As we look forward to summer sunshine, spare a thought for this month’s ‘cover star’ Mark van den Boogaart who did it tougher than most during this season’s red deer Roar back in April. The seasoned hunter weathered storms, mud and 24 hours of torrential rain, yet gallantly battled through to single-handedly take what was undoubtedly the toughest trophy of his hunting career. In review this time we have a handful of exceptional firearms, Daniel O’Dea running the rule over the sensational Sako 100 switch-barrel rifle, while Con Kapralos has been out and about with the Mauser M25 Extreme straight-pull which is due to arrive on these shores any day now. Rifles aside and Paul Miller has turned his attention to the Yildiz Pro Black Sporter 12-gauge shotgun which he reckons, with the quality on offer, is a bit of a steal at less than $5000. Every shooter has benefitted from a decent pair of binoculars at some point and Matt Godson has taken a deep dive into the latest Frontier laser rangefinders from Hawke, a product he says will give great service to hunters and target shooters alike. And on a sad note this month, we bid farewell to John Downing, aka Jeremiah, war hero and former editor of the SSAA ‘Journal’ who has died aged 91. His friend and former colleague Geoff Smith has paid a fitting tribute to a genuine shooting ambassador and a true one-off.

Value for money is something we all appreciate for our hard-won dollars and that goes for firearms too. This month we’ve turned the spotlight on the latest hunting rifle from Czech manufacturer CZ in the 600 American, available in a huge range of calibres and priced below the $2000 mark. This one’s adorned with walnut and blued metalwork and, according to our reviewer, should appeal to more established shooters as well as those new to the sport. And speaking of latest offerings, we also take a look at a new side-by-side shotgun from Turkish player Yildiz. The Elegant A1 E Special in 12-gauge under review handled itself admirably both in a hunting and sporting clays scenario and this beautiful-looking firearm also fits the value-for-money category. Optics-wise this month, we put a pair of Leupold binoculars to the test and found they did nothing but enhance the company’s fine reputation, while a stunning combination from Steiner in their eRanger LRF binoculars and riflescope were equally impressive. We’ve also assessed the Caldwell Flashbang hit recorder, handy for a bit of range practice on your own, and a pair of Summit GTX boots from Kiwi manufacturer Crispi for those who fancy their chances in the high country. Elsewhere, Joseph Nugent tackles the Thermal v Night Vision debate, John Dunn demonstrates how to make a simple knife sheath and all our usual columns are along for the ride too. Enjoy!

As a hunter you’re looking for every possible edge in the field and, with modern advances, there are more options now than ever before with thermal technology arguably the most useful. For our cover story this month, Matthew Godson has run the numbers on the latest Thermion 2 LRF XL60 from Pulsar, a riflescope combining high-definition thermal imaging with an integrated laser rangefinder which he reckons “stands out as a valuable tool” but be warned, it doesn’t come cheap! We’ve also put a couple of superb new rifles in the spotlight this month, Chris Redlich getting to grips with the Ruger American Gen 2 Scout for a trip that turned into an unbelievably close encounter with a huge wild boar which almost put an end to his hunting career. Elsewhere, Daniel O’Dea has been out and about with the latest Anschutz Model 1761, a firearm aimed at the small calibre Precision Rifle Series and one which he says only goes to enhance the Anschutz reputation of highly accurate and well-built firearms. Switching to shotguns and Paul Miller was suitably impressed by the Beretta 688 Performance 12-gauge which, in his vast experience, performed as well anything from the iconic Italian manufacturer and comes highly recommended. Completing one of our most eclectic editions of recent months we also focus on tripods, ammunition, knives and, courtesy of John Maxwell, take an inside look at ARES Armaments, a new player in the Aussie munitions sector based in South Australia. As ever our columns, features and Letters to the Editor are also on display to provide something for everyone as we bid farewell to another winter.

We’ve long known that shooting can be a family affair and, for this month’s cover story, seasoned rifleman and columnist Mark van den Boogaart has demonstrated just that by enlisting the help of his 12-year-old son in reviewing the latest .22LR offering from Tikka, the T1x Hunter, a rifle which he reckons is ‘accurate, functional and reliable, all of which meant it was perfect for a slightly nervous young man and first-time shooter’. Sticking with rifles, Daniel O’Dea heralds the ‘return’ of Smith & Wesson to the lever-gun arena. S&W and lever-guns we hear you ask? Well, read Daniel’s review of the Smith & Wesson 1854 and you’ll see exactly what he means. Also this month, senior correspondent Rod Pascoe lifts the lid on those often mysterious and sometimes misleading markings on firearms as he takes a deep dive into the world of proof markings, explaining exactly where, when and why they find their way on to every gun in our possession. The feral pig is a curse on farmers and rural land owners across most of Australia and this month Bonnie Nicol has outlined the 10,000 Ears project, a fascinating account of a joint venture between scientists and recreational hunters to tackle the crisis head-on. And speaking of hunters, don’t miss our spotlight on binoculars, as we run the rule over several pairs which can give you the edge next time you go bush in search of anything from the humble rabbit to a majestic trophy stag. And along with all our regular columns, features and letters to the editor, we feel there’s something for every shooter to enjoy in our August offering.

Our July magazine heralds a revamped Australian Shooter in which you’ll notice a few design changes and some new inclusions. We start our relaunch with a ‘Lefty’ Special in which some of our writers, all left-handed shooters, offer their take on the sport from an “outsider’s” point of view. Our CEO Tom Kenyon joined forces with regular contributors Mark van den Boogaart and Paul Miller to run their expert eyes over seven modern rifles and assess them in left-handed configuration. But don’t think these firearms are exclusively for the lefties, as they’re all available in right-hand mode too, so this is good information all round. We also have an eclectic mix of other lefty articles, from hand and eye dominance, putting together a custom-built left-handed hunting rifle and we hear the views of Aussie Olympian Aislin Jones who tells us what it’s like being an elite lefty shooter. Elsewhere this issue we launch Leaders in the Field, a new regular feature where some of the sport’s ‘go-getters’ open up on what they do and what it took to be where they are today. Of course all our usual columns are still on board along with Top Shots and Letters to the Editor so, before ‘normal service’ is resumed next month, let’s dedicate this issue to all those treasured southpaws in our ranks and tell them: “Don’t feel left out!”

Our June edition features an eclectic mix of articles to keep you entertained as winter descends. Among the firearms reviewed this month is an excellent offering from Springfield Armoury, with distributor Nioa offering us the Boundary chambered in .308 Winchester, a gun our reviewer reckons is aimed at those who “demand a lightweight rifle, engineered and manufactured from top-grade components and made to perform in all environments”. We’ve also ran the rule over the new Beretta BRX1, a modular and interesting rifle that’s completely ambidextrous, with right-to-left conversion being super-easy to achieve. And if hunting or pest control are on your winter agenda, Joseph Nugent recommends a handy and versatile Havoc bipod from US firm BOG which he found extremely helpful in boosting his success rate. The handgun enthusiasts out there will be interested in a new start-up industry based in Canberra, our man Rod Pascoe paying a flying visit to check out their range of holsters, magazine pouches and gun belts. We’ve also road-tested scope rings, hearing protection, a red dot sight and ammunition checker, while John Dunn has turned the spotlight on the stunning range of San Mai knives made by NT master knifemaker Steve Sunk. And with our regular columns, letters and competition reports, we have you covered as the nights grow longer.

As Australia continues its fight to control the ever-growing hordes of feral animals on the rampage, both primary producers and recreational hunters alike need every advantage available to them. And that’s where advancements in technology are vital, as demonstrated in this month’s cover story where Chris Redlich went in search of feral pigs and wild dogs with the help of the new Pulsar Telos XG-50 thermal monocular, making the most of its long-range and zoom features to put a few more predators on the ground. And speaking of long-range, Paul Miller has run the numbers on a superb rifle/scope combination from Remington and Leupold which opened his mind to the possibility of expanding his own hunting limits from 300m to around 500m. Still on rifles and Con Kapralos has got to grips with the latest bolt-action offering from Serbian player Zastava in their LK M70, which he reckons is aimed squarely at the rifle purist who’s a fan of the popular Mauser M98 action. Of course, firearms are no use to us without ammunition and the experienced Thomas Tabor has taken an in-depth look at ‘the good and bad’ of bullets and the importance of selecting projectiles which are fit for purpose. Elsewhere, Derek Nugent has some sound health advice for every outdoors man and woman, senior correspondent John Dunn turns his attention to bladeware and the ‘other’ American classic, while John Maxwell reports that Australian authorities are getting better at tracking 3D-printed guns.

It can sometimes be surprising how many like-minded fellow shooters are out and about in the community without us knowing it, and the subject of this month’s cover story is exactly that. Regular contributor Derek Nugent had no idea that when the people next door sold up and moved away, his new neighbour would be a keen shooter with a custom rifle that’s the stuff of dreams. The pair have since become regular shooting and hunting buddies and no doubt will be for years to come. We have a couple of excellent rifles under review this month, with Daniel O’Dea running the numbers on the Blaser R8 Professional Success, while Chris Redlich has nothing but praise for the superb Benelli Lupo High Precision. Products in the spotlight this time include Sordin Supreme Pro-X electronic earmuffs, Howa deluxe walnut rifle stocks, the affordable Pecar Black Carbon riflescope, Pro-Shot cleaning gear to keep your firearms in tip-top condition and a new range of hard gun case from Pro-Tactical. And with competition reports, readers’ letters and our usual range of columns and advice, we feel there’s plenty going on in this issue.