Gun Trade News GTN: Issue 98 by The Game Fair Ltd

BRITAIN’S ONLY SHOOTING INDUSTRY PUBLICATION

ISSUE 98 FEBRUARY 2024

DIGITAL EDITION

DEBANKING SCANDAL SNOWBALLS

After GTN story, more than 40 cases now reported in the gun trade, FCA investigating

The scale of the debanking scandal is growing with more than 40 cases now reported to BASC, which will be submitted as evidence to the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) ongoing debanking enquiry. The cases involve most of the major banks including such well-known highstreet names as Barclays and HSBC, and typically feature incidents such as the RFD who has had his card services suspended by Square without warning and now has to trade using cash or bank transfer alone. Other victims report credit companies such as Klarna withdrawing services without warning, and—perhaps more seriously—bank accounts being suspended without warning or notice. The debanking appears to be indiscriminate across the sector, affecting dealers, shoots and gun clubs alike. BASC’s head of policy and campaigns

and GTN columnist Conor O’Gorman told us: “It’s vital that people come forward with their own stories so that we can make a proper case to the FCA.” In his column this month on page 26, he discusses the common difficulties faced by those affected. If anything like that has happened to you or your business, please get in touch with us or Conor. Simon West of the Gun Trade Asso-

ciation commented: ““Since I joined the GTA six years ago we have seen a steady stream of banking issues. However, thanks to Lin’s hard work and some very helpful operators in the finance world, we have been able to keep businesses connected with banking, card services and credit providers. It’s great to have the FCA’s attention now in parallel with my ongoing discussions with the banks.”

SHOW US THE MONEY After a slightly downbeat Shot Show, trade heads off to NEC and Nürnberg The next month will tell us a great deal about the confidence of the UK Gun Trade. Amid a background of failing businesses in all sectors, eyes will be keenly focussed on who is making a strong showing, and who looks a little weak this year as two of the key events on the gun trade’s calendar take place. The British Shooting Show is back on 23-25 February at the NEC, with IWA following just a weekend after. This year The British Shooting Show is promising a bumper range of exhibitors and retailers, plus the welcome return of last year’s free parking deal. IWA will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, a preview is available inside.

TELL US YOUR STORY Here are some of the experiences we have already heard about: • Barclays closed the accounts of two clay shooting grounds and has been threatening to close the accounts of a number of shooting and fishing clubs • Cashplus froze the account of company manufacturing rifle bullets • Clover refused to open an account for a firearms dealer • Handelsbanken refused to open an account for a gunmaker • Klarna closed the accounts of three target shooting suppliers citing a change in policy • Lloyds refused an account application by a gun store owner citing firearms link • Metro refused an account application by a shooting estate citing a ‘lack of appetite’ • Monzo refused an account application for a shooting-related business • Natwest froze the account of a gunmaker with no explanation given • Paycraft refused to open an account by a shooting-related business • RBS stopped a payment for an overseas deer stalking trip stating this was an illegal activity • Santander threatened to close a gunsmith’s bank account • Stripe closed the account of a shooting accessories store • Sum-Up closed the account of RFD without explanation • Starling has refused applications by shooting-related businesses, in one case citing policy on ‘weapons’ manufacturing • Square closed the account of a firearms dealer citing a ‘firearms’ link as the reason

INSIDE THIS ISSUE…

WHAT HAPPENED THERE?

DIGGORY DOES DALLAS

WHITTLESEY GUN SHOP

Making sense of 2023 with Karl Waktare

A round-up from the Dallas Safari Club with Diggory Hadoke

Alex Sayer lifts the veil on one of the fenland’s best destinations

– Page 17 –

– Page 18 –

– Page 14 –

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Comment

CONTENTS Industry News ................................................ 05 Insight: National Shooting Show................ 08 Insight: IWA..................................................... 10 Review Roundup ........................................... 12 Store of the Month ........................................ 14 Quick Quiz ....................................................... 16 Industry Insider .............................................. 17 Auction View................................................... 18 Simon West, GTA ............................................ 20 Legal................................................................. 21 Insight: Season review .................................. 22 Media ............................................................... 23 On Air ............................................................... 24 BASC ................................................................. 26 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 Advertising: Lee Hurst 07 949 111 539 lee.hurst@thegamefair.org

The editorial matter, pictures or text, may not be reproduced without prior permission. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the editor and staff.

GTN_Advert_215x144.indd 1

WE SAY THANK god January is over. It was already the toughest month of the year to endure before anyone dreamt of trying to capitalise on New Year’s Resout on and nt oduce fi t d anua and no e anua et ta e the t e of ea hen people are statistically proven to be at their most miserable and deprive them of two of the genuine ea u e of be n a hu an be n d n n bee and eat n tea o than In fact we probably have a lot more in common with vegans than we might think. We do all need to cut our meat consumption after all, a planet is for life, not just January, but rather than cutting it out altogether we should be eating more wild meat, so hats off to Eat Wild for getting venison onto the plates of school kids and football fans (see News). ‘Eat more wild meat’ is the kind of New Year’s resolution we should all get behind. Even with January now behind us, the rest of the year looks like it might be hard work again. There remains a lot of uncertainty in the economy and. As Karl Waktare points out in his column, that always has an impact on spending, even in gun shops. We need an election, and soon, to give us some clarity on the road ahead. It’s got me thinking about the gun trade’s resilience. While the rest of retail seems to be falling off a cliff, gun shops are closing but not at anything like the rate of

“ We need an

election, and soon, to give us clarity ” other retailers. Part of the reason for that of course is the licensing element of owning a gun, something the GTA’s Simon West looks at in his column this month. His plea for reform, but above all sensible reform, of the system is right, and it is vital that we stay in the conversation. And then there’s debanking. I’m gobsmacked by some of the stories we are uncovering, as if things weren't tough enough. We must all speak out against this particular injustice—for the sake of those with a smaller voice—so that we get heard. Steve

18/01/2024 18:12

Industry News

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

Gun Trade News celebrates success with its transition to digital n a strategic mo e reflecting the e ol ing dynamics of the media landscape, un rade ews has seamlessly transitioned to a digital only format, marking a significant milestone in its illustrious history he decision, propelled by the rising production costs of the print edition, has pro en to be a resounding success, with the digital ersion garnering e ceptional engagement and positi e feedback s the print industry undergoes a transformati e shift, ’s decision to go digital was a carefully considered response to the challenges posed by the increasing costs associated with traditional print production espite steadfast ad ertising re enue ’s primary source of income remaining constant, the maga ine

recogni ed the need for a more sustainable and forward looking approach Since embracing the digital realm, the response from the gun trade community has been o erwhelmingly positi e ne of the standout achie ements is the outstanding open rate of our newsletter promoting , with an impressi e of our , digital subscribers acti ely engaging with the content his remarkable le el of interest underscores the resonance of ’s digital content within its dedicated community qually, the statistics for reader engagement of the digital issue are nothing short of impressi e n a erage, readers spend o er eight minutes immersed in the digital pages of his e tended engagement

period is a testament to the quality of content and the seamless transition from the traditional print format to the dynamic and interacti e digital edition ha e to admit was sceptical when it was first suggested we mo e to digital, but the le el of uptake and the time spent by our readers on the digital ersion has surprised and pleased me eople clearly do engage with digital maga ines, pro iding the content is prop-

erly rele ant said editor Ste e aragher he success of ’s digital transformation not only attests to the resilience of the brand but also positions it as a trailbla er in the digital publishing landscape s the gun trade industry continues to e ol e, un rade ews stands tall, deli ering cutting edge content to its audience in a format that aligns seamlessly with the preferences of the modern reader

Shooting Party announces new Muzzle Mount he Shooting arty is launching what it e pects to be a ery popular new item, the ir orce ne u le ount hronograph, and says supplies should be a ailable in arch he de ice screws directly onto any threaded gun mu le, a oiding mis aligned shots, and allows measuring of

New Alan Paine collection lan aine has announced its new collection that it claims will enable you to seamlessly transition from the rugged outdoors to refined social gatherings ighlights of the new collection include new tweeds, new colourways and fresh styles aplenty he ockwood men’s and ladies range is a new and enriched ersion of the brand’s successful Stancombe ade to o e range lan aine’s alsall range of conscious outerwear is increased too.

n tweed there’s new colourways teak and gro e in the men’s and ladies perennially popular ombrook range and the introduction of new tweeds and styles in the Surrey range ew colourways green ash and cypress are offered in lan aine’s men’s and ladies utland tweed he men’s and ladies knitwear ranges include new styles in the brand’s Shepherd yarn, which is a blend of ethically sourced e tra fine erino wool and recycled nylon from ocean waste

elocity and rate of fire in rams, rains, S, S, t lbs and oules, gi ing instant on screen results here are i S and ndroid apps for seamless data transfer and the de ice uses S charging, with a cable included

Schools and stadiums take to wild meat at ild has secured new markets for game in ondon Stadiums, collaborating with elaware orth to put wild meat on the menu of hospitality bo es at mirates Stadium and ondon Stadium, thereby introducing hundreds of thousands of people to game ouisa lutterbuck, of at ild said his is a landmark moment for at ild to get game on the menu of these two such prestigious stadiums is a real win

t the same time wild meat, including enison and feathered game which has been reared and released to top welfare standards in the ritish countryside, has been introduced to a collecti e of schools ops urseries, an early education centre that includes nurseries across orset and ampshire, is among the first in its sector to make the mo e

THE GUN TRADE A S S O C I AT I O N S I N C E 18 91

P ROT EC T I N G , P RO M OT I N G & R E P R ES E N T I N G T H E U K G U N T R A D E Meeting the challenges of the trade at every level

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Could you hit the target? We are Guncover. We’re looking for a New Business Account Handler with experience in sales, business development, or lead generation. Your job will be to grow our business and provide a high-level of professional advice and service to clients. It’s a unique role for a unique person with an interest in exceeding the expectations of the gun trade. If your aim is true and you’ve got what it takes to help us hit the target, fire oﬀ your CV quoting HCC620 to talent@howdeninsurance.co.uk

Help us safeguard business in the gun trade We’ve been providing specialist business insurance for the gun trade since 2008 – protecting RFDs, shooting clubs, schools, and ranges, manufacturers, gunsmiths, wholesalers, and more. Today, we combine the power of Howden UK Brokers Limited with the passion of our people to provide world-class insurance expertise with a personal touch. And our aim remains the same – to protect business in the gun trade.

Guncover is a trading name of Howden UK Brokers Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No. 307663. Registered in England and Wales under company registration number 02831010. Registered Oﬃce: One Creechurch Place, London, EC3A 5AF. Calls may be monitored and recorded for quality assurance purposes. HUBL-CC-CS-GC-007-0124

Industry News

Rigby unveils the new Shikari rifle London gunmaker John Rigby & Co. has announced the latest addition to its line of sporting guns the Shikari double rifle t claims that this est bo lock double rifle embodies the spirit of a bygone era, while exceeding the demands of the modernday hunter t the core of the rifle is a robust and durable Anson & Deeley action that marries proven design with modern functionality. he rifle’s barrels are regulated to yards with the client’s choice of ammu-

Got a role to advertise? Get it in the Movers & Shakers section and reach thousands of UK gun trade professionals. Contact Lee Hurst on 07949 111 539 nition. Customers can also specify their choice of barrel length upon ordering. The Shikari features a classic Rigby quarter rib, a front sight block and circle-jointed doll’s head top e tension he forend release is the familiar Rigby grip-catch. rices start from , e cl

Latest Beretta out of this world This year Beretta have created a totally unique side by side shotgun, in celebration of the th anni ersary of icolaus opernicus’ birth er hours of work, by eretta’s master engra ers, stock makers and artisans, have been bestowed upon this individual gun. The beautiful, round body receiver has been

case hardened in deep blue, red and green hues, reminiscent of deep space light flares he recei er is further embellished with depictions of the sun, moon and other celestial bodies—a representation of the universe which also includes engravings of stars scattered along the stock and barrels. These were created by means of tiny silver and copper inlays, as was icolaus opernicus’ signature, which adorns the top of the receiver. The English style Ebony stock and forend, have been treated with over one hundred applications of ru il to gi e a lustrous finish inally, a bespoke gun case, reflecting the subject matter, has been lovingly created by eretta’s in house atelier

Poor shooting in Scotland

Scottish deer culling reforms

n its round up of the illiam Powell Sporting described shooting in Scotland this year as “almost in its entirety being poor to very poor with the exception of the Moorfoots and parts of Perthshire.” n nglish grouse, S suggested it was a “much more varied picture with some exceptional shooting. “ S said that the ian nfluen a issue had made life more difficult for shoots this year, something we talk about further on page 22. The article also predicts a reduction in demand for shooting, and suggests cost may well have been a factor in this, concluding That “in many parts of the country Shoots—including very good Shoots (in terms of the quality of birds, the hospitality and how they are run)— have really struggled.” And predict that some shoots will close as a consequence, though they also suggest that this “market correction” could be a good thing.

Scotland’s nature agency could ha e a greater say in the running of Scottish estates, under new plans proposed by ministers to restore nature. Private landowners could face compulsory culls on their estates if atureScot deems that it would help nature restoration, under sweeping new powers proposed by ministers. Lorna Slater, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, re ealed plans to gi e atureScot greater powers to intervene in the running of estates. fficials ha e limited powers to impose culls to prevent damage caused by deer against trees and other plant life. owe er, Scottish ministers are proposing a new eer anagement ature Restoration Order. This could be enacted where there are significant gains to be made through meeting biodiversity and climate objectives." Ms Slater added controls are needed to achieve “targets on tree planting".

IWA Exhibition Director utdoor lassics has welcomed a new exhibition director. Stefanie Leege (left) will take on the job in the team led by Rebecca Renn, Executive Director Exhibitions, who will continue to have overall responsibility for the show. Leege herself has already spent fi e years as part of the utdoor lassics team and has excellent knowledge of the industry, its needs and challenges.

Stefanie says am looking forward to my role as exhibition director for utdoor lassics and to shaping the future direction of the show”

Fiocchi gets new CEO The Fiocchi Group, has a new CEO. a id t p n, S ’s n estment irector for Foreign Projects, who temporarily managed the Fiocchi Group in the first year after the acquisition, is being replaced by Paolo Salvato. a id t p n will continue to ser e as the CEO of the CSG Ammo+ division and in the next period he will focus on completing the acquisition of the ammunition division of Sporting Products of the American company ista utdoor Experienced manager Paolo Salvato joins Fiocchi Group from Leon-

ardo where he managed strategic inno ation pro ects am thrilled to be joining such an important company as Fiocchi," said Paolo.

BRK announces Ghost World Record Limited Edition To celebrate the success of Fady Kiwan winning the enchrest imfire and ir ifle orld hampionship in with a world record score using a BRK Ghost, BRK has launched a special edition Ghost based on the two-time world championship winning rifle he host orld ecord will be limited to ust rifles worldwide and carries a recommended retail price starting at , Based on the Ghost Plus model, the and rifles will ha e a mm barrel and offer both ft lbs and high power ariants at ft lbs and ft lbs respecti ely and he host model pro ides the basis for , and calibres

The new 711mm (28 inch) barrel and barrel tensioning system were critical to its success, so BRK added both enhancements to the host orld ecord with the ersion of the rifle tuned to the winning rifles specification ith its striking red colour scheme and custom engraving to celebrate the wins, the rifle is also equipped with top and bottom race ARCA and M-Lok rails for competition use.

National Shooting Show

NOT JUST NORTHERN Stable Event’s Head of Ventures and Activations Gemma Payne reckons you’d be mad not to attend the all-new National Shooting Show in May IN the digital age, face-to-face interactions hold unparalleled value. Attending events provides us with the opportunity to build authentic, personal connections with clients, partners, and prospects. These interactions go beyond the limitations of virtual communication, allowing for genuine conversations that can be the catalyst for lasting business relationships. When Stable Events took over the running of the then-called Northern Shooting Show in 2022, we all know there was bad blood. Post-pandemic NSS was in a low place, people were owed money and trust was poor. In rode Stable Events, the proverbial knight in shining armour… honouring what exhibitors had already paid and taking that hit as a business themselves to ensure the continuation of the show, in a credible way ut fingers had been burnt. Bridges had to be built. Let’s not pretend that companies didn’t sit back and observe for the last two years. Why wouldn’t they? Events are an investment, in the same way any part of your marketing spend would be. ROI needs to be tangible, you need to ha e confidence in the organisers, and most importantly in the audience that they are bringing to you. You shut your shop for a few days, or split the team to cover it. Pay overtime, accommodation, food and travel. If a show isn’t bringing the right people (in numbers) past your temporary ‘shop’ then you might as well stay at home and see the ten people who have made the journey to visit your premises. So it feels like success to be able to report that after a two-year hiatus, AirArms are back. Viking are back with Merkel, Mossberg, Ruger, Savage, Leupold and Castellani. BSA are back. They join Accuracy international, Pulsar, Vortex, BRK, MTC Optics, Weihrauch and over a hundred others. More brands. More guns! Enough to make anyone drool.

Naming rights There was much speculation and conjecture in the industry when NSS announced the evolution of its name from Northern to National. The organisers, including myself, stuck our fingers up to rumours of a renewed fight between

shooting shows. We want exhibitors to do well, that’s the bottom line. The Show has evolved to attract a national audience and represents the whole of the UK as our data proves, it was only right that the name evolved too. The National Shooting Show was born. In addition to the ‘BASC deal’ allowing complimentary entry to the event for BASC members, organisers have

tivities which helps with the all-important composition of the show. By having product knowledge and event knowledge the team can help you make to most of exhibiting. Take advantage of this! If you can’t be there physically or if you want to enhance your presence further, there is huge merit in booking one of the bespoke media packages that the team are offering. By utilising big screen adverts,

“ Post-pandemic NSS was in a low place, people were owed money and trust was poor ” engaged a small army of ambassadors. These initiatives are part of the reason why advance ticket sales are 30% up year-on-year. Visitors can ‘pull the trigger’ at NSS, they can try before they buy. But what’s more, they can try other disciplines and shoot with guns that are not available at any other shooting show in the country like the .50 cal and Vickers machine gun. Future shooters and enthusiasts are being nurtured at hands-on events like NSS. The core organising team live and breathe shooting and the associated ac-

solus emails and social media you can get even more eyeballs on your products, including via tangible digital methods.

Taking part Contrary to the perception that event success is difficult to measure, ad ancements in analytics and tracking technologies have made it easier to quantify the return on investment (ROI) from event participation. Metrics such as lead generation, customer conversions, and social media engagement during events provide tangible data to evaluate the ef-

fectiveness of the marketing spend. That is over and above looking at cold, hard sales. Many companies neglect to register the post event revenue uplift and the nurturing of future customers that takes place at in-person events. For existing customers, seeing a company actively participating in industry events can enhance their loyalty. It demonstrates a commitment to staying relevant, continuously improving, and being a part of the broader industry conversation. For the shooting industry in particular, it demonstrates a commitment in the future. Event attendance should be viewed not just as an expense but as a strategic investment in a company’s growth and sustainability. By integrating events into the marketing budget, companies can unlock opportunities for meaningful connections, brand exposure, and staying at the forefront of industry advancements. The power of in-person interactions coupled with the ability to adapt to the changing dynamics of events makes this marketing avenue a cornerstone for comprehensive and impactful brand strategies. The future of the shooting industry and game shooting relies on participation and succession planning. Can your business afford not to be there? GTN

BUILDING ON TRADITION

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

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

IWA Preview

NÜRNBERG CALLING: IWA 50 YEARS ON GTN Editor Steve Faragher previews the delights of Nuremberg for 2024 at the biggest trade show in Europe

BY now you should have your air ticket and your hotel booked—the biggest annual date in the European gun trade’s calendar is just around the corner. And unbelievably IWA is celebrating its 50th year this year, so whether you’re just going to walk the halls and strike up a few deals as part of a team, or even if you have been lucky enough to be invited to the swanky celebratory dinner cooked up by two-Michelin-Star chef Alexander Herrman, this year promises to be a big one. One thing about IWA is that it’s a

“ Another trend that’s easy to predict is the rise and rise of Airsoft ” great place to spot the trends that will be sweeping the UK market in the months to come. That spotting starts with the way the hall is organised and who’s exhibiting. So it’s already easy to spot that last year’s trends are continuing just on sheer volume of space given over to them. There are even more Turkish man-

ufacturers, for example, and their stands are getting bigger. The Turks mean business and are looking at Europe. Another trend that’s easy to predict is the rise and rise of Airsoft. Not yet completely a part of everyone’s mix in the UK, this irresistible trend is like airguns a terrific gateway to get some

much-needed younger blood into our sport, and plenty of hall space is being given over to it. ne new area shall definitely be drifting towards is the Shooting Expert’s stage. It’s been clear for a while that ambassadors are an important part of our marketing mix, perhaps even more so in the YouTube age, so it will be interesting to see how the organisers attempt to harness their power at the show. In the evenings I shall expect to be enjoying the charms of the Irish bar again. If you don’t know where that is, ask someone, and I’ll see you there! GTN

IWA Preview

ÜBERSICHTSPLAN GENERAL PLAN

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THE BRITS, AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

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THIS YEAR’S AREAS

Süd-Ost 2

AIR ARMS Ost Einfahrt . Access Hall 3 / 3-500

ELEY Ammunition Hall 3C / 3C-417

BCB Int Ltd Hall 4 / 4-318

Fortis Clothing Ltd Hall 4 / 4-124

BRK - BROCOCK Hall 3A / 3A-406

ELEY Hawk Hall 1 / 1-620

Kombat UK Ltd Hall 6 / 6-340

GRUBS BOOTS Ltd Hall 4 / 4-206

iWholesales Ltd Hall 2 / 2-117

March Scopes Europe Hall 3A / 3A-622

Alan Paine Country Collection Hall 4 / 4-307

Hi-Tec Europe Ltd Hall 6 / 6-110

Shero Outdoor Equipment Hall 4 / 4-210

MTC-OPTICS Hall 3A / 3A-406

Vorsk Airsoft Hall 2 / 2-318

Polaris Vision Systems EU Limited Co-exhibitor IWA 2024Hall 4A / 4A-100

Karl-Schönleben-Straße

Webley & Scott Hall 3A / 3A-514 PBS International Freight Ltd Co-exhibitor IWA 2024Hall 3A / 3A-622

Shield Sights Ltd Hall 6 / 6-126

Arcade Belts Hall 4 / 4-131 Chrysalis Clothes Ltd. Hall 4 / 4-110 Coleman Baines Ltd Hall 4 / 4-227 Evolution Eyewear Ltd Hall 3C / 3C-300

n Blade Demo Area n IWA Knife Award n AIRSOFT Shooting Range n New: Shooting Experts’ Stage n Newcomer Area n IWA Job Center

Highlander / STOIRM Hall 6 / 6-223 KSFG LTD Hall 6 / 6-227 Promatic International Ltd. Hall 4A / 4A-114 Spartan Precision Equipment Ltd Hall 4 / 4-622

I WA 2024 n WHERE: Nuremberg Messe n WHEN: 29 February - 3 March

Reviews

BEST BUYS

Highlights of reviews from consumer magazines

BSA R-12 SLX

GUN REVIEW

Mat Manning reckons the latest SLX model is another winner here is a lot to be said for gunmakers who aren’t constantly adding completely new models to their airgun line up for one find it ery reassuring to know that an airgun has stood the test of time, whilst being kept up to date by the addition of the odd tweak here and there—it’s certainly preferable to brand-new lines that are often inspired more by fashion than the actual needs of the shooter "Birmingham gunmaker BSA adopted my favoured rolling development approach with their pre ious flagship air rifle, the , and appear to be doing the same with its successor he feature packed, sidele er action ro was first out of the blocks, followed by a more traditional bolt-action ariant about a year ago ha e shot the in all of its guises, and the S is ust as fine a shooting machine as the rest ts barrel is one of the best in the world, but it also has an e cel-

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

NEED TO KNOW lent magazine-fed, sidelever action, very consistent power output and a crisp and predictable trigger completely free from creep hose factors combine to make the latest ariant an e tremely en oyable, and ery accurate airgun to shoot ha e used it on the range and on pest control duties over the past few weeks, and every outing has been a pleasure rom a bench the S was stack-

ing pellets into tiny single-hole groups at m i e shot groups shot at m could usually be covered by a 5p coin, and without any wind were generally remaining within mm from centre to centre at m f you want reliability and functionality, but favour elegance over simplistic tactical styling, try an because this range ticks all the right bo es

Blaser K95 Ultimate .308 Win

n TRIGGER: Two-stage adjustable n SAFETY: Manual switch n CALIBRES: .177 (tested) and .22 n OVERALL LENGTH: 950mm (37.5in) n BARREL LENGTH: 318mm (12.5in) n WEIGHT: 3.5kg (7.7lb) without scope n FILL PRESSURE: 230 bar n SHOTS PER FILL: 130 (.177), 205 (.22) n ENERGY OF TEST RIFLE: Avg 11.5 ft.lbs. over 10 shots n PRICE: From £1,249 for model tested

GUN REVIEW

A rugged, modern rifle that reminds Bruce Potts that one shot is all you need instead of chequering he laser signature de-cocker safety system and the trigger, with its direct sear engagement, are sublime Savvy hunters will appreciate the versatility and wide range of benefits that this K95’s light, accurate and highly portable single shooter pro ides belie e the single-shot capability helps focus the mind on getting that first shot perfect n any case, the quick opening break-barrel design allows a rapid reload in win

"Simplicity should not be mistaken for cheapness when it comes to the new laser ltimate rifle he simple break-barrel system—with interchangeable barrels for calibres ranging from ornet to allows a terrific degree of fle ibility ts ultra-lightweight nature is enhanced by the new all carbon fibre stock nother e cellent feature on this Ultimate model is the thumbhole design with rather nice leather inserts

ACTION & BARRELS Astonishing accuracy for a light single-barrel

HANDLING Absolutely spot on

TRIGGER Lovely trigger, both safe and precise

STOCK So well thought out and incredibly light and strong

VALUE Expensive, but don't let that put you off

OVERALL SCORE Handles beautifully and everything you need for stalking

/20 /20

/20

/100

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

NEED TO KNOW n OVERALL LENGTH: 41in n WEIGHT: 5.6lb n BARREL LENGTH: 24in n CALIBRE: .308 Win n STOCK: Carbon-fibre thumbhole n TRIGGER: Single stage, non adjustable. n SAFETY: Manual de-cocker n PRICE: £7,900

Reviews

Härkila Pro Hunter GTX jacket

KIT REVIEW

Paul Austin tests the top of the line when it comes to hunting clobber "Pro Hunter is an extensive range of extremely durable hunting wear. Since the first suit was launched more than 15 years ago, the Pro Hunter range has grown consistently and now comprises items for all types of hunting. Common to all of them is the custom-developed Airtech outer material, which provides a combination of strength, comfort and breathability. "Härkila’s basic idea was to create the Swiss Army knife of shooting attire. So the primary audience for this product is probably walkedup and rough-shooting enthusiasts. However, it would work just as well for woodland stalkers. It’s surprisingly lightweight for a Pro series garment, which are often associated with high-mountain hunting, but this is definitely a lighter and more layering friendly affair. "It’s crafted with Härkila’s custom

Airtech fabric combined with a GoreTex membrane. There’s a detachable, adjustable hood with an excellent formable insert on the leading edge that keeps it from flopping into your sight picture There are zipped chest pockets for your hands and bellows side pockets with drain holes for ammo. Optional straps in the chest pockets allow the bellows pocket flaps to be held open for easy access to shotgun shells or extra rounds. There’s also a game pocket at the back in case you bag anything while rough shooting. Adjustable cuffs, waist and sleeve hems help provide the perfect fit aterial wise, it’s a blend of polyamide and elastane, with an e tra dash of polyamide and polyester to round it all off. "All-in-all it’s a superb design for general purpose hunting, with impressive performance in wind and rain yet light enough to combine with a mid-layer."

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

NEED TO KNOW n High collar & detachable adjustable hood n Inner zip pocket, Napoleon pocket & handwarmer pockets with quick load strap n Large patch pockets with drain holes and gusset for extra space n Waterproof membrane inside patch pockets and pocket flaps n Game pocket at back & Adjustable waist, bottom and sleeve hem n Full stretch

William Powell Viscount

GUN REVIEW

This made-to-measure side-by-side is not just beautiful to look at, finds Jonny Carter "I love guns, but there are some types of guns that I love a little less, and the reasons for these discriminations are usually without reason. One such bias is against 20-bore side-by-sides. In my mind, they are beautiful and elegant things, but every time I have shot one, I have found them too whippy, too kicky and just awkwardly small. That was until the opportunity arose to use a 20-bore side-by-side outside of a clay ground situation, and I finally got the hype behind this configuration of gun. "The William Powell Viscount is a true sidelock built in Italy to William owell’s specifications t embodies everything a dreamy small gun should ha e a classic slender side profile, a fully scaled action and delicate engraving."

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

CONCLUSION

NEED TO KNOW

"I shall never say a bad word about 20-bore side-by-sides again. This gun was a joy to shoot, with a quality of finish and detail in abundance. William Powell make a 12-bore and a 16-bore version, but I think I would now need a lot of convincing to not go straight for the 20."

ACTION & BARRELS Lovely nods to classic gunmaking

HANDLING Fast but very smooth

TRIGGER The double trigger breaks are class

STOCK Full custom stock is a lovely feature

VALUE A lot of handcraftsmanship

OVERALL SCORE A great made-tomeasure sidelock

/20 /20

/20

/100

n MAKE: William Powell n MODEL: Viscount n CALIBRE: 12-bore (16- and 20-bore available) n BARREL LENGTH: 28, 29, 30 and 32in available n CHAMBERS: 3in (16-bore, 2¾in) n CHOKE: fixed at ½ and ½ (multichoke available) n STOCK: straight-hand stock with teardrops n WARRANTY: five years n RRP: from £13,000 (includes gunfit)

Store of the Month

WHITTLESEY GUN SHOP Alex Sayer pops round for a cup of tea at this fenland stalwart, and finds out how life has treated the shop since their takeover in 2021 rifle shooter and shot for ngland Ste e went on to Holland & Holland and he’s still there now. On the day of the interiew the shop was busy and was waiting for my turn and helped out a customer who was looking at air rifles was delighted to be successful. We are grateful that we are allowed to get on and make decisions here. The takeover has worked well for us and adman Sporting n the old days, there were boxes of oily bits everywhere but a good clear out brought us into the 20th Century. Now we're working on moving into the 21st!

NEED TO KNOW n YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1984 n ANNUAL TURNOVER: N/A n NUMBER OF STAFF: 4

What year was the shop established? 1984 and we were acquired by Cadman Sporting Ltd. in 2020. How many staff do you have? We have four members of staff in total. There’s Tye who is joint manager, he’s , beats on his local shoot, is a rifle shot and also has a twelve bore. There’s Dan who is sixteen and works Saturdays. Dan is studying business and is a game shot but likes to take down a few pigeons with his ATA Sp 12 Black. John is our relief man, he does two days a week. He used to shoot ABT for Cambridge and the Sporting Opens. These days he specialises in air rifles and uses an mpact and centrefire ikka

hen ou o de toc hat the fi t thing you put down? ellets, pellets, pellets ir rms field diablo is a good pellet. They just work. We also need a good stock of regular centrefire ammo t s no good stocking the gun if we don’t have the ammo to feed it.

Joint manager Mick Moate was kind enough to answer our questions Actually, my favourite is the HW100 Rat works tuned eihrauch t’s ramped up to 250 bar rather than the standard 200. There’s also a lighter cylinder and a different regulator, it’s brilliant for rats.

Who's the one member of staff you couldn’t live without and why? Actually, that’s probably Paul. He’s not a member of staff exactly but an independent dedicated stocksman. Having previously been a craft teacher, Paul knows the way with wood, does all our adjustments and really knows how to fit a gun Whether its oil, heat treatment, cast on or off, Paul is excellent, its something the rest of us simply couldn’t do and really adds to the service of the shop.

What has been the most successful product (or area) for you over the past year or so? ir rifles hey are popular and going to become ever more so. There is a

Tell us a little more about yourself, and why you’re running a gun shop… lo e shooting and a acancy came up was already a customer of the shop and a big fan of air rifles y go to gun is an mpact k , admittedly its not pretty but it does do the job. Pest control is a big thing for me, we have a paddock and lots of rabbits need taking down, that’s in addition to the pigeons, squirrels and rats he with its shot maga ine and 300 shots per air charge is just ideal for this eryone okes that almost need to take a week off just to load it!

huge audience, the market is massive. The variation in spec is almost endless. Another great thing is the affordability, they range from £150 to upwards of £2k. There really is something for everyone. The Weihrauch is still so popular. One of our other most successful products has been the Game Camo Rocket Swarm, that’s a ten shot break barrel rifle which comes with the scope so its all ready to go. We also do the PCP Gamo Phox full outfit which is a complete self contained set up n fact, we ha e sold out of those just now.

What do you anticipate will be the biggest trends for the next year? ike most of us in the trade, anticipate a continued surge in the interest of night vision. Helpfully for us, the cost is coming down due to the advances of technology. This is good news all round. We are excited about the new Alpex. The only thing is, there is that much coming out, we have a job to keep up! No one wants outdated stock.

“The takeover has worked well for us and Cadman Sporting ” What’s your clientele like? We have a really varied clientele from wildfowlers to pest controllers and air rifle target shooters e e en ha e plinkers who can light matches at seventy yards and that’s with open sights! Our location makes a huge difference, we really are a multipurpose gun shop that covers all disciplines. What was your best day ever? he day got this ob riginally, after Dave Shipman it was run by Steve Kerr and Autumn Burrows. Autumn was a

Who’s your best customer? A man called John. We all love him. He’s a real enthusiast. This is a man who li es for his air rifles ery month he comes in and builds up his collection, he’ll choose a model and then have it in all the arious specs and finishes e all remember one occasion when he called, the line wasn’t great and it transpired he was phoning us from hospital to place an order—he’d just had a hip replacement! What's the best thing about working in a gun shop? Working with good people and easy going customers would always ha e considered myself to be antisocial but really enjoy everyone here. Are people surprised when you tell them you run a gun shop? Not really, no. GTN

WHITTLESEY GUN n ADDRESS: Unit 6, Fenland Industrial Estate, PE7 2EY n PHONE: 01733 204294 n WEBSITE: www.cadmansporting.com n OPENING HOURS: Monday to Friday 9-5, Saturday 9-4, Sunday closed

Store of the Month

ON THE FRONT LINE

Quick Quiz

THE GTN

GEORG LOICHINGER

Taking our Quick Quiz this month is Georg Loichinger, the man responsible for press relations at IWA OutdoorClassics in Nürnberg. How’s business? Things are going well: we are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year with IWA OutdoorClassics, which means that the planning is in full swing—a 50th anniversary is not without its challenges. Together with our more than 1,000 international exhibitors, we are looking forward to welcoming numerous visitors from all over the world. The IWA OutdoorClassics 2024 Edition will truly be a celebration. Up to anything new? I think the trends and topics that the market is currently talking about are definitely new again. Compared to last year, artificial intelligence is on the rise and we are experiencing a dynamic technologisation of our industry. And of course we will be bringing all of this to IWA, be it in the form of product innovations or knowledge transfer and special shows. So yes, it will definitely be something new for all of us. Do you shoot? If so, why? And what? I don't shoot ;( yet! Aside from shooting, what are the loves of your life? y biggest hobbies are definitely team sports. I’m particularly passionate about ice hockey. It’s a fast, tough sport that

also requires skill and 100% team spirit. That’s right up my street. However, I’ve already had to hang up my skates myself, but I’m always up for a visit to the stadium of the local ice hockey club. h ch othe fie d o t hoot n bu nesses or organisations do you most admire, and why? Can't really say. What’s the biggest threat facing shooting, in your opinion? For me, as a non-shooter, I have learned that a lack of knowledge, and bias are the main threats to shooting. Over the past two-and-a-half years, I’ve had the chance to get to grips with the topics and products in depth. This has taught me that shooting sports are something very traditional and, above all, something very conscientious. Of course, political decisions play a role here: for example, the impending lead ban, to name just one thing. What’s your favourite shooting read? In my job, I read a wide variety of magazines, including gun and hunting magazines from all over the world. I don’t have a favourite magazine here, but I do find it e citing what you can learn f course, my favourite articles are the ones about our IWA OutdoorClassics.

What can the government do to support the industry more? To support the industry, it would be important to hear all sides in discussions without being influenced by bias he gunsmithing craft is one of the most traditional in our culture, and it is also a fundamentally important skill not only

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself or your organisation that we might not know… An interesting fact about NürnbergMesse, the organizer of IWA OutdoorClassics, is our global network. We have seven subsidiaries, including in Italy, Greece, Austria, India, China, Brazil and

“ I have learned that a lack of knowledge, and bias are the main threats to shooting ” for hunters and shooters, but also for our armed forces. And the best bit of kit you ever bought? I think this is where I have to name my knife sharpener. I saw this tool for the first time at the and was so fascinated by it that my parents gave it to me as a Christmas present. And now I know that sharp knives are not only important for hunting, but also indispensable in the kitchen.

North America. In addition, we have foreign representatives on every continent who look after our customers locally. With our international event portfolio, we are one of the top international trade fair companies If you could only eat one kind of soup fo the e t of ou fe hat a ou would it be? Very classic: Franconian potato soup! It’s the best and you have to try it when you are in Nürnberg. GTN

Industry Insider

2023 GOOD YEAR OR BAD? Our new columnist Karl Waktare discovers the first rule of writing (you can’t do it until you have to), and muses on the year just passed and its implications for the trade 1 January This year I resolved to get on top of my deadline for my second Gun Trade News article, but today I have a monster hangover. We stayed dry on New Year’s Eve and had people round on the first bit of a ‘Leo Sayer’ (all dayer). So, I called out to the wife, “Where’s my laptop?” She replied, “I don’t $%@ing know, it’s your laptop. Where did you see the thing last?” I move a couple of empty wine bottles aside and an ashtray with a couple of stubbed-out cigars in it, and there it is. I open it, stare at the screen for a while, and then close it again.

18 January Why do I always do this to myself? Why am I such a t***? Here I am on deadline day again and nothing written… Here goes anyway.

2023 The year in review Let’s face it, on most counts 2023 was a bit smelly. In some respects, you could say it stank. I think to understand 2023 we have to think back to the three previous years. We all recall how 2020 shut down as a year in March and then we were all delighted with how well things recovered once we re-opened. 2021 was a year of stop/start as the vaccine rolled out, and we moved in and out of lockdowns. 2022 looked to be the one where we all went back to normal, then some crazy Russian decided that the biggest country on earth needed more land. Seriously Vlad? WTF!

It’s the economy, stupid s the phrase goes n the interests of truth, I looked it up—James Calville coined it circa 1992, when the political consultant and author—known as the ‘Ragin’ Cajun’—was Bill Clinton’s lead strategist. I remember in my early days at GMK trying to draw some correlation between our turno er profit and arious other factors such as certificate numbers The answer became clear. If the economy is strong, consumers have money, and feel secure about their finances ll the ingredients for someone to buy a new gun, use ammo and book a shooting trip.

What happened in 2020 was that the UK, in common with other countries around the World, pumped a ton of borrowed money into the economy to boost demand. We may not have been aware of it at the time, but this effectively led to some very good years for the trade. I think part of the reason it didn’t feel that great at the time was due to battles with supply shortages, uncertainty, travel restrictions and general doom and gloom in the mainstream media. When you ha e lots of money, but difficult supply, you ine itably get inflation f you like, the Cameron/Osbourne years were my

However, I would argue that the number of certificate holders and new applications is closely related to the state of the economy. When you are short of money it is unlikely that you are going to take up a new, relatively expensive sport. The median age of the UK populations is around , the a erage certificate holder is about 55. Our sport attracts older people because to shoot you need time and money, and carrying a bit of timber is not too detrimental. The downside of having an older customer base is that far more of them go and die on us or decide to just stop shooting as they

“ Our sport attracts older people because to shoot you need time and money ” New Year’s Eve, Boris (and Truss) were my New Year’s Day (cheers) and the hangover on January 2 was 2023. The Russian invasion only worsened and accelerated the crap that was always coming. It's like Vlad rocks up at 6pm on new year’s day (uninvited) with a couple of bottles of Vodka. We all know there is no great pleasure from necking Voddy—it will only make your hangover worse.

Licencing & demographics Unlike many other pastimes, you cannot buy a firearm without a licence

get doddery brand new year old shooter is our ideal customer. They need guns, a gun safe, tuition, and tend to be keen, so therefore shoot more and use lots of ammo. When our Police Firearms Licencing departments start restricting the passage of newcomers, this is a real problem as we have seen. In 2019 there were , shotgun certificate holder and that has fallen to just over 500,000 in , s ha e fallen by 12,600 or 7.8% over the same period. hese figures are huge and clearly demonstrate that if we had some good years,

it was down to existing customers buying more guns. s for those all important new shooters, in , new shotgun certificates were granted and , new s, these figures hit a low of ust , S s and , s in gain, these are massi e figures nearly half the number of newcomers. There are some positi es, in that these figures are back on the rise with 15,703 SCs and 6,300 new s in here olice seem finally to be getting their house in order Dealers comment that there are lots of very good condition second-hand guns coming onto the market which they have bought. Their shelves are now full, and they will now only offer punters a sale or return deal even on very decent guns. This obviously has a knock-on effect on new gun sales, shops sell what they have and can make money on. Often there’s a better margin to be made on a secondhand gun bought at the right price, and they take up shelf space previously occupied by new guns. I have steered away from other issues such as lead transition, the attacks from antis and the cost inflation of game shooting, clays and ammunition. These are important but perhaps not as significant as the factors outlined above. The whole world is changing, there is not much we can do about that. Economic cycles, by definition, go up and down, it won’t stay tough forever and there are always opportunities. GTN

DALLAS SAFARI CLUB Our vintage guns expert Diggory Hadoke is freshly returned from the US, where he enthusiastically attended the annual Dallas Safari Club Convention I have long said that if you want to see the best displays of British guns and e o to the e can ho aa Safa ub a oof of the fact that th t t ue oc I and auct on do nate the ecto the e th hu e a e ene at n on of do a e e t e the occu e can dea e a o ho d a e toc of t h un o t of the on con nent and ced th fi u e that ee b e te e hone nu be but h ch a e h h ne ot ab e I e e be ea n a dea fo a c ent at a US ho fo a o e bo e de oc ced at e a ed a a th the un ha n handed o e I was very drawn to a proper sleeper at allas this anuary, which was the first DSC I had attended for about eight years: a Holland & Holland 10-bore double hammer rifle dirty but honest and with a ticket saying $20,000. A bit of verbal jousting determined the buying price was $10,000, which is what I thought it was worth and would have paid for it had I been a collector rather than a dealer.

We're always pleased to see Simon Reinhold

Flying kites hile the mericans may fly kites when it comes to pricing, which can be offputting, they make up for it by having all the best kit. Americans have been buying British guns since the Second World War and most of that stuff is still there. I would urge anyone in the British gun trade to make at least one of the big shows perhaps consider the allas Safari Club event, Safari Club International (in Nashville) or The Deep River Sideby-Side classic in North Carolina. Each one of these gives the visitor a chance to meet American enthusiasts, see a lot of ama ing guns and rifles and isit a part of the world that is unique. I used to like it when SCI was in Las Vegas, which is the most ridiculous place but enormous fun for three days, even if (like me) you do not gamble. Dallas Safari Club this year attracted several of Britain’s premier gun makers. Holland & Holland were there, Longthorne had made the trip, Westley Richards resumed the tradition that Simon Clode instigated years ago and which is now longstanding, and Rigby made a splash

with a huge fi e berth stand featuring a Rigby Land Rover, artists at work (Rigby Art is now a thriving off-shoot of the gun-making) and the successful launch of two new product lines: the Rigby lightweight ‘Big Game’ and the ‘Shikari’ bo lock double rifle urdey had a shared stand with American gun shop Gordy & Sons and John Dickson & Son was scheduled to set-up but director aeschler had a significant last minute health issue and was unable to fly hankfully, he seems to be reco ering well and we hope to see him back in action soon.

US gunsmiths William Larkin Moore & Sons

Appreciated Whenever a gunmaker makes an effort to increase profile in the nited States, the Americans really appreciate it. They are reassured that the business is sound, is making an effort to be visible and to meet customers on their own turf. Deals are sealed and orders discussed. This, in turn, makes the older models from makers more desirable. The auction world has an interest in that and higher trading

figures and more profit result, which is good for vendors and auctioneers alike. Since Rigby was regenerated, the price of intage igby guns and rifles has increased significantly estley ichards, now with a loyal customer base and order books full for the next four years,

are likewise busy with sales of modern used alternatives to new orders. I witnessed one customer casually impulsebuy a , double rifle from their display cabinet. Holt’s sent representative Simon Reinhold to walk the aisles and talk poten-

Auction View

Big, brash and bold, the Dallas Safari Club convention is all that tial business with American customers, who form perhaps 25% of the average Holt’s buyer’s list every sale. The anxiety felt by overseas buyers is that they have to rely on a third party appraisal of the gun they want to buy, as they can’t see it in person, and there is also some concern that shipping to the US and attending to the various customs issues, transport, packing etc may prove costly and difficult n actuality, olt’s, like most of our major auction houses, have quite well-rehearsed and robust procedures for packing, shipping and clearing customs into the US, through specialist third party agents, where necessary. Every three months, dozens of auction lots make their way to the US by this route, without any unwanted drama. Simon was there to reassure potential buyers that for Americans buying through British auctions, there is little, if anything, to worry about s a gun aficionado, he also got a chance to get excited about some of the beautiful side-locks on offer noted him take to a stunning 1920s James Woodward 12-bore side-

“ There is just so much good stuff to see that it can be bewildering ” lock li e pigeon gun, priced at , hat is currently , , which don’t think it would make in England today, where the market is comparatively weak. However, given the scope for bartering, it could probably be had for , , if a serious offer was made That is still a hefty price given the market, but it should make sense to someone. The trouble is, there is just so much good stuff to see that it can be bewildering and from a customer point of view, there is little urgency to buy. What auctions generate is that urgency—if you don’t buy it on the day it is gone! un rade ssociation supremo Simon West was also stalking the aisles in Dallas, representing the British contingent and fact finding e had a useful chat about the progress of the lead-ban-

ning legislation that is moving ever closer to enactment and he was reassuring about the push-back from saner voices with economic reality concerns over the shrill ‘ban it now’ pressure groups that get the headlines.

Returns ack home noticed olt’s already beginning to load their site with offerings for the next sale. Wilson55 have a catalogue ready to view and there are firearms listed with errards uction Rooms, Harper Field and David Duggleby. Cadmore auctions, for some reason, have a number of sawn-off and deactivated shotguns, perhaps made for film props, priced at each My bargain basement spot was a Belgian Browning 16-bore A5 semiauto priced

at hese are quite rare and collectable. Also, a Winchester Model 62 pump action rimfire with scope was cheap at hese can make Auctions cater to every pocket, not just big-time collectors. We can expect to see regular sales this year from Holt’s, onham’s and a in ardiner, with the increasingly visible provincial auction houses making further inroads and offering their own local service, which will always appeal to some vendors. Lonsdales, in ancashire, had a good first foray into the sector late last year and their spring sale is already beginning to build on-line. Rydale Auctions in North Yorkshire also hold firearms and militaria sales quite regularly. The Saleroom makes viewing, searching for key items, and bidding easy; if a little more expensive. spent last weekend trying to shoot snipe, teal and woodcock in Devon, with friends. We met with some success and enjoyed the little foray enormously, with old guns and, in my case, an old dog. hope readers find a few more days before the season ends. GTN

Gun Trade Association: Simon West

THE FIREARMS LICENSING SYSTEM A trade insight into the National Firearms Licensing Management System (NFLMS) from the Gun Trade Association's Simon West “THE National Firearms License Management System (NFLMS) is a computer system designed to record details of individuals who apply for fi ea ce t ficate the ce t ficate the e e and the fi ea and hotguns licensed to those people who hold ce t ficate Home Office NFLMS provides licensing departments in England and Wales with a bespoke computer programme and database for managing their daily work of licensing. It’s the computer part of the department capability. The computer depends on its operators and its operators depend on the computer. Both need to be functioning for the system to work. This overall performance capability has a direct impact on the lives of RFDs and our customers, the certificate holders The 1997 Firearms (Amendment) Act brought in the requirement for a central register ‘kept by means of a computer’. It was almost 10 years before the pilot systems were rolled out. Finally, the English and Welsh forces started using the system in 2007. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own systems. The system has had plenty of investment over the years but it is still software that’s over 15 years old. Any of you still using Windows XP? No. What does it do? “The NFLMS is a register of all persons who have applied for, or have been granted, a certificate to possess or acquire a firearm or shotgun. It is a webbased national register of all firearm certificate holders. The NFLMS updates the Police National Computer with details of individuals who own firearms and/or shotguns and records details of anyone who has been refused a certificate or had one revoked. In addition, the NFLMS maintains information on people, companies and dealers that have requested firearm and/or shotgun certificates. It also holds information on weapons and their history."

“ Any of you still using Windows XP? No.

What can we take from that? The reality is that it is a system for recording details of people—not guns. It is worth a reminder that the UK system is based on identifying an individual’s suitability to hold a certain type of firearm and then giving them authority through a certificate to possess that firearm that combination of personal suitability, good reason and security. NFLMS does have details of “information on weapons and their history” but only those held against a certificate and, through time, the arious certificates to which it has related. But it does not hold data on every gun in the UK, ust those that ha e appeared on certificates now or in the past. In parallel with NFLMS, the RFDs’ registers across the country hold the other half of that detail. Understanding that NFLMS is about people rather than guns is central to the whole process. The system records people that are deemed suitable to hold firearms (and those who have been refused). What does it do well? lthough the ome ffice themsel es report that “it is subject to the inaccura-

cies inherent in any large-scale recording system”, I will give it the credit that it has provided a foundation service that has survived the years. Where there have been major issues—like the South Yorkshire loss of 9,000 records—they have tended to be human errors. Like all computer systems, it is only as good as the data that it contains and the way it is operated. My worry is that many of the mistakes that do appear seem to be attributable to a lack of training on behalf of licensing staff or a ‘new policy’ that has been invented locally for no good reason. Just this month in Devon and Cornwall, renewed certificates ha e finally started appearing but without any of the gun details on them. A clear misunderstanding of NFLMS drills and a huge imposition on the RFD for relisting them and notifying. Of course, then only for the licensing department to have to rebook them all onto NFLMS! Bonkers. As designed, the system does well at tracking people. The data it holds on guns is less reliable. When the Met started trying to photograph every serial number on a gun, we knew there was a lack of confidence in their data

What doesn’t it do? ld software lacks fle ibility most of the original 2005 programmers will be long gone now! As legislation has changed, the machine can’t keep up. Where medical and other new records have to be kept changes have been made but some records—such as 'servants' are apparently not recorded on the system. The link between NFLMS and other police computers is also rather limited. By connecting intelligence systems to firearms licensing databases, law enforcement can identify and deal with risk at an earlier stage. Trials have already taken place where data from the police national computer is run past NFLMS listings and, if there are matches, the licensing manager is alerted to see if any more action is required. In the future we should e pect these systems to be more closely linked. So where from here? n arch , the ome ffice started engaging with the IT industry to seek options for a replacement. It was offering £20 million, but little has been heard since. Certainly, there is no new system on the horizon. What would it look like? any of us ha e asked for certificates to be credit card sized and checkable on a centralised system for validity and ‘slots’ notification complete before the holder left the shop. There are many who would also like to see registers online where there could be huge efficiencies for the he ome ffice and law enforcement are keen, so that they can monitor all guns, all the time. But many of the trade see that as an imposition, open to police abuse and a friction when connecting to other accounting programmes, stock databases etc. There is still some debate to be had and The ome ffice ha e promised collaboration before any new system is designed. Watch this space. GTN

Legal

I’M AN RFD… GET ME OUT OF HERE! Legal expert Stuart Farr looks at the phenomenon of reality TV and asks if it reflects the sometimes litigious world of the Registered Firearm’s Dealer THE nation’s appetite for reality TV may have waned a little in recent t e but the e t uffic ent nterest in programmes such as “I’m a e eb t to e uade ot of ofi ed ub c fi u e to o n u and ha e an adventure in the Ant & Dec version of a un e As we all know and understand, the motives of each TV participant can be quite different. Some hope to give a quieter period in their career a much-needed boost. Others do it for cash, while a few ha e a ery specific plan or agenda they wish to play out. We see that especially with the politicians. The programme’s producers undoubtedly appreciate we are viewing something akin to a more sophisticated pantomime—where the audience are allowed to “boo” and “hiss”— but also gain the additional advantage of wielding mass control over the punishments (sorry, challenges!) to be metered out to their perceived villains. Nigel Farage reportedly earned a “too good to refuse” hefty fee, while speculation abounds as to whether he was looking for public support to return to mainstream politics. Matt Hancock, on the other hand, combined his desire to raise public awareness of dyslexia with a less ob ious submission to public flagellation—the latter possibly aimed at building some form of career outside of politics. I am not sure he succeeded in either endeavour frankly. And then, most recently, there was poor Grace Dent. Her career still blossoms. She didn’t need to be in the jungle. In fact, she shouldn’t have been there. Sadly, however, it was too late before she realised that her exquisitely pampered (largely vegetarian!) palate, simply wasn’t going to cope with the gruesome drudgery of rice and beans interspersed by the prospect of consuming animal parts of the sort which not even a serious food critic (regardless of their fearsome reputation or abilities would e er define as “edible”.

tentional and—often—wholly out of proportion to the issue in hand. RFDs are not litigious people— whether alone or as part of their collecti e ruffle hy would they be heir passions lie elsewhere. However, in my experience, years of evolution within a harsh “legal” jungle means that when pushed, they defend robustly and certainly won’t be taken as fools. The vexatious litigant’s strategy is often to charge forward and seek a swift, advantageous result. Often, however, this means the attacks are inherently weak, indiscriminate, and lacking in legal clout. Standing ground to defend is therefore an important strategy. It can make a huge difference to the outcome of any dispute of this nature.

Don’t blink

“ The demise of an RFD is being treated as a bizarre form of trophy hunting ”

Firearms

Since the public clearly loves to see jungle celebrities squeal and squirm when they are callously voted into all manner of repugnant or unpalatable situations, it occurred to me that day to day life presents little in the way of a difference for the gun trade’s RFDs. The increased perception I am getting is that any forced “demise” of an RFD’s business is being treated, in certain quarters, as a bizarre form of trophy hunting. One less RFD, it is perceived, equates to less guns in circulation and therefore of benefit to e eryone nd let’s face it, RFDs have been “voted against” in certain sections for practically years. Understandably, some now feel they are being confined to their own small section of an ever decreasing “jungle” and expected to

survive (or not). Unfortunately, it is within that harsh jungle-type environment the vexatious litigant prowls, seeking to gain advantage over any unsuspecting RFD. Note: There is not, as far as I am aware, a collective noun for RFDs. So, for our purposes, suggest a ruffle of RFDs? I am open to other suggestions… Vexatious litigants are an odd bunch. They come in all shapes and disguises. n financial terms they may be a typical RFD’s “best” or even “worst” customer; they might be a retired person with time on their hands; or a time-served complainer; a person with “all the gear and no idea”; a pure opportunist; a disgruntled competitor; a professional person; or even an aristocrat. However, what unites their identity is the disruption they cause, which is invariably widespread and in-

For instance, while defending a spurious claim against an RFD recently, the vexatious litigant tried to wriggle away from the traps which had been carefully placed all around—even to the extent of complaining that my writing for GTN placed me in a conflict of interest situation and therefore debarred me from acting in the case. Poppycock! What clinched and resolved the matter, however, was the stoic RFD concerned who, with the benefit of some careful forward planning, stalked his way through a court mediation process with great success. The result not only shrivelled the vexatious litigant’s “complaint”, but effectively made sure there would be no repetition of the same beha iour in the future a mutual benefit perhaps for any other RFDs within the same ruffle GTN

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

Insight

BIRDS IN THE HAND Dr Kenny Nutting BVetMed MRCVS of St David’s Game Bird Services is looking forward to a positive future for the UK shooting industry AFTER the last few years of Avian Inuen a I and I conce n e a e fina ee n a uch needed a e of o t t on hoot and a e fa ac o the count h can a e be ut do n to the ac of I ca e e ha e een th ea on a e u t bu ne e ha e been ab e to a e ace fo o tant d cu on a ound e ndu t to c uch a the I acc nat on and a e act ca chan e to un o e effic ent he e facto a e e to ann n fo ne t ea on and en u n that e a e a e a ed fo the futu e Safe to say, recent times can be categorized as a time of fragility in our sector. We have been challenged with change on a dramatic national and international scale by way of Brexit, a global pandemic, and the ongoing RussianUkrainian war. All of these factors have caused irreversible detriment to us, but it is important to remember that with every crisis comes opportunity. Globally, the main themes and challenges throughout this time have all been the same. There has been an increased cost of all goods and raw materials, from rearing equipment to water products globally. As a general perception, every country seems to be in a similar position, but I would suggest that the UK has been the most affected as a cumulation of Brexit, the pandemic, and the RussianUkrainian war. All of these factors have of course meant that shoots and game farms across the globe have been faced with increased challenges. While this has been a major concern, it has also helped them to focus their businesses.

Down to earth On the ground, in the wake of rising costs, there is renewed enthusiasm on shoots and game farms across the country to make certain changes which will help to increase efficiency across the board. It has been noticed that in the last 12 months, many shoot owners have started to be a bit more active in terms of on the ground decision making on their shoots, sourcing and purchasing birds, and working more closely with the gamekeepers. Shoots are looking at

hiring staff on a less seasonal basis, and in some instances relying on two keepers instead of three. Some shoots are doing fewer but bigger days or might just be putting less birds down. It is noticeable that the medium-sized shoots are experiencing the brunt of the “pinch”. Higher end shoots are able to

of AI at the moment. With this lull in AI cases, there is time to discuss the complexities around AI vaccinations.

Bird boffins Recently, I attended a poultry producer meeting at which we had three or four experts talking about the ‘ins and outs’ of

“ No one area of the industry is solely responsible for implementing the AI vaccine ” cover their costs more easily, with larger bird days, while the smaller shoots are not intending to commercialise. The medium-sized shoots, however, have tenancy agreements and rent to consider on top of their fi ed costs ne shoot know in this position has changed their approach they are no longer charging per bird, rather, they are offering a day’s shooting for a fi ed amount his includes the food, drink and hospitality which goes towards an enjoyable day. More widely, I haven’t heard of any shoots that are showing any symptoms

the vaccine. Before the lecture, there was a show of hands for those who would implement the accine in their flocks would say around three-quarters said yes, they would. After the specialists explained more about it, the show of hands was dramatically reduced, with just one farmer saying they would consider activating a vaccination programme. Currently, the logistics and costs associated with the AI vaccine outweigh its benefits irst of all, in most cases, the birds need to be physically picked up and injected twice over a 2-4 week

period, meaning a double handling of birds, added stress, manual labour, and a financial impact n top of these factors, we simply don’t have the trained labour to properly implement the vaccine in the UK at the moment. t is also difficult to manage different strains of the disease. There’s no guarantee that, ha ing accinated a flock at the beginning of their productive life for one strain, another won’t come along later on which will either entail another vaccine, or a risk. In terms of importing and exporting, it is incredibly difficult to pro e negativity if you are vaccinating the birds and the testing involved takes its toll in more ways than one, with all-round increased costs, time and labour. Such implications usually outweigh the cost of the birds contracting the disease and getting compensation or paying out for insurance as a result. It is important to realise that we are all in this together and no one area of the industry is solely responsible for implementing the AI vaccine. So, while it currently seems like a distant reality, it is being widely discussed to make sure we are best prepared for the future. In the meantime, I encourage all businesses to continue their research and minimize your chance of getting any respiratory diseases in your flocks hether it’s AI, mycoplasma, or TRT, it’s so important that we follow strict biosecurity measures, keep working together, and use this wave of positivity to look ahead towards a secure and successful future for our industry. GTN

Shooting in the Media

COMMONS SENSE You’d imagine the BBC to be an exemplar of balanced reporting, but not always, as Caroline Roddis has discovered YOU might not be aware of this, but living in Sussex is a dangerous business. There is, for example, the perilous Sussex Topiary Syndrome, sympto of h ch nc ude ced fin e neck strain and the crippling paranoia that your hedgerow will never live up to that of your neighbours. And let’s not forget PTDS—Post Traumatic Discount Shopping—which occurs every time you have to go shopping at Lidl, hope no-one spots you and then furtively shove everything into Waitrose carrier bags before you leave the car park. Oh, and of course there’s the perennial possibility that as you’re driving along bambi is going to leap out and attempt to become one with your car. Okay, only the last one of those is true. But, as you all know, it’s no laughing matter—there are thousands of Deer Vehicle Collisions (DVCs) every year in Sussex, particularly round the Ashdown Forest area, and they can have serious, occasionally fatal, consequences. The high number of DVCs is, unsurprisingly, linked to the bloated deer population. (And not just because they put on a few pounds over Christmas.) Of course, it might be better if you have a DVC in an SUV than an EV, not least for the sake of your next MOT, but it seems that you’ll never get objective reporting on DVCs from the BBC. (I’ll stop now, I promise).

Ashdown forest In January, BBC Sussex ran an online news article entitled “Ashdown Forest: Countryside manager raises concerns about deer population”. It covered the fact that there were believed to be three times more deer in the area than there should be, and stated that “Culling has been used to try to control the population of deer and limit their impact." According to the report, “PETA UK’s vice president of programmes Elisa Allen said culling was ‘ineffective’ and ‘cruel’.” It included further thoughts from Elisa later on in the article, including t can be difficult for hunters to get a clear shot and deer often endure slow, horrifyingly painful deaths.” Quoting a representative from PETA

as the primary expert on deer management—and indeed putting her words before those of the actual manager mentioned in the headline—was a somewhat questionable choice, as was not seeking to balance claims that culling is ineffective or cruel with the argument to the contrary. Fortunately, by the time most of

demonstrable inadequacies, it has now been updated, after 24hrs, to include our comments which act to balance the article and defend deer management as being an humane and environmentally beneficial practice The CA should be commended for their quick work, which is just the latest

“ The Countryside Alliance, leapt into action like, well, like a herd of bouncy deer ” us had read the article it had already been amended thanks to the Countryside Alliance, who’d leapt into action like, well, like a herd of bouncy deer. As the CA explain on their website: “The Countryside Alliance’s response to the BBC accused the article of being unacceptably one-sided, in breach of the BBC’s own guidelines, which state they 'must be inclusive, considering the broad perspective and ensuring that the existence of a range of views is appropriately reflected lthough the did not take the original article down given its

in their many successful salvos against the bias of the BBC.

Beeb beeb ceeb The BBC is not, of course, biased or inept all of the time—and you do occasionally stumble across examples of them giving countryside issues half decent treatment hat find amusing is that if you visit the Ashdown Forest website to read about their deer management policies, the first sentence on the rele ant webpage states: “Due to a lack of natural predators, the number of deer across the

UK is believed to be at its highest level for a millennium*.” The source indicated by the asterisk ountryfile’s e plainer on deer culling. What’s particularly interesting is that this piece, which goes into significant detail about the reasons for high populations, methods of control and views from all sides, contains the following quote from a certain PETA representative: “In response to the shooting of deer in the London Parks, PETA's vice president of programmes Elisa Allen said, 'These methods are not only ineffective but also cruel, as it can be difficult for hunters to get a clear shot and deer often endure slow, horrifyingly painful deaths.'" The exact same thing she ‘said’ in the BBC Sussex article. Given that the ountryfile e plainer was published last year, and the BBC Sussex News story published only a few weeks ago, have the Countryside Alliance not only caught the journalist failing to be balanced, but also caught them recycling quotes without providing the relevant attribution? r is it who can’t find anything new to say? If deer reproduced at the same rate as their ideas we wouldn’t need to worry about a cull at all. GTN

On Air

THE 'ON AIR' AIRGUN HIGHLIGHTS OF 2023 Mat Manning takes a look back on some of his favourite new airguns and accessories released in the past year

FX King Swedish gunmaker FX is a world leader when it comes to pioneering airgun design, and the new ing air rifle, launched towards the end of 2023, will only serve to strengthen that reputation. It costs over , , but that price tag is ustified by its specification Although it is an awesome pelletshooter in its own right, the FX King has really been designed to excel as a slugfiring machine ailable in calibres up to .35, it is capable over producing phenomenal power levels well in excess of 100ft/lb.

Reximex Lyra This PCP builds on the acclaimed Panthera action and shares its innovative barrel plenum system. Other high-end features include the FX macro and micro power adjusters and interchangeable Smooth Twist X barrel. A slick sidelever action drives a multi-shot magazine, and the King’s dual Wika pressure gauges are even angled backwards to make them easier to read. The King sits inside a fully-adjustable GRS laminate stock, which is available in natural brown, Nordic Wolf and Green Mountain Camo.

e ime brought se eral new air rifles to the market in 2023, and all of them delivered a remarkable combination of affordability and performance. The one that impressed me most was the Lyra, an elegant-looking PCP which retails for under £400. Tipping the scales at 3.5kg and measuring 101cm from muzzle to butt, the Lyra is a very manageable full-power air rifle t has a reliable sidele er action which runs a 12-shot magazine in .22 or 14-shot in .177, and comes supplied with two magazines and a single-shot tray.

The Lyra returns around 100 shots from a full bar fill and is equipped with some handy features, including an adjustable two-stage trigger and a power adjuster, which could be useful if, for example, you wanted to wind down the muzzle energy to simply enjoy a spot of backyard plinking. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Lyra back in the autumn, and the test gun was comfortably printing ragged single-hole groups at 30m. You don’t always get accuracy like that at this price bracket.

Air Arms XTi-50 BSA R-12 SLX irmingham based S uns’ flagship R-12 was launched a while ago now, but last year’s SLX model gave it a new twist. This recoilless PCP comes in walnut, Black Pepper Laminate and Softtouch Black stock options and prices start at £1,249. Thanks to BSA’s renowned cold hammer forged barrel, consistent regulated power output and a crisp, fully adjustable, two-stage trigger, the R-12 is a ery accurate rifle single hole groups

at 40m are standard with the right pellet. t’s also quick it runs a tried and tested 12-shot magazine which is driven by an extremely reliable sidelever cocking and loading mechanism. The Super Carbine version of the R-12 SLX is just 95cm long, with the very effecti e supplied silencer fitted, and weighs kg rom a full fill, it will return 130 shots in .177 calibre and 205 in .22. The R-12 SLX doesn’t just perform well, it also looks great.

It was a long time coming but the Air Arms XTi-50 was worth the wait. Improving on this British gunmaker’s benchmark for fine target rifles was ne er going to be easy, but this offering truly does set a new standard. The Air Arms mantra for the XTi-50 project was “No Compromise”, and it shows. The R&D process included ongoing input from a team of expert consultants from around the world, and the result is arguably the greatest FT and air rifle e er made Capable of match-winning perfor-

mance straight out of the box, this regulated air rifle boasts an infinitely ad ustable laminate stock and a breathtaking level of componentry. eatures include fully floating match grade barrel, micro-adjustable air stripper, mechanical energy absorption device, folding spirit level and wind indicator, button-operated one-touch swingarm hamster and that’s ust a few of them. The butt hook, cheekpiece and pistol grip facilitate a huge degree of adjustment, and this incredible airgun even comes supplied with a Negrini case.

On Air

H&N Baracuda 8

Daystate Red Wolf Grand Prix aystate’s ed olf is one of the finest air rifles on the planet and one of my go to hunting favourites. In 2023, the electronic mega gun was gi en a serious target twist with the introduction of the rand ri model Made in Britain, the Red Wolf Grand ri maintains the digital wi ardry that combines computer regulated shot con sistency with an display and ultra ad ustable electronic trigger, and places it inside a state of the art stock designed by recision ifle Systems to create the ultimate target shooting platform

Sure, it costs more than , , but this ultra ad ustable air rifle boasts a huge array of features including quick ad ustment to the cheek rest and a seem ingly infinitely adaptable butt, along with a fore end rail, full length icatinny rail and ergonomic pistol grip ts range of accessories facilitates absolute refine ment whether faced with sitting, prone, standing or rested shots. quipped with a high capacity carbon air tank, this elite sidele er offers single shot or maga ine loading in , and calibres

Hikmicro Condor ikmicro has made a huge impression on the thermal night ision market since its arri al ust a couple of years ago, and the new ondor thermal spotter looks set to maintain that momentum his compact handheld spotter boasts a high sensiti ity m ther mal detector which captures the smallest details to deli er i id, layered images not ust of the target but also of the sur rounding landscape ts e ceptional im age quality is backed by a laser range finder which gi es precise distance readings from m out to m, accu

can’t recall the last time a new airgun pellet caused as much of a stir as the aracuda Shooters were ery e cited to hear about the ar ri al of an eight grain ersion of this famous diabolo round, and distributor ohn Rothery Wholesale has done a great ob of keeping up with the huge demand here was a massi e burden of e pectation on this new offering, and it appears to more than li e up to the anticipated le el of performance he first airgun used to test aracuda s was quickly printing tight groups at m, and subsequent test ing has found them to be equally effec ti e in numerous other air rifles hese pellets look immaculate in the tin and deli er e tremely consis tent mu le elocity as well as down

range accuracy arget shooters were im mediately impressed with them, but they should also pro e to be ery effecti e for pest control they deli ered impressi e penetration and e pansion in my tests

PARD NV007SP LRF GEN 2 rate to within m, all at the press of a button ikmicro’s mage ro features pro ide high quality rendering of both tar get ob ects and background, while oom ro helps to present ultra clear images with reduced pi elation e en at high oom le els oasting on board image and ideo capture, the ondor is powered by re placeable, rechargeable batteries, and power efficiency is boosted by an auto screen off feature triggered by hori ontal and ertical tilt detectors

Night vision shooting doesn’t have to be e pensi e he ard S en costs under , pro iding an af fordable and ery effecti e con er sion for your usual daytime scope his little clip on weighs ust g and is only mm long, including eye cup and mount, so it doesn’t push your head back along the cheek piece like some similar products ts ad ustable, on board illuminator gi es a detection range of up to m, and this model also fea tures an integral laser rangefinder, which makes a huge difference to accurate pel

let placement whether shooting at close or long range. nsert a micro S card and the ard S can e en record the action from your shooting trips in mono chrome by night and in full colour by day ne of the most impressi e things about this little night ision con ertor is its fast and ery secure twist lock bayo net attachment system he supplied clamp, which comes with shims to facili tate attachment to most telescopic sights, can e en be left in situ GTN

BASC

AN URGENT PLEA ON THE DEBANKING ISSUE BASC has been invited to submit more evidence of debanking in the shooting sector to the FCA. Conor O’Gorman urges GTN readers to come forward with their stories. I recently started watching the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The feeling of shame experienced by the sub postmasters and the belief that they were each the only ones being unfairly treated, is something that gets regularly repeated in the first episode Those themes have resonated strongly with me, given the stories that people have shared with me about their shooting business being debanked I know that there are many more people out there in the shooting community have also been devastated and traumatised by what has happened to them at the hands of the banks and that they simply don’t wish to come forward, even on an anonymous basis, and I understand and respect that As the sub postmasters rallied together and shared their experiences, they gained personal resilience and became a force to be reckoned with, albeit justice has been slow to follow for many, and it has taken a high profile show to kick start the go ernment into action Given the recent spotlight on the Post ffice scandal and ongoing publicity on debanking it is no surprise that the media is starting to draw parallels between the two issues

Submission The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has contacted BASC inviting us to submit more information to the FCA banking ser ices re iew Details of the stakeholder consultation process have not been released yet but I envisage this will be a formal submission process via a questionnaire that will be open to responses from organisations for a period of se eral weeks So please do email me as soon as possible if you have been debanked in the last year or two or are currently experiencing debanking as a shooting business or club/syndicate and I will ensure that your anonymised information is included in our e idence

There are many lessons for us to learn from the Post Office scandal

However, whether its Barclays or another financial institution debanking you, you then must endure the ordeal of finding a new bank

Shanghaied

“ I know there are more out there in the community that have also been devastated ” To be clear, I won’t be naming people or their businesses for the BASC submission unless specifically asked to do so—rather providing an overview of the types of issues businesses and clubs have been experiencing at the hands of each financial ser ices pro ider

Shameful e ha e now had cases studies co ering different banks and other financial ser ice pro iders ne recent case has gone to the Financial Ombudsman for investigation and the outcome of that could become an important test case Many of the case studies relate to Barclays closing down bank accounts for shooting businesses and shooting clubs I have heard that this has been happening to other small businesses that have nothing to do with shooting, to fishing clubs and e en church groups

The issue with Barclays appears to be the chaotic handling of completed information forms received from clubs or businesses completing periodic requests on acti ities of the business The way it goes is that you receive a standard form for information on your acti ities ou complete the information as requested and think no more of it ut then, out of the blue you receive a letter threatening to restrict your account because the bank asserts that you did not respond to the information request ou send the information again ou talk to people in call centres ou talk to your branch hey might confirm all is okay ut it is not because then you get another threatening letter ou make a complaint n some cases this is all to no avail, and your account is closed down anyway he first you know is being unable to access online banking ser ices

If you are shooting club trying to open a bank account with HSBC you could be in for a long ride here are se eral weeks of information requests hen things start to get specific on shooting related matters They may want a copy of your shooting lease or a letter from the landowners here are specific firearms forms to complete nd then you hit the buffers when they ask for copies of every single club member’s shotgun and or firearm certificate t is a ridiculous request, what on earth has that got to do with a bank account application, but challenging it falls on deaf ears Barclays and HSBC are just two examples e ha e also had recent cases involving Handelsbanken, Lloyds, Metro, Natwest, RBS, and Santander; mostly for gun shops experiencing banking issues that appear to due to business links with firearms There are also recent cases with card payment services being frozen or closed, or account applications refused, involving Cashplus, Clover, Klarna, Paycraft, Stripe, Sum p, Starling and Square Are these one-off cases? Or is there e idence of a pattern of specific beha iour in the financial ser ices sector against the shooting sector? After all there are thousands of shooting clubs and businesses in the UK—but so far we ha e only odd case studies e really could do with more case studies to piece the jigsaw together for our submission to the hate er has happened to you, you are not alone and it’s not your fault, and the more information we have the more robust our submission will be lease email me S at conor ogorman basc org uk GTN

AIM FOR THE NEXT LEVEL Reximex produces world class products using the latest R&D and manufacturing proficiency with the vision of never compromising from high quality and customer satisfaction. The latest addition from the Reximex stable is the sleek, eye-catching LYRA with a stunning quality ambidextrous Turkish Walnut stock and side lever cocking action. Features a ½” UNF threaded barrel & picatinny rail to mount an optional sight (scope not included).

RRP

£375.00 INC VAT

• • • • •

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

PLEASE NOTE: SCOPE SOLD SEPARATELY.

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