Budget clay cartridges from Gamebore We thought we’d investigate some budget clay cartridges from Gamebore. In today’s tough economic climate, there are more shooters seeking to trim their shooting expenditure.…
Sporting Gun
CZ 457 Long Range Precision: will it help you to shoot your best ever?
Background to the CZ 457 Long Range Precision The CZ is the go-to rimfire for many UK pest controllers. Despite tough competition from the likes of Anschütz, Sako, Bergara and…
How to teach a spaniel puppy to retrieve
Spaniels are “pre-programmed” to hunt, it is their most basic instinct. So many new owners might think that starting to teach a spaniel puppy to retrieve would be straightforward and…
Hypothyroidism in dogs. What owners need to know
Q: My lab bitch is only seven years old but is acting much older. She is a little heavy, there’s hair loss and thick, scabby skin below her neck and…
Beretta 687 Sporting: you’re unlikely to find a more elegant and durable gun at this price
Beretta has been a prolific firearms manufacturer since the 16th century and although it also produces guns for the military and law-enforcement markets, it is Sporting guns that today account…
Burning questions about the end of lead shot
Is UK REACH compliance mandatory? If the proposals were to come into law next year they would be mandatory in England, Wales and Scotland. However, there is a lengthy scrutiny…
Merkel Helix: easy to pick up but hard to put down again and here’s why
To test the new Merkel RX Helix rifle, Kate Gatacre heads to North Yorkshire in search of her first fallow buck
Gundog training equipment: here’s what a top trainer says you’ll need
Kitting yourself out with gundog training equipment before the season? Tony runs through his own list of ‘must have’ essentials.
Clay Shooting Classic 2022 – the winners revealed
Phil Gray came to win it all and he did, quite literally. He topped the podium in the Sporting event, claimed his Blaser F16, then almost accidentally won the Pool…
Childhood airgunning
I recently dusted off my first airgun that my parents bought me for my ninth birthday. This gun, along with copious amounts of enthusiasm, taught me a lot about hunting,…
Shooting was a sport for the rich once. Will that happen again?
’There was a time when shooting was a sport for the rich, or landowners. Or both. Perish the thought, but is it possible – in the short-term, at least –…
What’s wrong with my cocker spaniel’s eye?
Here’s a picture of my cocker spaniel’s eye. I have been to the vet who told me it’s only an infection and gave me some eye drops but I am…
Pochard – a diving duck that’s in decline
Similar in size to the wigeon, it is difficult to mistake the male pochard for any other duck, with his bright chestnut head, black breast, white flanks and delicately barred…
Browning Cynergy shotgun review
Browning Cynergy shotgun: The Browning Cynergy shotgun incorporates all that's best in modern shotgun design - at an affordable price.
Whiscombe JW50 air rifle. It could be a superb investment and this is why
I’m going to talk about a modern gun the Whiscombe JW50 and one that is sure to be a collectable investment for the future. I would wager with anyone that…
Marlin Golden Model 39A rifle
Marlin Golden Model 39A is regarded as one of the most accurate .22 rifles ever made
Steel vs lead cartridges: a pattern emerges
We now have the transition away from traditional lead shot that has served so well for so long and, I hope, will continue to do so, even if some areas…
The importance of fitness on a shooting day
You know the feeling. You’re only two-thirds of the way through an enjoyable day’s shooting yet suddenly you feel wearier than a sleep-deprived dormouse. This morning you had all the…
Why location is crucial for setting up a hide
When I acquired my first shotgun, aged 14, I became obsessed with the pursuit of the few woodies that lived on our farm on Canvey Island. Though the farm was…
Why fieldsports is the best pastime
Fieldsports means so much to so many people. I never cease to find it amazing how diverse it can be. For many, it is a hobby that gives us something…