Q: I will be picking-up this season on a new shoot, where there is a fast-flowing river. On two drives it can be necessary to put dogs over the river. I know that dogs have drowned in this river in the past, and while my dogs are good swimmers I…
Safety
Shooting has an enviable safety record and we must all strive to keep it that way so whether you’re out in the field game shooting or at the clay ground it is important that you put safety first.
These are articles from our experts with rules everyone should follow – beginners and those who have been shooting for years included. We have useful information about firearms licensing, interesting facts about why you should protect your hearing while shooting and how to keep Young Shots safe too.
Keeping safe when you’re out in the field
Check and check again The safest way to treat a gun is to always assume it is loaded. Never point a gun at anyone – even if you are 100% sure it is empty. Make a habit of opening and checking a shotgun to make sure the chambers are empty –…
How should you deal with a cartridge misfire?
I occasionally join a few friends for an informal clay shoot on a farm, and last time out one of my cartridges failed to fire after I pulled the trigger.
Lamping on a public footpath – just how legal is it?
Q: A friend was walking his dog on a prescribed footpath at night and came across two men lamping for foxes. An argument ensued as to the right to be there. Please can you clarify how close you can be to a public area, such as a footpath, to shoot?…
6 ways to LOSE your shotgun and firearms certificates. (And how to avoid that happening.)
1. Have an acrimonious split from a partner According to Peter Glenser, QC and chairman of The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), more people are losing shotgun certificates or firearms certificates during divorce proceedings than under any other circumstances. The loss often follows an untrue allegation from a…
FAQs about shotgun certificate applications
Q. How much does a shotgun certificate cost and how long does it run for? A. A certificate is valid for five years, after which it must be renewed if you wish to continue to possess shotguns. A new certificate costs £79.50 and renewal is £49. Q. How old do…
How to hold a shotgun
I always watch the best shooters at our club and can't help but marvel at how easy they make everything look. They seem to have all the time in the world to mount the gun and break the clay.
What’s best for shooters? Ear plugs or ear muffs?
Hearing loss is a serious issue for anyone who shoots. It can be temporary or permanent, it can build up slowly over years or be caused by a single incident. Constant exposure to loud noise can make the experience of being in noisy environments less unpleasant, but the human ear…
Is your shoot transport safe?
Legal obligations for shoot transport Q: I am a relatively new member of a modest driven shoot and for the past two seasons Guns have been transported to drives in a tractor-drawn trailer that belongs to another era. Guns sit on bales of straw and, while the trailer is covered, the…
What is the closest to a footpath or public road you can legally use a shotgun?
Where a field is bordered by a public footpath, what is the minimum distance at which one can safely and legally shoot a shotgun?
Coloured safety glass lenses and targets for clayshooters
My wife bought me a set of clay shooting glasses with different coloured lenses as a birthday present recently.
How to stop your dog chasing livestock on a farm
If you are going to work your dog on a shoot, there is one thing of which you can be certain: sooner or later you will encounter livestock. As a responsible gundog owner, the last thing you want is for your dog to show an unhealthy interest in farm animals.…
Alcohol, guns and the law
An alarming viral email was recently widely distributed among members of the shooting community. It alleged that shoots will be specifically targeted by police with breathalyser tests over the Christmas period and has resulted in the police and BASC reassuring shooters that this is not the case
Would your gun cabinet pass the test?
A muscular man in the middle of the room swung a large hammer up over his head and brought it crashing down on a metal cabinet. It was not an ordinary Wednesday and Utah was not an ordinary destination for a Shooting Times assignment. Browning’s ProSteel gun cabinet factory sits…
How to stay safe when you’re a picker-up on a shoot
Pickers-up: The job of pickers-up is not an easy one.
Why do people worry when my gun is safely in its slip?
You don't have to carry your certificate but a photocopy has no legal status
10 of the best gun slips
When you’re out in the field or on a shooting ground your gun should be broken at all times (unless of course you are aiming at a target). Make sure guns are unloaded and carried in gun slips whenever possible. This way everyone knows they’re safe. 1. Beretta Light Transformer…
Should the safety on all guns be automatic?
Intercepting safety sears on the tumbler of a gun are supposed to stop accidental discharges if the gun is dropped, or jarred, by accident.
Cartridge safety rules
Reloading your shotgun cartridges is popular in places like America but nobody in the UK (with the possible exception of a few wildfowlers) seems to bother. Why is this?