Tabla de contenidos para September 2019 en Sporting Rifle

Another anti-shooting news story, run across large swathes of the national media, has been debunked. Several newspapers, starting with the Telegraph, ran a story about British hunters apparently travelling to Iceland to shoot puffins. Activists were quoted, condemning the alleged practice of “flocking” to Iceland to shoot “100 puffins at a time.” But an investigation revealed that no Brits have actually done this in years. All the hunters pictured in the story are actually from other countries. The Icelandic Hunting Association revealed that a very small number of hunting permits were issued to Britons last year – mainly for goose and reindeer hunting. Tim Bonner, chairman of the Countryside Alliance, said: “There is absolutely no need to create a false narrative about British puffin hunters in order to raise serious…

I haven’t covered the Blaser-branded scope much in this review, but it is worthy of a separate mention. Its optics were crystal clear, and why not keep with the brand, matching rifle to scope? There is a sensor within the illumination that senses when the safety catch of the rifle has been switched to live. This automatically switches the illuminated reticle on, with obvious savings on battery life and also movement when shooting. Unfortunately I completely missed testing out this feature before the deadline for this review. I guess I’ll just have to play with the scope for longer……

Here in Ireland we have limited access to reloading, and owing to population density and a relatively small shooting fraternity, there is a limited range of ammunition readily available off the shelf. For these reasons, ammunition availability has always been a key factor in my decisions of calibre. It is the reason I shot a .270 Win for almost 15 years; it is the reason I chose a 7mm Rem Mag for a recent upgrade of hunting rifle. I keep up to speed out of a deep-rooted interest in what modern calibres are capable of delivering, and rounds such as the .338 Norma Magnum or Edge +P and the PRC developments are all interesting, but ammo availability on this little island will probably stop them entering my gunsafe for the…

Since the first .17 HMR rifle appeared on the British market, it would be fair to say this calibre has had its share of ups and downs. The downs came mainly, it has to be said, where the ammunition was concerned. All started off well, with new owners extremely pleased with the accuracy and the extended ranges this round gave them over the other rimfires. Unfortunately, after a while problems with ammunition started to appear with misfires and other problems – having the potential to cause disastrous occurrences. This continued for too long, with rifle manufacturers laying the blame at the door of ammunition makers and vice versa. However, things now appear to have been resolved as far as I am concerned, using a .17 HMR of my own and…

BARNETT BECOMES QUEEN’S HATTRICK HERO Glyn Barnett was chaired off Stickledown Range as the Queen’s Prize winner on 27 July, crowning the 150th Imperial Meeting with his third personal Queen’s victory. Dr Barnett had won back-to-back Queen’s Prizes in 2002 and 2003, and ended his 16-year wait to complete the hattrick on a breezy final day at Bisley. Coming into the third stage, Barnett was not one of the favourites to take Target Rifle’s top individual honour – he was not one of the five who had gone ‘clean’ through stage two. Richards (taking the silver medal some six v-bulls ahead of the others), Hakim, Haley, Southall and Cannings were the five standing on 150 after the 300, 500 and 600-yard stages, with Barnett one of a 31-strong crowd on…

RIMFIRE Steyr Mannlicher Zephyr Steyr Mannlicher haven’t offered rimfires for years – but the Zephyr .22LR is a welcome return to that market. Also new is the biathlon-style Scout. Sportsman Gun Centre ■ 01392 354854 www.sportsmanguncentre.com Price: £744 FROM £535 CZ 457 rimfire The successor to the 455 series is out, with a modular design, 30-degree bolt throw and interchangeable barrels. Edgar Brothers ■ 01625 613177 www.edgarbrothers.com Price: From £535 Tikka T1X The long-awaited T1X has arrived – Tikka’s very first rimfire rifle. GMK ■ 01489 579999 gmk.co.uk Price: £575 A2R semi-auto Hailing from American firearms brand 2A Armaments, this tactical-looking .22 is set to find favour among target shooters on the range. Edgar Brothers ■ 01625 613177 www.edgarbrothers.com Price: £1,759 CENTREFIRE Ruger 6mm Creedmoor Ruger’s popular Precision rifle is available in a new…

For most of my life September has been my favourite month as far as shooting is concerned, mainly because for many years much of my life revolved around gamekeeping and in particular, pheasants and partridges. Although I have always run my fox control business alongside my keepering exploits, September was the month when everything (hopefully) came together, and the work put in over the preceding months would turn into results. For those who specialise in producing pheasants, the birds are now in the woods and hopefully doing well. A recent visit to my old shoot showed that the birds there are maturing well – certainly the prolonged dry spell seems to have done them no harm at all. They should be ready by mid-October. The deer stalkers among us now…

The British Shooting Show needs your help to fight off pressure from antis on its host venue, the NEC. Campaigners against field sports succeeded in getting the local press to run a number of attack pieces on the show, quoting protestors who labelled field sports – particularly overseas hunting trips – “barbaric” and “sickening”. Very few articles were seen to quote anyone who was in favour of safari hunting or field sports in general. The NEC swiftly caved to the pressure and said it would prevent 10 companies offering overseas hunting trips from appearing at the show. An NEC statement said: "The NEC continue to be a venue that permits a wide range of content. However, we are also a business that is built around its customers and therefore listens…

Napier has revealed the line-up of its Field Masters – a group of pros dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in field sports and to using and improving Napier gear. Sporting Rifle contributor Chris Dalton, professional stalker Niall Rowantree and Sparsholt College’s Rod Greenwood are part of the star-studded team – along with Dr Robert Bourgeois of Louisiana, fishing record-holder Nick Fahey, and New Zealand hunter Bob Spain. This group of field sports greats has been assembled to gather hands-on feedback on all Napier products, in particular the prototypes of new lines as they are developed. With their worldwide make-up, they’ll be able to draw on their experience hunting, shooting and fishing all parts of the globe and the different challenges they throw up. Apart from working closely with Napier,…

Wild Justice has announced its latest target: they’re trying to stop game shoots putting down birds. The anti-shooting group, which was behind the revocation of the general licences, is urging DEFRA to investigate the effects of releasing non-native gamebirds into the countryside – something that would inevitably run up a large bill, which the taxpayer foots, if it goes ahead. Wild Justice claims that releasing large numbers of non-native birds has a significant effect on ecology, including causing an increase the population of pest birds. They appear to have missed the irony that their own campaigning has resulted in an increase in the number of pest birds in England, after most shooting of pest birds was prevented for seven consecutive weeks when the General Licences were removed earlier this year.…

I crack the window slightly and drink in the fresh Scottish air as we cross the Clyde. The long drive from Ireland via Holyhead and Yorkshire is in its final stages, and the excitement of what lies ahead wakens my motorway-weary legs. My Yorkshire-born passenger Pete Carr, another highland addict, wakens from his uncomfortable slumber against a rolled-up Harkila jacket. The signposts bear familiar names as the roads narrow and the highlands appear before us. This is a drive I’ve made countless time since my first excursion to the west coast back in 2004 and my love for the stalking here has only grown since then – indeed, this is my fourth trip this season. Progress fades to a crawl along the winding western side of Loch Lomond but the…

Hawke’s latest flagship Frontier range has recently been complemented by a 4-20x50 Riflescope with a first focal plane (FFP) reticle that can fulfil multiple sporting and target roles. Developments in reticle etchings and precision adjustable turrets have allowed scopes to become far more versatile, and though they’re not a master of all trades, they are far better enabled for multiple tasks. The Frontier has a 30mm main tube with smooth anodising that resists gathering from your skin. Hawke’s whole product range seems worlds apart from the cheaper looks they sported 5-10 years in the distant past – now, a homogenous brand character is portrayed from low to high-cost optics. This Frontier shows its 50mm objective lens, set 20mm within the outer body for protection from the elements and to limit…

Here is a question for the readers. Who uses one of the WSM range of cartridges? Not a cartridge I have ever owned, though I have used one a few times in the form of the .300 WSM, they have gone from being the next best thing to relative obscurity in a short space of time. Of the range, the .270 WSM is one of the lesser known, but should it be? Like its brothers and sisters, the .270 WSM is an unbelted Magnum cartridge, and is a necked-down version of the .300 WSM, which itself was designed around the short, fat case of the .404 Jeffery. introduced in 2002, it came to the market at the same time as the 7mm version and became (to the best of my…

More than half an hour had passed since the shot. The strike had been good; there was no doubt about that. Yet, still we followed on, tracing the spoor through the dry, dusty earth of the Namibian bush. How far could it have possibly gone? We had likely covered more than a kilometre, and with both ground tracking and support via a drone scouring the landscape, we didn’t seem any closer. It is easy to become fixated on the ground when tracking, focused almost entirely on each progressive print from one to the next, looking with a tunnel vision at the singular task at hand. This, however, can be a mistake, especially if you find yourself in dangerous game country. A lack of attention to your surroundings could put you…

ENGLAND CHILDERLEY SPORTING Chinese water deer and muntjac specialist. We manage over 30,000 acres of land in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. We can offer 1:1 guided stalking to all capabilities and training for beginners. We have a zeroing range up to 250 metres along with our simulated stalking area. Contact: Paul Childerley 07715 638934 paul@childerleysporting.co.uk www.childerleysporting.co.uk MARK BOULTON Driven boar hunting throughout Europe and night shooting in Sussex. Groups or individuals. Various packages offered from day trips to France to six-day all-inclusive trips to Hungary. Contact: Mark Boulton 07854 985006 markthedeerstalker@hotmail.co.uk SHOOTING SH A long-established syndicate of 15 years with 19 varied blocks. Red, roe, muntjac and fallow deer with 10 walked-up days as added value plus rough shooting in your annual fee of £750 first year, dropping to £600…

The government has finally opened its long-awaited consultation on medical involvement in firearms licensing. The Home Office call for evidence opened on 23 July and will last for around eight weeks. The aim is to produce statutory guidance to doctors and stop them interpreting the law any way they want. Previously, some GPs or constabulary areas had decided to impose their own fee for medical involvement, or even absent themselves from the process entirely. If the consultation is successful it could also see the duration of a certificate increased to ten years. However, the effective cost of an FAC is likely to rise as a result of the proposals under consultation. BASC said the net cost to the shooting community could be £48 million, which it said was disappointing in…

I have used a few variants of the Blaser straight-pull rifle over the years – I never owned one, but always enjoyed getting my hands on one. The first time I shot one was at Swarovski’s underground range; a ragged one-hole on a chamois target will always be etched in my memory. I have also hunted with a .270 Blaser up in some wild areas of Scotland, and was more than happy to grass a couple of cull stags. The function and performance of these rifles have always been without question – I have just never sealed the deal with a purchase. Blaser’s straight-pull rifles offer several advantages over a conventional bolt-action. Most of you will be familiar with Blaser’s R93 and now their R8, so I won’t spend ages…

My day at the stags was solo but supported. I would be stalking self-guided and the support would come, if required, in the form of an obliging keeper in his Argo. As I was going to be out alone, I checked my kit list carefully. I didn’t want to get up on the high ground only to find my ammo or bolt was still in the truck. I didn’t want to be overloaded either, and settled for binos, rifle, ammo and knife. A clip-on bipod and a stick completed the list. I parked my truck by the farm buildings and headed up the burn. I could feel the brisk breeze on my left cheek from the south. I decided to walk the burn on this cheek wind and then, on…

Two questions I see crop up time and time again in shooting magazines or on the internet are what is the best calibre for foxes, and the distance at which you can shoot them. Both of these queries have multiple answers and are further complicated by the circumstances in which the actual shooting takes place. Personally, what colours my choices is not the distance I am likely to shoot most foxes at, but where I am doing it. To explain this in more detail, the starting point has to be the wide variation of countryside this island has to offer. For example, my good friend and colleague Mark Ripley shoots a lot of his foxes at distances I would be unlikely to even think about taking a shot at, because…

PULSAR THERMION A revolutionary product, the Thermion is a thermal imager that fits into a standard day-scope design, unlike the bulky thermal units we’ve been used to. Across the five Thermion models in the range, you’ll find maximum detection ranges up to 2300m and magnifications up to 22x with 4x digital zoom, depending on the model. All Thermions have a built-in video recorder, wifi-connectivity and ability to stream to a device, 10 electronic reticles and 16GB of internal memory. Price: £2,979.95-£4,539.95 Thomas Jacks 01789 264100 thomasjacks.co.uk WICKED LIGHTS A67IC PREDATOR Foxing technology just keeps on advancing, and lamps are no exception. The A67iC hunting torch from American brand Wicked Lights is centred on a rotatable 3-in-1 colour LED to allow you to select between red, white and green beams, with…

ARIAT Boots were naturally popular throughout the weekend – and there are few better than Ariat’s impressive range of wellies and hill boots. At The Game Fair, they told us they’ve just launched women’s versions of their popular Catalyst Defiant hunting boot. Ariat’s VP James Wilson said, “It’s packed with all the features you get in the men’s version. Durability, comfort – products that are really built for the consumer.” Also check out the new zipped version of their Burford welly, set to hit the market in November. Ariat 01367 242818 ariat.com LE CHAMEAU Staying with footwear – well, sort of… Le Chameau is known first and foremost for its top-end footwear, but at The Game Fair, it launched something entirely different: a range of shooting jackets, made primarily with…

It had been a long stalk, the dust of the bushveld coating my Courteney boots and a thousand thorns puncturing their solid leather soles. Solid leather soles are essential when hunting Africa because they offer the quietest tread – silent footsteps in the dirt and grit. Soles with air pockets impregnated in the rubber for comfort amplify any crunching sound and telegraph your approach. However, it was a moot point; the waterbuck bull had the uncanny ability to hear the unheard and see the unseen, and it vanished like a slick card trick. For three days that waterbuck, my PH Hennie, and I had danced among the thorns in a game of cat and mouse that was becoming tedious. “These big bulls, Sir Crimpy,” Hennie addressed me respectfully, “are super…

FOXING SPECIAL Out at night with the Pulsar Axion KAROO KUDU Chasing the ‘grey ghost’ amid some Africa’s vast wilderness CONSERVATION VIEWPOINT Spending a month with an African elephant herd CHANGING SEASONS Make the most of back-end bucks and stags SEAT OF POWER How to build a high seat on the cheap PLUS… • Haenel rifle on test • Getting ready for the winter doe cull • Pitting moderators head-to-head • Accuracy masterclass: Get it right every time • News, views, competitions and offers SUBSCRIBE NOW Never miss a copy of your favourite shooting monthly again – subscribe to Sporting Rifle and save money every month, as well as getting the mag delivered to your door. With a quarterly subscription starting at £12, it’s more affordable than ever to subscribe.…