Gun Trade News Issue 82

HQS HUNTER

A classic moderator to cover every hunter’s needs, suitable for numerous centrefire calibres, from .22 to .338. The Hunter is an over barrel suppressor made of a single core, which results in high vibration reduction and wear resistance even with intensive use.

Added length: 154mm Diameter: 54mm Weight: 497gr Noise Reduction: 37+dB

HQS IMPACT

This front barrel centrefire sound moderator weighs in at less than 400g and adds only 175mm to the length of the weapon. It’s tough enough to handle even semi-automatic rifles, with a noise reduction of over 32dB.

Added length: 175mm Diameter: 54/50mm Weight: 390gr

HQS SPECIAL

HQS SPECIAL

HQS SLIM Moderator designed with the stalker in mind. Suitable for numerous hunting calibres, it maintains the balance of the rifle while achieving sound suppression of 30 dB. The Slim is an over barrel suppressor made of a single core and construction with a reduced diameter.

Added length: 154mm Diameter: 40mm Weight: 293gr Noise Reduction: 30+dB

HQS SPECIAL IMPACT

HQS Special Impact is highly effective and has no competition with heavy calibers like 6.5x68, 6.5 PRC, 270 WSM. This moderator is ideally suited for stalking, posted hunting or similar hunting styles where the silencers performance is primarily in demand.

Added length: 206mm Diameter: 54/50mm Weight: 600gr Noise Reduction: 42+dB

BUSINESS DEMANDS

CLARITY ON EPG

After Liz Truss’s announcement of support, many have been left scratching their heads

targeted: “The Business Secretary will work with businesses… to make sure those most in need get support. This review will be concluded within three months, giving businesses certainty.”

But voices in this and other industries are calling for clarity and speed in the rollout of the deal so businesses can plan now. Aboo Cattran from Sportsman Gun Centre was typical of people GTN has spoken to when he told us: “Sadly, as we all know there is currently no defined support for UK business. ‘Further details will be published shortly’ is all the government website says.”

WELSH

ORGANISERS of the GWCT Welsh Game Fair are delighted to report that more than 10,000 people visited the inaugural three-day event held at Vaynol Hall in Gwynedd this September.

“The Welsh Game Fair came to life with its own personality and nuances delivering a special event from which to build,” commented Stable Events’ managing director James Gower, adding: “The location was outstanding, the perfect blank canvas on which to showcase the best of Welsh countryside and tradition. We look forward to next year and have some future surprises in store, so watch this space!”

The chairman of GWCT Cymru, Owen Williams, added: “We are delighted that our close collaboration with Stable Events over the past year has pro-

duced a great Game Fair for Wales. At a time of instability and change in the countryside it is vital that the rural community comes together to celebrate and showcase the many interdependent strands of life in the countryside. We are very grateful to the wonderful Vaynol estate for hosting this inaugural GWCT Welsh Game Fair, which we are sure has secured its place in the calendar of the Welsh countryside.”

Vaynol Hall owner Keith Jones concluded: “From start to finish, Stable Events have been fantastic to partner with. I have received nothing but positive feedback and I’m delighted the event went so well. The atmosphere all weekend was upbeat and buoyant. The people of North Wales have wanted their own Game Fair for a long time.”

THE government’s 8 September announcement that it will support businesses as well as consumers with the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) has been met with cautious gratitude by the trade. New prime minister Liz Truss announced that “the average household” will have its bills capped at £2,500 per annum for the next 18 months and promised similar support for businesses, though that support will be reviewed after six months.

“After those six months we will provide further support to vulnerable sectors such as hospitality,” said Truss, adding that the government would work with businesses to review where this should be

And Aboo went on to warn: “It is imperative that all parts of society are supported in this issue, as we are already seeing businesses going to the wall. Inflation isn’t dropping, interest rates will rise and the squeeze on businesses with borrowings will rise.

“With inflation expected to peak at around 13% and interest rates at around 3%, all facets of society will be squeezed. Support from central government is needed. However, on the back of the country’s Covid borrowings, we are sadly going to have redouble our efforts in the coming years to repay the debt. We will get through it but we as a society need to pull together to support and work in a uniform and committed way to ensure we support those who can’t make it through alone.”

RICH AND VARIED SPORTING LIFE

THE Queen’s life was celebrated at the 2022 GWCT Welsh Game Fair with a 10-gun salute (main cover image). Our other pictures show the Queen visiting the Game Fair in 1974 and 1989. Her Majesty famously included among her many interests shooting, fishing and—particularly—gundogs. Indeed, her dogs were among the most successful in the country. And away from trialling, she

was often seen picking up on shoot days at Sandringham and Balmoral.

In 2000 she was photographed dispatching a pheasant by breaking its neck, and in 2004 she was again seen dispatching a bird with blows to its head.

Though this drew ire from certain quarters, on both occasions she was praised by those in the know for acting swiftly and humanely—in the words of the

Palace: “as would any other responsible country sports person”.

Richard Negus, in his obituary for the Queen written for Shooting Times, commented: “Her Majesty was at heart a dyed-in-the-wool countrywoman. While an invitation to shoot at Balmoral came from the Duke, it was the Queen who would extend a summons to come stalking. And Her Majesty was

no mere bystander on the hill. In her younger years she was herself adept with a rifle. Later she continued to take a keen interest in the doings of the deer and those who stalked them. Indeed it was by no means unknown for Rifles going into a stalk to become aware that down in the glen a Range Rover had come to a halt, and the Monarch was observing their efforts with a knowledgeable eye.”

BEST BUYS

MARKET

Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg

Published by:

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

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

Art Editor: Joe Burt

Production Editor: Jon Palmer

Advertising: Emma Parker 07734875522 emma.parker@stableevents.org, Lee Hurst 07949 111 539 lee.hurst@thegamefair.org

Publisher: James Gower

Head of marketing: Gemma Payne

HH&S,

Stuart Farr, James Gower, Lucy de Greeff, Diggory Hadoke, Michael E. Haskew, Mat Manning,

While this has been a time of great sadness for the nation, we can perhaps hope that we are about to turn a corner. Inflation is settling down, the interminable Tory leadership battle is finally over—and whatever you may think of Liz Truss, we badly need the government to start governing again—and there has at least been some promise of help with otherwise crippling energy costs for businesses of all kinds.

That does not mean that we won’t see some casualties in our industry. Times of uncertainty and potential recession always expose the weaker organisations. I recommend everyone read Stuart Farr’s column this issue and be reminded of the signs that may help highlight a failing business to you before their failings become your problem.

But I am hopeful that losses will be minimal and that those who do lose their businesses will bounce back. If you ever take one piece of advice from a magazine editorial, it should be this: don’t wait too long before you pull the plug on your failing business. It’s the hardest decision you will ever take, but there is usually light on the other side, and the sooner you stop it the fewer people get hurt.

On another note, I received a message from one of my favourite correspondents, Nick Levett-Scrivener at Shooting Star.

“I’d like to correct your paper on the use of the word ‘toxic’ when referring to lead cartridges,” Nick wrote. “Please could you call all cartridges

loaded without lead either ‘non-lead cartridges’ collectively or ‘steel cartridges’ or ‘bismuth cartridges’ or ‘cartridges with alternative shot’. I think it is important to stop referring to cartridges as ‘toxic’ as this will allow the antis to hit us over the head with our admission of throwing toxic material around the countryside.”

Nick was referring to my round-up of ‘non-toxic’ cartridges I believe. I think this rather gets to the heart of the matter, and as I have expressed before in this magazine it is my contention that we need to

get rid of lead as swiftly as possible. Lead is toxic, that much is definitely known. Continued exposure to lead at high levels causes death; at lower levels it can damage your kidneys and cause confusion and memory loss. It can cross the placental barrier and do harm to the development of foetuses. It is bad stuff, and I think we would do better to lose it from our sport altogether rather than expend our energies on the media management of our usage of it.

God save the King!

Steve

“

Lead is toxic, that much is definitely known ”

INDUSTRY NEWS

Around the UK and abroad, all the top stories digested Cartridge brand loyalty reviewed

According to the 2022 Game Shooting Census, no less than 46% of Guns profess loyalty to a favourite brand of cartridge. And so what are these brands?

Gamebore continues to lead the field with 29% (down 1% from 2021) of those who said they were loyal to a particular brand choosing to shoot Gamebore cartridges. Questioned further about their preference, Gamebore buyers cited consistency and reliability, as well as the cartridges’ knock-down power, suggesting that these are the cartridge of choice for high bird shots.

Buyers of the next two most popular brands—Hull (25%) and Eley Hawk (17%)—also cited consistency and reliability as their main reasons for buying.

In terms of overall market share by brand there have been some small shifts over the past two years. In last year’s review, Gamebore’s overall market share had dropped by 1.76%, while Eley Hawk’s was up 2.47%. This year, Eley Hawk has dropped back slightly, with Hull making a 1.22% gain in overall market share.

These are the big three, with no other brand commanding more than 10% of overall market share. In

fourth place, however, is RC (9.93%), closely followed by Lyalvale Express (8.63%). Then, making up the rest of the top ten, come Caledonian (1.94%), Fiocchi (1.08%), Just Cartridges (0.86%), Victory (0.50%) and EJ Churchill (0.43%).

In terms of specific products, the market share

Zermatt Arms coming to UK

Expected imminently at Edgar Brothers’ Cheshire HQ is the much anticipated first shipment from US precision action manufacturers Zermatt Arms.

Based in Nebraska, Zermatt Arms has forged a strong reputation for producing some of the very best rifle actions available, actions that are used all over the world by target shooters and hunters alike. Using their experience in both the firearms and aerospace

industries, Zermatt Arms’ machining capabilities are second to none.

This first delivery includes RimX, Origin, TL3 and SR3 actions in most configurations, as well as a comprehensive range of accessories. It is hoped that most back orders will be met once this shipment lands, though due to the huge range of custom options offered, the company says that this can’t be guaranteed.

percentage for 2022 is as follows: Gamebore Black Gold (15%), Gamebore Dark Storm with Quad Seal (10%), Hull High Pheasant (9%), Hull High Pheasant Extreme (6%), Hull Imperial Game (5%), Gamebore Clear Pigeon and RC SIpe (4%), and Lyalvale Supreme Game, Eley Grand Prix and Eley VIP (3%).

Goose Fever on MyOutdoorTV

Perfectly timed to coincide with the start of the European wildfowling season, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) has released a new show, Goose Fever, dedicated entirely to goose hunting. The two episodes in the first series of the show follow five hunters from five different nations as they gather in southern Sweden (the best place to go for goose hunting) for the impressive migration season, where they demonstrate their skills and dedication in the field, as well as their ethical approach to wildfowling.

As we went to press, Edgar Brothers brand manager Graham Turner told us that while import complications meant he couldn’t give us an exact date for the arrival, it should be “within the next two or three weeks”. And that was a week before you’re reading this, so we may reasonably expect that those of you who have already placed an order will be served before the next issue of GTN goes to press.

Value of Shooting Survey

The shooter’s life is one of strong clothes, strong winds and strong tea… But there do occasionally come times when we all need to sit in front of a computer for a while—and this happens to be one of those times. The Value of Shooting Survey, which is supported by all the shooting and countryside organisations, is a vital tool for capturing evidence about the importance of shooting and helping to make the broader case for our sport. You can do your bit to help by completing the survey at valueofshooting.co.uk

Schöffel Country and Le Chameau to sponsor CPSA

”End firearms licensing inconsistencies” demands BASC

BASC is calling for a major overhaul of the firearms licensing service after a report it commissioned found significant inconsistencies in the service provided by the 42 separate firearms licensing departments in England and Wales.

The report found that the costs of handling a firearms licence application varied wildly, from £87 in Avon and Somerset to £522 in Durham, and also that the time it took to process an application varied from

40 working days in Hertfordshire to 178 in Cumbria, with “On an individual level, [some] waiting times extending [to] well over a year,” and “one instance [where] an individual waited two years for a change of address.”

BASC claims that such inconsistencies across the UK are partly to blame for the 8% reduction in certificate holders over the past two years, a net loss of 47,000 applicants.

Martin Parker, BASC head of firearms, said: “The failings across firearms licensing are symptomatic of wider police failures being seen across the board. This is not a new issue, but an ongoing problem compounded by a failure to adequately cope with challenges brought by the pandemic.

“There are still several forces delivering an excellent service and clearly demonstrating good practice that could be emulated. Unfortunately, we are receiving record numbers of complaints regarding delays from the rest.

“The licensing service is in place to protect public safety, and it is in this interest that the Home Office must act immediately,” he concluded.

The report recommends a major overhaul of the licensing service through either the unification of licensing, as in Scotland, or the creation of an independent regulator to make sure failing forces are held to account.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) also declared a “critical incident” on their Firearms and Explosives Branch after recording a backlog of some 4,000 individuals.

The Clay Pigeon Shooting Association (CPSA) has announced that it will have Schöffel Country and Le Chameau as headline sponsors for the next three years of events.

A stalwart of the shooting world and much loved by those who indulge in country pursuits, Schöffel Country creates leading performance wear and will be supplying CPSA staff with uniforms. Le Chameau is best known for its handcrafted rubber Wellington boots, constructed by a single master boot maker and designed with the discerning country customer in mind.

The brands will join Rizzini, Eley and Swatcom as Headline Champion Sponsors.

Country Food Trust at Game Fair

The Country Food Trust would like to extend its thanks to the Game Fair, Ragley Hall, HRH Princess Anne and the Trust’s patrons Phil Spencer, Mike Robinson and Adam Henson.

Special thanks also go to the organisations who generously donated a share of their income over the weekend on point of purchase, to include Rosemullion Distillery, Jack Straws Baskets, and Dog & Field, as well as to the Trust’s ambassadors and staff who all helped it raise £7,500.

Bowden lands Farlow role

Lucy Bowden has been appointed as a new marketing executive at Farlows Group. Lucy will be the main contact for all marketing queries for Farlows and Sportfish, reporting to Simon Tilbury, Group Head of Marketing. Lucy has been an angler since the age of five, when her father first introduced her into the sport. These days Lucy is a qualified Level 2 UKCC Game Angling Coach and regularly teaches primarily children and women how to fish. She is an advocate for ladies in angling and founded and chaired the Fishing for Everyone Ladies Fishing Club. Lucy is also the Head Coach for the military veteran’s charity, Fishing for Heroes, in the North of England.

Lucy has over 14 years of experience working

in the fishing and field-sports industries covering marketing, PR and events for leading companies including Orvis Inc, Hardy & Greys Ltd, Pure Fishing UK and J Barbour & Sons.

Manning moves to Fieldsports Press

Airgun specialist and regular GTN columnist ‘Countryman’ Mat Manning is to end his long association with Future Publishing and take up a new role, closely involved with Air Gunner and

BASC opposes latest Defra proposals on deer management

BASC welcomes the government’s commitment to deer management in England but rejects many of the proposals in the latest Defra consultation, in particular those pertaining to incentivisation, the male close season, night shooting and mandatory testing.

On the matter of incentivisation, BASC is calling for a greater emphasis on developing a market for venison and suggests that the government could itself purchase carcasses through a targeted incentive scheme: “At the moment, the carcass value of £5-£10 for muntjac does not make it viable to cull them other than for personal consumption.”

BASC disagrees with the proposal of no close season for male deer, arguing that reducing population levels in the long term can only be achieved by concentrating on the female cull. It adds that landowners who are suffering damage can already control deer out of season.

BASC disagrees with removing the need for a licence to shoot deer at night, but does accept that there

is a need for an easier licensing process to allow night shooting where required.

BASC disagrees with the proposal to require all deer stalkers to pass a mandatory test, saying it sees no evidence that this is required, and that the best way to ensure high standards is through training and voluntary self-regulation.

BASC also points out that while certain species in certain areas are a problem, in many areas of England deer populations are well managed, and so a more targeted approach is required. It also calls for lessons to be learned from previous wildlife control schemes, and insists that as the primary provider of deer management training it has a key role to play.

The organisation concludes that there is no need to review the existing Deer Act 1991 in relation to any of these proposals and suggests that the government’s efforts should instead be focused on bolstering the venison market as “a sure-fire way of increasing the national cull”.

Business for sale

Keith Appleton, proprietor of Arrow Lasershot (arrowlasershot.com) and developer of the company’s eponymous product Arrow Laser Shot, tells us that he intends to retire and that he therefore wants to sell the business he has been successfully running for these past 25 years.

Keith tells us that he has made enough money from Arrow Lasershot to “comfortably walk away”, but believes that his business has improved the shooting of a lot of people from all over the world—“I think the only countries we’ve not sold into are Iran and North Korea,” he says—and that with new shooters

Airgun World magazines and producing regular airgun content for Shooting & Country TV.

As well as being a regular contributor to Future titles such as Airgun Shooter and Shooting Times, Mat has also been the lead presenter of The Airgun Show for many years.

Mat told GTN he was excited to be joining a team of people who are all genuinely passionate about shooting. “The Fieldsports airgun titles already have a terrific following. I cut my teeth working on Air Gunner magazine and look forward to being involved with it again,” he said.

Mat will continue to write for Gun Trade News and Shooting Times and we wish him every success in his new role.

IN PARLIAMENT

Programme for Government

2022-23

Nicola Sturgeon

“A longside the climate crisis, we will take action to address the nature crisis. In the year ahead, we will publish a biodiversity strategy and take action to stimulate private investment in nature restoration… We will introduce a wildlife management bill for grouse to reduce the negative impact of some grouse moor practices on wildlife and the environment.”

coming into the sport, ALS equipment is still going to be needed.

He admits that: “Over the last few years, due to health reasons, I have let the business run down, but the turnover could quite easily be brought up to about £150k to £250k with a net profit of about 74%.”

Anyone interested in taking on Keith’s business, which is currently based in Yateley, Hampshire, is invited to email Keith at keith@arrowlasershot.com

Government declares AIPZ in southwest England

The government has declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) in southwest England, covering Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly), Devon and parts of Somerset.

It is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers in this region to follow strict bio-security measures to help protect their flocks, of whatever type or size they may be.

Additionally, keepers with more than 500 birds will need to restrict access for non-essential people on their sites, workers will need to change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures, and site vehicles will need to be cleaned and disinfected regularly to limit the risk of the disease spreading.

This year the UK has faced its largest ever outbreak of bird flu, with over 130 cases confirmed across the country between late October and the end of August, when the current measures came into force.

With the situation changeable, bird keepers are advised to check in regularly with the relevant pages at gov.uk and gwct.org.uk, and also with basc.org

.uk/avian-influenza, to monitor developments, understand their legal obligations and, where applicable, read the government’s Mitigation strategy for avian influenza in wild birds in England and Wales.

PRECISION

UNDER PRESSURE

As the challenges to our trade continue to grow, Simon West looks at our mental health, and what we should all do to look after it

IN the four years since I joined the GTA, it is sad to reflect that I know of four occasions when members of our gun trade family have taken their own lives. The effect on families, friends and colleagues is devastating. It is tragic to reflect that the thoughts of those who make such choices have not benefitted from the help that we would all wish to give, if only we had known. It is the internalisation of hopelessness that is so sad. In our society it is becoming so much more acceptable to talk about mental health. I am less sure that it is so easy in our sector. Possession of firearms is rightfully restricted for the purposes of public safety. Those of us who work with firearms or enjoy shooting know that there are judgements being made on our suitability. Protecting our ability to possess firearms and earn our wage will be a priority. Whether an RFD, a servant or a certificate holder, we have responsibilities that we recognise. In our daily lives we conduct ourselves in a way that will not prejudice that privilege we enjoy. We take those responsibilities seriously and strive to ensure that our reputation is above reproach.

But what if life is not treating us well and the pressures build up? All sorts of factors can affect the way we feel. Past traumas, family difficulties, financial challenges—they can all create stress. Stress is quite natural; part of everyday life. The difficulty comes when the stresses of life build up and prevent us

from operating objectively. If we feel that we might lose the very licence we need to work, it is easy to hide the difficulties we are facing.

There to help

Actually, the facts show that our licensing authorities are understanding and committed to help. Just because we face challenges doesn’t mean we are going to lose our ability to work with guns. There are countless examples of those who have asked for help and are managing their anxieties and depression, who continue to shoot or work in the gun trade.

The key is being open and having that conversation.

It is time we all need to look after ourselves and each other better. I am all too aware that talking about our challenges isn’t easy. We operate in a competitive, strong-willed environment where there are enduring stigmas related to talking about mental health. Perhaps we should be more generous to ourselves and talk more openly about challenges. Our trade has always faced headwinds. I am busier fight-

ing these now than ever before. Add to that challenges at the personal level and sometimes it can be difficult to see a clear way forward. You will not be the only one under pressure, and sharing those concerns can be very cathartic.

Not everybody works as part of a team, but sharing our thoughts with others can help with managing difficulties. Sometimes help comes easily from those around us. Simply put: a trouble shared is a trouble halved. For those of us who work alone, it’s more difficult, but there are always those willing to listen. During lockdown I felt privileged to take calls from members who just needed somebody to chat to. Do please continue to use the team here. It’s important for us to know what you’re having to deal with. Call us on 01684 291868.

Doctors

We often hear that talking to our GPs is the right way forward, but this will be a challenge in itself. There is a useful clip on YouTube by mind.org.uk about

how to prepare for that move, Search for ‘How to talk to your GP about your mental health’.

Recently in Scotland, the shooting organisations, the GTA and the police have issued a helpful guide on ‘Firearms and Mental Health—Awareness and Support’. It recognises that problems are more common than you think and promotes positive mental health through shooting. It talks about the role of the police in protecting public safety and the procedures they use. But most usefully it provides information on ‘Where can I turn for help?’. You can read it at sacs.org.uk/news/mental-health-leaflet. It includes some useful numbers and we hope to provide further advice across the UK soon. The Gun and Allied Trades Benevolent Society is another port of call, assisting with financial support and connections to other organisations that can help. More on their website: gatbs.co.uk

We must ensure that we protect shooting as a whole and reduce risk to ourselves and others. It is essential that members of the trade and the shooting community have a positive, open and frank relationship with their GPs and firearms licencing departments. We know it’s difficult to talk about troubles but it’s very difficult not to answer a question. Get into the habit of checking up on others. We are all in this life together and we need one another. Please don’t leave it too late to look after yourselves or your mates.

“ We operate in an environment where there are stigmas related to talking about mental health ”

BEST BUYS

Beretta

"This gun is designed for the shooter who is attached to the Silver Pigeon but wants a bit of an upgrade, without spending EELL money. At around £4,000 you get a good-looking gun that will stand the test of time.

"Sporters are clay busters, but I wouldn’t hesitate to use this one on driven game. If you are knocking down most of the birds you put your gun up to, then no one is going to mock you for using a Silver Pigeon.

"It has earned its place in shooting folklore for a reason, and gets the respect of even the most discerning shooter. The great handling, combined with the crisp, predictable trigger pulls made this gun a joy to shoot."

Break-barrel

"Over the years, the Silver Pigeon has won a place in the hearts of many shooters because of its faultless reliability, and it has been the first serious shotgun for many.

"The gun comes in many forms. I own a Field I version, which is entry level, but for this article I am testing the new Silver Pigeon V Sporter. It has the same guts as my version, but has been upgraded in terms of wood, engraving and finish.

"I often use car analogies to explain the position of different types of shotgun in the market to those new to shooting. For me, the Silver Pigeon and Browning’s 525 are the Ford Mondeo of the shoot-

"Lasting success is not easy to achieve, especially in a world that has grown to expect change for the sake of change, but the iconic Weihrauch HW80K has managed to be a very desirable airgun for almost 40 years.

"Back in the 1980s, I wanted an HW80K because it was the gun used by John Darling, the father of modern airgun hunting. Four decades later,

I would still like to

place

remarkable

ing world. They are unpretentious, have great handling, are well made, affordable and do the job. They also come in different levels of finish, so the Silver Pigeon V would be the equivalent of a Titanium version of the Mondeo."

Lithgow

"I have tested quite a few Lithgow rimfires of late but I’d never had the chance to engage with the centrefire version of the Crossover model, a stalking rifle with a fine pedigree. Lithgow Arms, based in New South Wales, has that typical Aus-

Five in one!

"These guns are so different in appearance, looks, handling and characteristics that to compare them in some cases is like apples and pears.

"The 30in hybrid and the 30in clay gun bear no resemblance at all to each other in how they shoot. The hybrid will outperform the clay gun in field scenarios, though the clay spec gun will leave the hybrid standing if you’re looking for something with the characteristics required for competition shooting.

"Both 32in guns share so much in common that they are essentially twins. But – and it’s a big but –the grade of the wood does alter their handling, and

stalking rifle

sie bloody-minded sort of ethic, and it shows in the rifles it produces. Since 1912, Lithgow small arms have been used in conflicts from Gallipoli during the Great War to modern-day conflicts in Afghanistan.

Crossover model blends a technically and

which grade to choose must be weighed up by the shooter. I wouldn’t be pulled into thinking that the grade 4 is better just because it looks better. These guns are well-defined competition guns, and they require respect and understanding from the shooter of their individual abilities and handling traits. I’d be more than happy to shoot the grade 3 over the 4 because its speed and lightness provide a more aggressive disposition; but having said that, the 4 gives a steadier, more stable platform, which comes into play on those long-distance targets.

As I said above, this 20-gauge is one of the best out there in terms of its handling and price. If it had an adjustable trigger to alter the length of pull, it would elevate this gun significantly. Not having this function could possibly put some shooters off, and in my opinion, guns of this level should be fitted with adjustable triggers so that the user can alter the length of pull.

"The 20-gauge…

Well, to compare that to a 12-gauge is like comparing apples with oranges.

"Overall, Yildiz have done one hell of a job of putting together a variety of guns under the Pro Black Action series that provide serious competition shooters the chance to achieve high level shooting— without having to sell the family heirlooms!"

Drennan Kenderdine takes on the significant task of reviewing five guns from the excellent Yildiz Pro Black Sporter range

Aim for the best...

COSTS AND BENEFITS OF LIVE EVENTS

James Gower offers some hard facts and figures that support his conviction that exhibiting at live events is well worth your while, as long as you observe certain rules

WATCH SALES ROCKET

76% of visitors at B2B and B2C exhibitions make new purchasing decisions and have existing ones reinforced

NOT BEING AT AN EVENT CAN DAMAGE YOUR BRAND!

The perception of a brand that is not represented at an event actually deteriorates by 5%. This is true even for extremely well-known or global brands.

LIVE EVENTS PROVIDE A BIGGER WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

The average visitor spends 5.5 hours at a live event. This equates to watching or listening to 660 broadcast adverts.

LIVE EVENTS CHANGE MINDS

SEEING IS BELIEVING

Visitors who encounter you at live events think your brand, product or service is 28% more innovative than they did before they attended.

Before an event, 37% of people thought they would make new contacts and 38% thought attending the event would make buying easier. This doubled to 75% and 76% respectively following the event.

LIVE EVENTS ARE GOOD FOR YOUR IMAGE

Perception of the quality and value of your brand, product or service is improved by 21% after visitors experience you at a show.

LIVE EVENTS LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION

live events said they had already

brands they had seen

I spend my life convincing companies to use live events for sales and marketing. I believe I know the power of live events compared to other media, but then I would say that, wouldn’t I? So here are a few facts presented by the AEO (Association of Event Organisers).

Like a balanced diet, I am not advocating businesses solely use live events to improve business, but events are hugely compelling. Spend at the Game Fair this year jumped from £60m to £88m at the event itself, and that figure will be much more after the event. But this is all too straightforward. Evaluating an event is more complex.

In my early career, a retailer booked a stand with me to sell a consumer product. They had 2,000 units to sell. Each was £1 and their stand space was £3,000! It was set up to fail. Or was it? At the end of

the event the exhibitor was distraught. The inevitable loss, along with her hotel bill and subsistence, was going to be a challenge, until a month later when a major retailer called her, having met her at the event, and placed an order for 10,000 units. Thirty years later she still sends me a Christmas card every year!

But even that is too simple. For many companies it will also be important to look out for media mentions and to analyse social media data generated as a result of the event.

tended versus your costs. Remember that the price of your stand isn’t the cost of attending. An event with an initial low-cost stand price but small audience could actually be more expensive. Once you have added on travel, hotels, stand build, time out of the office, etc, the stand price is less relevant if the audience is small, or even the wrong audience.

Calculate how many people at-

But some smaller events that offer a niche and targeted audience can be great, too, for avoiding the clutter and getting straight to your customers. Do

your sums and look at the big picture. Work out what is important to you and look at the total cost, not the stand price. Is it sales on the day, those made there and then? Is it brand presence, awareness or media attention? Do you want to network to meet future contacts? For many businesses it’s a combination of all of these things. So events can be powerful. What you do when you get there is important too. A few years ago an exhibitor complained that traffic to his stand was low. We resolved the issue when I presented him with a photograph of him asleep on the stand. In the next issue I will be sharing some tricks of the trade on maximising your presence at shows and the schoolboy errors to avoid. And I will be gaining expressions of interest to see how many of you want to attend our live workshop on getting the most from events.

“

A month later a major retailer called her and placed an order for 10,000 units. ”

WEST MIDLANDS SHOOTING GROUND GUN ROOM

What year was the shop established?

The ground has been going since 1934 but the shop originally began as Gordon Forrest in Shrewsbury town centre in the early 1960s. We moved it to the shooting ground in 1982.

Are you independent, one of a chain? How does that work? Who do you report to?

Like most of us, totally independent.

Who is the one member of staff you couldn’t live without and why?

Well, I don’t want to say too much in case he wants a pay rise, but my son Owain adds a lot to the ground. He used to work for Promatic and has travelled the world as a trap engineer. Now he works here with us and has just set the course for the British Grand Prix FITASC.

Tell us more about yourself and why you’re run ning a gunshop, what your passions are My wife Debra and I bought the business from my parents back in 1999. I’ve never not known a gun shop. I grew up in one and I’m in one now. As for passions, I love the outdoors, even downhill moun tain biking, but stalking and shooting? Well it’s in my blood. It’s who I am.

What has been the most successful product (or area) for you in the past year?

We, like many other gunshops nationally, have seen a substantial increase in the sale of airguns since the first lockdown and that doesn’t seem to be slowing. Both airguns and rifles are certainly catching up with shotgun sales.

What’s your clientele like?

We tend to cater mostly to the social clay shooter. We are a shooting school and so we do get a lot of game-orientated lessons. The topography of West Midlands Shooting Ground means that it is very popular among game shooters. We are able to offer the exclusive facility of being able to provide birds of up to 80 yards high without the need for an un sightly tower.

What was your best day ever?

Obviously the two World Sporting Championships we have held here were fantastic days but ones you tend to enjoy more when they are over. There is one day, though, that I am especially proud of: the day we held the World English Sporting, which was won by George Digweed. Nowadays you’d think that’s no real surprise but this was in 1988 and it was his

first World title. That was a good day for West Mid lands Shooting Ground, let me tell you!

Who’s your best customer?

I’d have to say Hefin Jones from north Wales. He’s a Browning boy with a 725 and, as a former male su permodel, he has an uncanny shooting style. Some how he manages to look handsome even when he misses the shot. I suppose the beauty of the ground suits him!

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

I think more and more people will be taking the ini tiative to liaise with grounds and organise their own competitions. Take today as an example. Richard Gray has put on a

British

his

back. I think we’ll also see more of a rise in team shooting, too—workmates, family rounds.

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

That’s something that does tend to vary, but for us, we can never have too many 12-bore cartridges. There seems to be a bit of a shortage. Although not here, so maybe that explains it!

Any other interesting facts about the business?

One is that West Midlands Shooting Ground, aside from being around since 1934, was the first ground in the UK to build a Scandinavian log cabin style clubhouse. Another is that the man who the first shop was named after, Gordon Forrest, was the last known person to interrogate Heinrich Himmler—

Gordon worked as an intelligence officer in the Second World War.

What’s best about working in a gunshop?

Definitely the customers. They really are from all walks of life and yet we have that one thing in com mon—we all love shooting and we all love guns!

Are people surprised when you tell them you run a gunshop?

Outside of the industry, people are definitely often surprised. GTN GTN

This month we travel to Market Drayton in Shropshire to talk with Tom Jones of the West Midlands Shooting Ground Gun Room

“ We, like many other gunshops nationally, have seen a substantial increase in the sale of airguns ”

Tom

Mod

Nova

Factor

Flash

FIFTY YEARS ON AND STILL GOING STRONG

Mat Manning talks to Matt Ford, managing director of Sportsmatch, to find out how this famous scope mount brand has managed to stay at the top of its game for half a century

MM Can you tell us a bit about the history of Sports match?

MF Sportsmatch was established in 1972, so this year is actually our 50th anniversary. The company was originally called J&J Ford Ltd (John and Joan Ford being my parents) but as the Sportsmatch brand became stronger and stronger it made sense to change the company name to Sportsmatch UK Ltd. This happened in around 1990.

The company has always been based in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire—close to the village where we lived. My father, who sadly passed away in 2015, was a keen airgunner and wasn’t happy with the scope mounts on the market. Japanese versions on the market then were poor quality and ‘creeped’ along the scope rail under recoil, and the German models were very expensive and he didn’t like the de sign. So, as a reputable designer and technical director, primarily in the motor sport industry, he designed and made his own—a solid, goodlooking product that didn’t move, and at a rea sonable price. The rest is history.

In the early years our focus was solely on the airgun market but during the late 1990s and early 2000s we won several military contracts to supply a special version of one of our onepiece mounts with a built-in MOA for sniper rifles. These are now in use in over 40 countries including by some Special Forces units.

MM Your father was very closely involved with the airgun scene. Can you tell us a bit about his airgun shooting exploits other than developing and making scope mounts?

MF My father led the design and development of the Sportsmatch GC2 pre-charged airgun, which we launched in 1987. The GC stood for Gerald Cardew, as Gerald was involved in the design of the regulator system.

This was the Rolls Royce of airguns. PCP airguns were in their infancy in those days, and the GC2 featured a patented regulator that fea tured a totally separate second pressure cham ber of constant volume and pressure, so each shot was exactly the same power (or within a few feet per second) right through the charge.

The GC2 won the Field Target World Cham pionships a few times but, as the development cost was the price of a house, it never made a bean. Great fun though!

MM What are the most important factors in design ing and making high-quality scope mounts?

MF Firstly, they can’t move! We only use highquality materials that are aircraft specification. We then machine using the latest CNC tech nology, but none of this would matter without skilled members of staff that inspect each com ponent. Our staff are our biggest asset.

MM What do you think it is that sets Sportsmatch scope mounts apart from the rest?

MF The quality of the materials we use and also the

fact that we offer a lifetime guarantee. And also that everything we sell is manufactured by our selves in Bedfordshire.

Very occasionally we see returned products that have clearly been brutalised or used as a try-your-strength machine. Even then we don’t quibble over the guarantee and send out a re

placement part. That’s why dealers are happy to sell our products. It is extremely unlikely that the dealer will see it again, and if something did go wrong we would sort it out directly with the end user. Some of our customers say they wish they could only sell our products instead of guns and scopes that are often returned.

MM I have heard rumours of people making inferior replicas that look a lot like your mounts. How can people be sure that they are buying a genu ine Sportsmatch product?

MF Yes, there are Chinese copies on the market which—at arm’s length—look sort of okay. Some even have a similar name, but only genu ine British-made Sportsmatch mounts with our lifetime guarantee have the circular blue badge.

MM Does Sportsmatch just makes scope mounts or are there other accessories in the range?

MF We offer a range of adaptor rails, torch mounts and spirit level kits. We also have a separate company in house which manufactures com ponents for the railway industry, record play ers, machines that measure the resistance of semi-conductors, etc. Basically, whatever com ponents our customers need.

MM What do you feel have been the biggest chal lenges faced by your business over the past three years and how have you had to adapt to overcome them?

MF Keeping up with demand has been a huge chal lenge. The orders just keep coming and are larger than they were before Covid. The fact is that Covid has given the industry a huge boost—and nobody could have expected that.

We are not happy with our lead times but have increased our staff level and the hours we operate, which is helping. We also have to plan ahead more when buying materials now.

MM What is the most popular product in the Sports match line up and why do you think it is so popular?

MF Our most popular product is the Two Piece Double Screw Medium Height Mount. This model, whether in 1in or 30mm, just fits most of the scopes onto most of the rifles. Even go ing back 30 years this model was our most popular. The industry has changed quite a lot but not this part.

MM What makes you most proud of working for Sportsmatch?

MF The fact that we have a strong, recognisable brand in over 40 countries and that I am con tinuing with my late father’s vision.

MM What can we expect from Sportsmatch over the next five years?

MF More Picatinny models and more models to fit the increasingly popular 34mm scope tube. Picatinny is growing and growing as more and more air rifles and rimfire rifles now have a Picatinny rail fitted.

We are also increasing the range of our Quick Release One Piece Mounts, which Mark Ripley of 260rips YouTube fame had a hand in designing. I can assure you that there is no better real-world test for the precision and reli ability of a product than Mark Ripley shooting crows at 800 yards!

“ My father was a keen airgunner and wasn’t happy with the scope mounts on the market ”

Matt’s father, John, led the design and production of the iconic Sportsmatch GC2 air rifle

Matt Ford shooting the legendary Sportsmatch GC2

Sportsmatch scope mounts have now been setting the standard for 50 years

FINDING A BARGAIN IN THE PROVINCES

Our auction’s expert Diggory Hadoke casts his net further afield than usual and ends up with some stonking provincial bargains

BONHAMS, Holts and Gavin Gardiner are not the only auctioneers who are selling sporting guns and rifles. Smaller, provincial auctions are also worth a look. (Though now Holts and Gavin are no longer in London, are they now ‘provincial auctions’?)

Does that term even mean anything in these days of internet viewing and bidding? To buyers, an auction may as well be in Land’s End or John O’Groats as in London or Birmingham. They will view online, bid online, and use a courier to deliver the goods.

Several lesser-known sale rooms offer sporting guns, militaria and related items at regular intervals. This month, those listed include: Wilson55 in Nantwich, Cheshire; Claydon Auctioneers in Buckinghamshire; David Duggleby in Scarborough; and C&T Auctioneers in Kent.

I put in a couple of cheeky bids at Wilson55 and came away with a Mannlicher Schoenauer 7x57, probably converted from 6.5x54 but in very good order, with good mounts and a decent scope. It cost me the reserve of £400 plus commission. To have the mounts made for a rifle like this costs £900, so it was a no-brainer, especially in this very practical calibre.

I was also sufficiently tempted to pay just £280 for a very good Webley & Scott model 700, 12-bore, made in 1963 (when it would have cost about £150), with 28in barrels, 2 3/4in chambers and half choke in both barrels. If someone is looking for a cheap side-by-side as a back-up gun that can digest standard steel loads without any need for alteration, this is surely it. I had no plans to buy this gun but the price was ridiculous.

I constantly hear people whine about the switch to steel. Shell out for a gun like this and your problem is solved for less than the cost of a slab of bismuth. If the barrels get scored after 10,000 rounds you won’t need to worry about it. Meanwhile, save your Purdey for best days and use it with bismuth.

Holts

At the time of writing, Holts have just launched their catalogue, so we are expecting it to build during the coming weeks. The actual sale date is 21 November for the Antique Arms and 22 November for the Modern Sporting Guns.

Of the items already listed, of note is a Britishmade 12-bore sidelock ejector ‘in the white’. It has been barrelled, actioned, stocked and engraved. The scroll banner for the maker’s name has been left blank and the gun requires finishing. Work to date was completed in the 1980s and the maker was former Boss and Holland & Holland man Terry Smith, who died last year.

Estimated at £1,500-£2,000, the Achilles heel of the project is the 1980s fashionable (but currently very unfashionable) 27 7/8in barrels. The gun realistically needs about £3,000 to finish off, maybe a bit less. The build cost of a similar thing today would be about £35,000-£40,000. If someone buys it for £2,000 and spends £3,000, they have a new sidelock ejector for £5,000, which is pretty incredible. They can even put their own name on it.

What about those barrels though? The gun is also a hefty 7lbs 7oz. Sleeve it to 30in or even 32in; with

something I have been looking for for some time: a good civilian Lee Speed .303. The one listed at Holts is a BSA-manufactured example sold by Alex Martin of Glasgow. Made in 1924 and perhaps rebarrelled (certainly re-proved) in 2022, it has all the original features, folding leaf sights, some scroll engraving, and is a good quality example in fine condition. The estimate of £700-£900 is fair but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it make £1,400.

In the obsolete rifles section, there is a super example of an 1873 Alex Henry falling block (1865 patent) hammer rifle in .360 (2 1/4in). These smaller calibre versions are pretty hard to find in good order, and this is cased with all its accessories. It is also

of effective dispatch of roe deer. The original Alex Henry loads were round ball and 14 grains of black powder. Later Eley cartridges fired a copper-tubed lead bullet of 190 grains in a drawn case. Cases and bullets are available so it could be used if desired, when held on a FAC.

Southams

We must not forget to mention the Southams sale on 15 September. I am writing this before the auction so I cannot comment on how it went, but Southams has become a good place to find brass and bullets for obsolete or hard-to-find ammunition, as this section is now almost its own sale on day two of the auction.

pected to continue climbing, those of us selling guns for a living may find these—what are, in essence— luxury purchases slipping down the priority list of things to spend money on. It could be a rocky road ahead for many of us.

However, the auctioneers are selling worldwide these days and it has often surprised me how robust they are. There always seems to be somebody in the market and things sell at auction, as long as the reserve is not set too high.

The auctioneer still makes his margin, even in a depressed market. Holt’s posted a 1.7 million sales sheet in the summer, so we could see that success continue. It will be interesting to see.

…And a Webley & Scott model 700, 12-bore, made in 1963

Mannlicher Schoenauer 7x57…

KEEPING AT IT

Stuart Farr wonders what impact the idea of sustainability in both the economic and the ecological sense of the word will have on our trade

•

WHAT does the word ‘sustainability’ mean? It is, after all, a word we all commonly use in everyday conversation. While it would be too flippant to describe it as a buzzword, it does carry with it a degree of imperative an importance which is difficult simply to ignore.

In a broader sense, sustainability is regarded as the ability to maintain or support a process continuously over time. In its more commonly used context nowadays, sustainability denotes the avoidance or depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. In either case, the concept of sustainability—whether it is economic or ecological —is here to stay, whether we like it or not.

The move to lead-free ammunition, for example, is often mentioned in the context of sustainability. While it may be a stretch to demonstrate categorically that lead-based ammunition has somehow dramatically upset the whole ecological balance in our countryside, in a broader context the debate cuts across many different issues, including our food production. It can make for uncomfortable reading to see reports of the Ritz—famed for its annual serving of grouse dishes after the Glorious Twelfth—having quietly dropped the gamebird from its menu this year. And even if those reports turned out later to be false, other chefs are moving toward sourcing their game meat products from those they consider to be sustainable producers. The tide toward sustainable food production, in all its forms, continues and is a good example of where the debate lies around sustainability against an ecological background.

Key concern

For me, sustainability in business is a key concern. While you don’t need me to tell you that inflationary pressures are causing all businesses to suffer at the moment, what I’d hate to see is the gun trade experiencing the brunt, especially after all the hard work the sector has put into survival throughout the pandemic and lockdown periods. As I see it, the problem here is that direct intervention through government financial support has all but evaporated, and

now the trade is left to make the best of the limited resources it can muster. Post-pandemic recovery was far from complete before this latest financial disaster came hurtling around the corner.

Insolvency is back on the cards now the moratoriums on the legal insolvency processes—which were imposed to protect businesses during the pandemic—have been lifted. Somewhat ironically, it is HMRC at the forefront. By April of this year, HMRC was responsible for around a fifth of all winding-up petitions issued. By May that figure had risen to a third. By June, however, around 45% of all petitions issued were down to the HMRC. Why?

Principally because HMRC has had its preferential creditor status reinstated. Whereas before it had ranked alongside unsecured creditors, it now ranks

to perform in

for

up front

Under-resourcing or high staff turn over

filing of accounts

Silence or prevarication

• Requests to amend contracts

Removal of materials.

The importance of recognising whether a company is in serious financial difficulty is perhaps obvious. The essential thing to do is act quickly.

Credit control

Swift and efficient credit control is a good starting point. Keep in regular contact with customers and

“ Sustainability has a broader meaning and flows directly into your daily business practices ”

above them in terms of liquidation pay-outs. This has reportedly revived a more aggressive approach to tax collection by HMRC because the prospects of the Revenue achieving better rates of tax recovery are now greatly enhanced. The only solace which might be gained is the collected tax goes back into the public purse.

It is also fair to say the distortions to business behaviour caused by the experiences of the pandemic have thrown people’s senses a little off kilter. So, for example, it has become a little harder to detect whether you are dealing with a company in real financial difficulty, as opposed to one which had adopted a ‘new normal’ approach, but which is now slow or struggling to adjust post-pandemic.

Reminding oneself of the key warning signs of a financially troubled business should not go amiss. They include:

suppliers and press for money to be paid, warning of the consequences if payment obligations are not met. If you supply goods, consider incorporating retention of title clauses, so that if the worst should happen you can at least have a right to enforce for the return of any goods not paid for. These types of clauses need to be included in your terms of business, but as part of that also consider whether your termination rights are sufficiently robust as well as including rights of set off, especially if money is frequently owed in both directions.

Other practical options for dealing with businesses in financial difficulty include putting systems in place either to stop or recall shipments of goods if the need arises. In the case of services, consider terms of business which enable you to cease supply in appropriate circumstances. Undertaking regular credit checks can also help to flag up problems in

advance, especially if the downward spiral is taking place over a longer period of time. Shorter periods of credit, early payment discounts and retentions are all useful tools that can help businesses encourage prompt payments.

With interest rates for borrowing also rising rapidly in response to inflation, I suspect the pendulum is going to swing even more toward a scenario where ‘cash is king’. By that I don’t mean we’ll be returning to a situation where the exchange of huge wads of fifties will become a more frequent occurrence. Payment arrangements under contracts will instead become more instantaneous and so increasingly risk averse.

I have seen a decline, for example, in bordereau payment style systems, whereby daily accrued payment obligations are accumulated and made on a particular day in a month (or after month end) in one lump sum. In other respects, invoices are now more frequently noted to be payable on delivery of the invoice rather than in seven or fourteen days.

In short, sustainability isn’t just about the product or service you sell and whether it is in tune with some form of ecological balance. Yes, of course, sustainability in that context is still important and we should all continue to improve. Sustainability, however, has a broader meaning and flows directly into your daily business practices and overall fitness for survival. So defined, it relates to the ability to maintain or support a process over time.

It remains to be seen how the ‘new’ government is going to curb the impacts of the inflationary problems we are experiencing. Indeed, the period of hiatus created by the leadership election may mean that effective intervention is simply too late. Economic growth is being cited as the solution, but with reports suggesting that the inflation rate will creep toward (or above) 18% in the coming twelve months, it is difficult to see how sufficient growth can be stimulated to a point where it will turn the tide. Be mindful and prepare as far as you can in advance, so that you are able to cope with the financial pressures to come.

Image by bess.hamiti@gmail.com from Pixabay

AN AUTHOR’S ARM AND TULA MEETS TORQUAY

Michael E. Haskew scans the auction houses of the UK and sifts through the sand of their output to bring you the pearls that have been sold

HE stood tall among his peers that is, if he had any. When Gough Thomas wrote about guns, people read with enthusiasm. For many, he was the leading authority on the topic for years, serv ing as Gun Editor of Shooting Times. Perhaps he could rightly be called the elder statesman of gun writers of his era.

Born Godfrey Thomas Garwood in Ipswich, he was educated as an engineer, marvelling at firearms mechanics, praising their craftsmanship and revel ling in the days spent in the fields. Writing as Gough Thomas, he conveyed his love of sporting guns to many through the written word and brought enthu siasts together for rousing discourse on the topic. He further engendered an understanding of the sporting gun from every angle, and he left a legacy in classic books that rings true with the lustre and the lore of the ages.

And so, recently when a Cogswell & Harrison 12-bore 1865 patent top-lever hammergun that once belonged to Gough showed up for sale at Holts auc tion of fine modern and antique firearms held at the house’s Church Farm Barns, Wolferton, Norfolk, it created a stir—both because of its appealing prov enance and for the fine work of the maker.

The Gough gun

Constructed circa 1875, the subject sold for £1,300, exceeding the pre-auction estimate of £700-900. The hammergun features 30in nitro-reproved Damascus barrels, 2 1/2-inch chambers, action incorporating the Scott patent top-lever and Purdey double-bite. Carved percussion fences, rebounding locks, fine border and acanthus scroll engraving make for a fine presentation, while traces of the original colourhardening and finish remain. Overall length is 14 3/8in, and total weight, including the maker’s brasscornered leather case, is 6lbs 12oz.

Godfrey Thomas Garwood was born on 2 August 1899, the son of an insurance agent, and died in Dev on in 1987. He embraced the country lifestyle, to which he was introduced at an early age. He took to guns even as he studied engineering and found him self writing regularly on sporting guns and shooting and outdoor life.

After adopting the nom de plume Gough Thomas he proved a prolific and popular scribe. In the 1950s, he began to write for Shooting Times, which had a tremendous readership, and his influence during the period grew steadily.

Gough Thomas wrote for years, following the evolution of the sporting gun landscape through the 1950s to the 1970s and beyond. He presided over the era of the boxlock and sidelock and evaluated the in troduction of many guns from foreign makers while watching the buying public gravitate from the sideby-side to the over-and-under. In an era that gener ally preceded the flood of mass media, his commen tary was eagerly awaited by the gun aficionado, and he became the most influential and best known gun writer in Britain.

Among his books are Shotgun Lore for the Sports man Gough Thomas’s Gun Book Gough Thomas’s Second Gun Book Shotguns and Cartridges for Game and Clays, and Shotgun Shooting Facts

These entertaining works stand the test of time, and though they are all now long out of print, they can be had with a diligent search. And they are well worth the hunt.

The high bidder took home a fine example of a historic gun that both harkens back to a glorious bygone era and beckons toward the future. Gough would want it that way, and his eye for excellence is confirmed in the piece. Consider its pedigree. Cog

swell & Harrison, established in 1770, touts itself as London’s oldest surviving gun maker, offering a wide range of sporting shotguns and rifles for more than 250 years.

Purchased in 2008 by the Brennan family, propri etors of Ardee Sports Company, Cogswell & Har rison continues to produce bespoke side-by-side and over-and-under shotguns along with the Windsor and Certus labels.

Time in Torquay

For most of us, a visit to the seashore is memorable, a relaxing time in the sunshine and surf. No doubt such has been the case for centuries. And validation of that experience recently emerged in the Knights bridge, London, auction room at Bonhams.

The holiday resort town of Torquay, Devon, has long been a favourite of sun seekers and those look ing for rest and renewal. In 19th-century England, Torquay was the residence of the Bishop of Exeter, the Right Reverend Henry Phillpotts. The Bishop was widely known as a gentleman and devoted man of the cloth who was unafraid to mix it up in the political arena.

One observer described the Right Reverend as

“That devil of a Bishop who inspired more terror than ever Satan did… Of whom, however, it must

“

After adopting the nom de plume Gough Thomas he proved a prolific and popular scribe ”

Gough Thomas s Cogswell & Harrison at Holts

be said that he is a gentleman.” Another commented: “In its language this sermon was most elegant, its delivery was a masterpiece of eloquence, and it was one of the most instructive and enlightened discourses that has been heard.”

The Bishop built a ‘palace’ at Torquay in 1841; expansive gardens adorned the 25-acre estate, which stretched to the sea. No doubt the Right Reverend and his wife Deborah Marie spent hours of enjoyment there, along with their 18 children. And certainly, there were guests aplenty. The Bishop lived to the age of 91 and died at his home in 1868.

In September 1860, Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia, fourth son of Tsar Nicholas I, must have spent a pleasant time at the Torquay shore while residing at the Romanov family’s nearby estate, the Villa Syracusa. Afterwards, an exquisite gift was presented to the Bishop’s second son, Captain Henry Phillpotts, who was apparently a close friend of the Grand Duke.

The finely crafted presentation 54-bore percussion double-action, five-shot revolver produced by the fabled Tula works founded by Peter the Great in 1712 was sold at Bonhams for the princely sum

of £77,750, reflective of the incredible beauty and craftsmanship exhibited, its completeness in accoutrements, and the fine accompanying provenance.

The revolver shines with a 23cm octagonal barrel, blued and sighted, inlaid with gold C-scrolls around the muzzle, fitted with blued foresight and folding adjustable back sight. The top flat is inlaid with gold and the arms of Tula with the inscription: ‘Tula Gunsmiths’ inlaid in gold Cyrillic capitals. The blued topstrap is inlaid with gold and inscribed, ‘To Captain Phillpotts in Remembrance of Torquay 1860’. Additionally, a gold inlaid crowned Gothic ‘M’ is representative of the giver and the glory that was Imperial Russia.

Gold-lined borders and blued cylinder complement finely engraved vignettes. One features a sportsman shooting chamois against a backdrop of mountains while his trusted hound stands close. Two Crimean War scenes add poignancy to the piece.

One depicts a soldier praying over a wounded comrade and another reveals a soldier seated in a pensive pose within a graveyard.

These scenes evoke the memory of the recent conflict in which the United Kingdom and Russia

opposed one another; each nation was probably still grieving its losses. Captain Phillpotts had served in the 29th Worcestershire Regiment of the British Army from 1834 to 1851, joined his father in retirement at Torquay, and become a magistrate. He died in 1880 at the age of 71.

The revolver is probably unfired and retains virtually all its original finish, and resides in its fine mahogany case lined in blue velvet with brass powder flask, percussion cap dispenser with suspension ring, blued and case-hardened bullet mould engraved with initials, probably those of Johann Normann, a renowned Tula gunsmith, and skeleton butt covered in red Morocco leather. Engraving is likely attributable to Nikolai Goltyakov.

Bonhams conducted research into specifics surrounding the presentation and confirmed that Grand Duke Michael visited Torquay in September 1860, probably staying at the Villa Syracusa, which is now the Headland Hotel. However, there is no clear indication as to why the Grand Duke felt compelled to offer his friend such an impressive gift. Regardless, it offers evidence of their friendship, inherent in the piece itself.

“ The revolver is probably unfired and retains virtually all its original finish ”

A gun that belonged to a former Bishop of Exeter came up at Bonhams

HEARING PROTECTION NO LONGER MEANS LIVING IN SILENCE.

EARTIPS

ACTIVE8 WATERPROOF HEADSET

Waterproof sealed military spec electronics,

battery compartment.

Active8

fully submersible

digital electronic sound reproduction

impulse noises

stereo

hours of battery life

ensure true

battery

COUP DE GROUSE

Steve Faragher reports on the investigation of the strange case of the Ritz grouse ban that never was (Caroline Roddis is on holiday)

IT all started with an Observer news story. “Game over – the Ritz takes grouse off the menu in victory for environment campaigners,” ran the headline, published on 20 August. At the time of us going to press the story was still available on the Guardian website.

It begins: “From 12 August to early December, it’s usually possible to walk into old-fashioned fine dining establishments across the country and order the rare British delicacy that is grouse, frequently served with bread sauce and game chips.

“But those hoping to eat the tiny game bird in the gilded Ritz dining room in London will be out of luck this year, as the world-famous hotel has quietly removed it from the menu after an outcry from environmental campaigners.”

The piece then went on to quote Luke Steele, apparently the executive director of wildlife campaign group Wild Moors: “Behind every shot grouse on a restaurant menu is a moorland where foxes, stoats and weasels have suffered in traps and snares, and carbon-rich peatlands has been set ablaze,” Luke was quoted as saying, adding: “In an age where protecting the environment is all the rage, it’s clear that there’s nothing less classy than supporting grouse shooting—and the cruelty and ecological damage which goes with it.”

Bad optics for the shooting community, and fair play to the Guardian for reporting it. Anti-shooting campaigners immediately seized on it, with Green

“ It seems that the claim came from Wild Moors themselves, in a now deleted tweet ”

Party peer Natalie Bennett for one spreading the story via Twitter, claiming it was “#goodnews”.

Except that it appears the story was not true.

Debunking

In an excellent debunking carried out by Matt Cross for Shooting Times, the facts of how this story came to be published were laid clear. We’ll let him take up the tale.

“The shooting community was vigorously at work checking the claims. Enterprising shooting fans dug through the hotel’s current menus and found that the weekday à la carte menu featured ‘Yorkshire grouse blackberry and walnut’. Others scoured the Ritz’s social media feeds and spotted an Instagram post announcing: ‘Today it is the Glorious 12th, the first day of the grouse shooting season. Each year our Executive Chef, John Williams MBE, creates a seasonal dish showcasing British grouse at its very best,’ along with a picture of a grouse breast.

“With the hotel’s press team stonewalling all enquiries, individual shooting enthusiasts emailed the

restaurant managers to find out what the situation was and were assured that grouse was definitely on the menu. Final confirmation came from Ritz communications director Jackie McDevitt, who said: ‘Yorkshire grouse is on the menu in the Ritz restaurant and has been since the 12th of August.’”

So where did the claim come from, and how did it gain traction? Well it seems that the claim came from Wild Moors themselves, in a now deleted tweet that carried verbatim the quote from Luke Steele that subsequently appeared in the Observer

Balance

To be fair to the journalist involved, Helena Horton, the original Observer story did carry some balance on the story. Later on it maintained that: “In fact, the shooting community has celebrated a good year of demand for the bird, with restaurants buying about the same supplies as normal,” and quoted Adrian Blackmore, director of shooting at the Countryside Alliance, who told the Observer: “Sadly, because of insufficient stocks, some moors aren’t shoot-

ing, mainly in the Peak District and on the western fringes of the North Pennines and Yorkshire Dales, but many other moors in other areas are seeing very healthy stocks of grouse, with some good bags being recorded, especially now the weather has become cooler.”

And therein lay the root cause of the story, as it appears that the Ritz at the time of the story’s writing was waiting for supplies and—perhaps not wishing to kick off an anti-game protest—simply told the Guardian that grouse was not on the menu at the moment when they contacted it for comment.

So are there lessons for us to learn as an industry? It would surely appear so.

When approached for his thoughts, Liam Stokes from British Game Assurance told Gun Trade News: “I understand this story turned out to be somewhat misleading in its assumptions and the Ritz has continued to serve delicious, seasonal grouse. The story should however be a reminder that we mustn’t be complacent. Our sector and community is under increasing scrutiny and the outlets for the game we shoot are coming under increasing pressure, so we must continue working to assure the entire supply chain to demonstrate we have nothing to hide when the press come looking.”

The only thing to add is that it might be sensible of the Observer to run a clarification, or—at the very least—take the incorrect story down from the Guardian website.

SHOULDER ARMS

A round-up of the latest, most interesting and saleable rifles on offer at the moment

AT-X 6.5 Creedmoor Competition Rifle

Designed and built in close collaboration with competition shooters, the AT-X boasts the same battle-proven action and other key components of our AX and AT sniper rifles, mounted in a sleek, low-profile chassis. The heavy barrel is set low for greater stability and superior visibility of the field of fire, the magazine aperture has a large cut-out on the left-hand side for rapid reload, and the rifle features a new Competition trigger. The modular design allows a base rifle to be user-configured and reconfigured to achieve the ideal system for the situation. Competitively priced, we think you’ll agree we’re on to a winner.

RRP: £4,726

Sporting Services 01342 716427 sales@sportingservices.co.uk

Christensen Ridgeline

This quintessential hunting rifle features various chamberings, a sporter carbon fibre composite gunstock, stainless steel radial muzzle brake and light target contour. The Christensen Arms carbon fibre wrapped barrel means it starts at a meagre 6.3 lbs weight. Select chamberings are available in a left-handed configuration. Comes in black with grey webbing, or green with black and tan accents.

RRP: £2,949.99

Highland Outdoors 0345 099 0252 sales@highlandoutdoors.co.uk

Christensen Mesa

Another rifle now easily available thanks to Highland’s new deal with Christensen, this is a premium lightweight hunting rifle at an accessible price. It features a ‘seamless’ removable radial muzzle brake and a sporter carbon fibre composite gunstock. Select chamberings are available in a left-handed configuration. Burnt bronze cerakote carrel, action and receiver. In black with grey webbing, or green with black and tan.

RRP: £1,999.99

Highland Outdoors 0345 099 0252 sales@highlandoutdoors.co.uk

Tikka T3X Super Varmint Cerakote

The Great British Shooting Awards ‘Rifle of the Year 2022’. A true vermin control or long-distance tool with a range of adjustable features. The heavy varmint barrel has tungsten cerakote coating, the stock is upgraded to Roughtech material, and a two-stage trigger is default.

RRP: From £2,050

GMK 01489 579999 gmk.co.uk

Ruger 10/22

Introduced in 1964, the Ruger 10/22 range constantly evolving. The introduction of the Ruger Custom Shop Competition rifles has seen the range expand, so now there’s a 10/22 for everyone. Starting with the 10/22 carbine plinker to the super convenient Take-Down, right through to the incredibly accurate competition-ready Ruger Custom Shop rifles.

10/22 is totally customisable with hundreds of third-party upgrades ranging from stocks, barrels, triggers and more—the latest being the amazing Trek-22 stock from Desert Tech, which is available now!

Haenel Jaeger NXT

With more speed when cocking and repeating than a conventional boltaction rifle, the Jaeger NXT is also robust, offers more safety features, and is based on sustainability. It comes in two stock options, standard and Monte Carlo, made from a lightweight FSC-certified durable wood compound from light birch. All plastic components are made from a composite material of cellulose and all-natural tree resins, the quality and finishes are equivalent to conventional plastics, only without petroleum. And the barrel has been optimised for lead-free ammunition.

RRP: from £2,010.24

Market Opportunities: Rifles

CZ 457 At-One

The CZ 457 At-One sport model is from the CZ-USA range, which is held in high regard by SGC customers and is part of its worldwide offer of the tried and trusted CZ 457 series. This specially designed rifle is equipped with a varmint barrel with Match chamber and a laminated wood stock from the well-known American brand Boyds, which features an easily adjustable butt pad and cheekpiece. The classic sling stud is complemented by a quick-release loop and a QD socket on each side of the stock. Available in .22 LR with a 20in barrel.

RRP: £917.99

Sportsman Gun Centre

01392 354870

trade@sportsmanguncentre.com

CZ 457 Synthetic

The CZ 457 Synthetic is part of the award-winning 457 rimfire series and has been built for the harshest of weather conditions. All metal parts come with high quality anti-corrosion surface treatment, combined with an extremely durable, ergonomically polymer stock. Equipped with a cold-forged barrel, it can be easily swapped to other barrel lengths, profiles and chamberings (like all CZ 457 variants). A hardy, accurate rifle, the Synthetic weighs just 2.5 kg and is ideal for fitting a suppressor to its 1/2 x 20 UNF threaded muzzle. Available in 20in barrel (.22 LR, .17 HMR or .22 WMR), 16in barrel (.22 LR only).

RRP: £545.99

Sportsman Gun Centre 01392 354870

trade@sportsmanguncentre.com

CZ 457 Thumbhole

The CZ 457 Thumbhole is part of the award-winning 457 rimfire series. The defining characteristic of this model is its sturdy laminate stock in a classy grey/brown colour scheme. With symmetrical features, this modern thumbhole is equally comfortable for right-handed and left-handed shooters and the stable nature of the laminate stock and varmint barrel allow shooters to engage medium- and long-range targets. Chambered in .22 LR, the Thumbhole can be had with either a 16in or 20in barrel, while the longer variant can be chambered in the more powerful .17 HMR or .22 WMR cartridges. Threaded 1/2x20 UNF, the muzzle of the 457 Thumbhole is equipped with an efficient cylindrical compensator.

RRP: £831.99

Sportsman Gun Centre 01392 354870 trade@sportsmanguncentre.com

Savage B Series Synthetic Varmint

Meet a bolt-action rimfire built for the modern age and for the shooter’s body. The B series FV (Synthetic Varmint) uses an ergonomically designed stock, higher comb, top tang safety and target style, vertical pistol grip to allow shooters to hold the rifle in a more natural position that puts less pressure on the wrist. Its heavy, button-rifled barrel is suppressor ready and fed by a 10-round rotary magazine. The adjustable AccuTrigger gets the most accuracy from the precision platform. The perfect step up from an air rifle?

RRP: from £450

Brothers 01625 613177

Seekins Havak PH2

These Seekins precision centrefire rifles are high-end beasts, and coming in Mountain Shadow and Desert Shadow (pictured) these new colours give the Havak PH2 the head-snapping, double-take look it deserves. With lightweight carbon composite stocks and hand-bedded barreled actions, these new rifles deliver repeatable accuracy and unparalleled reliability, all backed by Seekins’ unbeatable lifetime warranty, and in a range of big boy calibres from .308 to 6.5 Creedmoor.

RRP: from £2,770

Sako Quad Synthetic

The Sako Quad Synthetic comes with a stylish modern synthetic stock, blued barrels and a black rubber recoil pad. Sako Quad butt stock spacers are available for modifying the length of pull. It’s an inexpensive rifle, but one without compromise when it comes to shooting straight.

KNIFE AND AMMO

We round up a great knife that missed our previous market opportunity pages along with some non-toxic rifle rounds and cartridges. If you have something you’d like featured, please contact steve.faragher@guntradenews.com. Next issue is our Christmas Special, so don’t miss out!

VOR-TX

In 1989, Barnes launched the X Bullet and began forging a reputation for epic knockdowns and devastating on-game performance. Today, Barnes products are trusted and respected among hunters and shooters worldwide. These all-copper bullets pro-

vide destructive power, double-diameter expansion, maximum weight retention and devastating energy transfer – all with excellent accuracy. Raytrade 01635 253344 info@raytradeuk.co.uk

eXergy Blue

This lead-free alternative from Sellier & Bellot has had a phenomenal reception. “Consistent, supremely accurate, with no discernible difference to lead,” says pro stalker Chris Dalton. They boast an efficient design incorporating a boat-tail base with a pointed

tip for a flat trajectory and maximum retained energy. A blue plastic tip enhances expansion; the solid copper construction maximizes weight retention. Viking Arms 01423 780810 sales@vikingarms.com

Nosler Ballistic Tip

Delivering the accuracy, consistency and downrange punch required for clean kills in all situations, this hunting bullet maximizes energy transfer for devastating performance. The aerodynamic polymer tip (colour coded by calibre) initiates rapid and

uniform expansion of the bullet upon impact while the fully-tapered jacket provides maximum energy transfer and optimum weight retention. Highland Outdoors sales@highlandoutdoors.co.uk

The Salient Canterbury

A drop point hunting knife with a blade shape that gives added control of the point, beneficial for field dressing and game preparation. Featuring a 4mm thick stainless steel blade and hollow-grind bevel, hardened to 58 HRC, it comes in a choice of Eng-

lish walnut or 6,000-year-old bog oak figured wood handles with brass Loveless bolts, and a handmade 3.5mm leather sheath for wearing with pride.

RRP: from £400 Salient Knives salientknives.co.uk

Jocker Bio Sport Wad

Jocker is proud of its environmentally friendly cup wad, the Jocker Bio Sport. It is made from recycled cardboard, which has all the benefits of fibre with the performance of plastic, thanks to its unique sealing

characteristics. The cartridges are available in size 4 (67 and 70mm) and 7 (70mm). Shooting Star 01728 660372 shootingstarcc.co.uk

RC Steel Atomic Line

A high velocity steel load suitable for high performance guns, in 32g and 34g, loaded with a photo-degradable wad. For high performance steel cartridges, ensure a suitable gun is used. CIP Regulations state

a maximum of half choke is used. The cartridges are available in sizes 1, 3, 4 and 5 all 70mm.

Shooting Star

660372 shootingstarcc.co.uk

WOMEN ON WAY UP

Gemma Payne takes a look at the rising phenomenon of women in shooting and asks where the opportunities are for us all

IN 1898 Annie Oakley penned a letter to Presi dent William McKinley in which she told the President that should war break out between the United States and Spain then she was “ready to place a company of fifty lady sharpshooters at your disposal”. It was an offer that was declined, as was a similar offer made during the First World War. However, as a result, the first band of lady shooters was born.

I don’t refer to myself as a lady shooter. That makes me uncomfortable. (Maybe I’m a rubbish feminist.) I’m a shooter. There is no lady about it. That said, without ladies’ shooting groups I wouldn’t have had the entry into shooting that I had. From my first tentative steps to game days and DSC training, women have been by my side throughout. I’ve met many gentlemen who have been fabulous, but the overarching temptation to launch into unprompted ‘mansplaining’ whilst on a clay ground seems to take hold of the opposite sex—something I can guarantee every woman reading this will have encountered.

My favourite comment whilst shooting was not directed at me, but to a fellow shooter: “You should stay in the kitchen love,” was his heckle. Another female shooter recounts a time when she was told: “I should put you over my knee and spank you for language like that,” when she dared to utter a curse whilst shooting. This idea of ‘banter’ is well intend ed, it just misses the mark so often and I can’t talk about ladies shooting without mentioning it.

Ladies' shooting clubs

The rise of ladies’ shooting clubs came onto my ra dar in about 2014. I was a bit late to the party. In that time it was Green Feathers, Femmes Fatales, Covert Girls and the incredible Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club.

Green Feathers was started at Holland & Holland in 1995. The new kids on the block are the Coun try Girls UK. Founded by Tania Coxon in 2018, the Country Girls UK focuses on the sense of commu nity and events designed to make women feel re laxed and at ease. Offering beginners’ tuition days, sim days and game days, they hope to branch out into other field sports in the future and have just an nounced an introduction to fly fishing with Marina Gibson at her Northern Fishing School.

Home Office statistics stated on 31 March 2022 that 539,212 people held a firearm and or shotgun certificate, a decrease of 5% (-26,717) compared with the previous year, and the lowest number since comparable figures have been available (March 2016). 94% (505,398) of these were male. A stag gering statistic.

The number of overall shotgun certificates on issue over the past ten years has shown small fluc tuations (between 523,000 and 583,000), with de creases for the last three years. The number of fire arm certificates on issue have also decreased over the last three years, following a steady increase prior to 2019.

When we focus primarily on female certificate holders (both shotgun and firearms) there have been similar fluctuations since 2015, but steady increases peaked in 2020, and a slight decline is now evident—though one far less statistically sig nificant when compared to male certificate holders. One could surmise that the Covid effect has spread, coupled with the cost of living crisis.

Out of a small straw poll—not one that could be taken as a representative sample—I asked how

much my female shooting friends spent on kit and clothing per year (excluding guns and cartridges).

The average come back at around £1,200. When I asked the guys, it was considerably less, at around £300. I’m taking this as a huge hint towards growth in the market and also an indicator that the market is finally catching up with the demand for good techni cal clothing that actually fits a woman and allows them to move properly in the field or clay ground.

Although, from doing further research, unfortunate

goal to continue to increase levels of participation at all levels of the sport to ensure this doesn’t hap pen to any future disciplines, both international and domestic,” she explained.

Claire Sadler, Vice-Chair of BASC, has been in volved with the S&CBC since the beginning. Claire leads the way for the shooting sport, as well as play ing a vital role within the BASC Ladies Shooting campaign. “It’s fantastic that the Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club has been relaunched in such safe and pas

“ The recent relaunch of the Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club has reignited the organisation ”

ly it seems that the reason for the high spend is that ladies are trying clothing to see if it is fit for purpose, and finding that it isn’t. They are then forced to buy something else and the cycle continues.

The recent relaunch of the Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club at the Game Fair, with the support of BASC Ladies Shooting, has reignited the organisa tion. The S&CBC is now under the new ownership of Georgina Roberts, the Olympic trap shooter who represents Wales and Great Britain, and the relaunch has been a pivotal moment for the club.

During the reception, Georgina demonstrated why ladies’ shooting is so important for the sport, “Double Trap was removed from the Olympic Games after Rio 2016 as a result of there only be ing a male discipline. The female discipline was removed after Athens 2004, due to the fact there wasn’t a high enough level of participation. It’s my

sionate hands as Georgina’s,” he said. “I look for ward to seeing how the club grows and for all the exciting plans that Georgina has for the direction of the club. I think that all the ladies’ shooting groups, including the S&CBC, are doing a fantastic job at improving accessibility to our sport and encouraging more ladies to take up shooting. BASC will support the S&CBC, and the other ladies’ shooting groups, as much as we can.”

There is a common goal amongst ladies’ shoot ing groups and it is simple: increase participation and protect the future of our sport. “We are stronger together” is something I hear often.

Exceeding expectations

Lucy Cantwell, competitive shooter and ground manager at the Oxfordshire Shooting School, first stared shooting when she was 12. Born into it, her

father Michael Cantwell was a finalist in the British Open in 1996, the year she was born. As a woman in the gunroom, in the field and when shooting com petitively, she tells me stories about not being taken seriously and how she has enjoyed exceeding the expectations of her male counterparts.

“It makes me more competitive,” she says. “I have more to prove as a woman and that drives me to be the best I can. I always want to improve. There are different challenges as a female shooter; over coming other people’s attitude is by far the biggest!”

International shooting instructor and gunfit ex pert Adam Calvert has seen his female client base increase by 25% over the past five years. His current client base is 35% female. “Ladies have much more diverse body shapes than men,” he notes. “Even down to the length of their fingers. The advantages of specifically designed ladies’ shotguns are clear. However, it is like making a size 14 dress for a woman and hoping it fits all of them. I am seeing more and more women coming for gunfit as they appreciate its importance. I also find ladies easier to teach; they listen better and aren’t afraid to ask ques tions,” Adam jokes.

He goes on to tell me about another aspect of his work: in-field instruction. “There is a hilarious common misconception that all ladies in the field are looking for a new husband. I can assure you that most are not.” But that brings him on to cloth ing: “The majority is not fit for purpose or practical. There needs to be clothing that looks good but is also functional, and you can fit more than ten car tridges in the pocket and climb over a barbed wire fence with dignity.”

It’s safe to say there is a huge market for ladies’ shooting but it needs the attention it deserves. Surely a win-win for manufacturers and retailers.

The Country Girls enjoying a day out

© Jono Blackham

Escort FieldHunter Camo

Escort Fieldhunter Synthetic

Escort MarineHunter

Escort WS

Escort MP (Practical)

Escort MPS (Practical)

Escort AS Walnut

Escort PS Synthetic

Escort PS Camo

Escort Xtreme Blue / Red

Escort Xtreme Camo

Escort XtremeMax Camo

Black

Black

Escort Supreme Walnut

MAKING THE BEST CALL

With some shoots struggling to make ends meet, Lucy de Greeff offers some timely thinking on the tax implications of calling it a day

THE opening of the grouse shooting season will have focused the thoughts of game shooting enthusiasts and enterprises across the UK, with many looking ahead to the start of the coming partridge and pheasant seasons. However, this year is looking very different to previous ones for shoots that rely on importing eggs or poults. In addition to the rising cost of inputs such as labour, feed and fuel, game shoots across the UK have been impacted by avian influenza (bird flu) and the resultant ban on importing eggs and birds from Europe. This has led to many commercial shoots and syndicates being unable to rear and release sufficient birds for the upcoming 2022 season.

Take a break

It is reported that many shoot businesses have already made the decision to take a break for 2022/23, whilst others have closed down altogether. What are the tax impacts of these decisions, and is there anything that should be considered in the short and longer terms?

In cases where a commercial shoot has ceased to operate altogether, from an income or corporation tax perspective, business owners may wish to consider the most efficient way to utilise any losses in the final 12 months of trading. The availability of terminal loss relief may be beneficial in such an instance and should allow for relief to be given for those losses.

From an Inheritance Tax (IHT) perspective, generally speaking, a commercial shoot is classified as a

trade. What will the land and/or woodland previously used by the shoot be used for going forward? Is it being sold—in which case a taxpayer should think about the available capital gains tax (CGT) reliefs and exemptions available—or is it going to be used by a different revenue stream of the wider business?

If the latter, considering the IHT profile of the future use of the land is recommended. How might the IHT profile shift if the land is to be used for regenerative agriculture and the woodland becomes a site for a glamping business, for example?

VAT is another area which should be considered. The VAT status of shoots can be a complex area and, importantly, in the case of the cessation of a trade, VAT deregistration is compulsory if the shoot was the only business activity. Applications for deregistration should be submitted within 30 days of trade ceasing. In practice, HMRC would not generally penalise the taxpayer where an application to deregister is submitted beyond 30 days, provided there were no errors in the VAT reporting. Errors can occur in these circumstances, such as VAT continuing to be claimed when the shoot has ceased to trade with no expectation or plan for it to commence again.

Mothball

For those shoots which have made the decision to either significantly scale back their shoot for the upcoming season, or plan to ‘mothball’ operations for a year, the considerations are slightly different. From an income or corporation tax perspective and if losses are still in point, business owners may wish to utilise the relevant loss relief provisions to obtain relief for any losses incurred. Alternatively, if there is no other income against which the sideways or carry back loss relief provisions may be applied, then carrying forward those losses to be offset against future profits of the same trade is an alternative.

Another angle to consider is how shoot employees spend their time. On larger estates some may have

About Saffery Champness LLP

Saffery Champness LLP is a firm of chartered accountants that advises individuals and families, not-for-profit organisations and businesses across a range of sectors. As a member of Nexia International, it is part of a worldwide network of inde-

capacity to assist with other areas estates—if this is the case then consideration should be given to the apportionment and tax deductibility of wage costs to the relevant enterprise.

A common area may be the woodland department but in cases where workers are redeployed to assist with the management of commercial woodland then those costs would not be tax deductible—as the income arising from the woodland itself is not generally taxable.”

The main point to take away is that there are several tax angles that should be considered in the context of changes to a commercial shoot. These points will be nuanced and should be reviewed on a caseby-case basis to ensure that the advice is tailored to each situation.

GTN GTN

Further information from:

• Lucy de Greeff is a Director at Saffery Champness and a member of the firm’s Land and Rural Practice

Champness

pendent accounting and consulting firms. For over 160 years, the firm’s success has been founded upon providing clients with a genuinely partnerled service and working with them to create bespoke solutions that help them to achieve their personal and business objectives.

“ There are several tax angles that should be considered in the context of changes to a commercial shoot ”

IXIA

This rifle has been developed with modularity and adjustablity in mind. Because of this it is universally appealing to a broad spectrum of users. Thanks to the built in regulator, the IXIA offers consistency with every shot. The side cocking lever is placed on the right but can be switched to the left making this airgun suitable for both right & left handed shooters. It is equipped with a double rail which accepts both 22mm Picatinny/Weaver and 9-11 mm dovetail mounts. The barrel has 1/2" UNF threading. Comes supplied in high quality, sturdy ABS hard case.

Synthetic Skull

Shot count: .177 = 200 .22 = 250 at 200 bar. 425cc cylinder.

Calibre: .177 .22

Length: 850mm Barrel Length: 580mm Power (Ft/lbs): 11.3 Weight (Kilos): 3.5

SCOPES SOLD SEPARATELY.