Thinking about using black powder? You’ll need a licence from the local police and a reason for using it. Having a gun proofed for black powder should be enough. Of…
Sporting Gun
This is how to take somebody night-time foxing for the first time
To those of us who do it regularly, night-time foxing is no big deal. For many others who have never, or rarely, been before, it can be a really memorable…
My spaniel has horrible waxy ears. What can I do about it?
Q: My spaniel has horrible waxy ears. No amount of cleaning seems to make a difference. Any suggestions? I’m worried they may lead to more spaniel ear problems. A: Neil…
Is comprehensive insurance really necessary for sporting guns?
Should you get gun insurance? No, says Robin Scott. It would be worth splashing the cash each year if I had a gun that was eye-wateringly expensive or rare. I…
Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus
I’ll be honest with you, the first thing I noticed about the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus was the price. At £2,195 it is not cheap for a semi-auto. Regular readers…
How to make biltong
One of the few advantages of the lockdown has been that many outstanding projects have finally been completed. One of these was to build a permanent drying box to make…
A beginners’ guide to FITASC clay pigeon shooting
FITASC sporting is a great leveller. If there's any weakness in your clay shooting technique, be it with your gun mounting or swing, this discipline will find it!
Want to get better at shooting an air rifle? Continued target practice is crucial and this is why
Getting good at shooting an air rifle is only half the battle. Staying good is the other half and it does not happen by chance – it requires constant attention.…
Some questions about snap caps
Q: I am new to shooting and I keep hearing the term ‘snap caps’. What are they? A: Snap caps protect your gun by relieving the stress on your firing…
Five things to do to get your clayshooting back up to scratch again
After lockdown some of us will have lost our ‘edge’ and will need to improve clayshooting skills again. Almost all of us will be out of practice. Here I will…
Just how good is a simulated game day?
I wanted to know whether a simulated game day can ever be as good as a full-on game shoot, or is it just a glorified form of clayshooting? So I…
How to breed from your working bitch
Tony Price offers a step-by-step guide to successfully breeding your working bitch
What do the different barks of a roe deer mean?
A colleague contacted me last week and told me about a roebuck that had barked at his presence in the wood, only to keep approaching him at a distance of…
The parts of a shotgun cartridge explained
The different parts of a shotgun cartridge explained
Taking a look at a used Steyr Mannlicher Pro Hunter
Should you buy a second-hand Steyr Mannlicher Pro Hunter? The gun was hailed as a major move away from the traditional Steyr Mannlicher market when it first appeared in the…
Proof marks, serial numbers and how to re-proof a gun
A frequently asked question in our postbag is “how old is my gun or can I date my gun from its serial number?” It’s usually asked by somebody who has…
How to read the clay target
Even with the best technique in the world, to succeed at a high level you must be able to size up a target in seconds.
Have you got an old air rifle from the 80s and 90s tucked away? It could be worth more than you expect!
Shooting Times recently received a letter from a reader saying: “I found my 25-year old air rifle in my shed and want to dispose of it. If I try to…
13 of the best clayshooting cartridges reviewed
Forty or so years ago when clayshooting wasn’t as big as it is now shooters used whatever cartridges were around. Then clayshooting started to really catch on and now there…