In November 2021, the Woodleigh Bullets company suffered a devastating blow when a fire destroyed through their production facility in Victoria. Sam Garro charts the recovery and rebirth of an Aussie icon and what it took to put one of the country’s premier ammunition manufactures back on the map.

The new Howa Super Lite rifle really lives up to its name, tipping the scales at a fraction over 2kg, being based around a newly-designed reduced scale short action. We put the rifle to the test with reviewer Con Kapralos reporting: “This is a superb option for the stalking hunter looking for an affordable ultra-lightweight rifle.”

The Springfield Armory XD-M Elite in 9mm Luger is a polymer-framed, striker-fired self-loading pistol which comes with three stainless steel double-stack magazines. The gun has been carefully and impressively designed both in terms of safety and functionality and, as reviewer Geoff Smith assessed, is: “Well balanced, looks attractive and points well.”

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Of all the current Benelli Lupo models the Walnut is cream of the crop. It looks beautiful with its glossy BE.S.T. barrelled action and AA-grade walnut with subdued satin finish and the rifle’s inherent design features give it the utmost in form, fit and function for the discerning hunter.

Our Hunter’s Mancave series continues as Scott Heiman salutes his heritage and more in a purpose-built space, including reference to Trial Bay Gaol where his family was interred during World War One and even though they were all born in Australia, it happened because of their German heritage.

Sam Garro has been puzzling over unpredictable rabbit cycles, one of the mysteries of nature where only the creatures themselves sense or know when it’s the right time to procreate and/or adopt predator-evasive behaviour. As hunters it can be tricky trying to figure out what’s going on with rabbits in an area when one time there’s plenty of them and a few months later virtually none.

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For all its modern features and challenge to traditional design, the Sako S20 rifle upholds that company’s well-deserved legacy of building some of the best practical rifles on the market and if long range is your thing, be that hunting, precision shooting or both, the S20 is well worth a look. There are also several factory accessories available including a dedicated scope mount, larger capability magazines, muzzle brakes and extra length of pull spacers.

Defence company Thales, which manufactures the Steyr rifle and Minimi light machinegun for the Australian Defence Force, has developed a pair of rifles for when Australia follows the US and adopts the new 6.8 calibre cartridge and John Maxwell has been given access to the all details.

The Stellar SQ50 thermal scope by Hikmicro, from its traditional-looking styling to technical features, provides the user with loads of functionality in an easy-to-use package, the peace of mind warranty extending 10 years for the sensor, three years for the body and 12 months for the battery.

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The Australian-inspired Wild Boar rifle by Tikka is based on the ever-popular T3x platform and is a lightweight stalking rifle designed purely with Australian pig hunters in mind, providing a fast-handling, slick-cycling rifle with 10-shot capacity. As our reviewer noted: “The Wild Boar shouldered and cycled beautifully with that extra magazine capacity providing peace of mind.”

Leon Wright recalls his early shooting days when fox whistles, duck calls and the odd quail call were the only ones available. He never goes hunting without some sort of game call whether chasing foxes or even sambar deer and says if you’re a new hunter looking to improve your chances, then think seriously about game calls.

If you remember our SSAA/Beretta Australia custom rifle build project from last year, next month Mark van den Boogaart will tell the tale of how he and Gemma Dunn took their respective custom rifles on a successful hunt at a private property in the Bathurst area of New South Wales in search of deer and feral pigs.

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Element Optics’ range of riflescopes features a few different variants and Daniel O’Dea turns the spotlight on their Titan 5-25×56 offering which he says “appears to be good value at its price point in an otherwise crowded market”.
The Howa M1500 range of rifles have been an ongoing success story in Australia, and their Carbon Elevate in selected short and long action calibres makes for a superb lightweight hunting or long-range outfit, ideal for larger game species.
Our Hunter’s Mancave series continues as Brad Allen looks back at some of the spectacular trophies which have adorned his ‘Safari Room’ down the years, including this South African warthog (now a Hawthorn fan) taken by his son Macen.

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The Tikka T3x Varmint Hunter in .223 Remington is a rifle purpose-built for long-range vermin control and continues a winning formula for Aussie hunters. Our reviewer Chris Redlich did his bit for pest control during a night’s spotlighting and was so impressed by the rifle he placed an order for one in 6.5 Creedmoor. Elsewhere in this issue we take a look at the Winchester XPR Synthetic in .350 Legend, an enjoyable short to medium-range calibre rifle which can be had for less than $1000. Also under review are the latest laser rangefinder binoculars from German giant Steiner and we take road test a range of DeathGrip tripods from US firm BOG. Lionel Swift turns back the clock for an entertaining look at three old gun shops of Little Collins Street in Melbourne, Douglas Riach tackles the slippery subject of snakes and the hunter while senior correspondent John Dunn launches the first of a three-part special documenting his hunting return to the Cobourg Peninsula. And our usual columns, features and letters are all aboard as ever to keep you busy.

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The new all Australian-made Taipan Light pump-action rifle from Southern Cross Small Arms has arrived and looks certain to be a winner with Aussie shooters. Our reviewer Daniel O’Dea was part of the consultation process during the rifle’s development and has written as comprehensive a review as you’re likely to see anywhere. As he says: “With any new project there can be teething problems, but based on my experience with both pre-production and current series rifles it appears any glitches have been well and truly ironed out.” Also this month we take an in-depth look at the latest Howa M1500 Carbon Stalker, a rifle available in both short and long action calibres with a price bracket between $1500-$2000. Elsewhere we run the numbers on a few of the latest riflescopes from Cono-Tech who provided us with some samples from their Polaris range equipped with both thermal and rangefinder facilities. Mark van den Boogaart wraps up his two-part special on demystifying rifle stocks, Thomas Tabor continues or Hunter’s Mancave series with a look inside his impressive trophy room and Sam Garro address the issue of how to get landowners on-side and cement your place in their good books when it comes to hunting access.

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Our February cover story highlights the latest shotgun from Turkish manufacturer Yildiz which, at less than $1500, is one of the more affordable options on the market and one which our reviewer reckons will challenge many of the established brands out there. And in a review-packed edition we also turn the spotlight on the revolutionary new Monobloc rifle from Steyr Arms, Steiner Predator 4 riflescope, the Do-All Fowl Play portable clay target thrower, StrikeHold gun cleaner, Spartan binocular adaptor and Terra combat boots. Elsewhere, Mark van den Boogaart launches a two-part special aimed at demystifying the rifle stock and we embark on a new series entitled The Hunter’s Mancave, where some of our regular contributors look back fondly at their treasured mementoes and what it took to secure them. And with tales of hunting, the usual columns and letters page, there’s plenty to keep you busy as we prepare to farewell another summer.

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