Tag: gun valuation

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has called on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to take control of the situation regarding general licences and introduce a solution as soon as possible.

According to research by BASC, the decision by Natural England to change three general licences for controlling specific wild bird species has resulted in estimated losses of £29 million for those affected.

The organisation conducted a survey on general licences in England following the revocation of General Licences 04, 05 and 06, which received over 29,000 responses. It found that 96 per cent of those who replied had stopped some or all of their pest control of wild birds as a result.

86 per cent of respondents estimated there had been damage to crops as a result, while 79 per cent estimated damage to wild birds and 59 per cent to foodstuffs for livestock.

The species covered by the revoked licences include crows, magpies, jays, jackdaws and rooks, feral and wood pigeons and Canada geese.

What’s more, nearly three-quarters (70 per cent) of respondents said they were waiting to be issued with new general licences that would cover their usual activity, and 58 per cent reported that the new general licences were “too impractical or onerous”.

Defra and Michael Gove put in a call for evidence earlier in the month in an attempt to find a solution to the problem. However, they received over 4,000 responses and need some time to work through all the evidence that was submitted.

BASC executive director of conservation Caroline Bedell commented: “While we accept that Defra has a vast amount of information to sift through following its recent call for evidence, the fact that so many people responded to that demand for evidence should give a clear signal to Defra that people are desperate and need a workable solution in days not weeks.”

The National Gamekeepers Organisation (NGO) issued an update for its members on the situation, noting that it is likely to be weeks rather than days before new licences are issued.

However, the organisation noted that Natural England is continuing to issue individual licences to those who apply. Priority is being given to applications for the protection of flora and fauna with applications being turned around “within days if not hours”.

But licence applications for the prevention of serious damage to crops and livestock are being addressed much more slowly, which is causing issues, the NGO stated.

In Scotland and Wales, however, the general licences remain in place while Natural Resources Wales and Scottish Natural Heritage gather information for a review of the system later in the year.

If you’ve got guns and are thinking of selling them because you don’t have any real use for them any more it’s worth bringing them in for a gun valuation. Rifles and shotguns can be sought after if they’re in good condition and you may find it’s the best way to go if you’re not planning on shooting any more.

There are a lot of great things about going on a shoot in the UK, but sadly the weather can never be guaranteed. That means we can often spend a lot of time out and about in the rain and, naturally, our rifle will get wet.

Of course, that doesn’t cause problems on the shoot itself but if you don’t clean your stalking rifle properly once you’re home and in the dry, it can lead to corrosion and damage in your gun.

Your first priority should be making sure that it’s able to properly dry out. As Shooting UK explains, you need to begin by taking out the bolt and removing the metalwork of the breech from the stock.

In general, there are just two screws to undo to achieve this, although the publication notes that it’s only really necessary if the gun has been truly drenched with water. If you’re not confident in taking these elements apart then find a professional to clean your gun.

Once you’ve removed the bolt, and possibly separated the breech from the stock, you need to leave your gun to dry. Place it and any parts you’ve removed onto a sheet of newspaper and leave them to dry naturally.

If your rifle has a wooden stock, do not put it anywhere like an airing cupboard or near a heat source as this will warp the wood.

Only once the barrel and stock are completely dry and all the moisture has been removed should you start cleaning it. Begin by cleaning the bore using a nylon or phosphorus bronze brush. Add some copper solvent to the brush and carefully work it through the bore.

When it comes out of the muzzle, add a couple more drops of solvent and bring the brush back up the way it came. Pull the cleaning rod back and forth a few times to make sure that there’s a sufficient coating of solvent.

Leave the barrel to soak for 10-15 minutes, before using a clean cloth or cotton patches attached to a rod to remove the solvent. Keep pushing these through the barrel until they are coming out relatively clean.

It’s important to remove all the copper from the bore because if it’s left there it can be corrosive, leaving corrosive deposits between the copper and the metal. If these build up over time they will affect the accuracy and cause pitting in barrels.

Don’t forget to also clean the chamber in case any deposits of copper have been left there too. Next, clean behind the barrel in the action. You should focus on the point where the bolt locks onto the abutments and where the lugs go. It’s important to clean away any residual debris. Finally, oil the bore.

You should leave cleaning the action to a professional gunsmith, but one thing you can check yourself is whether there are any bits of debris in the well in front of the bolt lugs. If so, carefully remove it.

Wipe the barrel with a lightly oiled cloth, and give the woodwork a wipe with a clean rag and you’re ready to put your gun away.

Remember that there are different stalking seasons for different species of deer and that these can vary between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The only exception is muntjac deer, for which there is no closed season.

If you need a gun valuation, contact us today.