James Hancock, Author at Pellpax Blog

Tips For Shooting At Night with Scopes & Lamping

When hunting at night there are a two main things which must always be considered and upheld at all times: safety and the law.

Unless you can obtain a special licence to cull deer at night, it is illegal to do so between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise. Game birds and hares also cannot be shot at night. Night shooting is generally used for population control of pests and certain predators such as foxes. You must also only shoot on land that you either own, or have permission to shoot on; shooting on land without permission is a serious offence and comes with heavy fines and even a custodial sentence.

A Rifle Scope is Essential

Generally, at night time, I would always recommend using either rifles or air rifles with scopes on, so that you can more easily identify both your target and where the shot could go afterwards. You should also never just shoot at a pair of eyes, through a scope or otherwise, as what you think could be a pair of rabbit eyes could be a pet, or even someone with binoculars observing animals at night.

It’s also strongly recommended that when shooting at night, you use a suppressor, so as not to make too much noise, which could disturb people in local houses trying to sleep, and scare nearby livestock.

At Pellpax we stock a large range of suppressors for air-guns and rifles alike. Click here for more in air rifle silencers. And here for more on Rifle sound moderators.

When shooting foxes, you must ensure that you’re using a calibre of rifle that is legal; generally, .22 Hornet or larger are favoured; air rifles and rim-fires are not legally permitted.

Using a scope at night can be hard work if your scope hasn’t got an IR (illuminated reticle), which is when your crosshair will clearly light up, making your point of aim much clearer. As well as this, you will also need a good spotlight or torch to identify your targets; a bright light also temporarily stuns animals such as rabbits, which will make for an easier shot. You should also choose a scope with a large light intake, which will make for a much clearer and wider field of view. For example, there’s the Hawke Vantage 3-9×50 IR Mil dot reticle scope, and the more powerful 4-12×50 version.

Three Lamping Colours

There are three most popular colours of bulb which are used when lamping or shooting at night, and they all have different pros and cons – all of which are down to personal preference: red, green, or white.

The most popular colour for lamping is a red bulb. This can commonly be seen when driving around back roads at night and you see farmers using these red spotlights across their fields, looking for rabbits or foxes. It’s a popular favourite because the red light doesn’t affect your personal night vision as much as the other colours, and animals are less aware of this bright light being put on them, and so won’t get spooked and run away. The red light can make it quite hard to spot your prey at night if they are in long grass or in the undergrowth, as everything will appear as the same colour. This is still the first choice for any fox or rabbit hunters. You can find a red spot light here – the Tracer LEDRay F400 Red.

The green spotlight is quickly becoming more popular because, like the red light, it has little effect on your own night vision, and with the green light, it’s much easier to identify different targets, because it shows up differently on obstacles – unlike the red, where everything can blur into the same colour. The green light, however, is a lot less popular with shooters after predatory animals like foxes, because they notice this colour a lot more and have been known to run away as soon as the beam is on them. A great example is this, the Tracer LEDRay F400 in Green.

F400 Red Lamp — **F400 LED Red Rifle Lamp**

Finally, we have the white spot light. This offers the greatest distance for you to shoot at, and makes everything a lot easier to see at night, but it will have the worst effect on your own night vision and will scare predatory animals away the most. However, this is my personal favourite to use when shooting rabbits, as the bright light stuns them for a moment, allowing for a clear shot and clean kill. One white light to try is the Tracer LEDRay F400 in White.

All of the above spotlights, which I have added the links to, are for attaching either onto the gun, or onto the scope – which would be my personal preference when shooting. There are other options available, however, depending on the environment and style in which you will be shooting, such as from a vehicle or with another shooter.

Night Vision Scopes

Another option for night shooting is the use of a night-vision scope. Originally intended for military applications, this is another favourite among hunters, as these night sights are becoming ever more affordable for the everyday shooter.

Check out a range of gun lamps and spotlight options here. You can also check out our website for more on night vision, including gear by Nitesite and Pulsar.

Gaining My Archery Achievements

James Hancock is the resident archery enthusiast and expert at Pellpax, where we have recurve bows, crossbows, and all kinds of archery equipment and accessories for sale. He’s on hand to give advice and help customers most days. Here he shares how he got into archery, and won several high level competitions and awards in the sport.

I first started showing an interest in archery when I turned the age of eight, Lord Of The Rings – The Fellowship Of The Ring had just come out in the cinema (2001) and I remember all of my friends, including me, wanting to take up archery due to this.

I had already shown skill with hand-eye coordination from a younger age when my father brought me my first airgun, an old Baikal IJ 38 .177 Stamped “Made in USSR” down the side of it. This was keenly used to shoot bottle tops in the back garden using the open sights, and I must admit I was a demon with this gun.

Moving on, after showing an interest in archery, Dad bought my first bow for me as a birthday present. It was a little green Sherwood bow with only about 12lbs on it, and with this we would go across into the fields opposite our house, where we would walk the dogs and just shoot at tree stumps or hay bales. After seeing that I was shooting so well, Dad then took up archery himself and found us a local club so we could take this new found hobby further, so we joined the Fakenham Bowmen.

Joining GNAS

This was a target archery club and was run under the rules of GNAS (Grand National Archery Society). Whilst here I was constantly pushed by the club to take up Recurve or Compound style bows, that using sights on the bow, etc. I saw this as cheating and so refused and instead went in the direction of Barebow. This is where a Recurve style bow is used, but without any of the sights, weights or stabilisers. Using several of the club bows and trying all sorts of beginner recurve kits; Dad decided that if I were to enter competition then I would need a higher quality of bow to see me through, so he brought me a Hoyt Gamemaster 1 with a 40lbs draw weight. Through this he received a lot of criticism from by some of the clubs members because it was such a highly powered, challenging bow. The club hadn’t noticed, though that by this time I was very strong for my age and could use this bow all day with ease.

Winning Awards

After winning several club events in my category, we then started signing up for other competitions around the county, and then all over the country. By this point I had turned 12-13. Whilst doing this, I won four Norfolk County awards in a row as well as various different club events. Whilst shooting at Taverham Archery Club on 8th January 2006 in a Stafford round I was informed that I had just defeated the previous record and was now the current national record holder for this category. With this, I went on to setting a few more national records, first back at Fakenham Bowmen in a Junior Warwick Round on 30th April 2006 Short, then Taverham Archery Club again in a Stafford round on 14th January 2007, then once again at Fakenham in a Short Warwick Round on 6th May 2007.

After all this there wasn’t much more room for me to progress within the target archery world as all the organisations and clubs were only really interested in the other junior archers who were using bow sights on recurves and compounds, grooming them ready for Team GB and Olympic shooting. So we left these clubs and shoots, and instead turned to field archery. First impressions of this different form of shooting were good, the people were friendly and the whole atmosphere was more relaxed and enjoyable. We had joined Broadland Bowmen in Norwich and as such it was a requirement for us to either join the NFAS (National Field Archery Society) or the EFAA (English Field Archery Association), so we joined both.

Entering NFAS & Other Competitions

Shooting mostly in the NFAS to begin with, I won several different club events, both local, and many around the country. These shoots were a lot more enjoyable because the targets weren’t like in GNAS, where you have a fixed target repeating the same round as the last. These types of events instead involved walking around a set out woodland course which had 3D animal targets at unknown distances. This suited me and my shooting style down to the ground. However, all this traveling and commitment to the sport began to make my hobby feel more like a obligatory task, and I rapidly began losing interest in the sport. One of the last serious competitions I shot at was hosted by Worlingham Field Archers in Suffolk which was a weekend shoot over the 6th and 7th June 2007. Here my category was Junior Bow hunter Recurve and over the two days I won the highest score and so received an England medal.

I shot a few more local competitions after this but truth be told I had completely lost interest and it all fizzled out. For about two years I didn’t touch a bow again or even think of doing archery. After this time I then picked the bow up again and still shoot for my own pleasure on some family woodland. Only one of my national records in GNAS remains, the Junior Short Warwick.

Given all my experiences, I’m still very much a handy archer, and despite all previous thoughts of immense dislike towards compound-style bows, I have recently bought one. I must admit it is both fun and accurate! I no longer have my Hoyt Gamemaster 1 but instead enjoy shooting an old style Mongolian Flatbow for which I buy all the arrow parts and assemble myself. This is a simple but enjoyable form of shooting, and a lot better for those who like shooting fast and being an instinctive archer.

I am very much considering the idea of competing again soon, and trying to win a few more trophies, this time in the gentlemen’s category. The only thing I now need to think about is what style and what bow I’m going to use!

James is one of the many experts that work with the Pellpax team. If you’d like to get into archery, check our range of recurve bows, crossbows, archery equipment and accessories for sale, or call us now for advice.

Choosing A Shotgun For Pheasant Shooting : A Guide

A successful pheasant shooter is a skilled gunman who understands the behaviour of birds in their own habitat. He needs certain equipment: cartridge belt, shooting bags, ear protection, knives, etc. His most important tool, though, is the shotgun.

A hunter’s favourite gun becomes his life-long companion, as familiar to him as a part of himself. When choosing to buy a shotgun for sale, one must ensure that it is durable, accurate, well balanced, and of a suitable weight. It needs to be just right.

President Barack Obama shoots clay targets on the range at Camp David, Md., Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House. — Choosing and using your gun responsibly is important. Here is President Barack Obama shooting clay targets on the range at Camp David

Advantages Of Buying A Lightweight Gun

When trekking long distances across rough terrain, a heavy gun can be a burden. Something in the seven- or eight-pound range is ideal for an adult male; for a woman or a young shooter, an even lighter piece of equipment is advisable.

Although a light gun is great for carrying around all day, it is important that the weight is distributed slightly forward, allowing for easy tracking of the target, a positive swing and follow-through, and reduced recoil. Lighter guns will produce quite a lot of recoil, and this can be a strain on the shoulder.

It is typically the opinion of hunters that the benefits of a light gun outweigh the disadvantage of any extra kick that might occur, especially when the gun is to be carried over long distances. Extra padding on the shoulder will help to prevent discomfort.

Choosing Your Gauge

The gauge of a firearm is a unit of measurement used to express the diameter of the barrel bore, determined from the weight of a solid sphere of lead that will fit inside the bore. A barrel with capacity to fit a lead sphere weighing one ounce (¹/₁₆ pound) is labelled a 16-bore gauge; a barrel with capacity to fit a lead sphere weighing two ounces (¹/₈ pound) is labelled an 8-bore gauge.

The 12-gauge shotgun is the best option for any adult shooter of pheasant or small game; ammunition is readily available and comparatively cheap. A 16- and 20-gauge model is more suitable for youngsters. A 3-inch shell is advisable; it provides enough power to take down almost any pheasant.

Double, Semi-Automatic & ‘Over and Under’ Shotguns

The traditional double-barrelled shotgun is the general favourite among pheasant shooters, because the double barrel allows for different chokes. A more open choke is usually used on the first shot, and for the second shot, a full choke aids with the extra distance. Although expensive, these guns will last a lifetime if handled correctly; they have a classic appearance and are functional for pheasant shooting.

For pheasant shooting, barrel length is an issue only as far as personal preference is concerned; a hunter must feel comfortable with his gun. The minimum legal barrel length is 24 inches; anything up to 32 inches is suitable.

At Pellpax we stock a wide selection of shotguns for sale to buy, and our qualified staff are always happy to discuss your needs and to offer advice regarding your choice of gun.

Compound, Crossbow, Recurve: Archery 101

Archery has a huge tradition in combat, hunting and sport, with special, historic ties to Great Britain.

Archery has a huge tradition in combat, hunting and sport, with special, historic ties to Great Britain.

archery-472885_1280 — Target Archery can be a competitive sport or a great leisure hobby

It began life as a form of military weapon, and was used by armies and warriors around the world, notably by American Indians, the Chinese, and the English, famed for their longbows. Pellpax is a major UK vendor of crossbows, bows and archery equipment which we have for sale, and we’re lucky to have experts on hand to help, too. We’re passionate about the subject, so we’d like to present for you here a quick guide to everything you need to know about Archery.

History

There is evidence of archery and bows being used as far back as 3000BC here in Great Britain, but it was after the defeat of the English in 1066 that successive kings worked to ensure that there was a steady supply of skilled archers amongst the ranks of our armies.

During different periods kings even went as far as to ban sports such as football, bowls, and in Scotland, golf.

The development of firearms lead to the gradual cessation of archery as a military necessity, but it was then revived as early as the 16th century for sport and competition. One of the earliest groups to do this was the Society of Archers at Scorton, formed in 1673. They run a competition with a prize known as the Antient Silver Arrow, which runs up to this very day.

Other societies and groups like the Toxophilite Society, 1781, and 1787 by the Royal British Bowmen, followed. The Grand National Archery Society, which is today known as the Archery GB, and is the governing body for archery in the United Kingdom, was formed at Liverpool in 1861.

SOURCE: ArcheryGB

Types Of Bow

There are several different types of bow. Here are just some of them, below.

Compound bow: This kind of bow has mechanical additions, such as pulleys, which assist the drawing of the bow. Usually, these aids are pulleys at the tips of the limbs.

Crossbow: A crossbow is a gun-like weapon where the limbs of the bow are at right angles to a stock, which carries a ‘bolt’, rather than an arrow. You can grab yourself a crossbow for sale from our huge range.

Longbow: A bow made from one piece of wood, which has limbs that are rounded, and is around the height of the archer, thereby allowing a draw of over 5 feet (1 and a half metres). Often made of yew wood.

Recurve bow: This is a bow that has the end of each limb curving in an away direction from the person holding it. What happens is that the curves become straight as the archer draws the bow, and the tips go back to their original, curved state after the arrow has been fired. This adds extra speed to the arrow.

Reflex bow: In this type of bow, the whole of each limb is curved away from the archer.

Source: Wikipedia

Official Bodies & Clubs

The governing body of sport Archery in the UK is Archery GB. Their website is

You can find your local archery club by using the Archery GB Club Finder here.

Courses

There are a wide range of courses run up and down the country at different clubs. You can find details with you local club, and online at resources like Archery GB.

These include Personal Performance Courses, which are improver courses, which are for people who have been in the sport for at least 6 months and have their own equipment.

Organisations like 2020 Archery in London offer Beginner Courses, and longer, 5 Week Courses.

You can also do Coach and Instructor courses, which are organised in association with Archery GB. These include the Archery GB Instructor Award,

It is organised in association with Sports Structures Ltd. Full details here. You can also get to Level 1, Level 2, and County Coach and Senior Coach levels with Archery GB. Full details at their website.

You can check our our huge range and grab yourself one of our range of crossbows for sale, compound bows, recurve bows and archery accessories to buy, right here at Pellpax, and we deliver across the UK.