Q: I have just been given an old shotgun with a very oily stock. Is there any way of getting rid of the oil out of it? (Read more on…
Bill Harriman
Moving house and gun certificates – what you need to know
Q: I am about to move house. What do I have to do and what should I know about moving house and gun certificates? A: Once you have moved, you…
Renewing your shotgun certificate – crucial things to know
Q: I put my shotgun licence in for renewal in 10 weeks before it expired. It still wasn’t renewed after it had expired, and I got the automatic eight-week extension.…
Gun cabinet law: can different licence owners have a key to the same cabinet?
What’s the situation with gun cabinet law when a shotgun owner only has a shotgun certificate but wants to store the guns in a cabinet along with rifles owned by…
Sending a gun to auction – do I have to tell the police?
To the amateur trader, a sale room can seem like a daunting place. Shooting Times asks experienced auctioneer, David Porter, for his tips on buying at auction.
Can a local registered firearms dealer ‘confiscate’ an air rifle?
If you’re a responsible airgunner then you’ll know your airgun law, know about using gun slips and you’ll do everything you can not to put your sport into disrepute. A…
I live in the city. Am I allowed to shoot pests in my garden with an air rifle?
Shooting pests in a city and town A reader wants to make short work of squirrels and rats. Can he? Q: The only wildlife I see in my city garden…
Misfires and how to deal with them
Q: What should I do when my .22 rifle misfires and what do I do with the cartridges that won’t go off? A: If you get a significant number of…
Share a gun cabinet? So how do you list your guns on your shotgun licences?
My wife and I share a gun cabinet and I’ve been told my shotguns should appear as 'shared' on my wife’s shotgun licence and hers shown similarly on mine.…
What first gun should I get my teenager with a new shotgun licence?
Have shotgun licence, in search of a shotgun Q: I want to buy a first gun for my 15-year-old son to use now that he has got his licence. He…
Do I need to keep my guns at home for a shotgun licence?
Shotgun licence: If I apply for a shotgun certificate do the guns have to be kept at my home address?
How to deal with issues of spent shot and neighbours
Boundaries and spent shot Q: Our shoot’s boundary is next to a rural property that has several barns with corrugated iron roofs. Sometimes spent shot falls on these roofs, which…
Where should I keep my gun cabinet keys safely?
Keeping your gun cabinet keys discreetly and safely is one of the major responsibilities of possessing a gun. Fail to do this and you could bring shooting and your sport…
How far do shotgun pellets travel?
Q: Just how far do shotgun pellets travel? I want to carry out some crop protection on a 15-acre field I own. There are public roads on two sides of…
What should I do with a shotgun or rifle when the owner dies?
What happens to shotguns after owner’s death? Q: What is the best thing to do if someone you know has died and they held a licence and owned shotguns that…
The legalities of target shooting on private land
If you have a good amount of land that is isolated from the public you might well have considered setting up an area for private target shooting. But it is…
Shotgun cartridge safety rules
Every responsible shooter should be aware of the all-important cartridge safety rules. You must NEVER mix cartridges of different calibres. To do so is exceptionally dangerous, and could result in…
Should the firearms enquiry officer have taken a picture of my gun cabinet?
Q: A while ago I started learning to shoot and now I have been granted my shotgun certificate. I have bought a gun cabinet and installed it. I keep ahead…
Should you tell off an unsafe Shot?
So what should you do if you go out shooting with a friend of a friend and you think they are an unsafe Shot and that their shooting safety could…
Is it legal to borrow or lend a gun?
Key advice on borrowing and lending guns At the start of the shooting season you may be shooting with friends who have recently ventured into fieldsports and don’t yet own…