Fieldtester looks deeper, so you choose smarter
youtu.be/jDQJY6IQQH8 Soft shell is a great fabric for hunting – it’s light, comfortable to wear, and it’s quiet, so there’s no noise as you brush against trees and undergrowth. That’s why Ridgeline use soft shell for their Ascent jacket as Nigel Winkle, from UK distributors Highland Outdoors, explains: “Soft shell
youtu.be/UIyXSYCXyGw When you’re out in all weathers, you need something that will keep you warm and dry, but is also breathable so you aren’t soaked with sweat going up the hills. Better still if it’s easy to dry out at the end of the day, so you’re ready to face
youtu.be/rJgc6BkdPcQ Nigel Winkle from distributor Highland Outdoors explains why he sells the Ridgeline Torrent III smock. This hunting jacket is part of the classic range. It’s well established and has been part of brand Ridgeline UK since the company came to market in this country in 2007. Why is this
youtu.be/9oTy0_cL0Yw If you go deerstalking, or just spend time out in the woods, the new Ridgeline Grizzly II jacket could be your ideal outer layer. It’s windproof, light and breathable, has a useful selection of pockets for your gear, and whilst it’s not fully waterproof it will fend off all
youtu.be/xvU4ICBX6uM Ridgeline’s Pintail Explorer smock became a firm favourite with stalkers and bushcrafters. It’s light and warm, very quiet to wear, and you can stuff it in your rucksack until you need it. Now Ridgeline have updated and improved the design to create the Pintail Explorer II. Nigel Winkle from
youtu.be/X3Bz3wsUMdg If you’re looking for a top quality scope without paying for all the bells and whistles, Fieldtester’s Tim Pilbeam reckons you should look at the Kahles Helia 3.5-18x50i. When it comes to optics, Kahles know their stuff. They’re one of the oldest manufacturers of scopes in the world, going
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhKNwWxKzxU Who makes zinc bullets? What are they used for and how long have they been around? Firearms expert Andrew Venables answers these questions and more. History of bullet development by Andrew Venables Why do we cling to the pre-1900 lead bullet design when the 20th and even 21st centuries
youtu.be/8TRwLlcmS-8 When you buy a ‘large’ jacket from one clothing company and it’s the same as a ‘2XL’ from another, and both of them seem to be about the same as a ‘medium’ from ten years ago, what’s going on? We talk to a top tailor about how much of
youtu.be/tti1KoezIZ0 What’s the trajectory difference between a .22 and a .177 airgun pellet? Johnny Muston fron R&K Stockcraft tries them side by side on different targets at different ranges and ‘maps’ the trajectories, so you can see the difference in holdover. For more from R&K Stockcraft, visit RKStockcraft.co.uk
youtu.be/k5MDEWv-q44 Many stalkers and wildfowlers choose a Ridgeline smock for the excellent protection it gives, but what if you prefer a jacket that you can open all the way down the front? The Ridgeline Monsoon jacket promises the best of both worlds: the convenience of a conventional jacket, with the
The most expensive knives in the world are – disappointingly – there to look at, not to use. However, there is a new strand in British knifemaking that makes utilitarian knives which are also custommade for users to use. They are designed around what people want to do. We have
A good rest will transform your accuracy with a rifle, and most shooters will use a bipod or sticks depending on their type of shooting. Traditional rests can be fiddly and clumsy to carry and use, but Spartan has transformed all that with a modern range of modular supports that
youtu.be/oMN9Zkgf_XYRyan Charlton of distributor Highland Outdoors has used the 4-16×44 scope he sells with half mil-dot reticle on his own rimfire. He says he has had hits out to 300 yards using a combination of dialling in holdover and using the reticle as his aim point. There are plenty of precision
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT-2N0W_Fs4 Roy has a new toy. Mr Lupton has his hands on the new Leica thermal unit, the Calonox View, and he has an invitation to stalk fallow deer in Sussex. It’s a good chance to put the spotter through its paces, and to bring home a beast for the
youtu.be/yF7oJwvzfac How good are these pellets at killing?– H&N Baracuda Green– Webley Velocipell– Webley Mosquito Express– Webley VMX PellAirgun expert Johnny Muston from R&K Stockcraft puts them through their paces on ballistic gel to find out. For more from R&K Stockcraft, visit RKStockcraft.co.uk
Gun fit is a big issue in shotgun shooting, but people forget it’s important for rifle shooting too. Your cheek needs to be resting nicely on the comb, so your head is always in the same place in relation to the scope for the best accuracy and consistent groups. That’s
youtu.be/OM0o97qkwiE We test six copper rounds for accuracy. This is part of a project run by Tim Pilbeam where 13 deerstalkers keep diaries of how copper bullets perform for them. Stalkers include Steve Goodwin, Steve Bull, Alison Otway of OtwaysMeatandGame.co.uk, gamekeeper Rob Beeney and David Sadler set about finding out
youtu.be/R98moTyIQKU Leica has a new entry-level riflescope. Of course, entry level to a top-end name such as Leica does not mean it is under £1,000. However, Tim Pilbeam says that for the money – £1,400 – you get all the Leica quality most of us could want. Tim tried out
youtu.be/qF1X_xOi_TQ Airgun expert Johnny Muston from R&K Stockcraft explains how to clear your airgun barrel – and tells a few horror stories about barrels that are past saving. For more from R&K Stockcraft, visit RKStockcraft.co.uk
Why buy a gun at auction? how? and what gun? If those are your questions, this is the right page for you. Our gun experts Diggory Hadoke from VintageGuns.co.uk, Bill Harriman from BASC and the BBC Antiques Roadshow, and others offer the answers. Below you will find the stories of indvidual
Can the shape of your airgun pellets really make a difference to stopping power? There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to carry out a ballistic wax test. The results will reveal how far a pellet penetrates, as well as the size and shape of the channel it
by Charlie Jacoby The Swarovski dS scope is growing up. The technical marvel that is the gen II dS has a slimmer look, though the same 40mm tube, a choice of six reticles, and more customisable features such as the ability to switch off the wind bars. It comes with an
by Charlie Jacoby All the expensive optics manufacturers have the same problem: should they launch cheaper models? If they do, it opens them to the charge of going downmarket. Also, they may have to cut costs in the manufacturing process, which could bring with it a quality issue. All of
So: you’ve got your Firearms Certificate, you’ve got permission to shoot rabbits on a local farm, and you’re itching to go shooting. There’s just one hurdle left: you need a rifle and scope that are up to the job. So what’s the best rimfire rifle package for a reasonable price,
Is there such a thing as the all-round shotgun that will do everything and still look the part, from knocking over vermin around the farm to bringing down rocketing driven pheasants or bagging the silverware at a major clay shooting championship? There’s no-one better to ask than Sam Green,
Why buy a Savage B17? Half of the Fieldsports Channel audience (who own a rimfire) own the Czech-made CZ/Brno rimfires – check out our rimfire research. However, drill down those numbers and you find that the Czech rifles are getting elderly in the hands of our viewers (the average age
A new stock could transform your trusty air rifle, improving accuracy and ease of use and giving it a whole new lease of life, not to mention a stunning modern look. If that’s your aim, look no further than this pistol grip style thumbhole FORM Chieftain air rifle stock,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeVqLp-iYAQ In this month’s Fieldtester show, our kit gurus Roy Lupton, Johnny Muston and Tim Pilbeam come together with host David Wright to discuss the evolution of the airgun. That’s not all. Johnny Muston from R&J Stockcraft says how to choose the perfect airgun pellet, and shows off his shooting
This is the Fieldtester survey where we asked you to tell us about your kit back in 2020, and you responded: 3,500 completed surveys came back to us, 10% of which are about PCPs, 10% of you told us about your airgun pellets, only 5% are about spring-loaded air rifles,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhcXPwLtA0 Just what do you buy a shooter? It’s a question Ian Ho-Ho-Hodge gets asked many times a day as the festive season approaches. He runs Ian Hodge Field Sports – a physical and online shop based in Cornwall – so he’s put together a list of the ideal stocking
Thermal imaging has become an essential tool for gamekeepers, pest controllers and deer managers. From almost none a couple of years ago, there are now a huge variety of products to choose from. The old man of traditional optics, Zeiss, planned a grand launch for its first entry into the
Out of 3,500 responses to our 2020 kit survey, 600 Fieldsports Channel viewers got back to us about binos. It is clear from the results that Leupold is a well-loved brand, if not widely purchased. Only 3% of viewers own Leupold binos. In Fieldsports Channel’s research, Leupold binos score
Purists look at foxshooting doyen Robert Bucknell’s set-up and are appalled. Until recently, he had a CAM rifle, which is in ‘practical rifle’ territory and not the usual foxshooter’s choice of heavy barrel with bipod. And, to make it a more comfortable fit, he built up the cheek pad with
A good spotting scope is a vital tool of the trade for Mike Robinson, professional deer manager and game chef. “I’m selecting wild deer which I harvest and put through my Owl Barn larder, and which then goes to my award-winning restaurants” – (yes, he says “award-winning”) – “as
Gamekeeper Paul Childerley finishes his rounds looking after pheasants and ducks, and then he takes time to carry out shoot management. Today, it is squirrels. If he can shoot a few grey squirrels, he will improve the chances for the trees on his shoot, and trees in this lowland
If you shoot driven boar or practical rifle competitions, you need the right scope for the job, something designed for fast, reflex shooting. James Fowler at distributors RUAG knows his stuff, so what does he recommend? “The Meopta Optika6 1-6×24 is ideal,” he says. “It’s a nice compact scope
Why would you want a .22 rimfire version of a centrefire Hunter Match Rifle? The obvious answer is running costs. With the price of centrefire ammo, a .22 rimfire allows you to practise to your heart’s content without worrying about the cost. But it’s also a lovely little rifle
How about a rifle that you can take down like a shotgun and pack into a rucksack? That’s the Bergara BA13 TD take-down rifle. “It’s a little single shot, break action rifle and it’s incredible,” says James Fowler of distributors RUAG. “It gets called the keeper’s gun because it’s
Webley Raider Classic review Ryan Charlton from Highland Outdoors with a Webley Raider Classic Webley is one of the oldest names in the gun trade. The company has produced some of the most famous firearms the world has ever seen, including some classic airguns. They’ve moved with the times, of
What rifle do you choose when you work for the importer and could take your pick? For James Fowler of RUAG there was no hesitation – he tried the Bergara B14 and fell in love straight away. “It’s a versatile rifle that you can use for hunting or match
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYjScrprPbY Pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) airguns tend to get all the glory nowadays, but don’t overlook the good old spring-powered guns if you simply want an inexpensive airgun that will give you hours of fun in the garden, as well as killing the odd rat, rabbit or pigeon. “PCS are great,
You can spend £10,000-plus on a competition sporting over-and-under shotgun, but for a fraction of that price Yildiz offer its value Pro Black, offering all the basic sporting features. “The range starts at £1,349 for a grade 3 non-adjustable model, with the adjustable version selling at £1,899,” explains Richard
You don’t need to spend a fortune these days on a gun that will look the part and do a great job on clays, rough or game shooting. There are some excellent guns available for under £1,000 – and this stunning over-and-under Webley & Scott 912 is a great
If you want to know what scope a competitive shooter uses to hit targets accurately, ask Ben Mcilwaine. He’ll tell you it’s the Bushnell Elite Tactical XRS II. Bushnell says it’s the scope “that’s been to the podium at the King of 2 Miles” and countless precision rifle matches
Phil Wilson enjoys fishing and riding dirt bikes along California trails, when he’s not working at his knife shop, crafting new tools. He’s been designing high-quality custom blades since 1985. Wilson designed Spyderco’s Bow River knife, which is perfect for the “budget conscious adventurer”, according to Andrew Isherwood of
How many times have you asked yourself whether you want to dine out or at home? You’re still going to have food, but there’s something satisfying about eating a meal you spent the effort cooking. The same goes for bullets. There’s also the extra cofidence it gives you. Factory
The latest variation of the Yildiz SPZ ME is the Steel Sporter Black, which retails at under £1,000. “This is very much the SPZ ME but with a steel action,” says Richard Ryan from Raytrade. “Benefits? it will take some very heavy punishment. Anyone looking to cope with a
The European government on 26 November pushed through a ban on lead shot over wetlands, leaving pro-shooting groups in Brussels and Strasbourg aghast. Shooters in North European countries, especially Scandinavia, point out that most rural land is wetland, by the European definition. But on 30 November, the EU Committee, a
Once or twice in your shooting life, you will have a shotgun cartridge that’s the right bore/gauge, but it won’t fit in the gun you are using. The cartridge is too long. More often in your shooting life, you will have a shotgun cartridge that will fit in the
Robbie Sheddon of Cluny Country Guns takes us through a selection of night vision and thermal scopes for less than a grand. They are: Yukon Photon RT, £599 Yukon Sightline N450, £759 Yukon Sightline N470, £819 Pulsar Axion Key XM22, £869 Starting off with the Yukon Photon RT: “This
