Mat Manning
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Articles by Mat Manning
Hunting rabbits on a summer’s evening
In an article published earlier this summer in Shooting and Conservation, Mat Manning explains how using a mobile approach can help airgun shooters bag more bunnies. If you’re intending to make the most of the remaining months of warm weather, it’s well worth a read. Whether shooting for pest control around pony paddocks or harvesting wild meat for the pot, the warmer months are a great time for airgun shooters to get out and bag a few rabbits.
How to stay right on target
One question I seem to get asked more than any other is how airgun shooters can make their rifles more accurate. It is a fair question, as whether we are shooting for pest control or in competition, the ultimate goal is to place shots with optimum precision. There are several things you can do to enhance airgun accuracy. Gun support and shooting technique play a large part, but some simple refinements to your kit and how you use it can also make a big difference to pellet placement.
The HIKMICRO Condor LRF – seeing is believing - ShootingUK
Mat Manning shares his first impressions of a new thermal spotter which boasts remarkable image quality and laser rangefinder technology. In just a couple of years, HIKMICRO has established itself as a global leader in the field of digital day and night vision optics. The company states its key priorities for product performance as image quality, useability and reliability, and the new Condor LRF thermal monocular – which incorporates a very useful laser rangefinder – certainly ticks those boxes.
Putting the InfiRay Tube TL35 SE to the test
Mat Manning reckons more shooters should give thermal a chance after putting the impressive InfiRay Tube TL35 SE to the test TAGS: Air riflesOpticsScopesShooting Times Thermal optics have proven to be a useful addition to my night shooting line-up over the past few years.
Putting the InfiRay Tube TL35 SE to the test - ShootingUK
Thermal optics have proven to be a useful addition to my night shooting line-up over the past few years. While some shooters still regard this technology as being too expensive and overly complicated, I think they could be missing a trick, as it has helped me to bag pests in challenging scenarios when I would almost certainly have blanked without it.
Gun test: BSA R12 CLX Pro
Developing a new flagship PCP was always going to be one heck of a tall order for BSA. The Birmingham gunmaker’s R10 established itself as something of a modern classic, giving the R12 CLX Pro some seriously big boots to fill. So, is the latest leader of the Beeza pack up to the task? The first thing to strike me about the R12 was its stunning looks. It certainly has a familiar aesthetic, which is clearly inspired by its predecessor.
M15 4G Trail Camera from HikMicro on test by Mat Manning
Mat Manning puts the HikMicro M15 4G Trail Camera to the test Product Overview HikMicro M15 4G Trail Camera Product: HikMicro M15 4G Trail Camera on test Manufacturer: HikMicro Price as reviewed: £164.99 HikMicro M15 4G Trail Camera – a useful addition to your kit Using a trail cam to see what’s going on around your shoot when you’re not there can be a real revelation.
Air rifle pest control
Follow the air rifle pest control rules and you can usefully rid an area of corvids, greys and rats. You’ll also find an air rifle a versatile ally, as it will often be able to go where you can’t use a shotgun. (Read our guide to the best air rifles under £600 suitable for live quarry.) Control vermin effectively and you can rest assured that you are doing your bit to protect the local songbird population, who will be safer without predator pests around.
Five popular air rifles for under £500
The following are my pick of the best air rifles under £600, with models that I’ve been putting through their paces over recent months. They are in or around the entry-level price bracket, but still deliver solid build quality and dependable performance. (Prices correct at time of publishing.) Best air rifles under £600 Weihrauch HW95K £470 Break-barrel airguns are about as simple as they come, but that doesn’t mean there has to be a compromise on quality or performance.
some FAQs answered by air rifle experts
Airgun ammo FAQs and other queries Q: I have changed from my usual airgun pellets to a brand recommended by a friend. He has been getting great results with them, but they don’t seem very accurate at all through my gun. Have I bought a bad batch of airgun ammo?
Mission HD 10x42 WA binoculars from Konus reviewed by Shooting Times
Mat Manning puts Konus’s affordable Mission HD 10x42 WA binoculars through their paces on his woodland pest control rounds Product Overview Konus Mission HD 10x42 WA binoculars Product: Konus Mission HD 10×42 WA binoculars Manufacturer: Konus Price as reviewed: £115.00 Binoculars are a very useful accessory that too many shooters overlook.
The benefits of roving pest control
Springtime is an exciting season to be out with an air rifle. There’s a real buzz in the air right now, and you can literally feel the countryside coming to life as the weather warms up and the days grow longer. Although my best results usually come to ambush tactics, picking off pests from the cover of a hide, I do like to adopt a mobile approach when shooting in woodland at this time of year.
SWAT Prismatic Atom 10x30
Mat Manning puts the compact MTC SWAT Prismatic Atom telescopic sight to the test to see how this petite optic performs against its price Product Overview SWAT Prismatic Atom 10x30 Product: Compact MTC SWAT Prismatic Atom telescopic sight Price as reviewed: £370.00 As more and more shooters switch to bullpups and stubby carbines, the demand increases for diminutive optics to match their downsized guns.
Garden airgunning - 20 rules to follow
Garden airgunning is a great way to improve your target skills. Any garden with a range of above 20m will make for interesting shooting and allow enough room to set up an air rifle shooting range. Make sure that not a single pellets strays beyond your boundary. If it does, you are breaking the law. Stay on good terms with your neighbours. Tell them that you plan backyard plinking before you start shooting, and reassure them of the precautions you will be taking. Offer to show them the set-up.
Grey squirrel shooting: bait & wait tactics
Nothing has boosted my success with grey squirrel control as much as the use of feeding stations. It is a method I began to employ about ten years ago, and the results were phenomenal; rather than shooting one or two squirrels in an outing, I was suddenly nailing eight or nine, and often getting bags into double figures. Consequently, woods that were previously yielding a few dozen squirrels per year were suddenly giving me returns of over 200 in the same time frame.
Gun test: KalibrGun Cricket II Tactical
The KalibrGun Cricket has established quite a cult following over the past few years; something which can most likely be attributed to its combination of super-compact proportions, eye-catching design, reliable performance and solid build quality. The gun has seen numerous tweaks since its inception in 2006 and the subject of this review, the Cricket II Tactical Carbon Fibre, brings it bang up to date both in terms of styling and performance.
Baiting rats - some hints and tips
Baiting rats Q: I often use small heaps of bait to keep rats still while I use my airgun to control them around my friend’s farmyard — breadcrumbs and chicken feed work well. But it made me wonder whether it would be possible to use larger volumes of free offerings to lure the rodents out from areas where it is either difficult or unsafe to shoot them. Would this work? (Read more on ratting with an air rifle.) A: I often use feeding stations for rat shooting, and it can work very well.
Gun test: FX Panthera
After 20 years of reviewing airguns, it takes a lot to impress me when it comes to new hardware. The FX Panthera, though, has genuinely surprised and excited me with just how far it has refined the overall shooting experience and the potential to tweak and modify an airgun. Its price tag is in the ballpark of £1900, depending on which model you go for, but read on and you’ll see just how much you get for your money with this uncompromising PCP.
the new scope from Nikko Stirling put to the test
Some 35 years after serving his shooting apprenticeship with a Nikko Stirling scope, Mat Manning puts the new Diamond FFP to the test Product Overview Nikko Stirling Diamond FFP Product: The new Diamond FFP put to the test Manufacturer: Nikko Price as reviewed: £409.99 I have a fondness for Nikko Stirling scopes as my first telescopic sight was the firm’s Silver Crown 4×40.
Shooting pigeons with an airgun
Although a shotgun is usually my tool of choice for dealing with crop-raiding pigeons, shooting pigeons with an airgun is also an option. Out on open fields, these birds can sometimes be persuaded to land among, or at least close to, a decoy pattern, but it doesn’t always work. A more reliable and generally far less frustrating option is to target pigeons in trees that flank the fields where they are feeding.
Pard DS35 70 day and night scope: no escape for rats
Mat Manning sets up with the Pard DS35 70 day and night scope and heads out to rid a friend’s chicken run of unwanted guests Product Overview Product: Pard DS35 70 day and night scope: no escape for rats Manufacturer: Pard Price as reviewed: £749.99 Pard has been at the forefront of the recent night-vision revolution and has won a loyal following by striking a desirable balance between value for money, image quality and ease of use.
Gun test: Reximex Pretensis (Walnut)
As someone who has reviewed a heck of a lot of airguns over the years, I have learned to manage my expectations when testing kit with a lower than typical price tag – it’s only fair because a low-cost airgun is hardly going to compete with one costing several times as much. There are exceptions to the rule, though, and the subject of this review is one of them.
what's best? Wooden, synthetic or laminate?
Rifle stocks come in a choice of material – wood, synthetic or laminate. Which you choose for your particular rifle depends on a variety of things. To make things easier I have listed the pros and cons of wood vs synthetic rifle stocks here and included some info on laminates. Wood rifle stocks Wood is a natural material designed by nature to conduct sap up a tree.
Gun test: Niksan Escalade C
Airgun design tends to fall into fairly standard target, sporter or bullpup categories these days, but there are plenty of shooters out there who want something a little different. For those who feel less inclined to follow the herd, the Niksan Escalade C from Just Airguns offers an alternative that although slightly off the beaten track in terms of its styling, is built around a robust and accurate PCP.
Frontier LRF 8x42 binoculars from Hawke
Binoculars equipped with a laser rangefinder can be a real asset to rifle shooters who need to know exactly how far away their target is. Although such optics are more of a luxury item for shooters like me, who tend to focus on the control of grey squirrels and rabbits over closer distances, I know foxers and deerstalkers who rely on them as everyday essentials.
Spring-powered airgun or a PCP? Which should I buy?
A: The advice you have been given is correct — in part. Because of their moving parts, and the bouncing action of the piston in particular, spring- powered airguns can recoil erratically if you rest them on a bipod or sticks, or lean them on something like a gate post. These movements occur before the pellet has left the barrel, so the best way is to adopt a gentle, consistent hold and allow the gun to recoil in the same way every time you pull the trigger.
Hawke Airmax 30 SF Compact
Mat Manning says the Hawke Airmax 30 SF Compact is a great little scope for the money - and it isn't only suitable for airguns Product Overview Hawke Airmax 30 SF Compact Product: Hawke Airmax 30 SF Compact: a great little scope for the money Manufacturer: Hawke Price as reviewed: £339.00 Being able to shave some weight off a rifle and scope set-up can be a huge advantage.
Ratting: night vision farmyard raid!
As winter gradually begins to tighten its grip, my attention turns more and more to the control of rats around farmyards. Temperatures are falling and natural food is dwindling, which means that hungry rodents are moving away from the open countryside and into the yard in search of easy pickings and a sheltered place to nest. Take the pressure off now and things can very quickly get out of hand, which won’t go down well with farmers who expect us to keep the unwelcome guests in check.
Pulsar Talion XQ38 riflescope: simple to use, yet very effective
Rabbits are making a real comeback on some of my shooting permissions, and the recent unseasonably warm conditions have seen their peak breeding season extended. While I am glad to see them back in good numbers, landowners are less impressed. On one estate where I control grey squirrels, the trees are now facing an added threat from rabbits, which have developed a habit of nibbling bark from around the base of saplings.
Starting with airguns
Whenever I talk with shooting friends about how we were introduced to the wonderful world of fieldsports, it never takes long for the conversation to turn to fondly recalled memories of our first airguns. Affordability, simplicity and comparatively low power output make the air rifle the ideal tool for new recruits, and I have no doubt that most Shooting Times readers will been launched on their fieldsports careers through starting with airguns.
Zeiss DTC 3/38 review
Mat Manning shares his thoughts on the Zeiss DTC 3/38 – a high-end thermal clip-on that takes day and night insight to the next level Product Overview Product: Zeiss DTC 3/38 Thermal optics have reached a phenomenal level of performance, and the Zeiss DTC 3/38 thermal clip-on is right at the forefront of technical innovation.
Night vision rat hunting
In cold weather rats are become even more of a nuisance than ever around farmyards. It’s an annual problem; most farms are home to modest populations of rats right through the year, but numbers usually increase rapidly during the winter when cold weather, rising water levels and dwindling natural food supplies force the rats onto the farm in search of shelter and an easy meal.
InfiRay Unique: a thermal advantage worth paying for?
Mat Manning takes the InfiRay Unique thermal spotter out on his rounds to examine the role of hi-tech optics in airgun pest control Product Overview Product: InfiRay Unique: a thermal advantage worth paying for? Manufacturer: InfiRay Price as reviewed: £3,000.00 Testing the InfiRay Unique A lot of modern electronic gadgets, especially thermal and infrared optics, can bring a huge boost to results when carrying out pest control with airguns.
the kit to use and how to do it effectively
The winter days may be getting shorter, but I’m not complaining – because while some associate this time of year with long nights snuggled up in front of the fire, I regard it as prime lamping season. And that means nights out rabbit lamping. Rabbit lamping In warmer months, you’ll frequently encounter daylight rabbits, often when they’re enjoying the late-evening sun or feeding on dew-softened grass at dawn.
Weihrauch HW80K review - Shooting UK
Mat Manning gets to grips with the new Luxus version of the famous Weihrauch HW80K Product Overview Product: Weihrauch HW80K Lasting success is not easy to achieve – especially in a world that has grown to expect change for the sake of change – but the iconic Weihrauch HW80K has managed to be a very desirable airgun for almost 40 years. Back in the 1980s, I wanted an HW80K because it was the gun used by John Darling, the father of modern airgun hunting.
Stalking rabbits with an air-rifle: 10 top tips
1. Think about scent Rabbits have a great sense of smell, and odours from the human world are one of the most likely things to blow your cover when you’re stalking rabbits with an air-rifle. Keep strong-smelling detergents away from your hunting gear and give the aftershave a miss if you’re planning to head out shooting. 2. Be light on your feet Apart from being able to hear the slightest sound, rabbits are also able to detect vibrations through the ground.
Lee Enfield Sentry
Mat Manning gives his verdict on the Lee Enfield Sentry, an affordable PCP that bridges the gap between sporter and tactical styling. Product Overview Overall rating: 80% Lee Enfield Sentry Price as reviewed: £400.00 The distinctively styled multi- shot Lee Enfield Sentry boasts some impressive features and retails for just £399 making it a very appealing passport to recoil-free airgunning for shooters on a tight budget.
How to gain your first air rifle hunting permission
One of the toughest hurdles faced by any aspiring air rifle hunter is securing a shooting permission – it’s the most challenging stalk most of us will ever be presented with. It’s seldom an easy task, and you need to prepare yourself for a few knockbacks along the way. But, with a little forethought and diplomacy, it can be achieved – and the satisfaction of acquiring your first permission more than makes up for the time and effort invested.
Sightmark Wraith HD
Mat Manning gets to grips with the Sightmark Wraith – a digital day and night scope that boasts admirable performance and easy operation without a hefty price tag Product Overview Product: Sightmark Wraith HD digital vision day and night scope Price as reviewed: £295.00 The Sightmark Wraith HD digital day and night scope is a great example of the recent advancement of infrared night vision tech.
Daystate Delta Wolf .177
The launch of the Daystate Delta Wolf was without doubt one of the biggest events in the 2020 airgun calendar. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the first fully functioning model, which was an awesome FAC-rated gun kicking out around 60 ft-lb. Impressive as it was, the majority of UK airgun shooters are off-ticket so they’re going to be a lot more interested in the sub-12 ft-lb model, and that’s the gun that I’ve spent a fortnight shooting in the lead-up to this test.
Fieldcraft over modern tech - Mat Manning goes back to basics for rabbiting
I have already written about the welcome bounce-back of rabbits on much of my ground following several lean years as a result of haemorrhagic disease. Their return has been quite remarkable and numbers got so high on one of my permissions at the start of the summer that the inevitable happened: the colony was hit by myxomatosis.
a junior sized PCP reviewed by Airgun Shooter magazine
Mat Manning assess the BSA Ultra JSR - a junior-sized PCP that's anything but small when it comes to features and build quality Product Overview Overall rating: 84% BSA Ultra JSR Product: BSA Ultra JSR: a junior-sized PCP Manufacturer: BSA Price as reviewed: £369.00 The BSA Ultra has made a name for itself as a super-compact airgun, so most people won’t be surprised to hear that it has now been made even smaller – with the BSA Ultra JSR – especially given airgun manufacturers’ fondness for...
Limited edition Daystate Red Wolf Heritage
The Daystate Red Wolf needs no introduction; it has established itself as one of the finest and most desirable air rifles on the planet since its launch. This awesome airgun not only boasts ingenious electronic internals that regulate power output and deliver remarkable performance and consistency, but is pretty kind on the eye.
Primos Trigger Stick field tested
Mat Manning explains why the Primos Trigger Stick is one of his must-have accessories and how he uses it to stay on target in the field Product Overview Product: Primos Trigger Stick field tested I test a lot of gear over the course of a year. Most of it is good and every so often I am so impressed with a new piece of kit that I decide to incorporate it into my own shooting gear line-up.
Daystate Huntsman Revere
When it comes to good-looking airguns, the Daystate Huntsman is difficult to beat. It strikes a wonderful balance between the elegance of a traditional sporter and the functional lines of a modern PCP. What’s more, it also shoots extremely well indeed. But Daystate is never content to rest on its laurels after producing a top-notch airgun.
MTC SWAT Prismatic scope
Mat Manning tries out the MTC SWAT Prismatic airgun scope and has to reconsider his views on super-compact sights. Product Overview Overall rating: 88% MTC SWAT Prismatic scope Product: Mat Manning tests the MTC SWAT Prismatic scope Price as reviewed: £399.00 Scopes with extremely short eye relief are very much the Marmite of the airgun optics world – people seem to either love them or hate them.
Brocock Bantam Sniper HR
Mat Manning puts the Sniper HR to the test Product Overview Overall rating: 84% Brocock Bantam Sniper HR Product: Brocock Bantam Sniper HR Manufacturer: Brocock Price as reviewed: £899.00 The super-successful Bantam from British gunmaker Brocock has been revamped and fitted with a regulator from Dutch masters Huma – to create the Sniper HR.
Sightmark Wraith 4K Ultra
Mat Manning puts the Sightmark Wraith 4K Ultra day-and-night scope to the test against a sudden influx of farmyard rats Product Overview Sightmark Wraith 4K Ultra Product: Sightmark Wraith 4K Ultra: it makes nocturnal ratting easy Price as reviewed: £599.99 Perfect conditions for testing the Sightmark Wraith 4K Ultra This summer’s dry, hot weather saw harvest completed in record time on lots of farms. The result was a sudden influx of rats moving on to farmyards in search of food and shelter.
ten tips for success in the field
Hunting grey squirrels with an air rifle 1. Set up a feed station Grey squirrels quickly home in on an easy meal, and you can create a hotspot by making your own feeding station. Fasten a hopper to a tree in an area you know to hold squirrels, load it with peanuts and the bushy-tails will soon be queuing up. 2. Keep concealed Grey squirrels are clever animals and won’t hang around if they think danger is lurking – even if you’re offering them a free meal.
Grey squirrel cull - what to do when they lose interest in feeders
I am a great advocate of using feeding stations to achieve meaningful results when undertaking a grey squirrel cull. Offering a ready supply of peanuts or maize is usually a sure-fire way to lure the destructive rodents away from their leafy hiding places and out into the open — where I can get a clear aim at them with my airgun. This method of tempting greedy squirrels out with food can often work right through the year, but there are times when my offerings go ignored.
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