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WHY 100 YARDS ISN’T THE ONLY ANSWER WHEN ZEROING YOUR RIFLE

WHY 100 YARDS ISN’T THE ONLY ANSWER WHEN ZEROING YOUR RIFLE 100 yards has long been regarded as the standard distance for zeroing a rifle. But is it actually the best choice? The answer depends on how - and where - you shoot. Walk onto almost any rifle range and 100 yards is likely to be the first distance mentioned when the subject of...

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POTENTIAL CHANGES TO SHOTGUN LICENSES - SIGN THE PETITION

Proposed Changes to Shotgun Licensing: Why Parliamentary Discussion Matters A petition currently open to the public is requesting parliamentary consideration of stopping a potential merger between Section 1 and Section 2 firearm licences. While this may appear to be an administrative adjustment, it could represent a substantial change to...

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The Latest From FX Airguns - The Leopard Air Rifle

.center { text-align: center; } New from FX the Leopard Sniper Air Rifle The latest release from FX is the Leopard, and it capitalizes on everything FX seems to have learned from their previous rifles. This model follows a bullpup format, allowing for a relatively long barrel while keeping the overall rifle length...

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CZ 600 American in 223

.center { text-align: center; } By Chris Parkin CZ are now offering the 600 action with an `American` style ambidextrous walnut stock for hunters. The rifle is an intermediate weight at 3.2 kg with a 610mm/24” barrel (depending on calibre) producing all the velocity promised from factory ammunition. The barrel is cold hammer...

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Caldwell Stable Table Deluxe Shooting Bench Review

.center { text-align: center; } By Chris Parkin Caldwell’s Stable Table Deluxe is a purpose built, portable shooting bench with all the features required to set up for a day shooting with perfect stability. The bench arrives boxed and takes about 10 minutes to assemble for the first time with basic tools....

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Element Optics Nexus Gen II Review

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Zan Slugs in sub12ft/lbs

.center { text-align: center; } By Chris Parkin Zan airgun slugs can be used extremely effectively in sub12ft/lbs airguns. The 10gr slugs have been built for improved performance at lower speeds the 10gr has been designed shorter and with a hollow point to stabilise better in break barrel and 12ft/lb PCP rifles where...

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Get Ready for Impact - The FX Impact M4 Has Arrived

.center { text-align: center; } Get ready for Impact! - The M4 has arrived Bursting onto the scene this August the FX Impact M4 is sure to be in demand as the latest incarnation of FX Airguns flagship rifle. Here we take a look at the hotly anticipated new model. Many consider the Impact as the peak of Airgun...

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CZ 457 Varmint Synthetic in 17HMR

By Chris Parkin CZ’s latest rifle is the 457 Varmint synthetic which is destined to be a success with hunters. This streamlined rimfire is available in both 17 HMR (16”) and 22 Lr (16” & 20”) format and also compatible with any other CZ barrel kit. This cold hammer forged with a 1 in 9” twist rate for tiny 17 HMR bullets, it’s...

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Element Optics Helix 4-16X44 FFP APR-2D MRAD

By Chris Parkin High magnification can so easily be seen as a benefit, yet I am a bit of a stickler for the benefits of low magnification and improved resolution, especially when compact is king. Element optics have certainly made a name for the high mag scopes offering all the latest mod cons like zero-stops, reticle choices, M.O.A. or Mrad...

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Ashcombe Browning Sporting Masters Competition

.center { text-align: center; } The Browning Sporting Masters Competition at Ashcombe Shooting Ground Open to all, the Browning Sporting Masters at Ashcombe Shooting Ground, Devon, will be held on Fri 30th August - Sun 1st September. Shot over 15 stands with 120 targets, this competition includes £15,000 worth of prize...

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New to SGC & Products to See at the BSS

FX DRS Classic Introducing a masterpiece hunting rifle prepared to make a statement. The simple yet sophisticated FX DRS design allowed FX to create a true high-end airgun like never before. By eliminating some of the distinguishing features inherent to airguns, such as the air tank, the FX DRS looks more minimalistic in design with the...

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Element Optics Titan 3-18x50 FFP MIL

.center { text-align: center; } * { box-sizing: border-box; } .column { float: left; width: 50%; padding: 5px; } .row::after { content: ""; clear: both; display: table; } @media screen and (max-width: 500px) { .column { width: 100%; } } I first used the Titan in 5-25x format last year so the...

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The Best CZ 457 Variant? - Our Review of the CZ 457 MTR

.center { text-align: center; } By Chris Parkin Yet another great CZ 457 Variant... possibly the best given the weight and stability offered. CZ’s 457 Match Target Rifle or “MTR” has a great visual appeal for those wanting the latest mechanics yet still showing some of the classic looks in a material that will...

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Element Optics Accu-Lite Mounts Review

Element Optics Accu-Lite Mounts By Chris Parkin I can be very critical of scope mounting solutions but have very much liked using the Accu-lite mounts from Element optics for several reasons. With the growing mass of both optics, and additional components like night vison add-ons and large, long range illuminators, reliable mounts...

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CZ 600 Range - Review

CZ 600 Range in 308 The CZ 600 Range immediately looked an exciting and adventurous rifle from this seemingly modest company from the instant I first saw one. It’s designed for shooters for whom precision is the priority and carries the most stringent accuracy guarantee of 3/4 M.O.A. (using match ammunition) within the entire 600...

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Primary Arms GLX4 Series 6-24x50 FFP Riflescope

Primary Arms GLX4 Series 6-24x50 FFP Riflescope Any riflescope with a 6-24x50 specification is easily compared and contrasted with its direct peers who use a similar 4x erector tube to meet this specification in the same price bracket. What’s most interesting is how each manufacturer goes about making their internally similar scopes...

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Cashback on Browning, Winchester & Miroku Shotguns

Cashback Offer from Browning, Winchester & Miroku Browning and Winchester are excited to be able to offer an exceptional cash back offer on NEW Browning, Winchester & Miroku shotguns between 1st October and 15th December 2023! When a customer purchases a brand-new Browning or Miroku O/U, a Browning semi-auto or a Winchester...

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SGC and JSB Join Forces!

SGC and JSB Join Forces! The SGC Group are proud to announce they will be “The UK and Irelands official importer” for JSB ammunition. A pivotal moment for the SGC, this new partnership sees the company once again confirm its place as a major supplier of airgun products. As the UKs leading shooting sports company, SGC are excited by...

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Everything You Need to Know About the Hypr-7 Riflescope

You are the owner of one of the most advanced shooting systems on Earth. With the release of the Element Optics HYPR-7 riflescope, we want to ensure that you have all of the information at your disposal to make the most out of your exciting new purchase. The New HYPR-7 You may be wondering what HYPR-7 means. Element have confirmed that...

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ZAN Projectiles and Sub 12ft/lbs Airguns

ZAN Projectiles slugs are not just for FAC. In-fact they can be extremely effective in 12ft/lb rifles according to founder and CEO, Žan Šude. The first consideration that needs to be made when choosing your airgun slugs, is the grain weight. For non-FAC airguns, ZAN’s 10 and 13 grain slugs are perfectly setup for this use. .177...

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New UK Distributor for ZAN Projectiles

SGC Trade are proud to announce a new distribution deal with ZAN Projectiles. With the evolution of high-power precision Air Rifles, the requirement for precision ammunition has grown. Having consistent ammunition that can match the performance of the latest FX and high-end PCP rifles is a must for any shooter looking to harness their...

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CZ 457 Thumbhole Laminate 17 HMR

CZ 457 Thumbhole Laminate 17 HMR By Chris Parkin It wasn’t so long ago that the laminate stock upgrade was a popular route in customising any action for which the correct inlet was available. CZ have set out with their rimfire to offer variants to suit the needs, stature and aesthetic preferences of most shooters and although fundamentally no...

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20-bore ATA Arms SP Elegant Gold Game - 98% Rating

By Matt Hunt Overall rating: 98% Product: 20-bore ATA Arms SP Elegant Gold Game Manufacturer: ATA Price as reviewed: £999.00 Appealing to the masses with exceptional value for money and a product range catering for every conceivable taste, budget and sporting...

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PARD NV008S and NV008S LRF

PARD NV008S and NV008S LRF I was lucky to bring an early version of the latest PARD NV008S night vision scope back from the British Shooting Show in February and have since received the full production version in both variants, one with and one without the laser rangefinder. Both units are class 3 laser products and fully certified safe to comply...

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How to Clean a Rimfire Rifle

How to clean a rimfire rifle Cleaning a rimfire rifle shows similarities to a centrefire but does have a few different factors to consider. First off, it is to make sure the gun is unloaded and remove the bolt. You can treat these stages separately but it’s best to start on the barrel first so it can be `soaking` whilst attending to the other...

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Choosing your CZ 457

Choosing your CZ 457 Choosing your first rimfire is often a very exciting task so it’s good to do the background research and think not only about calibre, but which rifle will suit your hunting and shooting requirements best. The 457 action was an immediate hit as it combined all of CZ’s traditional manufacturing ethos with...

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Top 3 FX Air Rifles

By Chris Parkin Trying to sum up the capabilities and variation across the FX range in one short article is an almost impossible task but I can quite understand why the Crown Mk II, Impact M3 and Maverick are at the forefront. My experience with Impact Mk II last year drew me into the world of airgun tuning and in FAC format, this rifle was a...

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CIP, London & Birmingham Proof House’s Barrel Proof Symbols...

Use of Steel Ammunition Knowing what steel ammunition can and can’t be used with shotguns bearing both CIP proof marks and historic national proof marks, or “proof symbols”, can be very confusing. The proof symbols are explained in their simplest possible terms for what ammunition may be used with the relevant proof symbol above....

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Safe Shooting at Night - The best equipment to use, how, where, and when...

By Chris Parkin Safe shooting is the absolute unarguable must in our sport to maintain safety and the sport’s longevity. The use of night vision and thermal imaging equipment has opened night shooting up for many people, you need less kit and it’s a lot easier to shoot alone without an additional `lamp man` that many of us got used to having...

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What are the differences, ATA SP Black Men’s and Ladies’ shotguns?

By Chris Parkin A few people have been interested to hear the direct comparison between men’s and Ladies/youth models of the SP Black Shotguns from ATA and after taking two otherwise identical 12g game guns to task, here are the definitive differences between the versions. Dimension Men’s Ladies/Youth model Calibre 12...

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Element Optics Nexus 5-20x50 FFP Riflescope

By Chris Parkin First focal plane scopes aren’t new but it’s somewhat of a buzzword now as “FFP” has not only become the preferred optic to shoot across multiple distance formats, but that popularity has been adopted by scope manufacturers at all price points. First focal plane offers a huge factor of simplicity as use of the reticle to...

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What moderators to choose & why they're needed for game shooting

By Chris Parkin Over my shooting career, moderators have changed from an unusual addition to a rifle that surprised people, to an almost integral part of the rifle, scope and mounts package. The UK seemed to be one of the countries at the forefront of civilian use with several UK manufactured brands as well as Scandinavian stalwarts. Early...

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Rifle Safety – How I treat my rifles and shooting in general

Rifle Safety – How I treat my rifles and shooting in general By Chris Parkin You are only ever as safe as your next shot and gun safety has to be both ingrained within your psyche as a shooter, yet never taken for granted that `autopilot` will cover you in all circumstances. I tend to follow the same rules and procedures throughout my work...

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FX EZ-Shot Chair: Review

FX EZ-Shot Shooting Chair By Chris Parkin All shooting accessories can be somewhat situationally dependant and fit quite unique scenarios and the FX EZ-Shot chair certainly brings comfort in some of the more sedentary situations. The EZ-Shot is a two-part light folding tubular assembly you can carry into location with a padded...

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PARD NV007A Night Vision 16mm 4x Rear Add On - REVIEW

By Chris Parkin I had always wondered if the concept of a rear add on night vision device might be step too far for someone strongly attuned to shooter ergonomics, so the PARD was a bit of a walk into the unknown for me. Opening the box shows the compact unit itself along with one of three possible scope mounting collars (42/45/48mm) that wrap...

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Thermal or Digital Night vision - The big question - is the additional...

This is a question I’m often asked and like most things in life, very situationally and budget dependant. Looking at likely quarry species in range of size with the hope associated environments will help illustrate points. If you are ratting with an airgun, night vision can open a whole world of shooting possibilities when minimal levels of...

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BOG Death Grip Tripods

By Chris Parkin The BOG’s Death Grip tripods are available in aluminium and weight saving carbon fibre variants but are otherwise functionally identical. Starting out at the patented clamp, the rifle is held securely in a 115mm long saddle, with rubber lined walls 50mm high. The easily gripped 80mm triangular side handle clamps forends of width...

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Elements Optics Helix 6-24x50 FFP, APR-2D MRAD

By Chris Parkin It’s great to see Element Optics offering first as well as second focal plane riflescopes at most market price points to assure users of getting exactly the functionality they require. The Helix is just such a scope, with a smooth matt finish 30mm hard anodised maintube. The Helix is available in both Minute of Angle (M.O.A.) or...

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Clay Season Shooting Essentials

Clay shooting is the popular and growing sport of shooting flying clay targets with a shotgun. Hitting the target requires skill, timing and hand-eye coordination and you can enjoy clay shooting at any level, from local club shoots all the way through to national and international competitions and the Olympics. There are a range of different...

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Primary Arms Holosun HS507C -X2 Awarded Silver Rating by NTOA

The Primary Arms Holosun HS507C -X2 has been tested and recommended by the members of the National Tactical Officers Association. Primary Arms Holosun HS507C -X2 Overall Score: 4.36 Tester 1 of 4 Tested by a police officer from California Design 5 Performance 5 Ease of Use 4 Size 4 Quality 4.5 Durability 4.5 Storage 4 Versatility 4.5...

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FX Crown MKII Compact - FIT FOR A KING

Alpha Militaria’s Rich Saunders gets delusions of grandeur when he tests the FX Crown MK2 Compact Two cups of tea and half a packet of hobnobs and I still can’t come up with a royalty-themed pun that isn’t rubbish or been used before, so I’ll just get on with it… Though perhaps best known for its market leading bullpups, such as the...

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Saving the UK's Native Red Squirrels

The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel common throughout Eurasia. It is one of Britain’s most iconic and beloved mammals. Once the most common squirrel in the UK, they are now under threat. In Great Britain, Ireland, and in Italy numbers have decreased drastically in recent years. This decline is...

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A Handy Guide to Gun Dogs

When thinking of breeding from a current gundog that has been a faithful servant to you in the shooting field or looking online and asking fellow guns for recommendations for a new puppy, the job of selecting the future generations of the breed needs careful thought and consideration. Whether a stud dog from the litter your stud bitch has...

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CZ 457 Long Range Precision Review

CZ 457 Long Range Precision Review by Chris Parkin for Gunmart - March 2021 CZ’s 457 LRP is a heavy fluted barrelled, target stocked variant of the core 457 multibarrel platform and although not facilitating fast changes, allows extra barrel kits. Here, the major exhibit is the stock, something a lot of designers get creative with but do not...

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FX Impact and PARD NV008P LRF - A Review

Controlling pests on more than a thousand acres across the south of England means Alpha Militaria’s Rich Saunders is no stranger to shooting in the dark, in fact he finds it the best time of the day to tackle rabbits and rats. He’s been using ATN X-Sights for almost as long as he can remember, usually on Daystate rifles. In fact, his current...

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Six of the Best - National Tactical Officers Association of America Awards...

The National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) has awarded Primary Arms Optics with six new ratings. NTOA evaluate products based on their performance in tactical law enforcement applications. Ratings cover many of the 2020 Primary Arms releases, including the SLx® 3x Gen III Prism, the SLx 5x Gen III Prism, the SLx MD-25 Red Dot Sight,...

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The New Sole UK Distributor of CZ Firearms

In case you missed the initial announcement, Sportsman Gun Centre is proudly the new and sole UK importer and distributor of prestigious firearm manufacturer CZ (Česká zbrojovka). CZ has been manufacturing firearms for over 80 years and boast an impressive range of centrefire hunting & rimfire rifles, sport & competition...

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The Basics of Reloading

Reloading Introduction RELOADING IS AN ENJOYABLE HOBBY, saves you money — and no manufacturer saves you more than Lee Precision, Inc. Their mission is simple: produce the best value American made reloading tools. Great prices come from patented, innovative designs. The company are proud to say that Lee Precision products are cast, machined and...

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FX Airguns announce new sole UK distributor

The Sportsman Gun Centre Ltd is proud to announce that in February 2020, they will be the sole UK importer/distributor of the world-famous premium Swedish Air Gun brand FX Airguns. Founded in 1999, FX Airguns is fast becoming “THE” favourite among British airgun enthusiasts, so much so that historically demand has outstripped supply....

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The perfect hunting companion Zeiss

Thoughts on what makes the perfect scope The most important factors when choosing your scope are your particular hunting preferences and the conditions in which you hunt. All-rounder or specialist – this crucial decision will depend not only on what scopes you already have, but also on what, where and how you will want to hunt in future....

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Sole UK distributor for Battenfeld Technologies Inc

We are proud to announce that the Sportsman Gun Centre is now the sole UK distributor for Battenfeld Technologies Inc. Battenfeld has a broad range of shooting, hunting and conservation accessories to suit any real world situation. With some much loved brands such as Caldwell, Wheeler, Tipton and Frankford Arsenal, we are confident that this...

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Strasser RS14 Evolution

Strasser RS14 Evolution The RS14 Evolution is the new flagship straight pull rifle from Austria’s Strasser. The Evolution is positioned to build on its predecessor, the RS14, and boasts an unparalleled level of configuration. The key feature of the RS14, both past and present, is its modular design. This gives it the ability to quickly, easily...

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New UK distributer for Primary Arms Optics

Feb 2019 New UK distributer for Primary Arms Optics. We are privileged to be UK distributors for Nightforce, Warne, ATA’s KOFS and many more. We are proud to announce the newest addition, to our ever expanding portfolio, Introducing Primary Arms Optics. Both us and Primary Arms Optics see this as a huge step forward for the UK...

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Copper coated - The Eley Zenith

The Copper coated lead shot Eley Hawk, is a brand that has worked with copper-coated shot since 1992. Eley's first cartridge that incorporated copper-coated lead was the Classic Game paper case which was designed for use in traditional side-by-sides. Their latest cartridge, The Eley Zenith, was released in 2015 to suit modern over-unders. Why...

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The Zeiss Victory RF Laser Rangefinder Binoculars

Zeiss are known the world over for their superior quality optics. Whether it be in photography, medical applications, nature watching or hunting, Zeiss optics are always the market leader. Combine their world-class optics with superior Laser Rangefinder technology and you have a winning formula. The Victory RF Binoculars are a product of that...

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ATN X-Sight II HD - Big features, low budget

Since discovering fire humans have been finding more and more ingenious ways to combat the dark. One of the coolest and most ingenious night-defying inventions of the last century is night vision optics. Although a staple of many a Cold War or spy movie, commercial night vision optics have long been the playthings of those with larger budgets,...

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Daystate announce the Red Wolf and limmited edition Serie Rosso PCP air...

Of all the news and announcements to come from this year’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas, NV, we think one of the most exciting came from UK Air Gun manufacturer, Daystate. Daystate officially unveiled its eye-catching Red Wolf pre-charged pneumatic air rifle. It’s a hi-tech multi-shot, based on the electronic action developed from the company’s...

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SPORTSMAN GUN CENTRE BLOG

Get Ready for Impact - The FX Impact M4 Has Arrived

WHY 100 YARDS ISN’T THE ONLY ANSWER WHEN ZEROING YOUR RIFLE