Finding a gun at the right price can be tough. We’ve listed 20 shotguns for under £1000 here that we think are well worth a look, both new and second-hand. It’s also worth reading our advice on buying a shotgun second-hand where you might pick up a real bargain. If…
Steel shot
Eley VIP Steel Pro Eco – tested by Sporting Gun magazine
My expectations were not high when I tested the new Eley VIP Steel Pro Eco. But I was floored when I found that they were every bit as good as cartridges with lead shot. I tried to be scientific about testing the new eco cartridges and used a pattern…
ATA SP 20-bore Steel £599
Our verdict on the ATA SP 20-bore Steel Industry disruptors in the gun trade are few. In the past century only a handful have successfully taken market share and established their brand. Those that have succeeded have not done so through technical innovation but by copying or even plagiarising an…
Can I find a steel-proofed English spec side-by-side?
Q: Much has been said about the steel shot debate and it looks inevitable that many old, and often hand-made, guns will be scrapped or become obsolete ornaments. While there are a huge number of steel-proofed over-and-unders, does anyone make a steel-proofed side-by-side to an English specification for less than,…
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…
Why biodegradable shot cups are the way ahead for shooting
As we move inexorably towards a brave new world of shooting without lead or single-use plastic, I wonder how we will look back. I shall keep my powder dry on the lead issue. I have written before about my own positive experience of using steel for game shooting in my…
Moving from lead shot to steel – what you need to know
Moving from lead shot to steel - the practicalities involved
Steel yourself
Twenty years ago, when restrictions on the use of lead shot on the foreshore came in, the steel shot cartridges commercially available to wildfowlers were not good enough. Steel shot performance has been playing catch-up ever since and still struggles to slough off its poor reputation. But there was a…
Testing steel vs lead shot on pigeon
British shooting has been divided in recent months by the announcement on the withdrawal of lead shot within five years. While many view the decision to phase out lead and move towards alternatives such as steel as a strange route to go down, I see it as a potentially positive…
UK cartridge makers say end to lead and plastics in ammunition ‘impossible’ within five years
Monday’s call from fieldsports and shooting bodies for a move away from lead ammunition within five years has drawn criticism from leading shotgun cartridge manufacturers Eley Hawk, Gamebore, Hull Cartridge and Lyalvale Express, who accuse BASC and others involved of being ill-informed. In a statement issued on Friday 28 February…
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 the gun has been especially proofed to take it.
Shooting and rural organisations announce move away from lead ammunition
A group created from fieldsports and rural bodies is calling for a move away from lead ammunition within five years. The members include: The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) British Game Alliance (BGA) Countryside Alliance (CA) Country Land and Business Association (CLA) Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT)…
Our reviewer tried out two steel shot cartridges. What did he make of them?
Last week I shot on a friend’s syndicate. I took my AYA No 3, its woodwork now repaired and resplendent. What about the cartridges? My cartridge belt held Jocker Bio 34g No6s, my pockets stuffed with Eley VIP Pro Eco Wad 32g No5s. Conditions were sunny and clear The birds…
Steel-proofing for a Spanish side-by-side
Anyone with even a vague interest in live quarry shooting will be aware that there is an ongoing conversation about the continued use of lead shot. The centre of gravity of this debate has recently shifted away from lead’s toxicity when scattered into the wider environment. This is because…
Rizzini Grand Regal – does it perform handsomely in the field?
Recently a friend of mine said that for him a gun was all about the wood and engraving. He liked his guns to look pretty and he is what he calls a ‘timber tart’. He’s a very good shot, so this philosophy has served him well over the years. For…
Is it time to move away from lead shot to steel?
We were deep in a ditch on the Orkneys. There was a tumbling grey northern sky above us and an icy wind. The peninsula’s greylag goose population was not playing ball. They went to the right of us, they went to the left, they landed on the barley 100 yards…
Why I’m finally giving steel ammunition a proper test this season
Biodegradable shotcups suitable for steel ammunition have been available for a while. Gamebore has some 76mm wildfowling loads with its Silver Steel Bio-Wad fibre shotcup, while Eley Hawk has recently launched a range of 70mm steel loads with its new starch-based Pro Eco shotcups. These will, they say, protect shotgun…
Ammunition for wildfowlers
Before we start, I should point out that cartridge choice is personal preference and you need to do your research to find one that suits your needs, gun and quarry. You should also be aware of what your gun is capable of firing and seek advice from a firearms dealer…