Shooting Equipment and Accessories Buyers Guide

Shooting is rewarding and often very challenging… dealing with the extreme of our climate is just the beginning.

ArdMoor offers the very best shooting equipment and accessories. The outdoor enthusiast simply needs the best equipment and in an attempt to help we have listed some key product areas that you might want to consider. If you would like a more tailored service please do not hesitate to contact one of the ArdMoor specialists by email or phone – 01620 671 480.

Gun Slips

Protection from moisture and knocks are the key roles of a gun slip. The most common gun slips are made from canvas or leather but modern waterproof materials are also used. In both cases a soft thick lining like wool or foam is paramount to ensure the protection of the gun. You should also consider different types of zips, a gun slip with a full zip ensures it is easier to dry after a wet day’s shooting.

So what do we recommend? We’ve highlighted 5 of our favourites below:

Croots Rosedale Shotgun Slip with Flap, Zip and Handles

 

Harkila Shotgun Slip In Leather

Jack Pyke Shotgun Slip-Duotex

Croots Malton Bridle Leather Shotgun Slip with Zip and Flap

Jack Pyke Leather Shotgun Slip

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Rifle Slips

Look for the qualities mentioned above as well as ensuring there is space for the scope, moderator and bipod. A good carry system is vital, particularly for those hard days on the hill. The rifle slip should be designed so the rifle can be removed from the protective rifle slip quickly and quietly. We are pleased to recommend the following rifle slips:

Ridgeline Classic Rifle Bag

Croots Byland Leather Bipod Rifle Slip with Flap and Zip

Laksen Rifle Slip

Napier Razorback Gun Covers

Croots Rosedale Canvas Bipod Rifle Slip with Flap and Zip

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Game Bags

Game bags are an important shooting accessory for outside shoot days as a well as rough shooting. A large game bag is generally preferred as it can be used to store extra clothing as well as game – particularly on a days walked up grouse shooting! Game keepers and pickers up are rarely seen without a game bag on a day’s shooting.

With that said, we’ve handpicked some of our game bags as a recommendation for the different seasons:

Seeland Game Bag

Croots Rosedale Canvas Game Bag

Bisley Game Bag

Harkila Fenja Light Rucksack (75L)

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Cartridge Bags

A leather or canvas cartridge bag protects your cartridges from the elements and is a key piece of shooting equipment particularly on semi-driven and drive shooting days. A good cartridge bag should last a lifetime and is often something that is passed down from one generation to another. Cartridge bags come in different sizes (capable of carrying 50, 75, 100, 150 12 bore cartridges), we recommend that a cartridge bag with the capacity for 100 x 12 bore cartridges is the most practical. For those of us luck enough to have a loader a cartridge bag with quick loading capability is the ultimate in luxury.

Here are the recommended products:

Croots Rosedale Canvas Cartridge Bag (75-100 Cartridges)

Bisley Canvas Cartridge Bag (100 Cartridges)

Croots Byland Leather Cartridge Bag (75-100-150 Cartridges)

Seeland Cartridge Bag (125 Cartridges)

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Cartridge Belts

Although generally associated with rough and semi-driven shooting a cartridge belt is a very useful shooting accessory in all types of shooting. Loading a shotgun form a cartridge belt is the easiest and quickest way to reload and it ensures the cartridges are the right way up when being put into the breach of a shotgun. It is a great way to carry 25 cartridges whether you are out all day or heading off wildfowling/Duck flighting. An additional bonus is that the belt offers a method to carry birds and also attach dog leads. When sizing a cartridge belt it is worth considering that the cartridge belt can be worn either outside or inside a shooting jacket or other outer wear such as a shooting waistcoat or shooting fleece.

Here are the recommended products:

Croots Malton Bridle Cartridge Belt with Release Clips (25 Cartridges)

Croots Malton Bridle Leather Cartridge Belt

Bisley Universal Cartridge Belt (25 Cartridges)

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Ammo Holders

When carrying rifle bullets it is a good idea to keep the bullets separated to ensure they are in perfect condition when being fired. There are a number of Ammo Holders that are worth considering and benefits include keeping the ammunition dry as well as ensuring ease and speed of reload when filling a rifle magazine. In some Shooting Jackets and Shooting Trousers such as the Harkila Pro Hunter range you will find that the shooting/stalking jacket pockets have built in Ammo holders – these are a fantastic addition to any item of stalking and shooting clothing.

Here are the recommended products:

MTM Ammo Wallets

Harkila Cartridge cover for shotgun and rifle cartridges

David Nickerson Leather Pouches (8-10 Rounds)

Stalking Rucksacks

Extremely useful when covering a lot of ground on foot without the support of ponies, quad bikes or Argocats. Generally, these are only useful for smaller deer such as roe.

Check out our recommended stalking rucksacks below:

Shooterking Venator Rucksack

Harkila Bearhunter rucksack chair (25L)

Seeland Rucksack Chair

Ridgeline Gunslinga Backpack – 35 Litre

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Gun and Rifle Cleaning

Shooting equipment is subjected to the same extremes as the user and it is vital that guns, rifles and accessories are kept clean and well protected from moisture. It is also vital to clean a gun or rifle after every use as the barrels are subjected to the corrosive gases released when a cartridge or bullet is fired. Note, this is particularly true when moderators are used, we would recommend that a moderator is always removed and sprayed through with oil after a day’s use.

Here are the recommended products:

Parker-Hale PS1 Kit

David Nickerson Shotgun Chamber Brush

Bisley SO4 Shotgun Cleaning Kit

Decoy Shotgun Cleaning Kit in Plastic Box

David Nickerson Comprehensive Kit

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Duck Flight Torches

At the end of an evening flight a torch with a powerful beam is critical to ensure all quarry is picked. Focusing the beam on the duck in the water helps the dogs retrieve particularly as the water diminishes their key sense – smell.

Here are the recommended products:

Princeton Tec Remix Headlamp

Walther Tactical Guard Series 80 Torch

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Stalking Lamps

A key part of the gamekeeper’s toolset. Both mounted and portable lamps are key to success against the most adept predators and vermin. In many ways a portable set is a fantastic gift as this give an additional option in areas where vehicle access is restricted.

Here are the recommended products:

Walther Tactical Torch 250

Princeton Tec Remix Headlamp

View Stalking Lamps

Should you need any help buying the correct clothing for gamekeeping our experienced staff will be happy to help you find clothing to suit your requirements. Keen to keep reading? We have a host of other guides available on a range of subjects, see more ArdMoor Guides here

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