Gun Trade News GTN: Issue 99

BRITAIN’S ONLY SHOOTING INDUSTRY PUBLICATION

DIGITAL EDITION

EDGAR BROTHERS SIGN ZERO COMPROMISE BELAS WINS Well-regarded optics now distributed exclusively by EB

Edgar Brothers has announced a new exclusive partnership with Zero Compromise Optic (ZCO). ZCO are a well-established name in the shooting world. Produced in Austria, ZCO are a company who pride themselves on out-and-out quality and engineering innovation. The collaboration between ZCO and Edgar Brothers represents the next step for the brand in the UK, and the forging of a relationship between two companies who share a commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction.

ZCO has built a reputation for producing premium riflescopes that cater to the needs of professional marksmen, competitive shooters, and avid hunters.

“We are delighted to welcome Zero Compromise Optic into the Edgar Brothers family” said Ben McIlwaine, Business Development Manager at Edgar

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Brothers. “This collaboration represents our dedication to providing our customer base with access to the finest equipment available in the market. ZCO’s commitment to quality and innovation aligns seamlessly with our mission to be at the forefront of the UK shooting sports industry.”

“This looks like a great deal for Edgar Brothers,” one industry commentator told GTN. “With the large war chest built up over several very successful years in law enforcement and military provision, Edgar Brothers could be turning their attention to the UK outdoor leisure market with a bit more focus.”

The winners of the Great British Shooting Awards were announced at a packed awards ceremony at the British Shooting Show.

Air rifle guru Tony Belas of BRK, Daystate and MTC Optics was a popular and deserved winner of the lifetime achievement award, while Sportsman Gun Centre picked up another award for best retailer, cementing their position as a UK retail powerhouse.

Chris Dalton won the professional stalker of the year award, voted for by the public, for an incredible sixth time.

The full list of winners is on page 16.

CSG TAKES OVER PERAZZI

Munizioni, the manufacturer of smallcaliber ammunition.

In October, CSG agreed to take over U.S. firm Vista Outdoor’s (VSTO.N), sporting products unit, including its am-

munitions business, in a $1.91 billion deal expected to close next year.

This news continues a clear trend in consolidation in the international gun trade over the last year or so.

One of the better-known names in imported shotguns, Perazzi, was snapped up by Czech defence and industrial company Czechoslovak Group that agreed to acquire an 80% stake in Armi Perazzi in December.

CSG, owned by entrepreneur Michal Strnad, has seen rapid expansion thanks in part to sharp increase of supplies of equipment and ammunition to Ukraine as well as acquisitions.

Perazzi, which makes guns for top sport shooters and hunters, is based in Botticino in the northern region of Lom-

bardy. The founding family retains the remaining 20% stake.

Last year, CSG acquired a majority stake in another Italian firm, Fiocchi

INSIDE THIS ISSUE…

SOUTHERTON GUNS

JASON ABBOT

SHOT SHOW

The gun shop that will also sell you frozen haddock

Celebrating 50 (and more) years in the trade

Our review of the greatest (gun) show on earth

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– Page 10 –

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Image courtesy of Matthew Kidd at Kingfisher Content

ISSUE 99 MARCH 2024

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Comment 3

CONTENTS Industry News ������������������������������������������������ 05 Product News ������������������������������������������������� 07 Shot Show review ������������������������������������������ 08 Insight: Jason Abbot ������������������������������������� 10 Store of the Month ���������������������������������������� 14 Great British Shooting Awards �������������������� 16 Auction View �������������������������������������������������� 18 Legal ����������������������������������������������������������������� 20 Talking Stalking ��������������������������������������������� 22 Media ��������������������������������������������������������������� 23 On Air ��������������������������������������������������������������� 24 Industry Insider ���������������������������������������������� 25 BASC ����������������������������������������������������������������� 26 Review Roundup ������������������������������������������� 27 Published by: Stable Events, Invision House, Wilbury Way, Hitchin, England, SG4 0TY

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

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

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

Consultant Editor: Lee Hurst

©2024 Stable Events

Art Editor: Joe Burt

Publisher: Gemma Payne

The editorial matter, pictures or text, may not be reproduced without prior permission.

Views expressed are not necessarily those of the editor and staff.

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WE SAY I find myself writing this in the gap between shows, just back from BSS, just about to set off for IWA. It will as always be intriguing to see how IWA is getting along. From finding itself in the covid doldrums a couple of years ago it has fought back hard to regain traction as a must-attend event, and appears to be leveraging its 60th anniversary well. I’ve been lucky enough to be invited to the gala celebration dinner where I am certain to feel some imposter syndrome among the genuinely great and good of the global industry, nonetheless it is something I am looking forward to. I’m also heading off for a press day with Beretta at the Müller Schiesszentrum in Ulm. There they have advised me to bring a jacket and layers for some outdoor shooting, the gala dinner requires that I dress smartly. I’m not sure how I shall fit it all into my single allowed cabin bag.

The British Shooting Show was great this year. As always, everyone you wanted to see was available in a comparatively small area, and the move to Hall 5 really helped the stands look good. It’s a shame that I understand we will be back in Hall 4 next year. There was also a little grumbling from retail, pushed backwards as the focus on trade appears to increase year-on-year, but it’s rare in life to meet a retailer without something to complain about (sorry guys!) and there seemed to be plenty of money changing hands if you had the right stock.

“ There seemed to be plenty of money changing hands ”

What does seem to be shifting is BSS attendees. From observation alone I would suggest that the show now belongs more to ordinary working shooters, and less so to those who count their bags in the tens or even hundreds.

I’m not the only one with a busy schedule this month, so Simon West has asked for your forgiveness for not submitting a column and will be back with us at the end of March when we will round up IWA and look forward to even more shows coming up. Maybe it’s time to invest in a bigger suitcase. Steve

18/01/2024 18:12

Industry News

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INDUSTRY NEWS Around the UK and abroad, all the top stories digested

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

New administration and logistics manager for Rigby Moderator licensing changes The Gun Trade Association has announced that it has made significant progress towards the opportunity to remove moderators from licensing control, leading to obvious benefits and advantages to the trade, to licensing departments and to shooters.

In a letter to members, Simon West told them: “I am delighted to report that this topic has seized the attention of the Policing Minister and a consultation has been

published. Before 10am on 2 April I ask that you engage with the consultation and give this proposal your full support.”

The proposal has been published online, and anyone interested in supporting the removal of licensing controls from moderators should fill in the short questionnaire at www.gov.uk/government/ consultations/firearms-licensing-soundmoderators. The link is also available on the GTN website and facebook page.

as well as MTC Optics. Each one is designed, developed, and tested to the companies’ exacting standards and available direct from the UK. The Performance Catalogue is available online at https://issuu.com/daystate/docs/ performance_center_001?fr=xKAE9_ zU1NQ

Pro Ferrum has announced a collaboration with the esteemed 28-time World Champion and legendary shotgun shooter, George Digweed MBE. “At Pro Ferrum, we’re ecstatic to join hands with the iconic George Digweed. His exceptional feats and dedication perfectly resonate with our ethos of innovation and sustainability,” declared Pro Ferrum Ltd’s Managing Director.

“This partnership marks a significant turning point for the shooting

Countrymans weekly merged with Shooting Times Edinburgh-based media group Fieldsports Press has secured The Countryman’s Weekly in a strategic acquisition from Diamond Publishing. The title will now be merged with Shooting Times.

Simon K. Barr (Fieldsports CEO) stated: “We care deeply

to join Rigby and it’s been busy since day one, so I’ve had to hit the ground running. It’s a great sign for the growth of the brand and so it’s an exciting time to start here.”

Digweed appointed Pro Ferrrum Ambassador

Daystate, BRK and MTC launch new online catalogue Owning one of the best air rifles in the world is one thing, but many of us like to customise and fine-tune our set up either to stand out from the crowd or to better suit personal shooting styles. Now Daystate has made things easier by releasing its Performance Centre catalogue.

The online catalogue brings together in one place more than 500 parts and accessories for the Daystate and BRK ranges

London gunmaker John Rigby & Co. is pleased to share the appointment of Steve Bignell as administration and logistics manager. Steve joins the in-house team based at Rigby’s Pensbury Place workshop having worked at Holland & Holland for 15 years.

Steve brings a wealth of gun trade experience to Rigby and is already taking responsibility for its ammunitions register, as well as order fulfilment for the brand’s Shikar Store.

Steve said: “I am over the moon

about keeping heritage titles alive.

By combining The Countryman’s Weekly with Shooting Times, we have found a way the brand can continue to thrive. We will be adding extra pages to Shooting Times to include editorial from much-loved Countryman’s

Weekly contributors which will offer readers exceptional value in a significantly larger weekly print publication. They also gain access to the enormous universe of digital content our media group offers.”

He continued: “The addition of this cherished title is a testament to

industry as we partner cutting-edge technology with George Digweed’s unrivalled expertise to represent our brand on a global scale.”

our commitment to further growth.

We are dedicated to expanding our reach and influence, both online and offline.”

GTN understands that Ollie Harvey, the managing editor of Shooting Times, will oversee production of the new merged title.

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Industry News

7

Edgar Brothers Unveil the Blackthorn Edgar Brothers has announced the launch of the latest addition to its EB Arms brand—the “Blackthorn” semi-automatic shotgun. Designed to meet the diverse needs of the UK shooting community, Blackthorn promises an unparalleled blend of performance, reliability, and aesthetic appeal.

Featuring a sleek and ergonomic design, Blackthorn delivers exceptional performance and provides shooters with comfort and control, enhancing their overall shooting experience.

Whether used for sport shooting or practical applications, Blackthorn’s gas powered semi-automatic capability ensures quick and reliable cycling from a favoured 24g clay load right through to a 3” magnum wildfowling cartridge, mak-

ing it a versatile choice for a variety of shooting scenarios. Blackthorn comes in three distinct variants: Black Synthetic, Bronze Camo, and Bronze Walnut.

Tom Heapy, Director of Shooting Sports at Edgar Brothers, expressed excitement about the Blackthorn’s entry into the market, stating, “We are thrilled to introduce Blackthorn to the UK shooting community. Given our experience in the value shotgun sector over the last 20 years, we understand the importance of a product being versatile, reliable, and supported with an industry-leading aftersales service. We felt that the Blackthorn was the finest British representation of these core features of strength and robustness while remaining clearly at home in the British countryside."

EB launch sub £500 PCP air rifle EB Arms has also launched the Agincourt, a “beautifully made, feature-packed air rifle at a great price, appealing to both new and experienced shooter alike”. Using a side-lever action, it’s available in .177 or .22, and there is a 3” rail for rock solid scope attachment.

The Agincourt’s wooden stock is sleek and ergonomic, with sling studs, a raised cheekpiece and fine chequering on the grips and a non-slip butt pad. The 280cc

air reservoir offers plenty of shot capacity and has a built-in gauge. A shrouded barrel with an external muzzle thread means you can add a sound moderator.

The Agincourt is supplied in a hard case, with high density laser cut foam, including space for a mounted scope.

“We’re very excited to unveil the Agincourt,” revealed Tom Heapy, “it is the culmination of a project we’ve been working on for a long time.”

Daystate releases silver version of Alpha Wolf British-based Daystate’s investment into computerised airguns means its rolling development programme can easily incorporate today’s latest performance improvements as well as tomorrow’s.

The Alpha Wolf Silver offers this in a stylish, sporting package that will appeal to club and more target orientated shooters. Whilst complementing its Delta Wolf bullpup sibling, Alpha Wolf’s individuality is immediately obvious courtesy of a

beautifully sculpted, red laminate skeleton stock with extended forend lip and new-look Picatinny optic rail—still movable fore-and-aft to cater for any day and NV scope configuration—that is fitted with an anti-cant bubble. Alpha Wolf Silver is available from 23rd February with prices starting at £2,400 for the UK’s 12 ft/lbs standard version.

Bring your sport to work London gunmaker John Rigby & Co. has expanded its collection of sporting accessories with the release of two new leather products: the Rigby Leather Briefcase and the Rigby Leather Computer Slip. Only available to purchase

exclusively from the Rigby Shikar Store, these handcrafted additions, skilfully made by Els & Co. fine leather craftsmen in South Africa, bring together style, versatility and practicality for the office.

Rigby Leather Briefcase

Rigby Leather Computer Slip

Opening with a secure brass button latch, this briefcase ensures quick and easy access to your organised documents and files. The suede-lined interior, boasting an extra soft finish, prevents scratches to your laptop and other equipment securely stowed within. The easily detachable leather and canvas shoulder strap, adorned with a solid brass stud and loop, lets you choose your preferred mode of carry.

The front proudly displays the iconic Rigby ‘double R’ logo, blind embossed against tan leather accentuated by striking yellow hand-stitching.

Priced at £620

A finely crafted accessory that seamlessly combines elegance and functionality. Inspired by a century-old musician’s score folder, the lock adds a touch of vintage beauty to the bag.

Crafted from top-grain vegetabletanned leather, the interior is lined with wool, ensuring a scratch-free environment for your laptop. Hand-stitched with contrasting yellow, wax-coated cotton thread and blind-embossed with the Rigby ‘double R’ logo, this accessory stands out for the delightful attention to detail.

Priced at £420

ARTCO drags CG up to date Caesar Guerini has announced a new competition shotgun that is a departure from its traditional roots. Having always focused on a traditional aesthetic for its extensive line of fine shotguns, the new ARTCO competition model marks a significant departure.

CG’s goal was to take its proven Invictus sporting range and create a new grade that would offer something unique, without compromising the attributes that have made it so popular. The famous engraving house Bottega C. Giovanelli was commissioned to give the Invictus frame a new contemporary interpretation. Starting with a blank sheet of paper, master engraver Dario Cortini imagined a new contemporary style of engraving utilizing red enamel accents with multi toned textures, arranged in an abstract composition. The final result is a new interpretation of what is already considered an attractive shotgun with well-balanced lines.

The new ARTCO will be available as a sporting clays model in 12 gauge with 28”, 30”, 32” and 34” barrels, while the

Ascent version with 30” or 32” barrels.

The stock will be offered in a high grade of Turkish walnut with a hand rubbed oil finish. Right and left hand versions of the model will be available.

“The ARTCO is like hanging a stunning piece of contemporary art in an historic Italian villa. The result is a contrast, but that is what makes it so beautiful,” said Giorgio Guerini, the president of Caesar Guerini

8

Insight: Shot Show

SHOT SHOW 2024 GTN despatched its overseas correspondent, Caroline Roddis, to this year’s stateside gunfest, and she posted back her impressions…

It was the biggest Shot Show so far according to the organisers SHOT Show 2024 lived up to its billing as the kind of event where the question ‘is this your first time here?’ is normally accompanied by a look of pity. This year, the third in which the confoundingly vast and maze-like show has been spread across two conference centres, was the biggest so far with 13.9 miles of aisles and a record number of exhibitors. It also, according to Vegas’ army of service industry professionals, finally won the war with World of Concrete for biggest expo in town that week... Part of the 2024 expansion was due to the new Archery Pavilion, although this proved to also

“ The mood on the show floor was overwhelmingly positive ”

offer slightly more archery-adjacent exhibitors than the Show marketing might have led you to believe.

The mood on the show floor was overwhelmingly positive, with exhibitors largely reporting that footfall was good—and, more importantly, that they were having conversations with the right people for their business. The buoyant

mood was enhanced by the prospect of the November elections, with businesses in combative form and at least one stand offering retailers the chance to add rifles and pistols engraved with Trump’s face to their store shelves.

Smashed it

While the show announced that this

year’s 55,000 attendees comprised a record number, however, the panel at the standing-room only Governors’ Forum observed that there were 750 fewer international buyers present in 2024 due to legislative changes. This was just one of the issues the panel highlighted as affecting the American industry, which had surprising parallels to those affecting our own. The governor of Montana, Greg Gianforte, spoke about protecting the 150 firearms businesses in his state from moves by financial organisations to restrict their access to services—a problem reminiscent of our debanking scandal here in the UK.

Insight: Shot Show

9

CAROLINE’S TOP THREE FOUR One new product that had UK-based attendees particularly excited was the Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph, which is already so popular in the US that it’s on constant back order. Compact, easy to set up and, as experienced so far, intensely reliable, this looks to be a rare example of a product that can really be described as game-changing.

Of interest to retailers looking to expand their selection of shotguns is the new BDR 90 Pro range of over and unders from Turkish manufacturer Beydora Arms. Launched at Shot Show 2024, the Pro shotguns come in a number of configurations, with one of the most eye-catching being the BDR-90 Pro Trap, which comes with an adjustable comb and detachable 15mm and 20mm top ribs. With its products priced affordably, and well placed to compete with the likes of Kofs, the company is actively seeking business in the UK.

IT’S ANOTHER WORLD: The Cupolster Vets Tactical

European invasion

Georg Loichinger, who has been work-

And finally—because it’s impossible to pick just three—keep an eye out for Eley’s X-Shot Hardware when it arrives on the scene later this year. This new system, an innovative expansion on Eley’s X-Shot app, offers a brand new way for both individuals and clubs to compete on an international scale from the comfort of their own premises.

Products that we loved that may not make it to the UK

Slightly disappointingly, NOT a holster that doubles as a cup at elevenses, but instead a holster designed to fit into the cup holder of your car for easy access because you never know when you’re gonna need your iron and you don’t want it rolling around in the glovebox when THE TIME COMES, right? If it was in my car I’d be showering myself in car fluff and small change every time I used it.

Back on the show floor, despite it being almost impossible to be more than five metres away from an AR at any time, it was hard not to also be impressed with the depth and breadth of innovation on display in all categories of the industry. Of particular note was the wealth of thermal optics, targets and related products now available, a sign of the category’s growing accessibility in the mainstream market, with companies such as Holosun, IR Tools and InfiRay offering noteworthy products.

Also at the affordable end of the spectrum was the DIY ear-protection offering from Decibullz, which the consumer moulds to their own ear shape —much like the gumshields most of us remember from school! Priced at $25 retail across the pond and offering a noise reduction rating of 31 decibels, they’re a great instant option for shooters.

Mini Caliber Icor technology Inc

At last, a combat robot suitable for the home. The tube on top delivers clouds of toxic gas in the direction of your intruders. Just imagine how startled the grey squirrels are going to be…

ing for IWA Outdoor Classics for several years, was delighted with the outcome of their attendance at this year’s Shot Show. “It’s the first time we’ve brought the IWA Pavilion here, not the German Pavilion” he explains. “We’ve brought 13 exhibitors from Europe to Shot Show and given them the opportunity to show their products to the American market, which is great. The feedback we’re getting is also great. We’re very happy with the way the show turned out for us, we’ve had many visitors coming to our Pavilion and lots of interest in the products from our exhibitors. They are happy and if they are happy we are happy, so

Duo Desk Knife Ocaso

“The unique design features two symmetrical chisel ground knives held together with neodymium magnets. They snap together and apart with satisfying ease, perfect for anyone who is a fan of fidget tools and sensory gadgets.” And not at all intimidating when you’re in the boss’s office asking for a raise and they’re ‘fidgeting’ with one. No.

it’s been a great show for us.”

“Being here, having a huge brand presence here at Shot Show, gives us the feeling that we are really seen in the American market. We’ve had a lot of new companies coming up to us to find out who we are and what we’re doing.

When we tell them that we are essentially a Shot Show in Europe they are very interested in attending, both as visitors and exhibitors! And what we also see is their interest in the IWA Pavilion here: many companies would like the chance to exhibit with us at Shot Show. Those are two great outcomes from the Show for us this year.”

“We’ve already reserved our booth for next year, so there will be an IWA Pavilion at Shot Show 2025 featuring a lot of great companies. Lots of familiar, quality brands like Schmidt & Bender and Ballistol, and we’ll also bring new brands to America under the IWA brand.” GTN

SHOT SHOW FA C T F I L E n 2 ,500 EXHIBITORS n 1 3.9 MILES OF AISLES n 8 TH LARGEST TRADE SHOW IN AMERICA

10

Insight: Jason Abbot

NICE LITTLE SIDELINE Jason Abbot is one of the best-known english gunmakers, his refurbished side-by-sides hang from the arms of shooting aristocracy such as the Dukes of Northumberland and Norfolk. To celebrate his 50 years in the trade, Steve Faragher went to meet him…

Jason with one of his refurbished guns in the gun room

USING the grand knocker on the front of Jason Abbot’s home, a converted rectory in the leafy heart of the home counties, sets off an immediate kerfuffle inside as dogs bark excitedly.

Then the door opens and Jason appears framed by the doorway, a grin on his face and a shock of dark hair on top of his head that belies his advanc-

ing years. He’s casually attired, and clearly still fit, though he does walk with a slight stoop. Two extremely friendly black labradors rocket past him to say hello.

“This one’s only eight months old,” he says, by way of welcome, pointing to the far more enthusiastic of my two greeters, and after some excited sniffing, whirl-

ing in circles and wagging of tails we all make our way inside.

Jason explains as we wander through the house that he bought it a few years ago, and has since added an enormous conservatory, a duck pond and converted two rooms for the conduct of business.

These days that business is the restoration of best english side-by-sides.

His gun safe—the room where the vicar used to meet with any troubled members of his flock—is stacked with legions of glorious guns. Best english Holland & Hollands and Purdeys are his mainstay, a Manton has pride of place on his desk. Some are already restored with gleaming new stocks, others still await their rebirth.

THE WISDOM OF JASON ABBOT After so many years in the trade, Jason has a spicy opinion on all sorts of topics…

Cheap Imports

“I can’t remember exactly when it started. But there was a wholesaler called Sports Marketing that was importing Russian guns—Baikals they

were—which were good, rugged guns.

And they started mail ordering them at huge discounts. That spread like a cancer. And retail price maintenance got banned. So the wholesalers were not able to exercise any discipline on their retailers and the margins disappeared from 50% down to 5. So I stopped selling new guns.”

Side-by-sides

“I think they’ll have a resurgence because they have a sort of unique quality, especially the lovely old English ones.

A good gun is more than just a tool for shooting things, it’s an object of great beauty. As long as they’re maintained properly and not abused, they are very reliable, and very sweet to shoot.”

Computers

“I find online stuff is excruciating, irritating, you know. Particularly there’s simple things like paying your electricity bill or your phone bill. Everything wants a bloody password. And all I want to do is pay the bill. And then you try to reset your password and you can’t do it unless you’re a teenager.”

Insight: Jason Abbot

His enthusiasm for the guns is obvious, as he pulls several out to show me, all lovingly restored by Jason’s team.

“I’m not a gunsmith,” he tells me, “though I rather grandly describe myself as a ‘gunmaker’. My main thing is that I know what a good job is, and who does it. And I do an awful lot of shooting. So I think very much like my customers. and try and put myself in their shoes at every opportunity. I put the people together to bring them back to life, and the advantage is that they are so much cheaper to buy that way.” One Purdey he points out to me would by his reckoning cost £140,000 new, and just £14,000 from him, a tenth of the price.

All this is partly because side-by-sides are so out of fashion of course, but Jason is having no suggestion of their be-

A future Labour government

“I hope they learn from the hunting bill which really hasn’t achieved much and the sort of foolish failure to realise that the downside of all legislation is that it costs money to implement and takes police away from other activities. On the other hand, shooting people have got to recognize that there are areas of shooting which are very unattractive. We

11

“ We have to recognize that there are areas of shooting which are very unattractive ”

ing inferior to over-and-unders. “The difference when competition shooting between a side-by-side and an over-andunder is just a few points, which is almost insignificant.”

Jason should know, he won the the British Open Side-by-Side Championship three times—first in 1993 and then again in 1995 and 1999 “It was quite glamorous back then,” enthuses Jason, “[the event] was held at Northolt, where West London Shooting School is. It was just a rather nice, tradi-

know about illegal raptor persecution, which, although greatly diminished, still does take place and is absolutely unacceptable. And I personally think that there are some extremely excessive bags of pheasants and partridges being made, which, particularly when the market for that game is saturated, again, is a very unattractive, unacceptable thing.”

tional old place. It was sponsored by The Daily Telegraph, and they had a grand marquee with guys walking around in top hats and tails. And you could do it in any order you wanted. You just had your card, you joined the queue, and went around and it was all very relaxed. And if you got there first thing in the morning, you could shoot a round pretty quickly.

These days, I think everything is much more regimented, and you have to go around in a squad, with a load of strangers, and do it in the order they say.”

Lead in game meat

“The actual science is very thin. And although we know lead in certain forms is dangerous to mankind, there is no proven evidence that anybody in the history of mankind has ever suffered ill health from eating a lead-shot gamebird.

And so to create massive legislation on the strength of speculation like that is I think, a little bit scaremongering.”

As we settle down with a cup of tea the black labs take a final sniff of me, then content that I am no longer of interest curl up to snooze. The views from Jason’s conservatory are spectacular, northwards for miles across a hillside almost empty of human habitation.

Jason begins to tell me how he started up his business.

“It’s not actually 50 years since I got started,” he confesses, “but in March it is 50 years since I opened up my shop in Princes Risborough. Before then I worked from my parent’s home, and I joined the Horsham gun shop as an employee in 1972 and worked there for a year or so. I had a good knowledge of English guns at that stage because I’d had a very good mentor and he became a partner, and then my partner started be-

Expenses

“I had a bit of a brush with the Inland Revenue when I first started, because I used to buy, I still buy, grouse shooting and a bit of other shooting, which I claim as a business expense. And they challenged this. And I managed to prove that I can justify it with the sales to the people that I meet.”

12 ing rather difficult so I left him and started the Princes Risborough shop.”

“By chance and a bit by design, it was right in a sort of vacuum. There was no competition for miles and miles and the business just took off. I was paying 15 quid a week rent, not employing anybody and living upstairs. It was a tiny shop that was about half the size of this room with the same upstairs.”

“There was no mail order to speak of back then, there was no internet. And so the country was full of gun shops in every county town, who had a complete selection of all things to do with shooting—all the different calibres in current use in stock, and a good selection of guns all at normal retail prices, which in those days was 50% markup on cost. And you could make a profit on a tin of slugs or a box of cartridges, and because of that, you were very happy to sell obscure calibres and things which you didn’t sell much of.”

“That carried on for a couple of years, and in 1979 I bought the freehold of a bigger shop 200 yards away but still in Princes Risborough—I borrowed every penny I could to do so. Bank managers in those days could not lend you money fast enough at 15-16% interest.

"So then in a moment of madness, my ex partner in Horsham wasn’t doing very well and I bought him out freehold and all. So I had two shops I was running for about 10 years, but I struggled with the second branch because like all these things, it’s tricky if you’re not there yourself. So we closed that down. I still own the freehold and it’s a tandoori restaurant now.”

“Then 30 years ago a friend and I bought a hotel called The Swan in Tetworth, near Thame. The hotel had been closed down for 10 years previously, we reincarnated it as an antique centre and a restaurant and I tucked my gun business into a barn in the carpark. We ran the shop from The Swan for 20 years.

10 years ago I sold that and moved here about five years ago. And I’ve been here ever since. My gunsmith was working from the workshop here to start with.

Michel Roux

“Well, Michel was my dear friend. I sold him his first guns when I started. The first time he came shooting with me was 40 years ago, when I ran a shoot.

And he phoned me a couple of days in advance,

Insight: Jason Abbot

“ Bank managers in those days could not lend you money fast enough at 15-16% interest ”

He’s now retired. And my secretary has just retired as well.”

So is Jason giving up soon?

“Well, the thing is, Steve, I enjoy what I do. And I’m sort of thinking about that very thing all the time, because I don’t want to be stressed or pressured. So I’m trying to hive off the bits I don’t like. If I can find a one day a week person, I think they can take the paperwork off me and the actual buying is certainly very few guns at the minute. So I can deal with that. I’m farming out the repairs. I’ve got

saying could he bring his wife? And I said, yes, of course. Then he phoned up the day before and he said, actually, my mother’s over from France, can I bring her too? And after that we shot every year together, and he would invite me to The Waterside every year, which always involved staying the night with breakfast, and he was the most generous, lovely man, and I miss him terribly.”

some very good gunsmiths within half an hour of here. So I can juggle that.”

It would be a shame to lose Jason with his wealth of experience. He tells me then that he helped Bonhams set up their gun auction, that he mentored Nick Holt back in the day, and that he still has a lot of blue chip customers. He clearly still loves his guns and as long as great shots across the country want to buy them from him, who is he to refuse?

After taking some photographs we head off to the pub for ham, egg and

Grouse Moors

“I mean, there’s the whole atmosphere of grouse moors. Wonderful because of the beautiful countryside and in fact you’re harvesting a crop from this, which is what Chris Packham doesn’t understand. He and Mark Avery disapprove of the artificially high numbers of birds on the moor, which they think is at the expense of raptors, which is not necessarily so. But grouse is the crop

chips and a pint of best for me. Jason drinks white wine, and refuses to let me pay (“you’re on my patch”, he insists.)

We cover many topics over lunch. Jason is a Telegraph reader and a self confessed Brexiteer, but feels “we’ve been sold a pup.” He has a grudging admiration for Mark Avery, but won’t tolerate Chris Packham, he believes raptor persecution is “totally unacceptable” and doesn’t like the fact that the main shooting organisations in his view don’t take the positive stories of shooting to the public enough.

As we part though I ask him if he’d do it all over again if he were a young man now. “Good god no,” he looks at me sharply, his eyes catching the low sun and twinkling. “Given all the things we’ve just discussed it sounds like too much fuss nowadays.” GTN

and it has been the crop from otherwise pretty sterile countryside And they’re very difficult to shoot—there’s no such thing as a boring grouse. They’re all exciting and delicious to eat. And the dog work is wonderful because the heather’s a foot deep.”

BUILDING ON TRADITION

11&12 May 2024 At The Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate

Trade bookings now being taken Lee Hurst lee.hurst@thegamefair.org 07949 111539

14

Store of the Month

SOUTHERTON GUNS Alex Sayer heads off to the North-East where, nestled between Grimsby and Hull, she discovers a thriving little community gun store essential! On top of that came the ROKR working wooden models. These are fun; there’s a gramophone that plays real records, an AK47 that fires elastic bands, a cannon that fires ping pong balls.

We also started doing Warhammer models, now that was a mistake but we make a bit on the jigsaw puzzles so it’s not all bad.

Southerton Guns stocks everything you could shake a section five walking stick at and then some! We like to think we have everything here.

NEED TO KNOW n YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2009 n A NNUAL TURNOVER: N/A n NUMBER OF STAFF: Two

The one member of staff you couldn’t live without and why…

That’s definitely Carol, she keeps me in order and looks after me. We aren’t married, we just work together.

Tell us a little more about yourself, and why you’re running a gun shop— what your passions are Originally I was just a part time hobbyist gun seller but in 2008, Carol helped me do the Brocklesby Country Fair on the Yarborough Estate. That was in 2008 and the following year we set up here.

We had a great start but the gun sales haven’t really picked up since Covid. I love playing with guns, they just interest me, the mechanisms and all of it. I especially like the old English guns.

What has been the most successful area for you in the past year?

We are well known for spare parts. We don’t need any help on how to rank on Google, put it that way. People always need spare parts. We have bought a load of Hatsan spare parts from Edgar Bros plus a load from Ruger. We have really done well with our spares this last year.

Graham Southerton talked to us about his wonderful gunshop keep my face straight. They missed a few bits and we wouldn’t help them with their enquiries. We weren’t getting on great by that point. They found what they were looking for in the end. Obviously it was staring me in the face but it’s all water under the bridge now, everything comes and goes doesn’t it?

Who’s your best customer?

They are much of a muchness really. All

at auction and one fetched two grand. I won’t be forgetting that any time soon.

What do you anticipate will be the biggest trends for the next year?

The way the trade is going, nothing really, mostly just people selling flaming guns. Does my head in. Why people let their certificates run out I don’t know. If that phone rings ten times, nine will be people wanting to get rid of their guns.

“ If the phone rings ten times, nine will be people wanting to get rid of their guns ”

What’s your clientele like?

Mainly people looking for cheap, rough guns. We don’t move much over the £500 mark for shotguns. In the past we’ve stocked big Browning and Beretta bits but they stay on the shelf too long.

In terms of stock we have a real variety, even machine guns and a folding .410 pistol.

the same in many ways. I certainly treat them all the same. We do have a good variety of airgun, rifle and shotgunners and of course they all need ammunition.

I guess our best customer is shooter John Winn who talks to them all and likes to keep us company.

What was your best day ever?

I think it was when we had a raid from the police, they sent in four firearms officers and two police to check our books.

We were still trading in the meantime, the place was full of coppers. I couldn’t

What’s your funniest or most memorable story about a customer?

About five years ago we had an old Enfield number seven training rifle hanging about. I let it go cheaply, for £950 in the end. Then about two months later I was

It wasn’t that long ago we were selling cartridges by the five thousand—now we sell them by the box.

Any other interesting facts about the business?

During lockdown we really diversified.

We started selling essentials, things like stamps, bread, milk, soap and dog food.

We have always sold cold drinks and tea and coffee from the start but then we became a bit more of a village store.

We also stock soap, eggs, chocolate and cranberry juice which, I’ve heard can be

When you order stock, what’s the first thing you put down?

We always have to order frozen haddock, but guns wise we order stuff that we can get on a deal. If we can buy it cheap then we can sell it cheap and that’s how it goes otherwise stuff will stay on the shelf forever more.

We also sell the latest issue of the Shooting Times, Private Eye, Woman’s Own, Yours and Garden News as well as daily papers and the TV magazines.

What's the best thing about working in a gun shop?

The best thing about working in this gun shop is that we really have become the heart of the village. There is the pub next door but that is it. There is no other shop and so we really do offer a service to people, and me and Carol are proud of that. If someone wants bread—we’ve got it. If someone wants a buttplate to a Baikal—we’ve got it. A spring for a Cogswell and Harrison? Look no further.

That’s the best thing about working here, I’m with the guns and I love them and I’m in the community and I love that too.

We never have a bad day here.

SOUTHERTON GUNS n A DDRESS: 1B Station Road, Habrough Nr Immingham, DN40 3AP n P HONE: 01469 575758 / 07943 638432 n W EBSITE: www.southertonguns.com n O PENING HOURS: Tuesday – Saturday: 9.30AM-4.00PM, Sunday: 10.30AM-2.30PM

Store of the Month

From Baikal buttplates to frozen haddock, Southerton's has it all

ON THE FRONT LINE

15

16

The Great British Shooting Awards

THE GREAT BRITISH SHOOTING AWARDS Image courtesy of Matthew Kidd at Kingfisher Content

Steve Faragher joined the merry throng at this year's award show, held as ever in the empty arena after the first day of the British Shooting Show

CONGRATULATIONS must go to Fieldsports Press who have taken on the mantle of the Great British Shooting Awards this year and delivered a great early evening event at the British Shooting Show. The new host for the evening was a familiar face to

the trade, Shooting Times’ managing editor Ollie Harvey who was excellent, light on whimsy and reflection, but great on delivering information and tension. Aside from the product awards mentioned elsewhere, the award for retailer of the year went to

Sportsman Gun Centre, stalker of the year was Chris Dalton for the sixth time, gamekeeper of the year was Scott MacKenzie, Ben Randall picked up the gundog trainer award and there was barely a dry eye in the house as Tony Belas was awarded a very well-

deserved lifetime achievement award.

The outstanding contribution to conservation award was won by Pauline and Robin Hurt with the Habitat for Rhino project.

It will be interesting to see how the event develops over the next few years.

Optics product of the year (over £1,000)

• WINNER Element Theos 6-36x56 • Hawke Frontier 34mm Rifle Scope • Steiner Ranger 8 4-32 x56 • Swarovski ATC 17-40x56 Spotting Scope • Zeiss LRP Riflescope

Optics product of the year (under £1,000)

• Burris Veracity PH • Bushnell Match Pro ED 5-30x56mm • WINNER Element Helix HD 2-16x50 • Hawke Prism Sight • Vortex Triumph HD 10x42 Binoculars

Celebrating the top-end optical products released in the year to September 2023 that run on traditional glass—be it a riflescope, binoculars, rangefinder or spotter.

All countries of origin are considered.

Winner

The very best of budget optics that really do the job and don’t break the bank.

Once again, all optics that run on traditional glass are welcomed, as long as they don’t break the £1,000 mark.

Winner

The Great British Shooting Awards Night vision product of the year (under £1,500)

Looking at those NV products that deliver the best bang for your buck. Once again, all image intensifiers, digital and thermals welcome, as long as they don’t break the £1,500 mark.

Winner

Rifle ammunition of the year Winner

• WINNER Hornady .243 Win 80 gr. CX™ Outfitter® • Norma Silencer Series • Sako Blade • Winchester Extreme Point Copper Impact

Shotgun of the year

The shotgun that’s had the most success in its market, whether that’s winning international medals or attracting newcomers to shooting. Game and clay guns are eligible, in any gauge. Again, factory guns only, but all price points considered.

From .22LR up, we want the live-firing rifle that’s dominated the market for its intended use, whether that’s stalking, foxing or long-range targets. All price points eligible but it’s factory rifles only.

• WINNER ATA SP Pro 12 Competition • Benelli M2 Cerakote • Browning Ultra-XS Pro The Crown • Caesar Guerini Invictus iX GS • Zoli One

• Browning Maral 4X • Bergara Wilderness Thumbhole • CZ 457 Carbon • WINNER Sako 90 • Schmeisser 9mm Straight Pull

Winner

Airgun of the year

Rifles and pistols; PCPs, springers, gas rams and CO2; hunting guns, plinkers, 10-metre and FT. But which airgun had the most success with its target market?

A focus on the top-end night vision products, including image intensifiers, digital and thermals. Which product has really innovated and pushed the boundaries the most?

Winner

Shotgun ammunition of the year

In the second ammunition category we celebrate all manner of shotgun shells, from clay cartridges to pigeon loads to driven game and grouse. If it’s used and loved by the shooting public, it deserves to be nominated.

Winner

• WINNER B&P Privilege Game Range • Gamebore Black Gold UER • Hull Superfast • Winchester X2 Steel

Winner

Rifle of the year

Night vision product of the year (over £1,500)

• WINNER Hikmicro Condor CQ50L • Hikicro Condor CQ35L Thermal Imager • InfiRay Outdoor Tube Series TH50 V2 • Pulsar Merger LRF XL50 • Pulsar Telos LRF XP50

• Hikmicro Thunder 2.0 TE19 • InfiRay Outdoor Tube NV TD70L V2 • WINNER Pard DS35 Gen 2 • Pixfra Ranger R635 • Sightmark Wraith 4k Max

This category is for metallic rounds used in hunting, competition or training. We want to hear about brands, models and calibres that have really performed.

17

• AirArms XTi-50 • WINNER FX Dynamic • HW100 KT Adjustable Laminate • Lee Enfield/JTS Airacuda Max • Reximex Lyra

Winner

Shooting Apparel Of The Year

From technical to tweed, suits to socks – clothing and footwear designed specifically for the shooting market. All types of shooting—stalking, game, clay or target—and all price points considered.

Winner

• Beretta Full Mesh Vest – Ebony & Ice Grey • Dedito Moorland Boots • WINNER Harkila Pro Hunter Shooting GTX Jacket • Le Chameau Mouflon 2.0 Extreme • Seeland Avail Smock

Innovative product

Ammunition, apparel, optics, firearms, accessories, and products not covered in any other category are eligible—as long as they have really caused a stir. We’re looking for products that are set to play a big part in the future of fieldsports.

• Hikmicro Habrok HQ35L • Fortis® Pro Technical Tweed (Pro TT) • FX Ballistic Chronograph • WINNER Pulsar Telos LRF XP50 • Raffaello AI BE.S.T. Limited Edition

Winner

18

Auction View

ARE SHOWS WORTH ALL THE PALAVER? Diggory Hadoke explores how major trade members approach the big US shows then looks forward to some hot ticket items coming up for sale THE American shows are over and the feedback was interesting.

There was a good effort put in by most of the British gunmakers. Rigby, Westley Richards, Purdey, Holland & Holland, Longthorne, Frederick Beesley, Boss and John Dickson all had a presence.

The size of the investment varied from taking space on a shared stand with a local dealer or partner, to Rigby’s huge, five-stand statement, complete with Rigby Land Rover, working artists and new model launches.

Holts was represented by Simon Reinhold as a roving presence at Dallas Safari Club and Gavin Gardiner did something similar at Safari Club International.

However, the US auctions are dominated

by Rock Island, whose UK and European interests are handled by ex-Holts, ex-Christie's expert Howard Dixon.

The US shows remain important, but the nature of participation is not yet settled. Just how many big ticket sales by regular clients get sealed at a show that could not be similarly handled by a discreet visit or a conversation over a meal?

The shows are great for networking but are they really major sales opportunities? The jury is out, some company bosses telling me they may reduce their presence to a small ‘meet and chat’ booth, rather than a big display, while others are still going all-in to sell as much as possible.

I think the decision hinges largely on whether you sell a lot of items at a wide range of prices or you sell a relatively small number and are set firmly at the top end of the market.

An uncomfortable truism in business is that nothing stays the same and if you don’t adapt, you get left behind. That is true for the US shows as it is for our own, like the Game Fair and The British Shooting Show, which I will be attending this month.

Gavel action

Back on British soil, attention turns

Rigby understand what it takes to make an impact at a show

to the next wave of auction dates here.

Among the auctioneers listing sporting guns in the first quarter of the year we had Cadmore Auctions on 26 February, Moore, Allen & Innocent on 21 February, Special Auction Services on 20 February, Anderson & Garland on 29 February, Dore & Rees on 21 February, Wilkinson Auctioneers on 24 February and Holts on 25 March.

The most macabre lot I spotted was a bullet fired from the gun that killed John Lennon, framed. It was a gift made to a British policeman visiting the New York Police Department in 1984. He was given the opportunity to fire the revolver and retain the bullet and the case. The lot was up for sale at Anderson & Garland in Newcastle on 29 February, with a reserve of £1,500.

Later on, we have a sale on 1 May at Gavin Gardiner’s, for which he is still taking consignments, while Bonhams have yet to post the next sale date on their website.

Hammerless

Holts are listing a very rare Charles Lancaster 20-bore four-barrelled hammerless sporting gun. It is built on Thorn’s

Auction View patent of 1885 and it is a bizarre, yet strangely handsome, beast. Weighing 7lbs 7oz with 28” Damascus barrels, it is operated by a rotary under-lever.

Four-barrelled and three-barrelled sporting guns were a dead-end in the late 19th century search for the ideal game gun. For utility and defensive purposes, shotguns with a multi-shot-shell capacity feeding a single barrel made more sense than a gun with multiple barrels, in the same way that revolvers and semiautomatic pistols made more sense than pepperbox pistols or multi-barrel, handturned revolving rifles.

It was inevitable that gunmakers would try all these options to see what would prove most useful but for sporting gun purposes, a pair of hammerless ejector 12-bores, used in tandem with a loader, proved the best option for achieving a continuous rate of fire for the average sportsman.

Purdey has, in the Long Room collection, a similar four-barrelled 20-bore they sold to a French General in the late 19th century; but he returned it following ridicule by his fellows when he used it in polite company, opting instead for a pair of side-lock ejectors. Driven shooting is a social sport and the approval of your peers and ‘fitting-in’ must have been very influential factors in the hierarchical and conservative circles which typified Victorian England.

If you fancy bucking convention and outraging your companions at Warter Priory next season, this could be yours, if you have between £11,000 and £16,000 to spend, according to Holt’s estimate.

A fine pair

Interesting to note was the large number of pairs of 12-bore side-lock ejectors at Holts with estimates under £10,000. The market is not in love with pairs at present, especially the American market.

There was always something of a yearning among aspirational shooters to one day own a pair of best London sidelocks. The purchase heralded something of a milestone in one’s career. That no longer seems to be the case, with the general preference for over-and-under guns undermining the attraction of the traditional pair.

The spectre of the lead shot ban, which will almost certainly arrive in the next five years, has also stimulated some owners to move on their side-by-sides now, rather than wait. Prices are historically low but there has not been a dramatic crash. Yet. The ‘off-ticket’ sector remains robust, with air rifles and air pistols, as well as percussion and flintlock arms, and Sec-

19

Holts are listing this Charles Lancaster fourbarrelled sporting gun

“ It is none of the auctioneer’s business why he buys it nor what he pays for it ”

tion 58 rifles selling well and apparently holding their value strongly. The attraction of licence-free collecting is certainly a factor in this continuing trend, though 10-bore and 8-bore sporting shotguns still languish at the bottom of the sector, making them good buys if you are collecting for interest and pleasure rather than speculating.

As always, when checking attractivesounding auction lots, pay close attention

A rather macabre lot, a bullet fired from the gun that killed John Lennon

to the barrel wall-thickness and the bore dimensions. I spotted a beautiful Dickson side-lock ejector at Holts, estimated with a tempting £1,000 reserve. Closer inspection revealed the wall thickness at just 16 thou.

There is no legal minimum wall thickness; as long as the barrels appear in good condition, the bore dimensions conform to the proof laws and do not exceed the wear limits set (these depend on when it

was last proof tested), it is legal to sell. Is it safe to shoot regularly however? Is it ‘fit for purpose’?

These issues do not trouble auctioneers in the way they do gun dealers. If you buy a gun from a dealer, it is his duty to find out what you are buying it for and to ensure it is fit for purpose.

When an auctioneer sells a gun, or anything else, he has a responsibility to not mis-represent it (claim it is a Purdey when it isn’t, or say it has 30” barrels when they are 28” etc).

However, the onus is on the buyer to decide his reasons for buying that particular lot, for whatever he decides to bid for it. It is none of the auctioneer’s business why he buys it nor what he pays for it.

With today’s auctions far more akin to retail sales than they once were, there is a risk to the public in inadvertently buying a gun not fit for purpose. The catalogue may say the walls are 16 thou, but what if you are a casual shooter who does not understand the significance of that fact and you buy the gun expecting to shoot twenty 300 bird days a year with it? The answer is ‘bad luck’.

In fact, despite the legal get-out-clause of ‘buyer beware’, the big auctioneers are very good at talking to customers about any gun and offering advice which is honest and helpful. It is important, if in doubt, that potential bidders either inspect it, have it inspected, or get a proper condition report and do not just bid blind on the evidence of a nice photo on the internet. GTN

20 Legal

A (TV) DRAMA… NOT A CRISIS! Our legal eagle Stuart Farr explores the parallels between the sub-postmasters strugglesand our very own brewing debanking issue and suggests that the lack of action on licensing may be the real scandal we are facing

SCANDALS are now a part of life in the UK. In the days of darkness before internet and social media—and the harsh brutality of modern-day investigative journalism—scandals simply did not reach the public consciousness in quite the same way as they do now.

That is not to say scandals weren’t around or in the news. However, they tended to centre around the nefarious activities of public figures as opposed to, say, a collective history of events or the appalling and wrongful treatment of “normal” people.

Currently we have lots of scandals to feast upon, many of which speak to the

sufferings incurred by the average person “in the street”.

SubPostmasters and Horizon; Windrush; Infected Blood; Covid and the NHS; Grenfell to name just a few of the “big” ones. Some of these, as we know, have become the subject of public inquiries which, being “live” streamed in the interest of transparency, allow us all to view and scrutinise the evidence being given by the witnesses. Thus we are tempted into becoming or own private judge and jury. As private citizens, we are then free to circulate our opinions on the supposedly “guilty” to anyone willing to receive them. While, in some

cases, this can cause the debate in hand to become very confused, in others the combined force of a unified public opinion becomes garnered, clearly outspoken, and even compelling. And let’s face it, it can take a lot to persuade a government or parliament to act swiftly in any circumstance (except war).

In the case of the SubPostmasters, for example, it was that compelling drama on ITV that tipped the scale and opened the floodgate to a critical public response.

What followed was an extremely rapid government reaction. In legal terms the effect was groundbreaking—a public commitment to invoke legislation to ex-

punge the criminal convictions of all the SubPostmasters. A legal rarity indeed.

It would be wrong to draw other direct comparisons with the plight of the SubPostmasters and I do not seek to do so. I merely use their case as an example of a collective group of ordinary people who were trying to make a modest living and, in doing so, suffered for it. And so, it might be suggested, the vast majority of RFD’s try to do the same, albeit in quite different adverse situations.

Debanked

“Scandals” come in all shapes and sizes and while it may not be appropriate

Legal 21

to apply that word directly to the trials and tribulations the gun trade has experienced over decades, there are many of us who recognise that what was once a huge contributing industry in the UK, has been slowly whittled down to a mere fraction of what it was.

Naturally, it becomes harder to earn a living from a trade which is seemingly constantly under scrutiny, change or even attack.

So-called “Debanking” has quickly been identified as a real issue within the gun trade. More significantly, many are (cynically?) viewing ongoing licensing delays as a contrived attempt to slow down the trade too. Or perhaps to put it another way, no-one is telling me that police authorities across the country are throwing their shoulders behind the problem to get it sorted.

If one needed to apply the word “scandal” somewhere, then I think it might be justified in terms of licensing. History repeats. We have been here before, time and again.

To illustrate, I recently came across a report, released only in September 2015 by what was then Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (now known as His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services). The subject was a review of the efficiency and effectiveness of the firearms licensing system. The full report can be found via this link; https://assets-hmicfrs.justiceinspec-

torates.gov.uk/uploads/firearms-licensing-targeting-the-risk.pdf To offer some context, the HM Inspectorate does not undertake investigations or compile reports such as these merely on a whim. They cost time and money, and its work is often directed by the fact there is already a perceived problem. Importantly, the Inspectorate functions “in the public interest” and so, in that sense, it is independent of the police authorities which it investigates. It is not, however, a regulator and therefore its findings are

lice are not following the Home Office guidance or the Authorised Professional Practice that are in place…”

And “In many forces, basic scrutiny of the efficiency and effectiveness of their licensing arrangements are not in place…”

And “The time taken by forces to complete the process of firearms licensing tells its own story of inconsistency and inefficiency…”

And

not legally enforceable. Nevertheless, they do carry considerable weight and perhaps this has not been fully recognised in the past.

To my mind what the HMIC report shows—admittedly now with the benefit of hindsight—is that the adverse impact of the Covid pandemic has, whether innocently or intentionally, masked a serious issue that already existed across the majority of police authorities. If anything, all the pandemic served to do was to exacerbate an already bad situation nad make it even worse.

The HMIC concluded (I paraphrase): “On too many occasions, the po-

“Not all forces were the same. We found examples of good practice, but these were the exception…”

Other issues were also identified. A lack of regular monitoring of the licensing regime; a lack of public engagement; inadequate training; inconsistencies in how applications were approached, and the information gathered; inconsistent auditing of outcomes; and so forth.

Not dissimilar findings regarding inefficiency were also reported by the HMIC previously in 1993.

“ A trade which is seemingly constantly under scrutiny, change or even attack ”

Scandalous?

I doubt these findings will come as any

surprise, and I am sure they will resonate. Indeed, organisations such as the Gun Trade Association will say they have been fighting this battle for years.

The lessons simply are not being learned.

So maybe this is a “scandal” in the true sense because it suggests the ongoing and apparently cyclical nature of the licensing issues have never been properly addressed despite calls for that to occur from an Inspectorate. The problems have cost the gun trade dearly in terms of lost revenue and arguably even stifled its ability to thrive.

Perhaps, therefore, the trade needs its own equivalent of a tv drama to bring these issues more firmly into the public domain, and to call out the authorities for their consistent failures on the same issues over decades.

I am not sure if Toby Jones is available, and I hope Simon West (GTA and esteemed GTN colleague) won’t mind me suggesting that he would probably have his eye on Mr Brosnan to play his role anyway. If that is what it will take and will get the results the trade desperately needs, then just point me in the direction of the crowdfunding website.

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.

22

Talking Stalking

WARNING: EHD AND BLUETONGUE Our stalking expert Al Gabriel is also a microbiologist and is casting a concerned eye over the channel at deer disease developments in the EU The potential emergence of any potential illnesses in deer is a cause for concern, with a potential for significant impact to the deer industry. The UK is currently facing two major viral diseases that affect deer with neither having a cure: epizootic haemorrhaging disease (EHD) and bluetongue.

Both illnesses are caused by closely related viruses and, unluckily for us, they are spread by midges. Around 150 different species of biting midges capable of spreading the disease are found throughout the UK, with increasing numbers every year. In the UK, midge season usually runs from April to November. Given the warm and wet start to the year, it is possible that we could see a surge this summer.

EHD has never been confirmed in the UK, but its arrival would mark a significant shift in our understanding of climate change and the shape of things to come. Both EHD and bluetongue pose no harm to humans.

EHD

EHD is currently ravaging through cattle and sheep in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France. The presence of EHD in France opens the rest of Europe. No doubt, Germany is keeping a close eye. Although the spread of the disease in cattle and sheep has been somewhat slow in France, it might pick up in the coming midge season. In France, compensation payments for culled cattle have already started. The fear that midges might cross the channel into the UK remains a clear and present one. Control of livestock movement from affected regions is already in place. Some of the symptoms include excessive salivation, bleeding, weakness, and lack of appetite. EHD is particularly known in white-tailed deer in the US. The impacts of EHD are far more noticeable in deer, since it causes death within the first week of infection.

Cattle are less likely to succumb to the disease. EHD is present in most conti-

As for bluetongue, I’m afraid it is already here in the UK. As I’m writing this article, there are currently 116 cases of bluetongue in England on 67 premises and in

the mouth, nose and eyes, fever, swelling of the face and the tongue are some of the symptoms. It has been 16 years since the last confirmed case in the UK. It is hoped that temporary control zones currently set up in the south of England will help eliminate bluetongue fairly quickly.

Like many things these days, even the transfer of disease and pathogens is

four counties, all affecting cattle. There are no reported cases in deer in the UK to date. Bluetongue is one of the notifiable diseases in deer. Bluetongue has been confirmed in Kent, Norfolk, and parts of Suffolk. The bluetongue virus has different strains, and a vaccine exists for all strains but one. Unfortunately for us, the one currently spreading in England is type 3, and there are no vaccines for this strain. Bluetongue is considered somewhat mild in deer, but the potential for further spread to cattle via midges is significant. Nasal discharge, reddening of

directly linked to weather changes and global warming. Warmer winters and drier summers are impacting the life cycles of most species and midges are no exception. [Fun fact: there is no elegant way of telling different midge species apart unless you look at the sexual organs under a microscope.] The likelihood that these illnesses will spread across the UK deer population is low but not insignificant. The possible impact to the venison market is of major concern. It must be noted that neither bluetongue nor EHD is passed from animal to animal: a midge

nents, with significant prevalence in the US, where disease monitoring systems are well developed.

Bluetongue

“ Warmer winters and drier summers are impacting the life cycles of most species ”

bite (other insects can also transmit these diseases) is required to transmit these viruses. Often, improved surveillance highlights events which would have not been noticed in the past. With improved technologies and communication, we are discovering more threats to deer. Depopulating cattle is currently the only means of limiting bluetongue spread. The risk to farmed deer, should EHD get to our shores, is a significant one, given the severity in deer compared to bluetongue. It might affect deer farms already stretched with ongoing economic concerns.

While there is absolutely no need for panic, all stalkers must be fully aware of what to look out for and who to report it to. I would like to take the opportunity to highlight that in England you need to contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03000 200 301. We must always take news such as this with a pinch of salt and pragmatism; no change is necessary in the way deer are managed at the moment. Extra vigilance is warranted for those stalking the Norfolk/ Suffolk areas that have a significant deer population, and stalkers near temporary control zones. There is a real possibility that the first cases of EHD might appear in the next 12 months. GTN

Shooting in the Media

23

HIGHER AUTHORITY Our media columnist Caroline Roddis is beginning to wonder if we can ever again trust anything we read online?

IF we’re lucky, we grow up with the sense that there’s always someone who’ll give us a fair hearing. Warring with your brother over Lego? Appeal to a parent for arbitration. Parents not letting you do something fun? Go around them and make your case to the grandparents. Even if the outcome isn’t what you want, at least you feel like your case has been considered.

The stark reality, of course, is that life is a cornucopia of disappointments.

(Sincere apologies if that comes as news to you, but congratulations on making it this far with your optimism intact!)

When it comes to the crunch, there might not actually be anyone for you to appeal to—or, if there is, they might be operating on a completely different set of rules to what you’d expect. A prime example of the latter comes from recent reports by a charity that, when they complained about a Mail Online headline and article which entirely misrepresented the results of a research paper and broke the Editors’ Code of Practice, not only did the Mail reject the complaint out of hand, but the charity’s follow-up complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organisation did not receive a helpful response: “The material you wish to complain about does not appear to fall within IPSO’s jurisdiction and therefore IPSO cannot consider complaints about it. This is because IPSO considers Mail Online (Associated Newspapers Limited) to be a “global digital publisher”. This means the publisher operates an online service that is aimed towards international audiences and has editorial operations outside of the UK.” On the one hand, complaining about the Mail manipulating data for the purposes of clickbait is a bit like complaining about the fact it’s raining, but on the other this essentially means that ‘global digital publishers’ can make themselves untouchable in the right circumstances.

The charity would have had their complaint considered if the Mail had approached them for comment, but as they had simply spotted the piece and were attempting to fulfil their charitable aims by ensuring the public didn’t receive harmful information, they weren’t entitled to justice. No-one was, apparently.

Net free-for-all

We are, in these exceedingly odd times, no strangers to the idea of people being able to get away with publishing all sorts of nonsense on the internet. But that doesn’t stop us also clinging on to a sense that there should be fair play and accountability, particularly when the false information — and I am holding my nose as I type this — comes from a

tance of engaging with journalists at every opportunity.

Journalists, of course, rarely have control over how their words appear in the finished article. Misinformation and inappropriate messaging can also creep in to a publication through the editorial department, as well as—as we were reminded recently—through the advertising department too…

“ I have every confidence in every side acting fairly and being treated fairly in return ”

well-established and trusted UK brand such as the Daily Mail.

So well established in fact, with a physical newspaper that has been written, printed and distributed in the UK since 1896, that I don’t believe that the majority of people in this country would realise that the Mail Online was actually aimed towards international, rather than UK, audiences.

It goes without saying that this lack of accountability might be something we all experience first hand sooner or later, and is a timely reminder of the impor-

Cancelled culture

At Christmas the Big Issue ran a sinister black and white advert which read: “Ban pheasant shooting. The shooting industry is propped up by hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money in the form of farm and woodland subsidies.”

The full-page ad was funded by the charity Animal Aid and occupied a prominent position within the edition.

On the plus side, there was at least someone to complain to: the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA), which the shoot-

ing industry did in an effort coordinated by the Countryside Alliance. As the latter explained, in a press release which was picked up by several farming publications: “The action that the ASA chose to take was to advise the advertiser that in future they must comply with ASA codes, and offered them advice and guidance on doing so.”

In other words, they sent them a template letter and closed the file. Given that there was no ruling against Animal Aid, there is nothing on the ASA website— where these things are publicised—to indicate that dispute has even taken place.

And, crucially, there’s no way to reach the audience who saw the advert without paying to advertise in a future edition.

That might all sound like a damp squib, but there may be life in the story yet: Animal Aid have written back to the ASA with further evidence to support their claim that the advert is factual.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens, and what coverage this prompts, but I have every confidence in every side acting fairly and being treated fairly in return. After all, Animal Aid have just announced that they have a new President at the helm.

Oh, wait. That President’s name?

Chris Packham. GTN

24

On Air

SCOPE-CAM MOUNTS AND MUCH, MUCH MORE Mat Manning catches up with Masood Movahed from Eagle Vision Products to chat about his innovative range of airgun accessories MODERN airgun shooters seem to have an insatiable hunger for highquality custom accessories to boost their rifles’ performance and aesthetics. Eagle Vision Products is furnishing this growing market with an ever-growing range of add-ons that combine sleek design with remarkable functionality. CEO Masood Movahed takes time out from his hectic schedule to talk about his business.

Mat Can you give us a brief history of Eagle Vision Products.

Masood Things started over 10 years ago. I was a keen airgun shooter and, after watching the development of airgun channels on YouTube, I decided to start a small business designing and supplying specialist products to this market.

My initial inspiration was Ted Bier from the Ted’s Holdover YouTube channel in America. He was using a camera system on his air rifle, so I decided to design and make a solid mount for myself and also share it with him.

Since then, many ideas and developments have evolved, including different accessories to make shooting fun and more effective. The steady growth of the business saw us incorporated as a London based company in 2019 and I

Masood Movahed launched Eagle Vision to meet the huge demand for high-quality airgun accessories such as scope-cam mounts and magazines

Mat Where does your inspiration come from when developing new products?

Masood Customer feedback plays a big part, but I am always thinking of ways to adapt and develop products. I try to research for at least one hour every day, and then spend another hour on design ideas for new products. I very much enjoy the creative part of this process.

am delighted with the way things have continued to progress.

Mat People probably know your business best for your GoPro and mobile phone mounts for scope-cam recording. Why do you think shooters are so eager to film through their scopes?

Masood Many shooters like to film through their scope to share their shooting experience—this could be precision groups with different ammo, a fun competition with friends or training and selfimprovement. YouTube is also a big reason for the popularity of these systems, with shooters recording and sharing point of view shots just as you do on The Airgun Show.

Our camera mounting systems have proven very popular as they are robust, high-quality and versatile. They are easy to use, very adaptable and generally work well with any camera or smartphone.

Mat Eagle Vision sound moderators and muzzle brakes are very popular. Can you tell us about them, their development and how they work?

Masood Our muzzle brake and sound moderators are designed to produce one product which works well with most airgun calibres while also having a pleasing aesthetic. They must also facilitate good precision and, in the case of moderators, deliver quietness. We recently introduced a special “end threads” attachment system to this range of products to make it compatible with most airguns currently on the market.

Mat The Eagle Vision range extends way beyond camera mounts, silencers and muzzle brakes. Can you tell us about some of the other key products?

Masood Our goal is to be the numberone provider of airgun accessories in the world, with uniquely designed products. The range also includes magazines,

Eagle Visions Go-Pro mount is a favourite with airgun shooters who want to record scope-cam footage scope-mounting accessories and much, much more. We have over 500 finished designs and a further 100 new products in test or on the production line. We want to always stay one step ahead, and that means a constant stream of new innovation and new products.

Mat How has the business been received

Mat What are the most important factors when it comes to designing and fabricating Eagle Vision products?

Masood There are so many factors. I need to consider functionality, pleasing looks, low weight, build quality, versatility and, of course, affordable prices. It takes a lot of juggling to balance them all out, but I enjoy meeting that challenge.

Mat What have been the biggest challenges faced by your business since its launch and how did you overcome them?

Masood There are so many challeng-

“ Our goal is to be the number-one provider of airgun accessories in the world ”

by airgun shooters since its launch?

Masood The feedback we have received has been very positive. We receive many messages from airgun shooters all over the world—it is truly amazing.

It has been very humbling to see and hear of the feedback from our customers.

It has also been very encouraging and is probably the main reason why we keep going. I can honestly say that it has positively changed my outlook on life.

es—we face obstacles almost every day.

We have found a way to solve each of them—it is a constant learning process.

Being pleased with what you have produced is the end reward.

Mat Can you please give us a hint as to what might be coming next from Eagle Vision Products?

Masood There are some exciting projects on the drawing board. GTN

Industry Insider

25

DON'T BANK ON THE SUPPORT YOU NEED The issue of debanking has exercised many of our columnists this month, not least our newest, the industry insider Karl Waktare I’VE got a friend who used to work in the city with his fingers in many pies. One of the ventures he dabbles in is short term loans at often doubledigit rates. Most often this lending is to people involved in building projects where they are nearing completion.

Anyone who has ever had any form of building work done can appreciate it always takes longer than planned and often goes over budget. I once asked him the obvious question, why don’t they borrow at a more reasonable rate from their bank. His answer was not complicated, he simply said ‘because banks are shit’. By the time they have approved the loan, demanded unreasonable security etc the whole project would be in chaos with builders either suing or moving elsewhere. It’s worth paying a little more for speed.

Westminster. Maybe not, but the aftermarch trip to the pub could be lively!

I spoke with Connor O’Gorman at BASC who is doing a great job on this subject. He is aiming to gather as many cases as he can to put forward to the FCA. Please contact Conor.Ogorman@ basc.org.uk if you have had a de-banking issue. Well done Connor and BASC. Contact karl@truetarget.co.uk

Why don’t you ask China!

Why us?

Us shooters are a minority and mostly hidden away in barns, ditches and marshes. According to an article that appeared in the Guardian in July 2023, over 343,000 UK bank accounts were closed in 2021-22, up from about 45,000 in 2016-17. The article gives examples of people having their accounts closed because they dealt in crypto currency, had gambling accounts or sent money abroad from time to time.

I have recently tried to open a business account for my company True Target Ltd—nothing to tell really, just a vehicle for future self-employment. My first port of call was HSBC with whom I have banked for over 40 years. HSBC are advertising their small business credentials all over the place currently. Anyway, they turned me down. I can’t recall if they gave a reason but I couldn’t be bothered to pursue it as you cannot get hold of a person with any authority. I can only assume they found something in my profile that they didn’t like, it might even have been the name which sounded like something shooting related. Either

“ His answer was not

complicated, he simply said ‘because banks are shit’ ”

way something got flagged and I got the Dear Karl letter. I was pretty &%$£ed off, but did I close my personal account in protest as I initially planned? No, I am familiar with and like their banking app, also I can’t be bothered with the hassle of changing all my Direct Debits.

We need to understand that banks are not evil, they are bureaucratic, risk averse and very slow. We mustn’t take it personally. Banks seem to be able to justify debanking customers on the grounds that account holders pose a financial, legal, regulatory or reputational risk. It’s obviously the latter that flags up for shooters, as it did for Nigel Farage. However, we mustn’t think that the good ‘ol shooters’

friend Nigel is able to do much to help us. His situation was slightly different, and Coutts got into trouble because they closed Nige’s account based on his political beliefs. Following this the Chancellor asked the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) to look into debanking in relation to freedom of speech. Us shooters are not having our accounts shut because we believe it’s OK to engage in country pursuits, it is because banks believe that having us as customers is bad for their reputation. If it’s any comfort the only other groups I could find in the same boat as us were sex workers, money launderers, fraudsters and terrorists. I hereby call that we all join forces and march on

It may surprise people, but I actually read quite a few books, some of them containing long words. There is a book by an American investigative journalist called Eat the Buddha. It’s about how China has taken control of Tibbet and assimilated what was basically another country.

One way in which they suppress protest is through banking. In this modern world if you don’t have a bank account you are pretty stuffed. In China if you work hard, don’t protest, and become a good party member you improve your credit score.

This allows you to borrow money to buy a house, a car and generally provide for your family. This is an effective means of control, pretty scary also.

Brothers in Arms

There is a powerful international network out there that spans continents and knows everything about the firearms trade. OK, I am bullshitting again, it’s a WhatsApp group that me and some mates from the Beretta Group have. Harmless really with the occasional bit of shared humour, often directed at Prince Harry.

Anyway, I enquired among my brothers about the international situation. We are not alone, Australia reported the same situation as us regarding banking, transport and insurance. The US and Canada are slightly different given the second amendment, mass killings, assault weapons etc. However, they are very much in the same boat. Apparently, there is even a Bank over there that is specially set up to support the gun industry. GTN

26 BASC

SAFEGUARDING BRITISH GUN MAKING A UK list recognising British traditions should include various shooting activities including gun making says BASC’s Conor O’Gorman.

BEFORE I delve into this topic, I wanted to publicly thank the GTN readers that have been in touch with debanking examples. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is interested in more case studies from BASC for its banking services review and each example of debanking is another piece of the jigsaw. No personal details will be shared with the FCA so please email me at conor.ogorman@basc.org.uk if you have not already done so.

Turning now to the main matter, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) launched a consultation in December on the UK signing up to the ‘2003 UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage’ and how it’s going to go about that.

The convention is basically about giving recognition to a worldwide diversity of traditional activities that continue to this day, passed down from one generation to the next.

Over the last 20 years, around 700 activities have been recognised on the convention website with the agreement of 180 signatory countries. This includes a myriad of activities covering language, performing arts, rituals, use of nature, and traditional craftmanship.

There are two levels of listings—global and national. In its consultation the DCMS is proposing to focus on getting lots of examples of British cultural heritage onto the UK list rather than getting a few examples onto the global list.

The national cultural heritage lists are held by countries on their own websites rather than the UNESCO website and we found two interesting examples from some initial research, with Czech Republic listing hunting and Poland listing traditional rifle making in Silesia.

Crafty

DCMS is proposing several categories for the UK list, one of which is “traditional craftsmanship”, which would be welcome given the clear connection

“ It would be significant for the protection and promotion of shooting ”

with British gun making heritage and the skills and knowledge handed down from generation to generation for instance through apprenticeships in the gun trade.

There are certainly many passionate owners of historic English guns here and abroad and with that in mind I was struck by the following recent comment on a shooting forum: “I have an interest in the history of our shooting and gun making. Many times I have been caught staring at the engraving or the Damascus patterns as they glint in the sun whilst not even seeing that bird whistle by and mates shouting “Wake up”!! I sometimes wonder where my Westley Richards ‘Ovundo’ has been used whilst I admire it waiting for the drive to start. And when I drop that ‘corker’ to add to the 25 bird bag with something made in 1910 that makes the day even more worth while for me. Not how many.”

It could be that, as with the Poland

example, that several specific types of traditional gun making in the UK could be listed rather than a generic listing. I would be interested in feedback on that as BASC is responding to the consultation and will be following up with DCMS if the convention is ratified and a UK list is drafted.

As regards the other proposed categories there are several of interest.

For the proposed category ‘knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe’ that could include live quarry shooting traditions including wildfowling, pigeon shooting, game shooting and deer stalking.

Pie

Now you might think that is pie in the sky but I have already mentioned ‘hunting’ being on the Czech national list.

Furthermore, falconry has a UNESCO global listing as ‘‘Falconry, a living hu-

man heritage’ which describes the art and practice of falconry and how that is learnt from generation to generation and explaining the role of falconry today.

The listing goes on to explain that ‘while falconers come from different backgrounds, they share universal values, traditions and practices’. It is also states that ‘the falconry community includes supporting entities such as falcon hospitals, breeding centres, conservation agencies and equipment makers’.

So far 24 countries have recognised the falconry listing so if the UK does ratify the UNESCO convention, there would be a strong case for the UK to also recognise falconry on the global list. And there is a strong case for the government to recognise many shooting activities on the UK list.

Turning back to the proposed categories for the UK list there is also ‘traditional games and sports’ which could cover target shooting disciplines and the knowledge handed down at ranges.

And for the ‘culinary traditions / knowledge’ category perhaps that could cover preparation of wild food harvested by shooters including ducks, geese, partridge, pheasant, grouse, rabbits and deer.

So, what would it mean for shooting if all or some aspects of our traditions were on the UK listing? DCMS states that ‘safeguarding’ listed cultural heritage is “generally understood to include raising awareness, building participation, ensuring sustainability, and supporting the passing on of skills and knowledge”. They are going to consider what safeguarding could mean in the UK in more detail to see what support might be needed for listed activities.

So, while it’s not about legal protection, I think it would be significant for the protection and promotion of shooting to have government recognition in this way, given that British shooting and its traditions are deeply ingrained not only in the shooting community but society as a whole. GTN

Reviews 27

BEST BUYS

Highlights of reviews from consumer magazines

Zbroia Hortitsia MK3

RIFLE TEST

Dave Barham tests the latest generation of this much-loved Ukranian PCP NEED TO KNOW n MANUFACTURER: Zbroia n D ISTRIBUTOR: Artemis Outdoors n T YPE: Pre-charged, multi-shot n BOTTLE CAPACITY: 200cc n MAX FILL PRESSURE: 300 bar n STOCK: Right-handed, wood n COCKING: Sidelever/bolt n T RIGGER: Two-stage, adjustable n CALIBRE: .177 and .22 n SAFETY: Manual lever n OVERALL LENGTH: 910mm (35.8in) n BARREL LENGTH: 330mm (13in) n MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 5(.177) and 5 (.22) n W EIGHT: 6.8lbs (3.1kg) n S HOT COUNT: .177/80+ .22/100+ n P RICE: £795

Airgun World is published by Fieldsports Press and is available for wholesale from Seymour on 0207 429 4000

"The first thing I noticed when I shot this rifle in my back garden was just how quiet it is. The barrel is shrouded, although there is a screw cap at the end to reveal a 1/2in UNF thread, so you can add a moderator if required, but you really don’t need to.

"The second thing I noticed after halfan-hour is the weight. It’s really light at

just 6.8lbs. Wandering around a field for three or four hours whilst carrying the Hortitsia will be no problem at all.

"I got bored with cutting out bullseyes on my 25-metre back garden range, so I headed to my local club to ping a few 40-yard spinners, and this rifle handled them all with ease. I’m very impressed.

The Hortitsia is definitely one of those

Hik Micro Alpex LRF 4K

rifles that you need to get to know.

"My first impressions out of the box were way too unkind. Without even picking it up, I thought it was going to be a cheaply-made, clunky old girl, but half an hour of getting to know the rifle soon had me singing its praises. If you have a go with one, you’ll see exactly what I mean, it’s a real little gem of a rifle."

OPTIC TEST

Mat Manning gets to grips with this high-tech riflescope for round-the-clock hunting "I had a great time using the Alpex LRF 4K to snipe rats from the cover of darkness and have since used it to shoot grey squirrels in broad daylight.

This optic boasts daytime performance that now comes very close to the optical quality of traditional glass scopes. Built to stand up to heavy field use and to withstand substantial recoil, it feels very solidly constructed. It cer-

NEED TO KNOW n MANUFACTURER: Hikmicro n MODEL: Alpex LRF 4K n LENGTH: 390mm n WEIGHT: 1175g n MAGNIFICATION: 3.5-28x n F EATURES: Full-colour 4K daytime and low light viewing, infrared night vision, laser rangefinder, ballistic calculator, adjustable aperture and onboard video recording. n P RICE: RRP £849.99 n I MPORTER: scottcountry.co.uk

Shooting Times is published

by Fieldsports Press and is available for wholesale from Seymour on 0207 429 4000

tainly strikes me as a versatile scope and I can see fox shooters and deerstalkers embracing it too.

"The Alpex LRF 4K gives super-sharp

black-and-white infrared viewing in the dark and clear full-colour viewing by day and in very low light conditions. It boasts a raft of features that you won’t

find on a normal telescopic sight, including that laser rangefinder. I think a lot of shooters may just find it to be the only scope they need."

ALSO CONSIDER PULSAR DIGEX C50

INFIRAY TUBE TD70L V2

PARD DS35 50 RF GEN 2

This offering from Pulsar is based around a 30mm tube design and incorporates a powerful 1928x1082 FHD CMOS sensor and SumLight functionality to deliver high-quality viewing by day and night.

This digital day-and-night scope is 380mm long, weighs 945g and has a 5.5x to 22x magnification range. Full-colour daytime and low light viewing, onboard video recording and built in rechargeable battery.

The proportions of a riflescope, and even has a circular 800x800 display.

Features include image shift zero and Wi-Fi connectivity. Supplied with integral IR illuminator and laser rangefinder.

n £1,099.95 n Thomas Jacks

n £799 n Highland Outdoors

n £849.99 n Sportsman Gun Centre

28 Reviews

Crosman Prospect

RIFLE TEST

Mat Manning puts the new Crosman to the test and finds it to be seriously impressive "I always try to manage my expectations when reviewing lower-priced airguns—the simple fact is that it would be unfair to expect them to have the same level of refinement as something costing £1,000 or more.

With that caveat, it is impossible not to be impressed by the Crosman Pros-

Airgun World is published by Fieldsports Press and is available for wholesale from Seymour on 0207 429 4000

NEED TO KNOW n DISTRIBUTOR: Range Right n T YPE: Multi-shot PCP n STOCK TYPE: Synthetic sporter n COCKING: Sidelever n T RIGGER: Two-stage adjustable n CALIBRES: .177 and .22 n WEIGHT: 3.9kg (8.6lb) without scope n S HOTS PER FILL: 130 (.177), 145 (.22) n P RICE: £425

pect. It churns out power close to the UK legal limit and is capable of some pretty decent accuracy. For well under £500, you could be forgiven for thinking that this is a plinking airgun, but although it is very well suited to backyard target

toppling, its downrange precision means it should be equally at home in the field and on the club range.

“The Prospect has another ace up its sleeve in that it feels to be very solidly built. Its synthetic stock is certainly

Lithgow Arms Australia LA101 Crossover

tough, plus it has the added practicality of that height-adjustable cheekpiece. If you want a sensibly priced airgun that can handle the rough and tumble of proper use and still puts pellets in the right place, this would do.”

RIFLE TEST

Bruce Potts is impressed with the Australian manufacturer’s robust rimfire “I fitted an A-Tec Wave rimfire sound moderator and a new Pard DS35 and shot a variety of ammo over the chronograph at 50 yards. The Eley 38-gr subsonics shot 0.55in groups very consistently with a velocity of 920 fps for 71ft/ lb energy, which is a tad low, but it was a bitter -4°C. “Norma subs shot superbly quietly at 925fps/76ft/lb with 0.75in groups, while the CCI segmented rounds with their 40gr projectile shot the same-sized groups at a faster 1,058fps for 99ft/lb energy.

“The CCI Suppressor rounds, at a heavier 45-gr hollowpoint bullet, shot stealthy 914fps velocities for 84ft/lb with consistent 0.85in groups. I did shoot some reduced loads, CCI CB Longs, that shot 1in groups at 20 yards for 705fps

Available for wholesale from Seymour on 0207 429 4000

NEED TO KNOW and 32ft/lb. The 29-gr bullet makes a nice quiet load for ferals.

“I chose the Eley Subsonics which, with a zero at 50 yards, were 0.28in high at 20 yards and then dropped -2.31in at 75 yards.

“The Pard is a cost-effective sight that accounted for six bunnies the first evening and 13 the next. The ruggedness and ease of operation of the Lithgow makes it a serious vermin tool especially with its accuracy and cheap CZ mags.”

18

18

17

18

17

88

ACCURACY It turned in some impressive 50-yard groups

HANDLING A natural and ambidextrous feel with good grip

TRIGGER Light and reliable trigger that broke like glass

STOCK Tough, rigid and very comfortable to shoot

VALUE Good value even though rimfires tend to be pricey

OVERALL SCORE Comfortable, easy to shoot, a great everyday gun

/20 /20

/20

/20

/20

/20

/100

n OVERALL LENGTH: 38.5in-39.6in (with inserts) n BARREL LENGTH: 21in, threaded ½ x 28 UNEF n S IGHTS: Scope mount only, matching two-piece Weaver provided n STOCK: Synthetic adjustable LENGTH OF PULL: (wood and laminate available) n WEIGHT: 6.8lb (3.1kg) n F INISH: Cerakote black or titanium (on test) n TRIGGER: Single stage n M AGAZINE: Detachable 5 rounds, 10-shot option (CZ455 compatible) n CALIBRE: .22 LR on test, 17 HMR and .22 WMR available n PRICE: £1,074 n CONTACT: Highland Outdoors 08450 990252

AIM FOR THE NEXT LEVEL Reximex produces world class products using the latest R&D and manufacturing proficiency with the vision of never compromising from high quality and customer satisfaction.

The latest addition from the Reximex stable is the sleek, eye-catching LYRA with a stunning quality ambidextrous Turkish Walnut stock and side lever cocking action.

Features a ½” UNF threaded barrel & picatinny rail to mount an optional sight (scope not included).

RRP

£375.00 INC VAT

• • • • •

Calibre: .22 & .177 Capacity: 12 in .22 / 14 in .177 Overall length: 1070 mm Barrel length: 580 mm Weight: 3.5 kg

PLEASE NOTE: SCOPE SOLD SEPARATELY.

Unit 4, Freemans Way, Harrogate Business Park, Wetherby Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 1DH