Shooting tips, gun dog training and field sports queries | Shooting UK

Clay shooting: I lost my leg and now have trouble clay shooting!

Clay shooting: I lost a leg last year in a motorbike accident and now find it harder to shoot Sporting because I can’t move my feet to cope with doubles.

Air rifles: What can you tell me about a Czechoslovakian air rifle?

I’ve inherited an air rifle, it’s a short break-barrel rifle, only 35.1⁄2in long with a 14.1⁄2in long barrel and simple open sights.

Which shotgun springs are best?

I'm treating myself to a Perazzi Sporter but can't decide whether to by an MX8 with leaf spring trigger or the MX12 with coil springs. Which springs are best?

Pigeon shooting: Can you decoy pigeon onto a grass field?

The farm where I go rough shooting is grassland and the only pigeons I see are those that flight over from a large wood a couple of miles away.

What's the best way of getting the rust off a shotgun?

I have acquired an old gun as a restoration project, and the trigger guard is slightly rusty. What’s the best way of getting the rust off before I re-black it?

My vet wouldn't sign my shotgun licence renewal

I recently asked my vet, who I've known for years, to sign my shotgun licence renewal and he refused!

Sound moderators: Should I remove my sound moderator after every use?

I own a .22LR CZ for rabbits and I have a Parker-Hale sound moderator fitted. Should I remove it after every sortie as I do with my full-bore Reflex moderator on my .243 Sako?

Clay shooting: I always miss the birds coming in overhead from behind

When clay shooting, or pigeon shooting for that matter, I always miss the birds coming in overhead from behind me.

Shotgun cabinets: I'm unable to place my gun cabinets in the main house

I have had the offer from a friend to use his business premises, which have secure alarms linked to the police.

I can't train my gundog to walk to heel!

I’m training a seven-month-old gundog and I cannot make him walk to heel without constantly pulling on the lead. Can you suggest anything?

Clay shooting: I always have trouble getting on to the second clay!

When clay shooting I usually miss the second target of a pair on report. It seems to always be more difficult for me to get on to the second clay. Can you help?

Will a white pigeon in my shooting pattern help?

Flicking through an old issue of Sporting Gun I came across a reader’s tip saying the best way to draw the attention of pigeons to your decoys while shooting oilseed rape was to put a white pigeon in the pattern.

Pigeon shooting: Have rotary decoyers made pigeon shooting more difficult?

Some people knock rotary pigeon decoy machines but I’ve found they add lots more variety to the shooting.

How do I challenge the referee when clay shooting?

When clay shooting, how do you question a referee’s decision if he has called a clay ‘missed’ when you’re sure you chipped it?

How do I service my BSA .22 Airsporter air rifle?

I recently resurrected my old BSA .22 Airsporter air rifle, given to me on my 16th birthday in 1963. Stored in an attic, it is now very low in power, yet hard to cock.

Why is my shotgun's pattern so important?

My clay shooting instructor keeps going on about patterning my shotgun. Is this really that important?

I look at the barrels when clay shooting!

When clay shooting, I often lose the clay and look at the barrels. Is there a technique to try and stop myself doing this?

Pigeon shooting: Why doesn't the dressing on cereal seed kill pigeon?

I usually check the crop on birds after pigeon shooting - why doesn’t the dressing on cereal seed kill woodpigeon?

Will I have problems obtaining a firearms certificate?

I am soon to retire and would like to apply for a firearms certificate to take up shooting with a .17HMR for both targets and vermin.

What’s the best clay shooting discipline to start on?

A friend who introduced me to clay shooting says English Sporting, but two of his friends told me to try Down-the-Line because it’s the easiest of all and will give me confidence in breaking targets.

Pigeon shooting: I'll be pigeon shooting over spring rape for the first time!

My pigeon shooting-friendly farmer has sown spring rape for the first time, in two 20 acre blocks about quarter of a mile apart. Will growing it in two different fields split pigeon numbers?

Can I take my five-shot semi-auto wildfowling?

I have a five-shot semi-auto shotgun, which I bought for pest control. My firearms certificate says I can use it to shoot birds. Can I take it out wildfowling?

I need to pick-up the target faster when clay shooting!

When clay shooting I find I fatigue easily and it takes me longer to 'pick-up' the target, when I need to be more snappy.

I'm trying to find land for pigeon shooting on!

I am trying to find land for pigeon shooting on. Could you please advise me on the correct etiquette when approaching landowners or farmers?

Shooting the second clay on report is tricky!

I'm generally happy with my clay shooting, but always seem to have major problems shooting the second clay on report.

Will I always need a patch for my left-eye dominance?

I'm a lady gun and have just begun shooting. I'm left-eye dominant and my instructor demonstrated that a small patch or piece of tape on the lens of my safety glasses would help with this problem.

What size of dummy is best to start gundog training?

What size of dummy is best to start gundog training? I'm starting my spaniel pup on retrieving.

Wild boar shooting: Do you need wild boar on your certificate to go shooting?

I have previously heard anyone wishing to go wild boar shooting would need to have this quarry identified on their firearms certificate. Is this true or not?

Do I need lessons before I get my shotgun certificate?

I’ve spent some time with a small shoot this season and love it, and I now fancy taking up shooting myself. How do I get started? Can I receive instruction before getting a shotgun certificate?

Why don't you wear camo gear for pigeon shooting?

Looking at the pictures of you in the magazine I notice you go pigeon shooting in everything from light coloured short-sleeved shirts to plain shooting jackets and, sometimes, camouflage gear.

Are 100 grain bullets enough for deer stalking at 300yrds?

You said that it is sometimes necessary to take shots of up to 300 yards while stalking deer in open country.

Clay shooting: Why have a bent front arm when clay shooting?

Why do clay shooters hold the fore-end of a gun with a bent front arm but quite a few game shooters I’ve come across hold their guns with a much straighter arm.

Is trigger finger position important when shooting?

Believe it or not the position of your forefinger on the trigger is very important for a smooth, gentle, minimalistic squeeze of the trigger.

What's the best foot position for game shooting?

I always seem to end up off-balance when game shooting. How should I go about correcting my foot position?

I'm going game shooting for the first time!

I'm going game shooting for the first time, and am nervous about making the transition from shooting clays. Do you have any easy tips I can take with me?

I want to go shooting over my ferrets!

I intend to have a shooting expedition over my ferrets and have invited some friends along. Do you have any tips that I can pass on for the day ahead?

How should I deal with a boar carcass after shooting?

I am keen to shoot a wild boar, but I am unsure as to what preparations I should make, and how I should deal with the carcass.

I'm not sure the fit is right on my new gun?

I've bought a Beretta for clay shooting as a spare, but I'm not sure the gun fit is right as I don’t shoot as well with it as I do my old workhorse.

I am really affected by the cold when shooting!

I suffer from Reynaud’s disease, which causes poor circulation to my hands, and I am particularly affected by the cold when shooting. Is there any practical answer?

My gundog won't focus on me when training!

I am training my first gundog, a nine-month-old Labrador, for wildfowling and pigeon shooting.