal 12-bore reviewed by Shooting Times magazine
The test gun this month is the Rizzini RB Regal 12-bore with 30in barrels — previously only available on special order. (RB stands for round body.) We tend to see…
Why you should go to the Great British Shooting Show this year
A success story – the Great British Shooting Show It is no secret that running shows and game fairs, in the shooting sector, is a difficult thing to get right.…
How to enjoy a spot of garden airgunning safely and legally
Provided you follow some sensible safety rules, garden airgunning is a great way to improve your target skills. Any garden with a range of above 20m will make for interesting…
Just why is the “sprocker spaniel” becoming so popular?
Sprocker spaniels – the lowdown Sprockers have masses of energy and need to be kept busy They are intelligent dogs and easy to train – but keep training consistent. They…