Table of contents for June 2022 in Sporting Gun

Ladies first Female shooters, such as Becky McKenzie, often start by using guns made for men. It’s not an ideal situation and one wonders how many lady shooters have given up the sport because of adverse recoil and discomfort caused by ill-fitting guns. A few modern gunmakers have addressed this by producing off-the-shelf guns for female shooters. Now it’s the turn of top Italian brand Rizzini to make its first gun tailored to the female form. Top Shot and shooting coach Becky was the first to test this new Sporter and was mightily impressed by its performance. Find out more on Page 94…

Return of the Northern Shooting Show The Northern Shooting Show is to open its gates to the public for the first time in three years, on the weekend of 7 and 8 May at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate. Among the plethora of attractions will be the Gamebore Clayline. For more details, visit northernshootingshow.co.uk New Beretta DTL Challenge The CPSA, GMK and Bywell Shooting Ground have announced a new three-day DTL event, the Beretta DTL Challenge. Held at Bywell in Morpeth, Northumberland, from 10 to 12 June, the challenge will see competitors from classes C-AA battle it out. The high Gun from each class will win a Beretta A300, while the overall high Gun will claim a Beretta SP1 Field worth £1,950. For more information and to book, visit championships.cpsa.co.uk…

It’s a fashionable word that you seem to hear everywhere these days, but if you ask 10 people to define what rewilding means, you’ll get 10 wildly different answers. To some it might be a matter of leaving nature to its own devices, while to others it suggests a more deliberate process of clearing, replanting and redefining a landscape. More yet will see it as a matter of tipping wolves or other large, and usually predatory, mammals into the countryside and seeing what happens. What is certain is that rewilding can be a much misunderstood, divisive and potentially seriously damaging business. The widest understanding of the term ‘rewilding’ is that it is a process that seeks to return the countryside to a natural uncultivated state, usually along with the animals…

This is the best time of year for me here in Northumberland. May is the perfect month to get out into the woods early in the morning. From the middle of the month up until the second week in June, the mature roebucks are at the height of their territorial behaviour. It is a time when the buck that has held his territory for several seasons may be challenged by a one that thinks it is his moment to take over the preferred patch held by the older boy. The roe rut comes to its peak towards the last week of July and run through into August. This is earlier than any of the deer species, apart from the muntjac which mate throughout the year. It is what drives the…

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, fieldcraft and the rabbit. I spent much of my teens shooting with this .22 Weihrauch HW 77 K and accounted for many rabbits, rats and other ‘bits and bobs’. I probably learned more with that Weihrauch about tactics to get within killing range of a rabbit than any gun I now own. I knew the gun’s limitations and that I needed to be within 40 yards and make a headshot. Anything more meant no rabbit in the bag. Modern rifles, high calibres, technical range aids all help fine-tune the need to be within a certain range for shooting rabbits. I…

Ian Coley has been attached to the world of shooting for more than half a century. He started as a gunsmith at Fletchers in Cheltenham before becoming a gamekeeper, corporate shoot host and sporting agent. As if all that wasn’t enough, Ian became one of the world’s top clay breakers and finest competitive coaches. That’s a full life of achievement. Over five decades, Ian built a reputation for results. Two of his students, Peter Wilson and Richard Faulds, claimed Olympic golds under his tutelage, while Ian was honoured by HM The Queen with an MBE for services to shooting in 2012. These days, Ian has retired from the competitive world, but his ability to nurture talent and provide the facilities to help them succeed continues at the ground that bears…

With the season’s end, a gamekeeper may breathe a sigh of relief that all the hard work has paid off. However, it is but a brief hiatus and time waits for no man, or woman. After what may be a well-earned holiday, the work required as the seasons revolve continues. For Mike and Antonia Appleby on the Honeycombe Shoot in Dorset, there is plenty to keep them busy – and a few hurdles in their path as well. “One of the issues facing shoots, particularly partridge shoots, is the outbreak of avian flu on the Continent that has put a lockdown on any exports of eggs or chicks,” says Mike. “Many partridge shoots obtain their stock from France as the chicks hatch earlier than in the UK, so eggs are…

I had great plans for a day’s shooting on a flightline between a field of rape and one of linseed – until I received a call from my wife that is. The pigeons were navigating their way along a power line, as they frequently do, so I planned to set out some decoys on a wheat field beside a stripped cover plot that had recently been a draw for the pigeons. The chance of getting any birds to decoy was unlikely, but I hoped the pattern would tempt enough birds to do a fly-by to enable me to make a dent in their numbers. I wanted to be set up and ready to shoot for nine-ish, but Karen’s call soon put paid to that. On her way to work she’d…

One of the most challenging hunting tasks you can undertake with your gundog will be the hunting of a hedge or ditch. If done correctly it can be highly effective in producing game, especially when shooting over a gundog. If done incorrectly it can be a nightmare for the handler, although in fact the dog may well be thoroughly enjoying itself. In the first instance, it is important to understand why a hedge line or ditch can be so difficult to work properly and the problems that can be encountered when working them. “Put a dog into a hedge and the chances are it will disappear” Both obstacles will be used by furred and feathered game as natural, safe highways. Pheasants in particular will travel along the bottom of a…

As a father and now a grandfather, I have come to realise how the things that you do with your children and grandchildren in their formative years can influence them for the rest of their lives. So it was with me and my passion for that British icon, the Land Rover. On my faded and yellowed birth certificate, my dad’s occupation is stated as ‘private investigator’. I realise that may well conjure up images of him hiding in the shadows of a London back street in the 1960s spying on an unfaithful husband, but his job wasn’t quite what it appeared to be on paper. In fact, Dad was what was known in the trade as a ‘car snatcher’. He worked for a finance company and, back in the day,…

RABBITS Rabbit food I seem to remember you said that some of the rabbits you catch go to make animal feeds. I have seen cat food with rabbit, but not dog food. Why? Ed says: I sell to whoever pays the most, and at present it is the pet food industry. I believe rabbits are sold both as cat and dog food. They are mainly sold as a ‘natural diet’, although most are offered in minced form and a plastic packet, which to my mind is about as far from natural as a rabbit can be as a product. You should be able to get hold of rabbit as a dog food but, if not, chicken is similar and a good second choice. If you get stuck and need some,…

Establishing the distance between shooter and target is key to precise marksmanship. This skill can take a while to master, but is easier to achieve using a laser rangefinder. I bought the Endurance 1000 to help me shoot more efficiently, be it targets or live quarry. The Hawke rangefinder is lightweight, compact and easy to carry. It has a belt loop on the case and a carabiner, if you decide you don’t want to put it in your jacket pocket. The device’s functionality could not be more simple as it only has two buttons to operate and change the settings. So, click the power button once to turn it on, point at the target and click it again to gain pinpoint range data instantly. The mode button allows the operator…

The Ruger 10/22 .22LR has to be the most widely used semi-automatic rimfire on the planet. It was the brainchild of Bill Ruger back in 1964 and its simple inertia type or blowback bolt operating system has proved reliable and long-lasting, spawning many variants over the years. “Its open grip and laminate construction allows for a varied ho iti ” This Target Lite model is one of the better factory offerings. Many 10/22 owners modify their rifles with the numerous aftermarket products, but this new model needs no such embellishments. It wears a well-proportioned laminate thumbhole stock and, being ambidextrous, it is very user-friendly. I also like the target/varmint profile short-tensioned barrel to reduce weight. As it is threaded for a sound moderator, it would make a nice, compact vermin…

I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember a time when shooting has faced so many challenges. Avian flu, grain prices, soaring fuel costs and meddling with the general licences have all played a part in making things difficult. To be honest, we aren’t making things easy for ourselves, especially with the proposed phasing out of lead shot. The signatories of the proposed lead shot ban tell me they are tired of talking about this topic. I’m sure they are, but many of us need more convincing that steel is the right way to go. There is a lot of misinformation and we need some hard evidence. To this end I have commissioned Richard Atkins, an engineer, to do some research on lead and the new steel cartridges with…

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 to look forward to on days off, for others it is a way of life. One thing that all types seem to have in common is the passion we have for our wonderful pastime and our desire to see it thrive and prosper. Community After the disruption to life caused by Covid, I found myself appreciating the social benefits of shooting post-lockdowns. The banter on a shoot day, be it in the gunline or beaters’ trailer, is something I had taken for granted. Working primarily from home, Charlie and I spend the majority of our lives with only each other…

If we manage to get the tower, seats and butts that have been hit by the storms back in position, this is the time to spend catching the younger bucks before they are chased off and before the heavy ground cover really gets going in late May. Spotting and getting a clear line of fire for the shot, spotting and stalking through thick undergrowth can be a challenging business. Still, it is the challenge of getting close we love, isn’t it?…

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 grey back. The female is more of a dark and rather drab grey-brown, but has a distinctive buff marking around the eye and a steel-grey ring on the bill. “The male moults, so for about a month he is unable to fly and more vulnerable to predators” Both sexes have grey wing bars and striking red eyes. The head has a distinctive triangular shape with a heavy, compact bill. When swimming, the pochard settles deeply into the water. It is generally a quiet duck. The voice of the male is a whistle ending in a nasal aaoo-oo-ha. The female has…

Honesberie Shooting Ground DISCIPLINES Sporting and Simulated Game. ADDITIONAL FACILITIES On-site café, gunroom, airgun range, 200m rifle range, archery, gun repairs, servicing and storage. MOBILITY Lightly gravelled pathways lead out to the stands. Disabled bathroom facilities are available in the clubhouse. WHEN IS IT OPEN? Monday-Saturday, 8.30am-6pm PRACTICE ROUNDS Self-caddied practice sessions are possible, with clays set to £0.42, or £0.37 for members. TUITION Clay shooting experiences are available from £49 per person. In-field game tuition is also available, with pricing available upon request. DESCRIPTION Set on a 400-acre family farm on the borders of Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire, Honesberie combines a range of activities with high-end facilities. ■ Clay shooters, airgunners, rifle Shots and game Shots are all well looked after here. Licence-holding Shots can self-caddy across a diverse…

I’ve just come in from another session – the fourth in four nights. I was on my own, driving from one vantage point to another and viewing the landscapes. The first few stops only yielded a few rabbits, but a bit further on I heard a fox shrieking in a very determined manner. I’d been after this individual for ages – not only had the landowner lost a number of his ducks but one of ‘my’ farmers puts his lambs there too. Consequently, the culprit was high on my hit list. The problem was it only occasionally left some inaccessible woods and showed no interest in the usual call sounds. I walked a few hundred yards closer and tucked in next to a hedge with the caller 50 paces out.…

Gun downcast Am I the only person feeling a bit pessimistic about our sport? We shooters seem besieged from all sides. We have had antis for as long as I can remember, but now we are fighting among ourselves about the transition to steel shot. And avian flu threatens to put a big dent in, or perhaps even stop, the next season. We need some good news. Bill Long, Berkshire Home truths One can only hope that Vladimir Putin’s actions over the past couple of months have removed the rose-tinted glasses from our eco-warriors and other useful idiots. Perhaps it is time to stop planting trees and building houses on good fertile ground and highly productive floodplains. We have seen what happened to the world price of wheat when the…

Jack Pyke leather cartridge bag A quality cartridge bag is a useful shooting accessory all-year round, in the field or on the clay ground. This bag offers classic style, crafted from high-quality cowhide, and is built to hold 100 loose cartridges, with a wide opening for easy loading. You could even add a silk scarf and wear it as a handbag when you’re not out shooting. Price £82.95; jackpyke.co.uk Seeland Skeet II lady waistcoat The Skeet II lady waistcoat is smart, practical and great value. Designed in collaboration with professional Skeet shooters, it has all the features you expect and require at the clay ground. It provides freedom of movement, breathability and large pockets for cartridges and accessories. Available in a selection of colours. Price £69.99; gb.seeland.com Schöffel Norfolk shirt,…

The use of thermal devices has changed the way we look at the environment in which we shoot. This applies whether we are using a handheld or gun-mounted device. Thermal imagers rely on a heat source and these work day or night. Nothing can hide from the thermal’s gaze if unobstructed and the faintest trace of heat will give a very obvious signature for you to look at. In contrast, night vision relies on enhancing available light sources to gain an image and this is not always possible. I use a thermal sight, but 80% of the time it is used as a handheld observation tool, as it helps to cut down on time spent looking in the wrong places. This is why most people opt for a handheld or…

The topic for this month’s article is an excellent example of what makes pattern testing – always a key part of any cartridge evaluation – so fascinating. 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 are to be denied it. The topic chosen by Sporting Gun for me this month has been time-consuming, but it has totally reinvigorated my mind on making sense of the findings. If only it could do the same for my now weary body. Defining the differences I was already aware that some of the things we hear about steel shot and how we need to ‘embrace’ it are not always fully explained. It’s…

CHARLES SMITH-JONES SAYS: “Clients included the kings of Italy and Romania as well as the Tsar of Russia” Nestled among the modern guns on the used racks of your gunshop, or perhaps offered for sale at a small county auction, you will occasionally come across a gem from the more distant past. Superficially, such a gun might stand out as little more than an antique, but closer examination would reveal levels of craftsmanship and attention to detail that are rare among recent mass-produced guns. I do not dispute that many of these are built to highly exacting standards, but they tend to involve more modern manufacturing techniques and a greater degree of mechanisation in their production. This is such a gun, made by Heinrich Barella probably around the turn of…

Normally we talk about antiques in this column, but this month I’m going to bend the rules and talk about a modern gun, and one that is sure to be a collectable investment for the future. Pictured here is a Whiscombe JW50 and I would wager with anyone that this air rifle will only increase in value as the years go by. Crazy So what makes me so certain of the Whiscombe’s investment quality? First, the inventor, John Whiscombe, was nothing short of an engineering genius. The concept for this air rifle first appeared in the 1980s when John had the (some might say) crazy idea of taking two BSA Airsporter air rifles and joining them so that the internal spring-operated pistons fired towards each other. This meant that the…

Avian flu hampers plans for the coming season The knock-on effects of bird flu could have significant ramifications for shoots across the country. For some, the coming season will be severely curtailed, even cancelled, which could put their viability in question. Supply chains of eggs from France for British shoots have been severely disrupted and in many cases halted because of measures put in place by the French authorities to contain the latest outbreak of bird flu. In particular, the western departments of the Vendée and Loire-Atlantique, which are vital to the supply of eggs to the British gamebird industry, have been hampered by the lockdown. No eggs means no birds, which means no shoots. James Robson, who runs the 3,000-acre Primrosehill pheasant and partridge shoot in the Lammermuir Hills…

There was a time when shooting was a sport only for the rich, or landowners. Or both. Perish the thought, but is it possible – in the short-term, at least – that history might repeat itself? Yes, shooting has undergone sea changes in the past 60 or so years thanks to greater prosperity, a meteoric rise in clay shooting’s popularity, changes in land use, easier access to the countryside, affordable syndicate membership and, of course, the proliferation of let game days. Inflation Guided goose shooting and pay-by-day woodpigeon over decoys have played a part, too, as have cartridge makers and the gun trade. Yet it has never been a cheap-as-chips pastime. It will always be the case that the more bucks we have, the more bangs we can buy. Good…

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 mainly arable, it was rare to see populations of more than 20 to 30 birds. My tactics, therefore, usually consisted of stalking any bird that I spotted landing anywhere on the farm. Decoying was an alien concept until I read Archie Coats’s influential book, Pigeon Shooting, where great emphasis was placed on the intelligence of the average pigeon and the need to build effective hides in order to lure them close enough for a shot. To this end, I would go to great lengths to construct my hides from material found on site, ensuring they would blend perfectly with the…

This summer, one of the UK’s finest clay breaking celebrations will return to Orston Shooting Ground. And you could be there. From 26-29 May top competitive shots and keen amateurs will head to the Nottinghamshire ground to face off against two 75-target English Sporting courses, four 25-target Sportrap layouts and a devilish pool shoot. The English Sporting event is already shaping up to be something special. Dan Martin, Orston’s director, and Paul Murgatroyd, head groundsman, will again be setting both courses. Those who shot the 2021 Classic already know of their ability to set targets that are challenging yet accessible. Tricks “We will be employing a few tricks of the trade to catch out the pros this year,” said Dan. “But enjoyment will be the overriding factor when creating most…

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 exuberance of a freshly lit firework on New Year’s Day, but now your energy is plummeting. “Our physiology makes us experience a slump in energy” Not only does it feel like you’re walking through treacle, your mind’s gone all woolly on you too. You’re making silly mistakes and, worse still, missing targets that, earlier in the day, you would have smoked. Endurance Now that the longest days of summer are with us, let’s explore how you can enjoy them to the full land up your endurance levels for the coming autumn season. Why do we get weary in the afternoon?…

A simulated game day can be as varied and diverse as a real one. You can have as much shooting as you can handle, nobody will be keeping score and you can shoot at a constantly changing target, just like the real thing. A simple search of the internet will reveal a plethora of sim game companies selling days. I would also suggest asking around your shooting friends for a recommendation of a good day out and/or the possibility of an invitation to their next outing. When looking at the adverts you will see a big difference in the prices of a day. You buy a peg for the day but you will share the peg with another Gun, taking it in turns to shoot. All the drives will be…

“Severe, acute pancreatitis can be fatal in dogs and humans” I have considerable sympathy for your vet and even more for your spaniel. Pancreatitis describes inflammation of the pancreas, which is almost always sterile and not associated with bacterial or viral infection. The clinical signs vary from rapid death with severe, acute, necrotising pancreatitis through to mild, intermittent abdominal discomfort, seen with low-grade chronic pancreatitis. The clinical signs are generally non-specific and a variety of differential diagnoses (everything from foreign bodies to womb infections to kidney and liver disease) must be considered before pancreatitis can be (sort of) confirmed. Sweetbreads Gastronomically, I am not a fan of the pancreas, aka sweetbread, but I have considerable admiration for the functions of this wee organ, which lies alongside the stomach and duodenum…

STANBURY’S VENISON STIR-FRY PREPARATION TIME: 50 MINUTES MAKES TWO Ingredients 400g venison haunch steak or loin 4tbsp soy sauce 3tbsp vegetable oil 200g bean sprouts 2 baby pak choi (keep leaves separate) ½in piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1 crushed dried red chilli 500g ready-cooked noodles 4 spring onions, finely sliced Method 1 Slice venison steaks across the grain into thin slices. Place in a container with the soy sauce. Mix well and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. 2 Using a large frying pan or a wok, heat one tablespoon of oil. Add the slices of venison and stir-fry on a medium heat for two to three minutes until cooked through. Transfer steak to a bowl with a slotted spoon,…

The Adventurer, Cook Kit & Hobo Stove (hard anodised) There is something primal and wonderful about cooking outdoors. To this end, I have had my eye on one of Ghillie Kettle’s products for a while. It struck me as a good way to boil water and cook when out in the field, so I recently took the plunge and bought one. The kettle is a simple, but effective way of boiling water with a small fire made of twigs and other flammable materials. The design is a small, metal firepit with a chimney-style water container that stands on top. The air vent in the baseplate helps draw air through the kettle and out of the chimney, efficiently heating the water in the cavity wall. I have been impressed with the…

Manufacturer InfiRay (China) Model Zoom ZH38 Detector resolution 640x512 pixel Pixel pitch 12 micron NETD sensitivity Sub 25mk Frame rate 50hz Magnification 1.6x optical mag for scanning or 3.2x optical magnification for detail Zoom Digital zoom up to 12.8x Eye relief 20mm Exit pupil diameter 5.5mm Screen resolution 1440x1080 pixel FHD AMOLED Power 4400mAh battery pack (two supplied) Max battery life 20hrs (via two 10hr batteries) Video recording and Wi-Fi 32GB capacity Weight 580g Dimensions 190x65x60mm Price £2,999.99 Distributors Highland Outdoors 08450 990252 or highlandoutdoors.co.uk…

This is the first Rizzini I have ever laid my hands on. I tested this little gem courtesy of ASI, the importer, which loaned me a brand spanking new model. What a treat. The Venus is Rizzini’s first dedicated women’s Sporting/game gun. It features the popular rounded action, with some quite delicate engraving. My game version came with non-adjustable Monte Carlo stock, with a swept-back game-style hand grip, similar to a Prince of Wales. The quality of the wood on this gun is excellent. Some nice Turkish walnut has been selected and it is very pretty. As a game gun, the Venus has a solid mid rib and solid top rib. At the end of the barrels is a nicely sized silver bead. The barrel lengths available in this game…

CHARLES SMITH-JONES SAYS: “It became regarded as one of the most accurate .22 rifles ever made” In 1893 the renowned American sharpshooter Annie Oakley put 25 shots through the same ragged hole at a range of 11 metres using .22 Short cartridges. On the same day she shot a jagged one-hole group through the centre of an ace of hearts playing card, shooting offhand with no support. The rifle she used for both feats was a Marlin Model 1891, the forerunner of the Golden Model 39A, which she would probably find remarkably familiar today. When Marlin introduced its Model 1891 in that year, it was the first underlever rifle chambered for .22LR. Subsequent versions saw the side gate through which it was loaded give way to a front-loading tubular magazine…