FIREARMS OFFICER STORED SURRENDERED GUNS AT HOME
A Firearms Enquiry Officer has admitted taking surrendered guns home, raising fresh concerns about the integrity of firearms licensing at a time when the Government is proposing sweeping reforms to the system.

FIREARMS LICENSING: A SYSTEM UNDER STRAIN BUT NOT BEYOND REPAIR
FULL STORY: PAGE 12 Martin Parker, head of

THE LATEST ON NATIONAL TRAINING FOR FIREARMS LICENSING
FULL STORY: PAGE 14 Speaking at the National

NON-LEAD FUTURE WILL RESHAPE GUN OWNERSHIP, WARNS AUCTION HOUSE OPERATOR
FULL STORY: PAGE 10 Simon Reinhold, head of

COUNSEL’S CORNER
PAGE 20 An examination of the Home Office’s

BALLISTIC BREAKDOWN
PAGE 24 Paul Bradley cuts through bore-care myths,

DIGITAL FIREPOWER
PAGE 34 Philip Montague explains why consultation periods

POLICE PERSPECTIVE
PAGE 28 Recent NPCC data prompts renewed attention

ASSOCIATION IN FOCUS
PAGE 30 The Deactivated Weapons Association explains its

A CRITICAL YEAR FOR THE GUN TRADE
On a recent call with a senior figure

THE NEWS IN NUMBERS
Minimum year prison sentence Alan Sharp could face

FIREARMS OFFICER STORED SURRENDERED GUNS AT HOME
A Firearms Enquiry Officer has admitted taking surrendered

COUNTRYSIDE ORGANISATIONS WARN OVER PCC ABOLITION
BASC and the Countryside Alliance have expressed serious

REMEMBERING PATRICK KEEN: A LIFE OF ADVENTURE, SERVICE AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE GUN TRADE
The shooting community has lost one of its

SGC GROUP CONFIRMED AS SOLE UMAREX AIRGUN DISTRIBUTOR AS ROTHERY CLEARS REMAINING STOCK
The SGC Group has reiterated that it is

HOME OFFICE OPENS CONSULTATION ON LICENSING FOR KNIFE SALES
The Home Office has opened a public consultation

DAYSTATE CONFIRMS EXPANDED PRESENCE FOR 2026 BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW
Daystate, Brocock and MTC Optics will exhibit on

HIGHLAND OUTDOORS IRELAND APPOINTS NEW NATIONAL SALES MANAGER
Highland Outdoors Ireland has appointed Neil Fox as

CLA PRESIDENT SETS OUT PRIORITIES WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR RURAL BUSINESSES
The new president of the Country Land and

PETITION OPPOSING MERGER OF SECTION 1 AND SECTION 2 LICENSING PASSES 57,000 SIGNATURES
Government petition opposing the merger of Section 1

NON-LEAD FUTURE WILL RESHAPE GUN OWNERSHIP, WARNS AUCTION HOUSE OPERATOR
Simon Reinhold, head of operations at Holt’s Auctioneers

THREE LEGGED THING GAINS UK DISTRIBUTION OF MANBILY
Three Legged Thing has secured exclusive UK distribution

BDS AGREES PARTNERSHIP WITH THOMAS JACKS
The British Deer Society has entered a multi-year

ON THE MARKET
PAGE 36 FX Airguns launches the new FX

FIREARMS LICENSING: A SYSTEM UNDER STRAIN BUT NOT BEYOND REPAIR
Martin Parker, head of firearms at BASC, opened

THE LATEST ON NATIONAL TRAINING FOR FIREARMS LICENSING
Speaking at the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation conference, NPCC

GUN TRADE JOBS
ROYAL AIR FORCE COMPANY INFORMATION: The Royal Air

INSIDE THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF GUNMAKERS
Gun Trade Insider met with Richard Hefford-Hobbs, Master of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers until recently, to explore the company’s origins, purpose and continuing influence on safety, skills and standards within the UK firearms trade. And to understand the two distinct and separate parts of the Company, Proof and Civic Livery.

REDUCING DANGER TO THE PUBLIC?
With the Home Office preparing a consultation that could align Section 2 shotguns with Section 1 firearms, barrister Nick Doherty examines whether the proposals would genuinely improve public safety or simply damage the UK gun trade.

INSIDE THE GTA ARCHIVE
Gun Trade Insider speaks with Dr Nicholas A. Harlow, gun room manager and archivist at James Purdey & Sons, about the recently transferred Gun Trade Association archive, its historical significance and what it reveals about the UK trade.

THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR BORE
Modern barrel materials and propellant technology have made many beliefs about bore care outdated. Paul Bradley examines the myths, the science behind achieving consistent precision and the practical maintenance practices used.

MESSAGE FROM THE GTA
Dear GTA members and the wider trade, I

HEADLINE STATISTICS OBSCURE TRUE LICENSING PICTURE
Firearms licensing performance is under renewed scrutiny as recently released NPCC figures raise serious questions about how police activity is being presented. Chris Downes examines why headline statistics can mislead, how this affects retailers and certificate holders, and why clearer, evidence-based reporting is essential as reform accelerates.

DEACTIVATED WEAPONS ASSOCIATION: GIVING CLARITY TO A COMPLEX CORNER OF THE TRADE
Speaking to Gun Trade Insider , chairman Barry Johnson outlines how the association came to exist, how its role has evolved and why its work now extends far beyond deactivated firearms, reflecting broader responsibilities across the trade today.

MARKETING FOR MOBILISATION
With the Home Office set to consult on aligning Section 2 shotguns with Section 1 firearms, unity across the sector will not be enough on its own. GTI’s resident marketing guru, Philip Montague, sets out why consultation periods should be treated as time-limited conversion campaigns, using clear messaging and simple systems to turn broad agreement into timely, credible action.

FX AIRGUNS LAUNCHES THE NEW FX LEOPARD – A BOLD ADDITION TO THE FX LINE-UP
Released on December 10th, FX Airguns unveiled the latest variant of its acclaimed Leopard platform. The new FX Leopard Composite is a stripped-back evolution of the original tube model and marks the Swedish company’s first production airgun finished in FDE (Flat Dark Earth).

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Gun Trade Insider offers a detailed examination of the latest developments across various international markets

DOWN UNDER
AUSTRALIAN RIGHTS COALITION FORMED A new advocacy group

MAINLAND EUROPE
CANIK AND CHIAPPA UNVEIL THE LTL SFX RIVAL