Issue 78 December 2025

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Gunsmithing & Technical

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the vintage gun journal

Introducing the December Issue

Welcome to The Vintage Gun Journal, your free-to-view monthly magazine for all things British gun and rifle.

We hosted November's annual shoot party at Caynham Court again this year and despite the wet weather enjoyed a memorable week.

With all the bills paid and decks cleared we now look forward to the descent of family from all around the UK for the Christmas festivities, which will be upon us very soon.

My 1998 Land Rover Defender is undergoing a radical rebuilt at enormous expense. I'm planning for it to outlast me, which as I approach my fifty-ninth year, poses less and less of a challenge to the old workhorse!

Gun auctions are doing better business than the rest of the trade, which is hurting. Holt's and Gavin Gardiner both had succesful sales in November, showing that, if priced right on the day, everything will sell.

I continue my research into the Rigby archives for my next book, which I hope will be ready to publish in late 2026.

I have been delighted by the growth in confidence of my young vizsla (Worm), who is now hunting with confidence and taking inspiration from her mother (Vesper). Vesper is still loving the work at the grand old age of eleven-and-a-half. I cherish what I know are numbered days in the field with her.

As always, thank you for reading the VGJ and I would like to wish all readers a very merry Christmas.

 

write to the editor

Diggory Hadoke, Vintage Guns Journal Editor sitting at his desk working hard