Gun Trade News 101

HIGHLAND TAKE ON YILDIZ

The major Turkish manufacturer becomes the latest to switch in distributor merry-go-round

Highland Outdoors has announced a new distribution partnership with Yildiz Shotguns throughout the UK, with the Turkish manufacturers becoming the third major brand in a row to change distributors after Perazzi and Browning.

Yildiz, previously distributed by Raytrade, is a well-respected Turkish shotgun manufacturer with a loyal and deep customer base in the UK. With over 40

year’s experience and a state-of the-art manufacturing base, they are typical of the growing quality of budget and entrylevel shotguns produced in Turkey, and the company exports 95% of its production to 65 countries around the globe.

The first new shipments of Yildiz Shotguns, along with a wide complement of spare parts and accessories will be available via Highland Outdoors from mid-April.

BASC CHALLENGES “ILLEGAL” MOVE BY WEST MERCIA POLICE

head of firearms Bill Harriman has written to the Chief Constable of West Mercia Police to challenge its decision to make all applications for firearms and shotgun certificates online only.

The force announced this week that from May 1 printed applications would no longer be accepted.

In a letter to Chief Constable Alex Murray, BASC argued that the decision is illegal because firearms and shotgun certificate applications are statutory documents so legally, they can’t refuse to accept them.

The decision is also at odds with the government’s commitment that individuals who do not have access to the internet, should not be disadvantaged when dealing with public sector organisations. Furthermore, refusing to accept written applications is almost certainly indirect discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, as it penalises older certificate holders with less internet access.

BASC will also be taking this up with

Steve Kelly Highland Group Commercial Director commented “The team at Highland Outdoors are delighted to be working with Yildiz Shotguns, pledging a substantial commitment to UK shooters by stocking a comprehensive range of Yildiz products. Deeply entrenched in the British market, Highland Outdoors relishes the opportunity to further increase Yildiz exposure, support, and development.”

the police at a national level with the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

“West Mercia’s documentation implied that BASC was consulted on this decision—nothing could be further from the truth. BASC has always supported online applications as being more efficient and providing a digital audit trail, but there should be provision for applicants who cannot apply online or would struggle to do so.” said Mr Harriman.

FOR UK MARKET

Edgar Brothers has announced the launch of a new UK-specific product, the ISSC M22 OMNI Long Barrelled Pistol (LBP). Produced in Austria, ISSC is a global leader in high-quality firearms known for their reliability and user satisfaction. In a strategic collaboration, Edgar Brothers and ISSC have designed and manufactured the M22 pistol model to meet the stringent requirements of the UK Firearms Act for Long Barrelled Pistols.

“This project has been a labour of love for both companies, and we are thrilled to finally bring it to the market. We have a strong reputation for supporting the LBP market for the UK, backed by years of experience in delivering successful products,” said Thomas Heapy, Director of Shooting Sports at Edgar Brothers.

SHEET

BASC’s

Published by:

Stable Events, Invision House, Wilbury Way, Hitchin, England, SG4 0TY www.guntradenews.com

Editor-in-Chief: Steve Faragher, steve.faragher@guntradenews.com

Art Editor: Joe Burt

Consultant Editor: Lee Hurst

Advertising: Lee Hurst 07 949 111 539 lee.hurst@thegamefair.org

Publisher: Gemma Payne

Contributors: Stuart Farr, Al Gabriel, Diggory Hadoke, Mat Manning, Conor O’Gorman, Caroline Roddis, Alex Sayer, Karl Waktare

WE SAY

I’m writing this on a Friday morning as the local election results pour in, along with the headlines: “Tories suffer ‘worst losses in 40 years’” howls The Times; “Bad night for Tories” the BBC adds; “Starmer hails ‘incredible swing’” the Guardian gloats.

There will of course be ramifications. That November election may have to be brought forward to the summer, and we will inevitably be facing a new government sometime this year.

What will it mean for the trade? Well only time will tell, but while the Labour party does seem to have hunting with hounds still firmly in its sights—with pledges to ban trail hunting being bandied about freely—they have been quietly encouraging in their attitudes to shooting.

The Labour Shadow secretary for Defra, Steve Reed, told The Times in the same interview where he highlighted the targeting of fox hunting that “Labour supports the rights for shooting as long as it’s done within the law. Why wouldn’t we?”. In another recent interview in The House Magazine, when he was asked about the slow process of banning that seems to be being implemented in Wales he reassured his audience: “We have no plans whatsoever to do anything of the sort. As long as shooting is done responsibly and within the law, then shooting can continue”.

Clearly it would be naive of me to take a politician’s

“ Labour supports the rights for shooting ”

words at face value, and we will all have noted how this prospective government has been careful to hide its true colours on all sorts of issues in a desire not to turn away any potential voters, and yet still it is more encouraging to hear this sort of message coming out rather than one of outright opposition to our livelihood.

It is now obviously up to the likes of BASC and the GTA to engage with the government-in-waiting, to make sure there are no nasty surprises coming round the corner for us.

Steve

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Around the UK and abroad, all the top stories digested

GL45 review promised

BASC has welcomed Defra’s announcement that the new General Licence (GL45), which governs the release of pheasants and red-legged partridges on and around certain Special Protection Areas (SPAs), is currently being reviewed.

The current licence conditions are based on a medium level of risk of the occurrence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds in Great Britain. This risk level was dropped to ‘low’ on 5 April 2024, which means the event is rare but does occur.

Defra has confirmed that it aims to produce an updated licence by the end of May 2024.

BASC’s head of game and wildlife

Scotland’s new deer management orders greeted with fury

New deer management orders could contravene human rights according to Scotland’s largest shooting organisation

BASC has serious concerns regarding many themes, most notably, the proposals around Deer Management Nature Restoration Orders (DMNROs) contained within the Scottish Government’s consultation called ‘Managing Deer for Climate and Nature’. In a letter to the Scottish government, BASC said DMNROs would be ‘highly susceptible to judicial review or other legal challenge’.

Tom Turnbull, Chair of The Association of Deer Management Groups (ADMG) has also fired a broadside at

management Glynn Evans said:

“BASC has raised with Defra the matter of the decreasing HPAI risk levels, and we are hopeful that this review will lead to more SPAs being added to the scope of GL45.

“We would like to see any remaining restrictions removed, dependent on the continuing improving picture of HPAI in wild birds.

“Ideally, we would like to see all SPAs covered by GL45 if the risk remains low.

“For people whose shoot is not currently covered by GL45 we advise you not to delay and continue with your application for an individual licence until we get more clarity around the updated licence.”

the proposals saying that if they progress to become law they will not only be the most radical changes to deer management in Scotland in living memory but be a major step backwards for the delivery of collaborative deer management in the future.

The ADMG also highlights DMNROs as an issue, saying: “This is a completely new regulatory concept demanding reductions in deer numbers to levels to be specified over as yet undefined but potentially extensive areas and over an undefined timeframe, potentially decades. It is proposed that such orders would be implemented on the basis of ‘nature restoration and enhancement’ ie on a totally

Got a role to advertise? Get it in the Movers & Shakers section and reach thousands of UK gun trade professionals. Contact Lee Hurst on 07 949 111 539

New chair for Eat WIld

Alan Beynon has taken up the reins as chairman of Eat Wild, the UK development body for wild meat, having previously served as a board member. He said: “I would encourage us to come together, have a unified approach, embrace Independent Assurance, promote the consumption of a healthy free-range product into the

Expertise on tap

The Gun Trade Association report that Worldpay have a new contact for their members; Rebecca Lewis who has knowledge of the workings of the gun trade, Rebecca’s father owned a gun shop and she is a keen shooter. You can contact her at Rebecca.Lewis@worldpay.com

Holtam steps down from role

GTN understands that Fieldsports Press Managing Director Dom Holtam has stepped down from his role at the company. Dom was a popular figure among the gun trade and his absence will surely be felt at Fieldsports. No reason for his departure has been given, but GTN wishes him all the

subjective basis, whereas current regulations can be applied to counter or prevent damage following a series of rigorous steps and negotiation with the land owner or Deer Management Group.”

Peter Clark, BASC Scotland director said: “We do not consider deer to be a

marketplace and advertise the environmental positives that we create collectively.”

best in whatever direction his career now takes him.

national problem, rather that certain species in certain areas are a problem,” adding “DMNROs could interfere with basic rights outlined in the ECHR, because unlike current powers around Control Orders, they lack a rational and well-explained basis for their imposition.”

Viking special for Gamekeepers

Viking Arms has announced a collaboration with the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO).

All NGO members will now be able to renew or take out a new annual membership for free with the NGO when purchasing one of Viking Arms’ four specially curated equipment packages.

The packages available are:

• Keepers Package: Includes the versatile Ruger Mark 1 Predator, available in multiple calibres including 22-250 Rem, 308 Win, 223 Rem, 204 Ruger, and 6.5 Creedmoor. Ideal for those dedicated to the stewardship of wildlife and habitats.

• Vermin Package: Choose between the B22 or B17 Savage B-Series Precision Rifles. Perfect for effective management and control of pests.

• Field Package: Features the reliable Mossberg 940 Pro Field. A superb

shoots to ‘Plan for the Plate’

Now in its third year running, Eat Wild’s Plan for the Plate initiative sets out to remind and encourage shoots to speak to their game dealers now, ahead of the coming season. These early conversations will allow game dealers to get an idea of how many birds each shoot will be sending to them and secure retail outlets over winter.

Eat Wild is calling for lead-free shoots to sign up to the lead free register so that dealers, processors, and stockists can source game for this growing market.

Women Who Work in Fieldsports Launches Membership

Women Who Work in Fieldsports (WWWF) has launched its new membership scheme. WWWF was created to establish a strong female network of women working within the fieldsport sectors. The launch of the membership aims to create a tighter network of women who can support and learn from each other. Membership benefits include:

• Priority access to event booking and free-to-attend events

Bisley Pavillion gets refurb

As part of its 100 year anniversary, the Bisley Pavilion has recently been fully rebranded and is half way through a refurbishment program.

Constructed in 1924 as an Officers Mess, the Pavilion Bisley replaced its predecessor, an old Pavilion transported from Wimbledon Common in 1890. The picturesque, but temporary structure was demolished in 1923, making way for the ‘new Pavilion, which has now stood proudly for a century.

Many of the rooms have been renovated, and the transformation has extended to the reception café, and car parking

• Member-only events

• Monthly webinars

• Exclusive membership discounts from partner brands

• Access to mentorship

• Access to a membership directory

“We hope that businesses will want to pay for their female staff to join WWWF as a way for them to network with other women who work in the same area,” said co-founder Louisa Clutterbuck.

areas. The bedrooms have been thoughtfully updated to cater to the needs of both shooters and business travellers alike. To ensure you enjoy the best possible Bisley hospitality will now be accessible through our new website: www.ThePavilionBisley.co.uk

The website also allows you to conveniently book breakfast.

Essex Police suffers “unauthorised access” to its stand at the British Shooting Show

Sources have revealed to GTN that a member of the gun trade gained access to the Essex Police stand at the British Shooting Show this year, without the police’s permission. It is not clear what the motive for the access could have been.

In a written statement, a spokesperson for Essex Police, told us: “There is an investigation being carried out by the

Daystate and BRK launch ‘experience’ days

Perhaps you’re the type who likes to try before you buy. Or maybe you simply like a good day out. Either way, Daystate and BRK are offering the public the chance to shoot their entire range of rifles at an exclusive two-day event.

Taking place July 8 and 9 at Oakedge Shooting Ground in Staffordshire, visitors will get the chance to shoot the current Daystate and BRK range of rifles as well as attend technical workshop sessions with the companies’ gunsmiths. Click here to find out more.

Annual GTA get together

The next Gun Trade Association member’s AGM and Conference will take place at Bisley on Tuesday June 4. It will kick off with rifle shooting including long range precision. This will be followed by the GTA AGM and then the yearly conference which will include a guest speaker from the NCA. After that there will be a chance to network over drinks and a BBQ. Tickets are now on sale on the GTA website. The event is sponsored by Viking, Accuracy International, The Sportsman, ISB, Edgar Brothers, PIB Insurance, Howden Insurance, Worldpay and more.

All to play for in Scotland

relevant licensing department into unauthorised access onto our stand. This is not being treated as a crime.”

FRL Media Group, the people behind the British Shooting Show, declined to comment.

GTN understands the investigation is ongoing and will bring you any updates as they happen.

With the coalition between SNP and greens gone, and Hamza Yousaf following, the Bute House agreement, the power-sharing coalition between the two sides that lead to a raft of unwelcome initiatives such as the licensing of grouse moors, the control of muirburn, and the ban on hunting for mountain hare is gone too. We will see if current minister Jim Fairlie survives.

2024 STALKING SHOW

GTN’s stalker in residence, Al Gabriel, headed off to Staffordhsire to take in the many delights of the Stalking Show

THE 2024 Stalking Show, held on 13th and 14th April at the Staffordshire County Showground, cemented its place as a leading event in the stalking calendar. Witnessing a significant rise in attendance compared to previous years, the show effectively utilised more space within the Showground. This expansion allowed for a wider variety of businesses to participate, fostering a vibrant atmosphere brimming with diverse offerings for stalking enthusiasts.

I was amongst the attendees and was particularly impressed by the show’s meticulously organised layout. Every-

“ A relentless focus on creating a positive visitor experience ”

thing—from captivating cooking demonstrations by the likes of Jose Souto showcasing delicious game recipes and impressive butchery competitions to deer calling contests—was conveniently located within the Showground, ensuring a seamless visitor experience. Notably, the show catered specifically to the needs of stalkers by providing

opportunities to browse and purchase a wide range of equipment, including high-quality rifle scopes and cuttingedge thermal imaging gear from industry leaders such as Pulsar.

The show’s central location appears to have been a key factor in its success, drawing attendees from a vast geographical area across the country. This strategic

placement, coupled with the continued expansion of offerings and a relentless focus on creating a positive visitor experience, suggests a bright future for The Stalking Show.

Organisers strongly recommend attending the next show, promising a unique and engaging event that caters not just to seasoned stalkers but also to those with a burgeoning interest in the pursuit. The Stalking Show is a fantastic opportunity to learn from experts, discover the latest equipment, and connect with fellow enthusiasts—all within the beautiful surroundings of the Staffordshire countryside. GTN

Images by Stalking Show (top and bottom row), and Al Gabriel (middle row)

NO NOISE POLLLUTION

Editor Steve Faragher

is invited to Blenheim Palace to see first-hand the background work that goes

into a Game Fair

A spring weekday, and I’m heading off into the heart of ‘Clarkson Country’, the Cotswolds, where ex prime ministers roam freely, top pop performers come to retire and international celebrity footballers make their home. For the purposes of my business today though, far more significant is that this is the home of Blenheim Palace, this year’s venue for The Game Fair.

Unfortunately Game Fairs do not spring fully formed from the ground, but take months, and in some cases years, of careful preparation. Today is just one step in the journey towards Game Fair 2024, as the organisers conduct some sound tests to make sure local residents are not inconvenienced by the impressive shooting line that is being proposed for this year.

Blenheim Palace is a striking sight. The only ‘palace’ in the UK that is not royal or belonging to the church, Blenheim Palace was built in the early 18th Century to reward the 1st Duke of Marl-

“ Unfortunately Game Fairs do not spring fully formed from the ground ”

borough, John Churchill, for his service in battle to King William of Orange. It was designed by part-time architect John Vanbrugh and was pretty much the last major building to be constructed in the short-lived English Baroque style. Opinions are split on its beauty, but it is certainly one of the most grand and imposing buildings you will ever see.

Back once again

This year marks a return to the palace for the Game Fair after a decade, and the newly reinvigorated fair looks set to have easily its biggest and best year to date.

The heart of any Game Fair for the trade is of course Gunmakers Row, and the organisers are confident that this

year’s will top all the rest. As Gunmakers Row manager Lee Hurst told me “We’re enjoying what we call the ‘Blenheim effect’. We feel like it’s the spiritual home of the Game Fair, a favourite venue for both visitors and exhibitors, and we’ve never seen such a rapid response to rebooking as we did after the show last year when we announced we were moving back to Blenheim. So all the familiar faces will be here, plus a few new ones, and we’re going to have a massive 1,500 foot of retail frontage at the show. We’ve all but sold out already, and it’s only April, though I’ll try to fit anyone in!”

But back to the tests. A team from BASC are conducting the shooting, from within the heart of the estate, and

an independent auditor is positioned with a sophisticated recording device in the churchyard right in the heart of the neighbouring village of Bladon, the spot where any noise pollution would be felt most keenly. The tests are conducted very thoroughly, with a range of different cartridges tried, each one shot from four different locations on the line, just a few hundred metres away as the crow flies. What could be a tense atmosphere among the assembled testers quickly dissipates as it becomes clear that the noises being measured will be well within what are considered acceptable standards, a fact highlighted at one point when an aeroplane flies overhead on its regular route and drowns out any noise the shooters are making on the estate.

So a clean bill of health for noise pollution, another important box ticked in the painstaking process of preparation, and onwards towards what may turn out to be the most spectacular Game Fair ever. I’ll see you there! GTN

Four different spots are tried for thoroughness

While in the churchyard a monitor is set up

BASC take the shots

The results are carefully logged after each shot

Talking Stalking

DIGITAL BULLETS

Al Gabriel calls on all shooting and fieldsports organisations to come up with a joint digital code of conduct for the shooting community

FOR the shooting community, social media acts as a double-edged sword— powerful for connection but potentially risky for public perception. The coming years are poised for an even stronger social media presence for the shooting community. Businesses, brand ambassadors, and leading institutions are increasingly dependent on social media to spread their message. However, the line between celebration and controversy can be hair thin. A photo intended to showcase a successful hunt can spark outrage if it lacks sensitivity, alienating potential supporters and misrepresenting the core values of responsible hunting. This digital landscape demands a thoughtful approach. It’s a place to share not just triumphs, but also the respect we hold for the animals we harvest and the vital role we play in conservation. While a firm believer in free speech, I acknowledge the unique challenge the shooting community faces online. Unlike a casual conversation, a single social media post can ricochet through the web, reaching a vast audience with unforeseen consequences. Here’s the crux of the issue: in this digital landscape, we’re all part of a larger collective. Every “digital bullet” we fire, every image we share, carries the weight of our entire community. That’s why a workable framework, a shared understanding of boundaries, is essential. This wouldn’t be a rigid set of rules, but a self-imposed code of conduct—a shield protecting future generations of shooters. This code could emphasise responsible behaviour: for example, respectful portrayals of animals, highlighting the ethical aspects of hunting, and showcasing the vital role of conservation in wildlife management. By demonstrating respect for the quarry and our role as stewards of the environment, we can bridge the gap with the public and foster a more positive understanding of fieldsports. Ultimately, a shared code of conduct on social media could be the key to ensuring a secure future for responsible hunting practices.

Portrayal

Beyond conduct, there’s the ethical question of how we portray our quarry. The

humble wood pigeon should be treated the same as a Scottish stag when it comes to posting images online. Imagine the unfamiliar observer encountering an image of a bloodied, gutted animal. What message is conveyed? Callousness? Bloodlust? These are the unintended consequences we must strive to avoid. This is a sensitive subject, understandably, and there will be differences of opinion. However, a shared understand-

hunting. Ethical hunting often involves taking the life of an animal. But there’s a way to acknowledge this act with respect for the creature and the broader ecological context. Perhaps showcasing the beauty and unique characteristics of the animal, the breathtaking natural environment encountered during the hunt, or the camaraderie shared among ethical hunters could become more prominent themes. Let’s move beyond simply doc-

“ It’s a place to share not just triumphs, but also the respect we hold for the animals ”

ing of online portrayal can only be positive. It educates newcomers about the impact of their posts, ensuring they contribute responsibly to the online conversation. After all, these digital snapshots could one day impact their own shooting future. There is no established best practice for depicting shot animals on social media apart from the internal memos of a handful organisations. This lack of clear guideline can lead to well-meaning shooters inadvertently turning off potential supporters with graphic content.

The goal isn’t to sanitise the realities of

umenting the kill. Social media can be a powerful tool for highlighting the respect we hold for the animals we harvest and the vital role we play in conservation efforts. Imagine the impact of sharing educational content alongside harvest photos. Explain the specific challenges faced by a particular wildlife population and how hunting contributes to a sustainable management plan. Highlight success stories where responsible hunting programs have led to healthier ecosystems. By fostering a deeper understanding of the ethical and ecological dimensions of

hunting, we can bridge the gap with the public and promote a more nuanced conversation.

Call for a new code

Perhaps a new code, a digital code of ethics, is particularly crucial for those with large followings on social media. These individuals wield considerable influence, yet they often lack formal training in the complexities of online communication. The solution lies not in stifling free speech, but in empowering responsible engagement. Workshops or online resources could equip those who shoot with the knowledge to navigate the digital landscape effectively. Understanding the reach and potential impact of their content is critical for shaping public perception. Respectful portrayal of the quarry should be a cornerstone. Social media can easily amplify the “trophy mentality,” reducing animals to mere bragging rights. The European tradition of the “last bite”, where the fallen animal is presented with respect, often with leaves in its mouth and at the shot site, offers a powerful example of this respectful portrayal. My personal favourite these days is to use black and white pictures when I post images, often zoomed in well away from the shot site.

Responsible social media engagement goes beyond images. Sharing educational content about wildlife management and conservation efforts is crucial. Explain how hunting plays a vital role in population control, preventing habitat degradation and disease outbreaks. Highlight success stories of restored ecosystems achieved through responsible hunting programs. Educate the public about the interconnectedness of healthy wildlife populations, healthy ecosystems, and a sustainable environment. Let’s be clear: some will remain fundamentally opposed to hunting. But many others are open to understanding. By prioritising respect, responsibility, and conservation in our online messaging, we can bridge the gap and shift the narrative. The digital world offers an opportunity to showcase responsible hunting within the context of wildlife management. The future of shooting sports hinges on our collective responsibility. GTN

BYE BYE BONHAMS?

Sporting guns disappeared from the sales repertoire of one of London’s biggest auction houses this spring, reports Diggory Hadoke

BONHAMS, like Christie’s and Sotheby’s, used to be one of the major forces in sporting gun sales. Christie’s closed their department in the early 2000s, Sotheby’s farmed theirs out to Gavin Gardiner, now fully independent, while Bonhams carried-on in Knightsbridge, with sales that became less frequent but were often very good in terms of range and quality.

Bonhams was, over the years, a training ground for many of the people who have since become well-known elsewhere in the gun trade. Patrick Hawes (now at William Evans), Nick Harlow (now at Purdey) and Nick Holt (no explanation needed) all started their careers in the Bonhams underground bunker where sporting guns were collected, stored and catalogued.

I remember the furore when Chris Austyn, then the biggest name in gun auctions, moved from Christie’s to Bonhams at what must have been the height of the London auction houses’ period of dominance, before Holts bulldozed them rudely aside. Chris Austyn did not last long at Bonhams and disappeared from the scene entirely when he left.

The London houses never really recovered from Holts expansion. Only Gavin Gardiner has managed to live with the new order; making a good business by moving to West Sussex and holding three quality sales each year.

In fact, as Gavin prepares to release the catalogue for his sale on 1 May, news has come from Bonhams that their Sporting Guns Department is to close. A swath of redundancies were announced in March and their last sale of Modern Sporting Guns will be the next one, scheduled for May.

Bonhams retain a licence to sell sporting guns but the department staff, Harry Godwin-Austen and Will Threllfall have left. When I enquired about the current situation, Bonhams Global Director of Communications told me; “Bonhams is streamlining the Arms & Armour department and will continue to offer the finest sporting guns within the existing sales of Arms & Armour.”

The next of these sales starts on May 13 and any consignments or enquiries for future Bonhams auctions should be directed to David Williams, who has been in charge of Arms & Armour for many

years and whose range of expertise includes modern sporting guns and rifles. Bonhams have started to load items from this sale on their website and they can be viewed here.

This closure of the Modern Sporting Guns Department effectively brings to an end dedicated sporting gun sales in London. All the other major and minor sellers are now in the provinces. This really does mark the end of an era and takes London off the map as a major centre of commerce for gun collectors and the trade.

Outside the capital, Holts still leads the pack but Gavin Gardiner, Southams, Wilson55, Harper Field, Horners, Cadmore, Ryedale and Lonsdales are all holding regular sales of note.

Coming out fighting

Lonsdales are the newest kid on the block and held their second sale in Cumbria on April 11. It featured a useful listing of full bore and small bore hunting and target rifles, as well as a good range of shotguns valued from £70 upwards, with a few London side-locks by the likes of Purdey and Grant to be found among

the BRNOs and Parker Hales.

Holts website is mopping-up the last of the March auction, with some remaining items listed for post-sale purchase on-line. The Sealed Bids sale continues to take bids until April 11th, then the results will be sent out.

The two-day live auction sold a remarkable 90% of lots on the day. Most auctions are happy with 70%. I picked out some notable lots that I thought interesting. A W&C Scott 10-bore Premier that was reserved at £1,000 made £3,900, which shows the strength of the obsolete calibre market right now.

A surprise reject came in the shape of a beautiful pair of Stephen Grant 20bore sidelever side-lock ejectors made during the Cyril Adams and Ron Solari era. They were superb and had nice long stocks and 29” barrels but didn’t make the £18,000 reserve.

To manufacture today, they would cost over £150,000 and they were little used. Someone will pick up a bargain postsale if they have both money and sense. Side-lock game guns, like boxlocks, are currently very hard to sell for what they were worth a few years ago.

Auction View 13

Buyer’s market

It is a buyer’s market once you step outside the rare and collectible antique guns sector. However, interesting, historic and unusual items do attract strong bids, which shows there is money available from buyers for the kind of items they want, rather than some widespread poverty in the customer base.

Holts have shown quite clearly that if guns are set-up for sale with modest reserves, then they do sell. Buyers are there but they won’t pay high prices in a falling market.

Of course, in a volume business like Holts, every sale represents money in the bank and with three auctions a year, each now netting over two million pounds, there is a good living in those average 25% commissions.

Gavin Gardiner’s catalogue just landed on doorsteps and his May 1 sale numbers 296 lots, starting with a Webley .320 revolver and ending with a 16-bore over & under by Luciano Bosis.

A couple of J.Roberts & Son magazine rifles looked good value: a .416 Rigby with a £1,000 reserve and a 2001 .270 valued at £1,400-£1,800, both little used and both ‘scoped.

For collectors a Charles Lancaster slide and drop action .577/500 No.2 double hammer rifle was a very nice example of a number of Lancaster’s patents, including self-retracting strikers.

Several pairs of best side-locks are on show too, priced from £2,500 to £20,000. I thought a nice pair of Baker action Blanch assisted openers looked very good at the £4,000 reserve. Pairs of 12-bores have not been netting big money lately.

The used gun market is a funny thing. It values originality but one often finds evidence of a previous owner spending

Beautiful pair of Stephen Grant 20-bore sidelever side-lock ejectors

“ If guns are set-up for sale with modest reserves, then they do sell ”

a fortune on a gun, only for it to to be valued later at a fraction of that cost.

For example, Lot 170 is a James Woodward 12-bore side-lock ejector made in 1901. It was re-barrelled in 2000, which would then have cost about £8,000. It was also re-stocked, which would have cost around £4-5,000. The replacement forend wood would have cost £1,000. The rest of the gun was also restored, probably adding another £1,000 to the bill. So, even assuming the then owner was given the gun for nothing, he has at least £14,000 invested in this gun, which Gavin has put a £3,000 reserve on. A potential buyer looking for

A .416 Rigby with a £1,000 reserve

a lovely gun to shoot might consider that. To a collector, it is a Woodward action with barrels and stock by someone else.

More ‘ordinary’ fare was also on offer, with 30 or so foreign over & unders by Beretta, Browning et al priced at a few hundred pounds. Notable was an early Browning Superposed, made in 1931 and given the serial number 69. At £600£900 that looked like it could be fun.

One of the other notable lots was a small bore by B.E. Chaplin. Interestingly, it was made for Lord Rank in 1979 and looks unused but the left barrel wall thickness is listed ‘well below minimum’. This does happen sometimes,

Charles Lancaster slide and drop action .577/500 No.2 double hammer rifle

with guns re-barrelled in the 1970s and 1980s, when buyers were largely unconcerned by wall thickness. often, they were simply made that way and if they passed proof, nobody paid any attention. It comes in at £2,000-£3,000 and is engraved by Geoffrey Casbard, who was once very much considered the equal of Ken Hunt and was often used by Purdey to engrave special guns.

Of historical interest is a Schneider that was in the Eley collection and probably used to develop the new centre-fire loads in 1861, around the time that Daw introduced the same gun to England, having bought the rights to Schneider’s patent. This could be the first centre-fire hammer gun ever used in this country.

There is also a good example of a Thomas Horsley wood-bar hammer gun with his slide-back top lever valued at £1,400-£1,800. So, in all a good, interesting auction in prospect. GTN GTN

Nice pair of Baker action Blanch assisted openers looked very good at the £4,000 reserve

W&C Scott 10bore Premier

MUST-HAVES FOR THE SUMMER SEASON

Mat Manning looks at some of the guns and accessories that airgun shooters are likely to buy as better weather rolls in

THE days are getting longer and the seemingly endless downpours have finally been replaced by drier conditions. Improving weather and lighter evenings mean more opportunities for airgun shooters to enjoy their favourite pastime, and many of them will be buying new gear to make the most of whatever passes for this year’s Great British summer.

A lot of airgunners only shoot during the warmer months, and this also tends to be the period when most new recruits join our ranks. Affordable equipment tends to be the choice for newcomers and fair weather shooters, although the seasoned pros will still be splashing out on high-end gear.

Crosman Trailhawk

RRP: £265 range-right.co.uk

This break-barrel airgun and scope combo offers remarkable value for money. Available in .177 and .22 calibres, the full-power Trailhawk is fitted with open sights and also comes supplied with a

telescopic sight and one-piece mount. Rather than the usual budget scope included with affordable combo deals, this one is a decent 3-9x40 optic with fingeradjustable windage and elevation turrets and parallax adjustment down to an incredible just ten yards.

The Trailhawk boasts a ten-shot maga-

zine-driven loading system, which probes a pellet into the breech during the cocking cycle. This makes for great quickfire shooting on the backyard plinking range. Other features include integral silencer, manual safety catch, adjustable two-stage trigger and Crosman’s low-maintenance Nitro Piston gas-ram powerplant.

R-12 Takedown

RRP: £1,184

bsaguns.co.uk

BSA’s flagship R-12 air rifle has been given a revamp in the shape of the Takedown variant. The multi-shot PCP has been given tweaks including a quickdial stock screw so it can be rapidly dismantled to fit into its compact foam-lined hard case. Apart from being easy to fit in a car boot, the stubby case makes for very discreet transportation because it isn’t shaped like a gun.

Based on the bolt action version of the R-12, the full-power Takedown has a slick and reliable cocking and loading system and returns 400 shots from a full charge in .177 calibre and 450 in .22. The fully assembled rifle is 95cm long and weighs 3.4kg. It has a fully-adjustable trigger and its retail price includes two 12-shot magazines, a 3-9x50 Essential telescopic sight with mounts, plus silencer, 480cc carbon bottle and a tin of BSA pellets.

On Air 15

H&N Baracuda 8

RRP: £12.95 (tin of 500)

bisley-uk.com

Whether you’re using a budget airgun or a top of the range model, it is worth investing in decent pellets. High-quality roundhead pellets will usually deliver optimum accuracy and although different guns prefer different brands, the H&N Baracuda 8 is a top performer with many.

There was a huge burden of expectation on this eagerly anticipated new .177 offering, and it appears to have met, and possibly even exceeded, the expected lev-

el of performance. I have tested Baracuda 8s through numerous airguns—most have shot well with this round and the better ones have consistently produced single-hole groups at 40m with it.

These pellets are manufactured to a very high standard. They are clean, look immaculate in the tin and deliver extremely consistent muzzle velocity as well as providing enviable downrange accuracy. Many target shooters have already warmed to them, but I have also found them to be an excellent choice for pest control.

Copperhead Safari F2

4-16x44

RRP: £348

mtcoptics.com

This neat twist on the standard black Copperhead scope has been produced with an eye-catching copper finish to match the colour scheme of Daystate and BRK’s popular Safari editions airguns, though it should also look pretty good on plenty of other models.

A quality optic, the Copperhead is made with decent coated lenses, which combine with its 30mm tube and 44mm objective to deliver good light transmission and a bright sight picture that remains sharp right to the edges. Measuring

Pellet Trap

RRP: £49.95

airguntargetcompany.co.uk

One of the great things about airguns is the fact that you can shoot them in a moderately-sized garden, and lots of airgunners set up backyard ranges during the summer. Ensuring that pellets come to an abrupt halt is vital for safe and legal shooting, and this simple but effective offering from The Airgun Target Company does the job very dependably.

Available in 3mm steel for sub-12ft/ lb and 6mm steel for FAC-rated airguns, this pellet trap is virtually indestructible. Its rear deflector plate reliably stops lead pellets, which are then caught in the main box.

The Airgun Target Company’s Pellet Trap is suitable for 14cm and 17cm paper and cardboard targets, which are quickly attached to its frame by means of a simple and secure magnetic fastening system.

just 275mm and tipping the scales at a modest 690g, it is also very compact.

The Copperhead Safari is equipped with MTC’s AMD2 reticle, which offers plenty of aim points without looking cluttered. The inner crosshair can be illuminated red in six levels of brightness by turning the outer wheel on the lefthand turret. The inner wheel dials out parallax error from 10m out to infinity. Nitrogen-purged, waterproof, fogproof and shockproof, the Copperhead has resettable low-profile, finger-adjustable windage and elevation turrets. They pull out to unlock and turn with very clear clicks, each of which adjusts the point of impact by 1cm at 100m.

Hikmicro Lynx LH25 2.0

RRP: £1,149.99

hikmicrotech.com

There was a time when thermal spotters were regarded as being solely for use by night but lots of airgun shooters also use them for spotting rabbits and grey squirrels by daylight. Improvements in functionality also mean that modern units are able to identify smaller heat differentials, so they can still reveal heat signatures in warmer conditions.

The Hikmicro Lynx 2.0 is a comparatively affordable thermal monocular with impressive image quality. Equipped with

a sensitive sub-20 MK NETD thermal detector, it delivers layered thermal viewing with good detail both of the target animal and the landscape around it. This model has 2.4 to 19.2x magnification and a 1200m detection range.

The Lynx 2.0 is compact, very easy to operate and boasts a stated runtime of 6.5 hours. Better still, the unit comes with two replaceable, rechargeable batteries. Features include photo and video capture to integral memory, connectivity to the Hikmicro Sight app, cool and warm tone adjustment, picture in picture and hot tracking. GTN

KILTED AND BOOTED

Stuart Farr takes a look at new Scottish legislation, offers guidance on avoiding fraud via Companies House, and reports on Natural England’s significant failure to raise an injunction

A recent family journey to the northern most reaches of Cumbria, prompted a majority vote on a brief detour… I say majority (rather than unanimous) because ‘nearly’ teenage daughter of ours was suffering from one of her deep onsets of inconsolable boredom and abstained. In due course, prompted by a “You’re nearly there…” road sign, we had hopped over the English/Scottish border duly pointing the car in the direction of the first of Scotland’s most well-known tourist spots: Gretna Green, of course.

Tourism in Scotland is beautifully and elegantly shameless and starts right at the border crossing with myriads of brown signs to guide you hither and thither. Gretna Green’s humble original attraction for juvenile betrothed couples is now massively expanded, designed to cater for a much wider audience as it attempts to suck each and every worthless English pound out of your pocket.

Racks of tartan, shortbread, fudge, eye-wateringly expensive whiskey, and Scotland themed tea-towels galore, were all displayed in retail opulence. All, no doubt, funded by the thousands who had trodden there before us. Plentiful and abundant, Scotland was offering a wealth of tourist retail temptations, aimed directly at our over-enthusiastic consumerism.

Even if, dare I say, places such as Gretna may be considered by some as examples of an ersatz Scotland, it nevertheless reminds me of a simple truth. Scotland is very much an “outdoor” nation, and signs of its countryside and shooting heritage are rightly and proudly displayed everywhere.

And so, it was only natural that I should leave the place and meander gently back onto English soil feeling a little guilty that I may have inadvertently neglected this jewel in our Isles for too long. After all, Scotland has its own parliament. Although its legal system is literally “foreign” to me, I should at least acknowledge what Scotland is doing, because the sheer scale and depth of their shooting heritage and culture is so vastly different to ours.

So, on 21 March 2024, the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland)

Signs of Scotland’s heritage are proudly displayed everywhere

Bill was voted to pass into law.

As many of you will know, muirburn is the practice of controlled burning heather (and other plants), for the management of moorland game and wildlife. It is permitted during a limited season (1st October to 15th April) and until now, the principal legislation governing the practice was the decades old Hill Farming Act 1946.

Muirburn

When done properly, muirburn can provide multiple benefits for the landscape. However, muirburn is high risk and the escape of fire, in particular, can cause lasting and significant damage.

The new legislation will operate across different levels. In the case of muirburn, those intending to engage in the practice will be required to have a licence. A new Code of Practice will be published for licensees to abide by, and applicants will have to complete a mandatory train-

ing course. The muirburn season will be altered too and will run from September 15 to March 2§. Offences are to be introduced which, amongst other things, will enable licences to be modified, suspended, or revoked, with no right of appeal!

In other respects, the new Scottish legislation will have an impact on how people can capture and kill certain wild birds and animals. Here is a list of the key points:

• It will become an offence to use or purchase glue traps to kill, take or injure an animal or invertebrate.

• Snares for the use of killing, taking or injuring any animal (other than a wild bird) will be prohibited.

• It will become an offence to use, sell, or possess spring traps to kill or take animals.

• Those intending to use traps to kill or take a wild bird or animal will be required to have a “wild trap licence”.

• Those intending to kill or take red

grouse on their land will be required to have a licence, though this will be a general licence.

Trap licence applicants will be required to complete approved training courses on the trap they intend to use and produce evidence of its completion as part of the application process. Lasting 10 years, licences will be issued according to trap type and the traps themselves will need to display the licensees’ number. There will be obligations to monitor the trap and failures to comply may result in suspension or revocation, all again with no right of appeal.

It cannot be denied this legislation is significant within the Scottish context and represents a substantial ‘tightening up’ of their legal processes in this area. There is still a lot of information to emerge on this legislation in terms of the new Codes, training and so forth and so, it is fair to say on this occasion, the devil will be in the detail.

Finally, as for the morbidly distraught minority in our family party… a suitably “Scottish” souvenir helped to dissolve the apathy for a while, until we reached TeBay services on the journey home.

Meaning Business

So back to the world of commerce, I expect many of you in the trade will be operating under a private limited company, formed and registered at Companies House. However, recent developments have prompted some subtle, but important changes, in the way things operate there—with the principal aim of protecting you and your corporate entities. It all started earlier this year when an individual inflicted an unprecedented disruptive attack on Companies House, by making over 800 fraudulent filings stating that around 190 legal charges (being the asset security often taken by banks to secure against company borrowings) had been discharged. The cha-

“ We should all appreciate that the role of Companies House is changing ”

os created by the attack was widespread. Companies House has now rectified the issues pursuant to new powers granted under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, which came into force on March 4 2024. However, we should all now appreciate that the role of Companies House is changing to become much more of a gatekeeper. In due course, therefore, the 2023 Act is going to introduce identity verification requirements for directors, persons with significant control and those responsible for filing information on behalf of companies. Yet another necessary evil I fear, to counter those who are intent on engaging in fraudulent

activities. Be that as it may, I still urge vigilance. Check your company’s entries on Companies House regularly and immediately report anything which you believe should not be there.

Natural England

Finally, a brief word on Natural England which recently came a cropper in the courts when it sought an injunction to prevent a Devon farmer working parts of his land, contrary to a stop notice issued against him.

The legal action was prompted by Natural England’s primary concern that the farmer’s continued farming activities would be harmful to certain features

of national archaeological significance present on his land.

The court held that Natural England’s powers (derived from the Environment Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (England) (No.2) Regulations 2006) entitled it to bring criminal proceedings, but not to seek a civil injunction. The application for an injunction was therefore dismissed. It’s an important lesson not only to those on the receiving end of similar threats from quasi-public bodies, but also other quangos which might be similarly tempted to overreach. The courts will be quick to intervene where the legal system is abused in this way. GTN GTN

Stuart Farr is a member of the GTA and a partner in Taylors solicitors. He welcomes contact from any trade organisation, especially those with a problem to resolve.

In Devon the rights of a farmer to work his own land were challenged

Shooting and Conservation Power 100

Hello and welcome to the inaugural Shooting and Conservation Power 100, the definitive list of who matters in our industry. Inside these pages you’ll find influencers and CEOs, respected journalists and maverick woodsmen, but all are people that-in our view—contribute hugely to our world. So dive in and enjoy-and if you didn’t make it on to the list this year, don’t worry, maybe you will next year!

Aboo Cattran

Owner Sportsman Gun Centre

Co-owner of the UK’s largest sporting gun wholesaler.

Cotswold Farm Park

One of the best-known farmers in the UK, presenting his own section on BBC’s Countryfile to millions.

Alastair Phillips

Gunroom Manager

Royal Berkshire Shooting School Group

Gunroom Manager at Royal Berkshire Shooting School Group, one of the country’s finest schools.

Alexandra Henton

Editor

The Field

Editor at The Field magazine, a leading British magazine about country matters and field sports.

Alexandra Sayer

Marketing and SEO Specialist

Strictly Shooting UK

Film maker, presenter, producer, journalist and copywriter.

Alice Bond Commercial Sales and Marketing Manager

Accuracy International

International Sales Marketing Manager at Accuracy International.

With over 25 years in the luxury goods market, Andrew has honed his skills as a senior manager.

The Moorland Association

Chief Executive at the Moorland Association, representing grouse moor owners and operators.

Andy Norris UK Sales Manager

Viking Arms Ltd

UK Sales Manager at Viking Arms Ltd.

Ben Skinner Sales Director Skinners

Director at Skinner’s Pet Foods, a trusted supplier of dog foods for more than 40 years.

and Flames Specialising in outdoor cooking and hunting experiences/workshops.

European Event Marketing Manager

Dubarry

Specialising in brand development, sales and marketing of this iconic countryside brand.

Andrew Ambrose Director of Gun Sales Purdey

Cai Ap Bryn Managing Director Game

Adam Henson Farmer and Broadcaster

Andrew Gilruth Chief Executive

Charles Ludlow

Steve Faragher Editor Gun Trade News

20

Charles Smith Jones

Technical Advisor and Author

British Deer Society

Wildlife management expert with expertise in deer ecology and control.

Charlie Jacoby

Founder Fieldsports Channel

Founder of Fieldsports Channel with a strong background in broadcasting, writing and editing.

Chloe Edgar

Shooting Sports Divisional Manager

Edgar Brothers

Edgar Brothers is one of the most well-established importers and wholesalers in the trade.

Chris Dalton

Stalker (6 x winner of stalker of the year, GBSA) South Ayrshire Stalking

Advocate for ethical, sustainable deer management and its economic benefits.

Chris Horne

Founder Scribehound

Reinventing the way that specialist communities connect by building amazing platforms.

Christian Socher

CEO Blaser GMBH

For more than 60 years, we have been developing and manufacturing innovative hunting rifles.

Christopher Stutley

Director

Country Sports Wholesale Ltd

Operations director for British based firearms and shooting supplies wholesaler.

Claire Sadler

Vice Chair

BASC

Seasoned corporate lawyer specializing in Financial Services and Technology sectors.

Claire West

CEO Air Arms

Joined the family business back in 1983 as the tea-gal and in November 2020 became the sole owner.

Claire Zambuni

Founder and CEO

Zambuni Agency

Full time entrepreneur, Communications expert, leadership coach and consultant.

Colin Farndon

Director of Leisure

The Gleneagles Hotel

Director of Leisure at The Gleneagles Hotel, a charming country estate.

Shooting and Conservation Power 100

Dave Barton Managing Director

GMK

An experienced Private Equity and Board level business leader.

David McAuley

CEO

British Deer Society

Chief Executive Officer at The British Deer Society, a charity that operates throughout the UK.

Diggory Hadoke Journalist and Gun Buyer The Vintage Gun Expert in Vintage British sporting firearms.

Duncan Thomas

Regional Director BASC North BASC

Committed to promoting glorious Shooting Sports, Conservation projects.

Dylan Williams Managing Director Pressendye Limited

Running consultancy business, Pressendye. Now dedicating time to providing tuition in shooting.

Edward King Managing Director ASI

Managing Director at ASI Ltd, proud suppliers to the UK Gun Trade since 1958.

Edward Macfarlane Chief Operating Officer GWCT

Spearheading operational strategy from 30+ years’ experience.

Elaine Stewart Marketing Director

Longthorne

At Longthorne we manufacture wonderfully innovative English shotguns entirely in-house.

Ellie Burnage Head of External Affairs

The Royal Countryside Fund

Head of External Affairs at The Royal Countryside Fund.

Eoghan Cameron

Chairman BASC

Chairman, the British Association for Shooting & Conservation (BASC).

Feargal Sharkey Campaigner

Amwell Magna Fishery

Chairman of the oldest angling club in England, the Amwell Magna Fishery. Campaigner.

Shooting and Conservation Power 100 21

Felix Parker

Founder

Fairfax & Favor

Our mission is to make Fairfax & Favor one of the leading aspirational lifestyle brands.

Frank Stephenson

Chief Sale Officer

Guns on Pegs

Chief Sale Officer managing brand partnerships and advertising at Guns on Pegs.

Frederic Hanner

CEO Blaser Group Ltd

For more than 60 years, we have been developing and manufacturing innovative hunting rifles.

Gareth Wyn Jones

Farmer and Social Media Influencer

One of the nation’s favourite farmers. Based in the Carneddau mountains in North Wales, he has lived all his life at Ty’n Llwyfan.

Gary Lamburn

Owner SGC

Owner of Sportsman Gun Centre LTD, a leading shooting retailer accross Europe.

Gemma Payne

Head of Ventures

As Head of Ventures and Activations at Stable Events Ltd, I deliver top-notch events celebrating British heritage.

Georgina Roberts

Team GB Athlete and Director of The Women’s Shooting Network

Olympic Trap shooter representing Wales and Great Britain.

Giles Catchpole

Consultant

JE Consortium Limited

Currently primarily focused on land development and renewables projects.

Hywel Morgan

Game Fishing Consultant at Daiwa Sports Ltd

Hywel Morgan

A consultant with ties to the tackle trade, Hywel is a world champion fly caster.

Iain Parker

Chief Executive

CPSA

CEO at CPSA, the National Governing Body for the sport of Clay Target shooting in England.

Ian Bell

CEO BASC

Chief Executive The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).

Ian Coghill

Chair of Aim to Sustain

Life-long conservationist and Chair of Aim to Sustain, a partnership that promotes and protects game shooting and associated wildlife habitats in the UK.

Ian Coley

Owner

Ian Coley Sporting Agency

Ian is renowned in the shooting world for both clay and game shooting. Ian is current GB Olympic Team Coach.

James Gower

Managing Director

The Game Fair

The Game Fair, The Scottish Game Fair and National Shooting Show.

James Horne Chairman

The Gunmakers Company Charitable Trust GunsOnPegs has swiftly evolved into the premier shooting media platform in the UK and Ireland.

Jamie Blackett

Writer and Broadcaster Arbigland Estate

Sixth generation of his family to farm at Arbigland. Wrietr, campaigner, journalist.

Jeremy Clarkson

Farmer and Broadcaster Diddley Squat Farm

English television presenter, journalist, and writer. Strong passion for conservation and environmental awareness.

John Bright

Managing Director

Highland Outdoors

Managing Director of Highland Outdoors, suppliers of a great range of brands exclusively to the UK Trade.

John Farrugia

Managing Director

Cheshire Gunroom

Managing Director at Cheshire Gun Room, a leading shooting sports retailer.

John Hunter

Founder Hunter Media

Driven by a passion for writing, creativity and the outdoors.

Jonathan Carter Journalist

TGS Outdoors

Director at TGS Outdoors Ltd.

Jonathan Djanogly

MP

Parliament

Mr Jonathan Djanogly is the Conservative MP for Huntingdon and keen shot.

Jonathan McGee

Director, UK Distribution and Sales Armas Kemen

Award winning professional photography, film and media management.

Jonathan Young Freelance Journalist

Previously with The Field Freelance writer offering tailored country and sports content, PR, and strategic guidance.

Jose Souto

Chef and Writer

Westminster Kingsway College

Chef and journalist specialising in food provenance, particularly in game.

Kaylie Bloxham

Founder and CEO

Bloxham PR

Bloxham PR offers strategic and creative communication solutions.

Lee Hurst

Sales Manager

The Game Fair

Sales Manager at The Game Fair, Gunmakers Row.

Leon Challis-Davies

Commercial Manager

Eat Wild

Commercial Manager to Pivotal Foods Ltd, Culinary Director To Eat Wild & Freelance Writer.

Louisa Clutterbuck

CEO

Eat Wild

CEO of Eat Wild. The development board for wild meat, who are trying to get more people eating game

Marcus Fountaine

Founder

Fairfax & Favor

Our mission is to make Fairfax & Favor one of the leading aspirational lifestyle brands.

Marcus Janssen

Sales Director

Schoffel and Le Chameau

Brand and sales director in country clothing, apparel, and footwear, building brand and business growth.

Marina Gibson

FFI Qualified Casting Instructor, Freelance

Writer and Owner The Northern Fishing School

Ambassador for The Atlantic Salmon Trust and Angling Trust. Launched The Northern Fishing School.

Mark Bilsby

CEO Atlantic Salmon Trust

Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Salmon Trust.

Shooting and Conservation Power 100

Mike Jones Marketing Manager Holland and Holland

Head of Marketing for leading British gunmaker and equipment brand Holland and Holland.

Nick Holt Auctioneer Holts

Auctioneer at Holt’s Auctioneers, Europe’s leading Auctioneers of Fine Modern & Antique Guns.

Nick Nairn Chef and Writer Nairns Ltd

Broadcaster, Michelin Star Chef and experienced restaurant owner.

Ollie Harvey Editor Shooting Times

Managing editor of Shooting Times and Country Magazine, .

Oskar Waktare Director GMK

Director at GMK, a UK leading shooting sports distributor with major brands including Beretta.

Patrick Hawes General Manager

William Evans

General Manager at William Evans, one of the last remaining independent gun makers in the UK.

Paul Childerley Director

Childerley Sporting Company Director at Childerley Sporting

Paul James Director

Gamebore Director at Gamebore Cartridge and member of the Gun Trade Association Council.

Richard Bath Editor

Scottish Field Editor for Scottish Field Magazine.

Richard Hease

Chairman

The Game Fair

Chairman of The Game Fair and Scottish Game Fair.

Rob Fenwick

Managing Director

E.J. Churchill

Managing Director of E.J. Churchill, award winning clay pigeon shooting grounds, sporting agency.

Shooting and Conservation Power 100 23

Rory Kennedy

Director

GWCT Scotland

Scottish Director at Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust.

Sam MacArthur

Director

Viking Arms Ltd

Managing Director at Viking Arms Ltd, a major UK firearms and equipment distributor.

Sarah Farnsworth Photographer Farnsworth Photography

Cotswolds-based countryside and hunting photographer, whose images grace the best mags.

Sarah Hendry

Director General CLA

Director General at The Country Land and Business Association.

Sarah-Jane Laing

CEO

Scottish Land and Estates

Supporting businesses that provide economic, social and environmental contributions to rural Scotland.

Scott MacKenzie

Head Gamekeeper and Head Stalker at Fearann Eilean Iarmain, Isle of Skye

For 14 years, I’ve embraced my passion for deer on the stunning Isle of Skye.

Simon Moore CEO BSA

I lead a dedicated team that has doubled manufacturing output and sales.

Simon Reinhold

Auctioneer, Shot and Journalist

Holts

Head of Operations at the country’s leading specialist gun auctioneers. Specialist game shooting coach.

Simon West Executive Director

Gun Trade Association

Executive Director at The Gun Trade Association.

Simon Whitehead

Writer and Filmmaker

Pakefield Ferrets

Hosting bespoke ferreting experience days in the UK, including catch-and-cook outings.

Simon Wilkinson

Managing Director

Lincolnshire Game

For 30 years, Lincolnshire Game specialises in producing superior quality game products.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown Member of Parliament Parliament hairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Shooting and Conservation.

SJ Hunt CEO

Country Food Trust

Experienced CEO currently overseeing the Country Food Trust.

Stefanie Leege Event Director IWA

Experienced Event Manager currently as event director for IWA in Nuremberg.

Thomas Heapy Director

Edgar Brothers Director at Edgar Brothers.

Tim Bonner CEO Countryside Alliance Chief Executive at Countryside Alliance.

Tobias Schmitz Director Jagd & Hund

Director at Jagd & Hund, Europe’s largest indoor hunting exhibition.

Tom Gosbell Operations/Sales at Thomas Jacks Limited

Thomas Jacks is a UK & ROI distributor of specialist optical equipment and gear designed to enhance the capabilities of both consumers and professional users.

Tony Belas Founder Brocock, Daystate, MTC Optics

Over 20 years in the industry with numerous roles at Daystate, which now also encompasses Brocock.

Tony Stevenson Director Scottish Land and Estates Director of Scottish Land and Estates, helping rural Scotland thrive by supporting businesses.

Tristan Breijer Policy Advisor FACE

Policy Advisor with an MBA in Policy and Sustainability, specializing in wildlife conservation.

Will Robinson Director

William Powell

Specializing in holistic Rural & Sporting Property

Management. Managing premier Sporting Estates.

BIRMINGHAM GUN QUARTER REVISITED

Four centuries of gun trade may soon fizzle out in the Birmingham Gun Quarter. Conor O’Gorman took a visit to see for himself

DURING the Easter holidays I took a ‘bus man’s holiday’ to visit the Birmingham Gun Quarter.

I walked there from the city centre guided by a mapping app on my phone, with directions reinforced by physical signs to the ‘Gunsmiths Quarter’ via a subway under the busy dual carriageway.

I was pleased to see the sign because in 2011 I had supported a campaign led by Tony Treadwell and local gun shops and gunsmiths against Birmingham City Council’s plan to remove references to the ‘gun quarter’ from its draft City Plan. It was one of the first campaigns I had been involved with for BASC and an online petition with support from the shooting press and local media not only brought the Council to the negotiating table but also raised awareness of the important heritage of the area.

Tragically, Tony died shortly before the campaign culminated in an interpretative sign erected by the Council outlining the history of the area. The sign is still there and in good condition, but you would easily miss it.

Less easy to miss was a massive advertising banner for ‘Gunsmith House’. This is a new development of luxury apartments and part of a massive regeneration project taking place in the area.

There used to be a ‘Gunsmith House’ on Price Street selling guns but it’s now permanently closed. The only gun shop left now is Horton & Sons. It was closed for the Easter break when I visited but the nearby pubs were open—The Bull, and the Gunmakers Arms.

Conflicted

I was struck with conflicting thoughts as I left the area.

It was shocking to see the state of disrepair of many buildings and it felt a bit unsafe passing vagrants and drug users in the subway and at the tail ends of Princip Street and Price Street.

Many of the residential properties had protective steel barriers over the down-

“There used to be a ‘Gunsmith House’ on Price Street selling guns but it’s now closed ”

stairs windows that reminded me of some parts of Belfast in the 1990s.

It was a far cry from 2012 when the gun trade had rallied together and there were many exciting plans for the future of gun making in the area.

On the other hand, the place was alive with builders and with all the new residential developments taking shape, I could envisage how it would be a positive step for what was left of the local community—but what of the future of the gun trade?

I spoke with Steven Horton, owner of Horton & Sons after my visit to get a local view.

Steven didn’t mince his words and said that area had ‘gone to hell’. The

roads are being regularly blocked by all the building work so that customers find it hard to visit and at night it’s a no-go area due to all the ‘crack heads’. There is little visible police presence and car theft and arson are a regular occurrence.

Some of the buildings are still being leased by gunsmiths but they now number less than ten, way down on the thirty or so just a decade ago.

However, as with the generations of gunmakers before him, Steven has continued to innovate and Horton & Sons working with others have created an interesting new non-lead product they have named ‘Hortonium’.

Last year a Joint Venture agreement was reached with their manufacturing

partner Interpower Induction, who have facilities in Michigan, The UK and India. Check out the website www.hortonguns. com to find out more.

Whatever happens locally I suspect Horton & Guns will forge ahead wherever they may be based. After all they started in Glasgow in 1751 before moving to Birmingham.

Upbeat

Back to the gun quarter, developers are upbeat about the future of the area as an ‘up-and-coming destination to live and socialise’ and new plans have been lodged for student housing.

I looked online and every article about the area in the local press, whether good or bad, refers to the ‘gun quarter’ and its gun-making history.

So, whilst the historic links look set in stone the question is whether the last of the gun trade in the area will still remain in the gun quarter to see the promised new dawn. GTN

MOBILE MADNESS

Would you take your phone on a deer stalk, and order some shopping while you waited?

Caroline Roddis is depressed to find that for one next-gen journalist that seemed just fine

I had a wander round the Imperial War Museum’s Spies exhibition at the weekend—just before it closed, in fact, because I am nothing if not at the beating heart of UK cultural life. I was hoping to dazzle onlookers—who in my overactive imagination were all recruiters for MI5—by tackling some fiendishly complicated interactive exhibit, but the only people tapping me on the shoulder were American tourists with their large backpacks.

While I’m no closer to my Aston Martin DB5, the exhibition did get me thinking about how spying is less guns and martinis and more about finding the means of communication that’s most suitable for your audience. Like the sweary, highly convincing German radio broadcasts during WW2, in which a disaffected Nazi Prussian war veteran called ‘the Chief’ railed against corrupt and cowardly Nazi officials. These were in fact broadcast from England by a German journalist who’d fled before the war, and not only sowed dissention but also had Nazis running around all over Germany in a failed bid to silence the Chief.

The moral of the story, aside from don’t believe what you hear on the radio, is that what you have to say is only as good as the way in which you say it. It’s the difference between printing endless news stories about the Post Office scandal, and creating one TV drama about it. You might not like what it says about the audience in question, but that doesn’t stop it being true.

Pipe and slippers

I’m not, I hasten to add, saying this from a position of moral superiority. I’d been very much enjoying throwing my pipe and slippers out of the pram at the publication of the FT’s ‘Next Gen News’ report, which asserts that traditional news brands “too often fail to satisfy the needs of the next generation of news consumers who will play an important role in their long-term sustainability”.

The next generation, apparently, aren’t the type to settle in with a broadsheet at the end of a long day. In fact, it seems that they don’t settle at all—not only do they want the news to be delivered in a digital format that suits them, but they also

want it to be tailored to their interests and delivered by people who’ve earned their trust, most often through social media. And as for those broadsheets, the word ‘print’ appears just once in the report, in a quote from Professor Rasmus Kleis Nielsen of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: “there are no reasonable grounds for expecting that those born in the 2000s will suddenly come to

ing meat’, it was an account of a journalist’s first deer stalking experience, something she enjoyed thanks to Peter Jones of County Deer Stalking. The article isn’t awful, but it does fall back on lazy stereotypes such as suggesting that deer stalking is “traditionally the domain of royals, aristocrats and ruddy-faced gentlemen”. I get the feeling that the journalist might have been thinking of Henry VIII, and

“ The article isn’t awful, but it does fall back on lazy stereotypes ”

prefer old-fashioned websites, let alone broadcast and print, simply because they grow older.”

Not only did the phrase “old-fashioned websites” make me feel like a withered husk, but the whole thing had me quite grumpy. Surely news was a bit like an education—if you wanted it, you should bloody well work for it. Owning a smartphone doesn’t give you the right to ignore the rest of the world, I grumbled.

Stumbling across a recent Times article didn’t help matters. Entitled ‘I shot Bambi. It changed how I think about eat-

while shooting may be one of the more traditional sports I would protest that we have moved on a bit since then…

The article, however, was less interesting than Jones’ commentary on it, published on his company’s blog. “… what I found a little upsetting” he writes, “was that immediately upon having shot the deer, Rosie retreated to the car, and returned to the emotional comfort of her mobile phone, as though the deer lying lifeless on the ground was something of a byproduct of her journalism.”

“Indeed, were it not for my determi-

nation that she should eat what she had just shot, and my determination to have it packaged up and sent to her, the deer’s death would have been for nothing.”

Being a journalist, unfortunately, does make you something of a slave to your phone—you’re only as good as your next story. That said, in her article Rosie openly admits using her phone mid-stalk to do some grocery shopping, and while this was to attempt to humorously convey how slow the process was, it does also mean that Jones’ take on the situation rings depressingly true.

Professional courtesy aside, this does call into question the article’s conclusions. Rosie claims the experience changed how she felt about eating meat, but how could she truly evaluate her feelings if she’s not paused for more than a second to look at what she’s done? What, ultimately, is the message for the reader—aside from work at The Times if you want to do your shopping on the job?

Worryingly, the smartphone problem might not be with the consumers of news—after all, they can still be reached digitally even if the days of print may be numbered—but with the journalists themselves, and that’s a much harder issue to fix. I wonder if MI5 has similar problems in keeping their spies off Candy Crush and on their target? GTN

Strictly Shooting with Alex Sayer

AROUND THE GROUNDS

In our new column focussing on clays and trap shooting, we have a roundup of news from across the country

PCC elections

The Police and Crime Commissioner’s role is designed to hold the Chief Constable of the force to account. It is not, as I initially suspected a commiseration prize for failed Conservative candidates. Developing a relationship with your local PCC is a good idea because the more they understand our sport the more likely they are to be supportive. They are also in charge of signing off the budget. We all know that the slower the licences are processed, the slower the sales.

Local forces are obliged to deliver firearms licensing in an efficient manner. This hasn’t always been the case and it is advised you contact your regional BASC officer who will be able to create a good link for you to ensure we continue to see the backlog reduced.

Some grounds such as North Cotes Butt Shooting Club which has over 2,000 members held a meeting with their PCC last year, which was well attended. PCCs are happy to look at setting up Liaison Groups whereby dissatisfied traders and shooters can talk to the people at the top directly.

Asian Hornets

First seen in Britain as recently as 2016, we need to stop these getting a foothold in our skies and country. Yet another invasive species threatening our natives, the Asian hornet was recorded to have over 60 nests last year (these have now been destroyed). Recognisable by their darker colour with yellow being predominately on the legs and abdomen, these pose a huge threat to our honey producing bees. For more inf on how to trap them, how to stay safe and even forming a local WhatsApp group to report sightings please visit The British Beekeepers Association here

Shooting Film

Winning best humanitarian feature film at the Remember the Future World Film Festival in Cannes—Tom Opre’s The Last Keeper should be coming soon to a cinema near you. Already screened in Scotland early April and Soho on the 28th, this film is a must watch. Winner of

the Impact Docs award, and achieving official selection of the Paris World Cinema festival, The Last Keeper highlights the social and emotional difficulties faced by those in shooting and conservation who continually improve the ecology and biodiversity of their land and country.

Introduce new shooters for free

The Clay Pigeon Shooting Association are running a Level One instructor training course over two days and are looking for non shooters who will then receive free shooting instruction from trainee candidates who are at the same time being assessed in their teaching ability.

What’s included?

• Safe instruction: Our trainee instructors will guide you through every step, ensuring you feel confident and safe on the shooting range.

The Semi-Auto ban

Causing quite a stir this month was the CPSA’s sudden ban on Semi-Automatic shotguns from DTL and ABT. Although they are following the ISSF rules and very very few people use a semi-auto for these disciplines, members felt it was done far too fast, with very little warning, and concerns were raised over the Americans and the World DTL coming up soon at Bywell.

As a result of this, the CPSA board of

• All equipment provided: No need to worry about gear. We’ll supply the shotguns, clays, and cartridges, so you can focus on improving your shooting skills.

• Free lunch & refreshments: Enjoy a delicious lunch and stay refreshed throughout.

To book contact John Martin via email at john@cpsa.co.uk

Dates: 15 & 16 May

Time: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Northampton Shooting Ground

East Yorkshire Clay Shooting Ground

No word yet on who is taking over the reins after Rob Hall, with many still believing he will stay. General Manager Sean Rushton is a confirmed departure from the award-winning trap ground. Leased out by four trustees, EYSG has been advertising for someone to take over with a view to starting a five-year lease beginning on July 1.

Amber Jo Rutter (née Hill) back in the game

Having missed the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to COVID, a currently pregnant Amber has confirmed she will be shooting for Team GB in Paris for the 2024 Olympics. Amber says “I have that winner’s drive in me so I’m going there for gold and don’t ever get that mistaken.” This attitude is what has led to her extraordinary success, having gained a sponsorship from Eley at the tender age of twelve, Amber has achieved great things for our sport.

Directors are now looking to overturn their decision and once more allow the use of Semi-Autos in the home disciplines of DTL and ABT.

The ISSF continue to stand firm with their choice to ban them in Olympic Trap and Olympic Skeet.

There are no known reports of accidents involving a Semi-Auto on any UK grounds during a DTL or ABT match or competition.

DOING BUSINESS WITH THE IRISH

Our industry insider, Karl Waktare, takes a visit to the emerald isle and visits many gunshops along the way…

I have a confession, I am a Hibernophile. Look it up, I had to. Whenever I have been to Ireland I have always had a good time and been offered great hospitality. David Brennan, the founder of Irish distributor Ardee Sports, would greet you with open arms and give you a hug whilst plucking your wallet out of your back pocket and offering to buy you a drink. Ireland reminds me of the type of girlfriend you have in your early twenties, she’s fun, charming and everyone likes her, but she often gets quite pissed when you are out. She’s also ever so slightly batshit. However, you feel insecure in the relationship because you feel that you are fonder of her than she is of you. Years later when you’ve both gone your separate ways you discover that she slept with one of your mates after you split up.

Gunshops

I am going to keep this feature on the Republic of Ireland only. In Ireland there are very few businesses that are purely gunshops. They work bloody hard, many shops that do decent firearms business are only open part of the day. McBrides of Athlone for example has a butchery business in the city centre where James works during the day, they are both retail and restaurant suppliers. Behind his house he has a very nicely appointed, converted unit, that is his gunshop. This opens during the evening often closing at 10pm. There are numerous other examples, Lamberts have a petrol station, pub and convenience store. The Flynns of Courtlough have a shooting range and ‘out of bounds’ type business, O’Hallorans have a village store, Post Office and coal merchants business. Wildhunter have fishing and outdoor product for sale and Redmills of Kilkenny have a gym, a countrystore and do a lot in the horse racing business. There are maybe 10-15 bigger players and many others that dabble, shall we say.

Life has been one long uphill strugle for Karl since he stepped down

Language and Culture

Whenever I go away and encounter a strong accent, I find I need a period of ‘tuning in’. I remember having dinner with John Lambert, John Fenton and ‘Dublin’ Mick, it was a noisy pub and I was in trouble understanding them. I was stalling with neutral grunts and expressions as my brain tried to process the sentences. The real issue was that they had this dead pan delivery when speaking so I couldn’t tell if they were making a statement, asking a question, or simply taking the piss out of me.

Getting paid has been an issue in the past but less so now. I am told that the Irish don’t like confrontation which in my experience is true, they will often tell you they will be ordering some of those ‘later in the year’ rather than tell you they have no intention of buying.

Put an Irish national in front of a TV

with England playing any sport, doesn’t matter who against, and they suddenly declare a lifelong affinity with the opponent. I think it is simply in their programming. That said they all have English Premier league teams that they support. At GMK we always used Scottish nationals to sell to them, firstly Rob McCuag and currently Derek O’Neill. Derek has done a great job and is prepared to take their call at all hours bearing in mind their unusual working patterns. Poor Liam Walsh, owner of Irish Shooting Sports Range on the West side of Ireland, was born to Irish parents and has lived there since 2000 but is still teased for being a ‘Plastic Paddy’ due to his English accent.

Licencing

It appears to me that they have taken many of the principles of the crappy English Firearms legislation and made it

even worse. They don’t have a Shotgun Certificate but they have a form of FAC. The difference is that each individual ‘firearm’ needs its own licence, it’s not the firearm owner. Each ‘gun licence’ cost €80 and lasts for 3 years whereupon it costs another €80 to re-new. When a shooter wants a firearm they need to apply to the local ‘Guard’, submit all the usual medical certificates, employment history, provide referees and have a secure gun cabinet. Just like with a UK FAC you need to belong to a target club or show permission on land where you shoot. A gun licenced to shoot clays however cannot be used to hunt with and vice versa. To add to their woes, the decision to grant rests with the local Guard who can be great but sometimes officious, lax, liable to interpret the law in their own way or not fully conversant with it. They can also be slow to process.

Industry Insider 29

Numbers

According to an Article in The Irish Times there were around 208,000 gun licences at the end of 2020. However, many gun owners have more than one gun and the article estimates the number of gun owners to be between 125140,000. John Lambert said that in his opinion it is more like 60-80,000 as most gunowners have more than one gun and several in excess of 5.

If we take the 2022 figures for the UK we have around 1.9m firearms in circulation for a population of 67.9m. Ireland has 5.05m nationals. The number of guns per 100 households is 2.8 in the UK and significantly higher at 4.1 in Ireland. The Irish Times article listed the highest rate of ownership in Europe as Finland at 34 while further afield the USA is at 120. It’s important not to forget that the UK obviously has a huge number of air guns in addition.

The Irish Times also lists a table of the types of firearm held for 2021. Clearly these figures must be the licences issued in the year as the overall figures do not add up to anything like the overall 200,000. Shotguns are highest at just under 32,000, rifles 19,500, air guns are 1,450. Surprisingly 1,150 pistols and revolvers are licenced if bought before 2015 but they are not issuing licences for new ones. There are a 100 odd ‘others’.

“ The growth of rimfire is due to the relatively good value compared to clay shooting ”

What types of shooting

Traditionally Ireland was always a shotgun market like the UK. Trap is relatively popular—DTL in particular and Sporting even more so. In terms of bird shooting it is very much a rough shooting country: there are some UK style pheasant shoots over there but probably only 20-30 in the whole country. They obviously have similar vermin to the UK with pigeon, crows, foxes etc, and some areas still offer good woodcock and snipe.

In terms of deer, red were the only native species however, some Sika escaped many years ago and have mostly pushed out the reds in Wicklow and other parts of the country. They also have a good population of fallow. The funny thing is that roe are not present, there are tales of people having tried to re-establish them but without success as it has been too stressful given their territorial nature.

Trends

Again, speaking to John he says there is an indisputable trend toward rifles in

Ireland. The deer population is in rude health and much like in Scotland there is a lot of pressure to reduce numbers. The stag season has now been increased from August 1 until April 30 (from September to December) and hinds now run from November 1 to March 31 (it used to finish at the end of February). To shoot deer you also need to e in possesion of a deer licence, of which there are approximately 6,500 currently.

John Lambert says that 10 years ago he would have sold two rifles for every eight shotguns whereas today it’s probably seven rifles for every three shotguns. You have to remember that John is very much a go-to dealer for rifles in Ireland but all the same the trend is clear. Also don’t forget there are a lot more shotguns in circulation in Ireland than rifles, so sales of ‘new’ rifles are disproportionate to their real market share. It’s not just stalking rifles either, .22LR rifles are growing in popularity. Outside of Dublin, Ireland is not a wealthy country and part of the growth of rimfire is due to the relatively good value compared to clay

shooting which has seen the same inflationary issues as the UK.

On my visit to Ireland in March 2023 I visited quite a few shops, I noticed the large number of new rifles on display. The other thing that struck me was how expensive second-hand guns were. There were single-barrelled Baikals listed for several hundred Euros. One shop had a pile of scrappers (complete junk), and a pile of second hand (just junk) and new stuff.

When I was out stalking with John Lambert and Will O’Mera in Wicklow they took enough kit with them to cook up a fried breakfast on the hill. Ireland famously does rain very well so this fry up was a really welcome source of calories. They stretched their patriotism to food in the form of Kerry Gold butter and Irish black pudding which they referred to as ‘national treasures’. So next time you order a pint of the other black ‘national treasure’ take a moment to ponder what happened to that girlfriend from your early twenties. GTN GTN

Karl Waktare spent 29 years leading the UK’s biggest shooting sports distributor, GMK. He is currently on gardening leave. karl@ truetarget.co.uk

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