Fieldtester looks deeper, so you choose smarter
It’s a lovely afternoon’s pigeon shooting. Some birds are close – some are far away. So how does a pigeon shooting expert like Andy Crow choose his chokes? Here is his guide. Using a decent cartridge on decoys, Andy uses quarter chokes in both barrels. He is shooting long
It’s our Fieldtester binoculars survey. We sent out the survey during coronavirus lockdown and got more than 3,500 responses. Of these, we had over 600 responses to our binoculars survey. And the results? You certainly spend money on optics. Around half of you own one of the three most
Got your shotgun licence? Want to buy a shotgun? Baffled by the choice? Here is what the viewers of Fieldsports Channel shoot. We put our Fieldtester survey in front of you in March 2020 while lots of people were twiddling their thumbs in coronavirus lockdown, and 3,500 people got back
Sometimes you shoot an animal at a good range and you are pleased with the result. Sometimes, the animal emerges from the bushes just in front of you. And occasionally, both can happen at the same time. Swedish gunsight manufacturer’s her Aimpoint reckons it has found the solution. We
Do you have old, out-of-shape pigeon decoys? Do you have anything even vaguely crow-shaped you can use instead? You can use it to make your own crow decoy, says our viewer Tim in Essex. You need a black bin liner and black insulation tape. That’s the hard part. Cover the
There are so many walking boots, so many makes and models. So which do you choose? Well, there is one clear winner among Fieldsports Channel’s viewers, with nearly a quarter of the market. And we will come to that at the end of this piece. Out of the 3,500 responses
Jaf Jefferson talks about the Yukon Photon XT, its drawbacks and why he likes it, plus what he would like to see improved. Here is our film of the Photon XT in action Click here to go to the Fieldtester night vision and thermal front page
by Charlie Jacoby A post on the Lamping Foxes Facebook group got me thinking. It read: ‘My son turned 11 today, and as a dad I made a promise that when he reaches 11 we will get a o/u .410. So if anyone has any tips on what to get
Used by Fieldsports Channel’s Scandinavian viewers, who hunt deer and moose, the Norma Oryx is designed to knock down animals that have a reputation for being ‘armour-plated’. It is called the Oryx for that reason. The gemsbok is not an easy antelope to kill. Fieldsports Channel surveyed its viewers about
The Precision Hunter cartridge from Hornady is only the delivery vehicle for its ELD-X bullet range. Anything you read about Precision Hunter should dwell on the ELD-X and so that’s what we are going to do here. ELD-X stands for ‘Extremely Low Drag – eXpanding’. It’s Hornady’s all-range plastic-tipped hunting
Fieldsports Channel’s viewers are loyal to their ammunition brands and we have the proof Once they find a rifle cartridge they like, they stick to it. During the coronavirus lockdown of 2020, we surveyed our viewers about the kit they use. We received more than 3,500 responses. Of these, 616
Firearms expert Andrew Venables has a guilty secret (innocent secret?). He prefers copper bullets to lead bullets. In this film, he puts copper bullets through their paces on a range, showing how they win on both accuracy and fillability. Thanks to Tim Pilbeam for letting us use his range.
Meat damage is one of Andrew Venables’ primary reasons to move away from lead bullets. For him, the argument revolves around weight retention. “You’ve seen the x-rays, you’ve seen the ballistic media, the different pictures going around on social media. 40% of that bullet is left in the animal. Copper
Like every ethical hunter in the Western World, Andrew Venables wants a clean kill. The firearms expert reckons the bullet that does that best is not made of lead. It’s made of copper – because it’s such a fast bullet. “Having spent a lot of time shooting lead bullets,
In the 1990s, Andrew Venables was at a US gun show where a mini revolution was taking place. He had no idea at the time that the non-lead bullet Barnes was launching there would change his deer stalking. He says it took about two years for the Barnes bullet
It’s been a long day shooting clay or game, you probably want to slip into something more comfortable than your all-weather gear. In our survey, Ryan from the UK calls it a, “nice lightweight jacket easy to move in”. Deerhunter says it is “the perfect after-shoot jacket” and our survey
When analysing reams of spreadsheet data for trends, it’s always easier when one name appears nearly twice as often as any other. That was the case with our wellies survey. To the relief of the team trawling through information supplied by hundreds of Fieldsports Britain supporters just like you (thanks
Steel has well-documented benefits and drawbacks for shooting pheasants and pigeons – but how about rabbits. Simon Whitehead tries out steel shotshells on ground game at his home in North Yorkshire to see how they perform, plus he cuts open the rabbits to look at the terminal ballistics of both
Master knifemaker Alan Johnson talks through the process, including choosing steel, cutting a shape, grinding an edge, making and fitting a handle, and the leatherwork to make a good sheath. He runs Danum Blades in South Yorkshire, the home of British steelmaking, comparable with Solingen in Germany for its
Paul Childerley has been using the Sako S20 for a month and has shot more than 80 deer with it. It’s time for him to give his views on how it shoots and whether he likes it. ▶ To go stalking with Paul, email paul@childerleysporting.co.uk ▶ For the new Sako
Jason Doyle puts the Savage Arms 110 Lightweight Storm through its paces. He takes this rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor up into the Wicklow Hills in stormy conditions to try to take a sika hind. Find out how he gets on. For Savage Arms, visit SavageArms.com For more about Hornady’s
by Charlie Jacoby In a world where leaving lead fragments in your gralloch can earn you a frontseat in the falconers’ hall of hate, it’s time to swap out your old lead bullets for modern lead-free alternatives. But which materials actually kill deer? Well, RWS decided to have a go
These is the list of top knifemaker channels on YouTube. From knife-sharpening how-to videos to films about using knives in the field, they are vying with each other to be the top YouTube channel out there. YouTube’s knifemakers are holding their own. The major change in 2020 is Victorinox’s disappearance
by Charlie Jacoby Generally, I like the sleek, new single-shot break-barrel rifle from Merkel. The company lent it to me for a week of red hind stalking in Argyllshire (my film is at the bottom of this review). It is designed as a ‘mountain’ rifle: lightweight and with the break-barrel
by Charlie Jacoby This is the scope offer from one of the big three optics companies. The Z8i is the scope to have if you don’t want the Zeiss V8 or the Leica Magnus. With an 8x magnification, this scope takes your target from 1.7x to 13.3x. It is aimed
by Charlie Jacoby For the big game hunter who likes to see their distant game up close, this is the Swarovski spotting scope to choose. Zoom is from 30x to 70x. This one has the 95mm objective lens. Modular means you can take the headpiece off and replace it. As
Merkel has gone into partnership with military moderator manufacturer B&T to make a moderator for the hunting market. Message from the manufacturer: 200mm long, it has steel baffles, which allows up to 30 consecutive shots without waiting for it to cool. It fits on every barrel with a M15x1 muzzle
Over the £2,000 mark, it gets tribal. Are you red (Leica), green (Swarovski), blue (Zeiss) or brown (Blaser)? All of these are great scopes. If you miss, it’s not their fault. So let’s have a look at that other great divider: price. Best of all scopes with their prices
What are the best bullets for roebuck? Paul Childerley tries out Gamehead Pro cartridges from ammunition manufacturer Sako after a roebuck in the south-east of England, plus he visits the Sako factory in Finland to see how they are made. It is the latest in his Stalking Success series.
Sako’s secretive ammunition factory in Finland opens its doors to deerstalker and big game hunter Paul Childerley. Paul wants to find out which type of bullet does what, and which he should choose for different animals and different ranges. Sako demonstrates the distinctions with the help of its rifle ranges
We go simulated stalking and long-distance rifle shooting out to 500 metres with Paul Childerley. It’s all so Zeiss can set out its stall to UK gunshops. We are on hand to see what they think of the product line-up. ▶ Click here for more about Zeiss sports optics ▶
Gun reviewer Tim Pilbeam has more than £50,000-worth of rifles to test. He looks at the latest carbon rifles from manufacturers including Blaser, Mauser, Sauer, Sako, Browning, Christensen Arms and Dane & Co – and a Canyon bike. ▶ Blaser R8 Carbon Success ▶ Browning Bolt Pro Carbon ▶ Christensen
Knife maker Phil Siddell explains the three things to look for in a new knife: tang, steel and edge geometry. ▶ Find Phil on Instagram Instagram.com/wellington_blade_works ▶ His new website is WellingtonBladeworks.com ▶ Join the Fieldsports Nation. Just £/$/€4.99 a month gets you Fieldsports Channel membership. Click here This
Roy Lupton has his hands on the new Leica Fortis riflescope, which launched at IWA 2019. He takes it out after muntjac deer. ▶ This film is supported by Leica. Find your local Leica dealer here ▶ Click here for all of Roy’s films on Fieldsports Channel ▶ Join the
by Charlie Jacoby You see your animal through your binos, you shoot, it drops out of sight. Now Swarovski has come up with binos that help you find the carcase. The new EL range, launched in 2021, has a ‘tracking assistant’ that not only rangefinds your animal but places it
Paul Childerley talks through the pros and cons of the Sako 85 Black Wolf, which he is taking on a chamois hunt in Slovenia. ▶ For more about the Sako 85 Black Wolf, visit Sako.fi/rifles/sako-85/85-black-wolf ▶ To go stalking with Paul, email paul@childerleysporting.co.uk ▶ Click here for all our films
Will O’Meara and Jason Doyle go on a two-day backpack hunt in the Wicklow Mountains in winter weather conditions. They are after sika as part of Will and Jason’s cull plan for deer in the area. Why put themselves through it? Ridgeline Clothing wants the guys to crawl in its
Roy Lupton tries out two thermal imagers designer for fox shooters. They are pricy – the range £3,000-£5,000 but they are superb. He uses them to clean up a load of lamp-shy foxes have has had his eye on for a whole. This item appears in Fieldsports Britain, episode 467
Professional wildlife manager Paul Childerley puts the Sako 85 Carbon Wolf in 6.5 Creedmoor through its paces on kudu in South Africa. He is hunting with PH Nico Els in the Eastern Cape. ▶ For more information about Sako rifles and bullets including the Sako 85 Carbon Wolf, go to
Falconer Roy Lupton wants to commemorate one of his favourite birds. He does it by commissioning Emberleaf Knives to create one of their masterpieces, using the birds’ talons. In this film, he goes to Emberleaf’s workshop to unbox and get a first look at the result. ▶ What is Emberleaf? ▶
Cai Ap Bryn tries out the BSA Defiant Bullpup for accuracy (he shoots up a Fieldsports Channel share certificate) and for pest control. It’s a compact PCP designed to be discrete yet keep you on target. ▶ For from BSA, go to BSAGuns.co.uk ▶ Cai’s website is GameAndFlames.com ▶ Click here
Paul Childerley does all his own stunts… he tries to kill the Shooterking Venatu jacket using gamekeeping resources. See how he gets on. ▶ For more from Shooterking, go to www.shooterking.co.uk This film was first shown in Fieldsports Britain episode 439. To watch the whole show go to Fcha.nl/fieldsportsbritain439
Roger Lait tries out the new FX Crown, the PCP launch that follows the FX Impact. ▶ For FX’s UK distributor, visit A-S-I.co.uk or go to FXAirguns.com This film was first shown in Airheads episode 69. To watch the whole show go to Fcha.nl/airheads69
Tim Pilbeam and Karl Waktare are trying out the new Franchi Horizon rifle on chamois in the Alps. There’s no problem with the rifle – it’s the mountains they have trouble mastering. Find out if this is the sport for you… This film was first shown in Fieldsports Britain episode
We review three rifles that sell in the UK for under £500: the Remington Model 783 in .243, the Savage Axis XP in .243, and the Winchester XPR in .270. Tim Pilbeam brings together a professional gamekeeper, Roy Foster, who wants a classic yet workaday rifle, and long-range specialist Mark
Here is an exclusive first look at Browning’s new Liberty Light in action. The Oxford and Cambridge University teams try it out at Varsity clay shoot at the EJ Churchill clay ground in Buckinghamshire. Plus Richard Wilson of the Cambridge University Clay Pigeon Shooting Club explains Browning’s connection with the
Roy Lupton is out in the South of England, testing lead-free ammunition on a fallow buck. Then Roy cuts open the animal to see the damage, and how effective the bullet has been at killing it humanely. Roy is a falconer as well as a rifleshooter, and he is
Tim Pilbeam puts on a German hat and climbs into a German car to discuss the merits of this new rifle by German gunmaker Mauser. The M18 is rugged and, well, boring – but does it do the job? For more about the Mauser M18, visit UK distributor www.blaser-sporting.com This
What are the best bullets for whitetail deer? Paul Childerley tries out Super Hammerhead cartridges from ammunition manufacturer Sako on a whitetail hunt in Finland, plus he visits the Sako factory in Finland to see how they are made. It is the latest in his Stalking Success series. ▶ For
Roy Lupton is out in the South of England to test lead-free ammunition on a fox. He calls it in with a FoxPro Inferno caller and shoots it with an 80-grain softpoint from Fox Bullets. Then Roy cuts open the animal to see the damage, and how effective the bullet
