Fieldtester looks deeper, so you choose smarter
Ian Hodge Fieldsports supports three clayshooters. Ian talks about that and how the clayshooting market is moving on.
The sponsored clayshooters are:
Lee Johns
Barny Jackson
Denzil Grose
Tom Davies of Dartmoor Deer Services takes a look at the Pulsar Telos LRF XL50, a thermal imaging monocular he uses for foxshooting and deerstalking. For more, go to ThomasJacks.co.uk For Dartmoor Deer Services, visit Bit.ly/ddsvenison More thermal and night vision kit here
You have your airgun, your scope and your pellets. If you’re going hunting you will need a few more bits of kit. James Head from Crackshot says what you need before heading out into the field, for a budget of under £300. For more from Crackshot, go to Crackshot.uk To
The Webley & Scott Imperial side-by-side shotgun is a nod back to the company’s heritage, with a modern feel, says Ryan Charlton of distributors Highland Outdoors. The Imperial follows traditional lines, with colour-hardened action and sideplates, nicely blued barrels, Prince of Wales stock and splinter fore-end – yet it is
How far away would you shoot a rabbit with a .22 rimfire? 50 yards? 60? Maybe even 80? That’s nothing to Robert Bucknell’s gamekeeper friend, Jon Cook. He’s happy taking them at 200 yards. That is possible thanks to a new scope he bought recently. It’s an Arken Zulus HD
What reloading components and equipment do you need a Firearms Certificate to buy? And how many rounds can you load and keep at any given time? Bedfordshire deer manager and gamekeeper Paul Childerley talks to our anonymous reloading expert about how to reload your rifle ammo while staying on the
Many PCP airguns now have a chassis system so, like a rimfire or centrefire rifle, you can add all sorts of extras to aid shooting and personalise your gun. For some great suggestions, we visit Dan Bib at Shooting Sports UK’s shop at Oakedge Shooting Ground in Staffordshire, which caters
Robin Shedden of Cluny Country reviews the Zeiss LRP range – illuminated reticle riflescopes that are great for both hunting and target shooting. They are designed for long range shooting, although equally good at 100 yards, and even have parallax adjustment down to 15 metres. Optically they are the equivalent
Ryan Charlton of distributors Highland Outdoors runs through the features of the astoundingly lightweight – at just 4.7 lbs – Howa Superlite rifle. Find out more at Highland Outdoors HighlandOutdoors.co.uk More rifle reviews here
Ian Hodge from Cornish gunshop Ian Hodge Fieldsports compares and contrasts two budget PCPs that are ideal for dealing with garden pests: the Stoeger XM1 Bullpup and the ATA Airborne. For more from Ian Hodge, visit IanHodgeFieldsports.co.uk More from Ian Hodge here
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IyjA_z1QNQ The A-Tac bipod from Tier One is supremely adjustable, with interchangeable feet and a variety of mounting options so it’s easy to swap from one rifle to another. It is available with carbon fibre or aluminium legs. Ryan Charlton from the distributors Highland Outdoors runs through the bipod’s features
James Head from Devon and online airgun shop Crackshot looks at the different options available for PCPs, and makes his recommendations for hand pump type, bottle size and whether to go cheap or expensive on your own compressor. For more from Crackshot, go to Crackshot.uk More on airguns here
Shooting Sports UK has a shop at Oakedge Shooting Ground in Staffordshire, which caters for every type of shooter including airgunners. As well as the clay shooting, there’s a six-lane airgun range which you can hire by the hour or by the day. Matt Clay walks us through the facilities
Traditional spotting scopes are heavy, bulky, and need a tripod to give the best results. Swarovski has launched two new lightweight, compact spotting scopes, the STC and ATC, with 17-40x magnification. Cluny Country’s Robbie Shedden says this means you can have high magnification on the move, transforming your stalking experience.
The Worshipful Company of Gunmakers has issued new certificates honouring the work of the UK’s top gunmakers. In the first ceremony of its kind, held at the London Proof House, the master and officers of the Gunmakers, which received its royal charter in 1637, handed out certificates to the cream
www.youtube.com/watch?v=08HyzCGrZBE The Spartan Javelin is a modern take on the bipod for your rifle. Ryan Charlton of distributors Highland Outdoors explains that it’s lightweight, slips in a pocket, adjustable, and with its magnetic attachment system it’s quick and easy to deploy. Find out more at Highland Outdoors
James Head of Crackshot selects two PCPs priced at £399. They are basic but, he says, there’s no compromise on accuracy. They do the job. For more from Crackshot, visit Crackshot.uk To watch all of #FieldsportsBritain, episode 746, visit FieldsportsChannel.tv/fieldsportsbritain746 More airgun reviews here:
Two Turks go head-to-head in the hands of Ian Hodge of Cornish gunshop Ian Hodge Fieldsports. He looks at affordably priced 12-bores from KOFS vs ATA Arms. For Ian’s shop, go to IanHodgeFieldsports.co.uk To watch all of #FieldsportsBritain, episode 745, visit FieldsportsChannel.tv/fieldsportsbritain745 More shotgun reviews here:
Maven Optics has released a new, upgraded version of its flagship binoculars, the B1.2. Ryan Charlton of Highland Outdoors has been testing a pair in the popular 10×42 specification, in eyecatching grey with orange detailing. He is impressed with their ergonomic feel and handling, and superior optics, delivering superb low-light
You’ve got a budget of £800 to buy a shotgun; should you buy new, or pick a nice secondhand example? We asked Dan Bibb of Shooting Sports UK to show us the options. He has two very different guns in stock that fit the bill: a secondhand Browning 425, and
James Head from airgun shop Crackshot compares two of his bestselling PCPs: the Air Arms S510 and the Weihrauch HW100. For more from Crackshot, go to Crackshot.uk More on airguns from Fieldtester:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVIetvzYgVk Ian Hodge discusses options for the pro pest controller, who is buying a sub 12-ft/lb PCP airgun. He looks at two of his top sellers, the FX Crown and the BSA R12, and discusses why people buy them, plus what scopes and moderators they put on them. The airguns
Game shooters often prefer a lighter weight shotgun, especially for walked-up shooting where you may be carrying the gun for some distance, along with all your other kit and cartridges. Robbie Shedden of Cluny Country reckons the Yildiz is a good choice. It has a lightweight alloy action, coming in
Is this what hunting will look like in the future? Tim Pilbeam is sitting back in his comfy seat, spying for deer with the very latest multi-spectral thermal imaging binoculars from Infiray, his rifle loaded with a prototype non-toxic bullet created by a mad inventor who visits Tim’s range to
Night vision optics are a game changer for airgun hunting. With a day-night scope you can target rats and rabbits at night, and make the most of low light at dawn and dusk, when a lot of quarry is most likely to present an opportunity for a shot. But with
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUpP54Be5BU For more from Ian Hodge, go to IanHodgeFieldsports.co.uk More Ian Hodge films here:
If you’re looking for a riflescope with excellent performance at a reasonable price, you should definitely take a look at the GPO Spectra 1 7.5x50i. This scope is lightweight and compact, with fixed magnification and parallax, excellent optical performance and an illuminated G4i reticle. Ryan Charlton of Highland Outdoors runs
The .410 is a great first shotgun for a youngster – and modern .410s are good quality, scaled-down versions of a full-sized over-and-under. Ian Hodge looks at two popular modern .410s: the KOFS and Webley & Scott game guns. He sells lots of these from his Cornwall and online gun
You can buy a basic knife that will do the job for around £15, but what if you want something a little more refined? You don’t have to spend hundreds to get a good quality, stylish gralloching knife, says Dan Bibb of Shooting Sports UK. He highlights the Spyderco Bow
Crispi boots are a favourite with hill stalkers and others who want dry, comfortable feet after a hard day’s walking in all kinds of terrain and undergrowth. Jane Keen of Cluny Country Store explains why the boots are proving so popular. “We stock the Crispi Hunter boots, which have been
Yes, that’s Nigel Farage. An evening with the Blacker family in Cornwall sees local shooters (and Nigel) bring in their guns for assessment. Bill Blacker and his sons Jim and Matt are among the foremost gunmakers and gunsmiths in the UK, and they advise on how to save your old
If you want the very latest in thermal viewers and riflescopes at a sensible price, then HIKMicro’s latest products are worth a look – the Condor monoculars and the revolutionary Thunder, the first thermal riflescope with optical zoom. Join Dan Chart from Fieldsports Channel as he teams up with Hikmicro’s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijVFb_JJqf0 Ryan Charlton from GRS’s UK distributor Highland Outdoors talks through the new Fenris adjustable rifle stock, designed for hunting. Click here for more about the GRS Fenris
‘Circle, red dot, kill’ – that’s what you want a scope to do for you, says Tim Pilbeam, and the Swarovski Z8i+ does it. He is out on his range in Sussex with local deerstalkers and a gunsmith to put the scope through its paces and see what the advantages
Sako rifles have always been known for their quality. Robin Shedden of Cluny Country Guns fondly remembers his Sako 75, which would put bullets into a thumbnail sized group at 180 yards every time. “That’s what you’re getting with Sako: quality,” he says. Since then we’ve seen the Sako 85
What do you have to spend on a new shotgun for serious clay competition? £2,000? £2,500? That was the entry level price, but now there’s a contender at little more than half the cost, and with a good solid British name to boot: the Webley & Scott Pro Comp. Dan
You are left-handed, so you need a left-handed gun, right? Not necessarily, says Robin Shedden of Cluny Country Guns. Several of the big shotgun manufacturers offer their guns in left-handed versions, but those aren’t always fully left-handed, he explains. The left-handed Berettas and the Blaser F16 are built on right-handed
Tier One are renowned for their precision Monomount scope mounts – but what if you want to swap your scope to another rifle? Their new quick-detach mount is the answer. “It’s got all the bnefits of the Monomount,” explains Ryan Charlton of distributors Highland Outdoors. “It’s made from a single
Thermal gear has come a long way, and prices have dropped to the point where it’s a realistic choice for many airgunners and fox shooters. So what do you get for your money, and which is the best deal for you? Ian Hodge of Ian Hodge Fieldsports runs through the
Everyone loves the little .410 – and why wouldn’t you? The guns are quirky and fun to shoot, and they’re cheap as chips. OK the ammo costs a little more than a 12 bore, but who’s counting when you’re smashing clays or controlling pests with a gun that’s so satisfying
A big heavy rifle is fine for the range, but what if you’re walking the hills all day and still need to take a precise long shot when the opportunity presents itself? That’s where the Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT really shines. It’s a lightweight, precision bolt-action rifle, available in a
youtu.be/slekeV41hbY There’s enough to carry when you’re out stalking or doing vermin control – so anything that can do two jobs at once is a bonus. That’s the idea with the Vorn SR10 hip pack. It’s a practical 10-litre waist pack with plenty of space for all your gear. Plus
Click here for 10% discount offer for Fieldsports Channel viewers – use the code FSTV at checkout by James Marchington Ryan Charlton from Highland Outdoors, which imports the new RS4 5-30×56 scope from Maven Optics in Wyoming, USA, says why he likes it. “The company’s philosophy is founded on no-compromise
youtu.be/bfEA-6_QZGU To get the best out of your air rifle, you need to find the pellet that works best in your gun. Some air rifles seem to ‘like’ some pellets – and not like others. James Head, from Devon-based airgun shop Crackshot, heads to the range above the shop to
As a keen rifle shooter and deer stalker, Ryan Charlton of Highland Outdoors has used a lot of binoculars, and he’s particularly impressed with the latest offering from German Precision Optics: the GPO Passion ED 8×32. The first thing that catches his eye is the packaging. “It’s all recyclable, which
What’s the best scope to put on your airgun for hunting, and maybe a bit of HFT competition? James Head, from Newton Abbot, Devon, and online airgun specialists Crackshot UK, says that two models stand out as the most popular in 2023: the £279 Hawke Airmax, and the £295 MTC
If you’re serious about clay shooting competition, you need a proper clay gun – it really will make a difference to your scores, says West Country gunshop owner Ian Hodge. You don’t need to spend a fortune though. He picks out two guns that are more than up to the
youtu.be/GP_uJAlAFPI Fancy a new Tikka? Staffordshire and online gunshop Shooting Sports UK is offering a saving of £750 on a complete stalking package that includes a Tikka Superlite rifle in your choice of calibre, mounts, Steiner scope, Stalon moderator, carbon fibre bipod, shooting sticks, and an Outdoor Edge knife, all
youtu.be/A8DChKhmu58 They are the mid-priced BMW and Audi of shotguns – solid, reliable, good value, and they’ll go on for ever. The Beretta Silver Pigeon and Browning 525 are the biggest selling shotguns in Ian Hodge’s gunshop in the West Country. But which one is right for you? There’s just
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