Media Officer Kate Fantinel takes a look at Landline’s television coverage of the SSAA Farmer Assist program and the on-the-ground efforts by one Farmer Assist member in managing wild dogs on a Queensland cattle farm. James Cheung examines the trend in tactical firearms and what makes a firearm ‘tactical’, while Leon Wright shares his success in hunting teal with the 20-gauge and Lionel Swift talks about the importance of location in securing deer. We review the Nosler Model 48 Patriot in .270 Winchester, the Montana American Standard in .30-06 Springfield, the Leupold VX-6 3-18×44 Custom Dial System scope and the Lightforce PRED3x rifle-mounted light, and we announce the first four recipients of the SSAA National Academic Bursary program.

We wrap up all the action from this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where the Australian Shooting Team finished on top of the shooting medals table, and we check out the SSAA rifle and pistol shooters who took on the world’s best in France and the United States and came up gold. Paul Miller reviews the new Walther Terrus .177-calibre air rifle, and John McDougall field-tests the Miroku Mk 11 Sporter shotgun. John Dunn reflects on the Savage Model 340 .22 Hornet rifle, and John Hill resurrects a Super Simplex reloading press. We report on recent findings about the effectiveness of baiting as a coordinated animal control method, and the Senate continues its Inquiry into civilian firearms ownership.

Con Kapralos tests the Christensen Carbon One Classic .30-06 and Paul Miller looks at the Sako 85 Hunter Left-Handed .243 Winchester rifle. Senior correspondent John Dunn hunts a trophy red stag with a Remington Hepburn .38-55-calibre rifle and trials a Meopta MeoPro 3-9×50 scope, and Ben Unten heads out with some friends to a family property and manages to knock over a few ferals. We interview NRA National Firearms Museum curator Philip Schreier about his visit to Australia and profile the 2014 WFSA shooting ambassador Theresa Vail, and SSAA National responds to a number of current political issues, including a Greens senate inquiry that may affect Australian firearm owners, and a misguided and potentially ineffective national ballistics information system.

This month marks 100 years since the start of WWI and in remembrance, Royce Wilson takes a look at the service rifles used by each of the countries involved in the war. Paul Miller reviews the Akkar 3 triple-barrelled 12-gauge shotgun and Bruce Wellington tests the Henry H001 rimfire lever-action rifle. Neal Finch from The University of Queensland shares some results from the 2012 Australian Hunter Survey, and Tim Blackwell tells us why he’ll always remember taking his first sambar stag. Enrico Hoover from New Zealand introduces us to a new long-range rimfire shooting competition that’s proving popular with new and experienced shooters alike, and we meet the shooting team who will be representing Australia later this month at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

SSAA Hunting Officer Matthew Godson discusses crocodile safari hunting in the Northern Territory, while Peter d’Plesse is reminded that hunters should always do themselves the favour of listening to the story of the land when seeking out their quarry. We have reviews on the Ruger American Rimfire .22LR and Sauer S101 Classic XT .30-06-calibre rifles, Browning B725 Sporter 12-gauge shotgun and Hawke Sport HD 3-9×40 IR AO scope, and John Broxburn discusses how we can find out whether our scope’s adjustments are just what they claim to be. We meet the members of the 2014 SSAA National Executive Board, and the SSAA sponsors two important causes: Australia’s first all-abilities children’s playground, and the charity Black Dog Ride for mental health awareness.

Senior correspondent John Dunn visits the Lithgow Small Arms Factory and gets a hand-on experience with the highly anticipated 101 CrossOver .22 rimfire prototype rifle – the first new sporting rifle to be designed and built in Lithgow for more than 40 years. Also under review is the Savage Model 12 F-Class single-shot 6.5-.284 Norma-calibre rifle, the Chrony Beta Master chronograph and Remington’s Nitro Sporting Clays 28g No. 7½ shotshells. Mark van den Boogaart proves there’s as much enjoyment in sharing in a mate’s successful hunt as there is in your own, and Dave Burgess shares his tips for helping along beginner shooters and hunters. We also take a look at a SSAA rifle range that is now home to a unique koala conservation project.

In commemoration of the centenary of Australia’s involvement in the First World War, Rachael Andrews takes a look at some of remembrance events planned for 2014 and Royce Wilson provides a historical overview on the SMLE Mk III and III* rifles from WWI and WWII. Dick Eussen reviews the Russian-made Baikal MP-221 double-barrelled rifle in the time-proven .45-70 Government calibre and John Pond tests the Gamo DynaMax PCP air rifle, while John Hodson considers the devastation caused by bushfires and what it means for both the environment and hunters. Steve Hurt investigates reports about the United States moving towards lead-alternative bullets for hunting, and the SSAA announces its new academic bursary program for university students.

Keen game-bird hunter Leon Wright shares his calendar for hunting a variety of winged creatures in Australia and nearby southern islands and New Zealand (great advice for the upcoming duck and quail seasons!), while young hunter Julian Bennic shares his story about a late-summer bow hunt for foxes. Paul Miller reviews the striking looking Anschutz 1727F .17HMR-calibre match-grade rifle, Con Kapralos looks at the high-quality Colt M2012 Light Tactical rifle in .308 Winchester, and Rod Pascoe tests Leupold’s RCX-2 Trail Camera System. Beretta Australia breaks into a new market with its range of Italian wines, and we share some insights into the SSAA’s online membership survey.