Looking After Your Hunting Gear in Wet UK Conditions
Looking After Your Hunting Gear in Wet UK Conditions
What I’ve learned about keeping rifles and optics working in Britain’s damp weather
If you spend any time stalking in the UK, you quickly accept that wet weather isn’t the exception , it’s the rule. Drizzle, mist, soaked ground and damp air are part of everyday life, and if you don’t stay on top of your kit, it won’t take long before rust, fogged optics and small mechanical problems start creeping in.
Modern rifles and optics are well made, but they still need looking after. Most of the damage I see isn’t caused by one really wet day, but by gear being put away damp again and again. A bit of care after each outing makes all the difference.
Optics in Wet Conditions
Most binoculars, scopes and rangefinders used for stalking are waterproof, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore them in the rain. I keep lens covers on whenever I’m not actively glassing, and when I’m on the move in wet woodland, I’ll usually carry my binoculars under my jacket or in a covered harness.
If lenses get wet, I don’t wipe them straight away. Gloves and sleeves always seem to carry grit, and that’s a good way to ruin coatings. I let lenses air-dry first, then use a blower or soft brush to remove any dirt before gently blotting them with a clean microfiber cloth. I only clean lenses once they’re completely dry.
I also use scope covers on my rifles and keep silica gel packs in bino harnesses and optic cases. One thing I avoid completely is putting wet optics back into a sealed slip or case, as that just traps moisture and causes problems later.
Spotting Scopes and Tripods
Spotting scopes and tripods tend to suffer in wet weather because they’re often left out for long periods. I try not to extend tripod legs any more than I need to, and I avoid setting scopes down directly on wet ground, peat or rock. When I’m not looking through the scope, I make a point of keeping rain off the eyepiece.
Once I’m back, I collapse the tripod fully and dry each leg section properly. Any mud or grit around the leg locks gets cleaned off straight away. If the tripod’s going to be stored for a while, I’ll put a very light coat of oil on any exposed metal. After coastal trips, I always rinse the legs with fresh water before drying them.
Carbon fibre tripods cope better than aluminium, but in the UK’s damp climate everything benefits from being dried thoroughly.
Rifles in Wet Weather
Most stalking rifles in the UK have blued steel, and it doesn’t take much moisture for rust to start. In wet conditions, I carry my rifle with the muzzle angled slightly down so water can’t pool in the barrel. I also tape over the muzzle with insulating or electrical tape , it’s simple, effective, and doesn’t affect accuracy.
When I’m walking to and from the ground, I’ll often use a rifle slip or cover, but I never leave the rifle in it once I’m home. After the stalk, I unload the rifle, remove the bolt, and dry all the external metalwork straight away. I always run a dry patch through the bore and then apply a light coat of oil to the bolt, locking lugs, external metal surfaces and action screws.
Even leaving a rifle slightly damp overnight is enough to cause surface rust, especially in an unheated gun cabinet.
Moderators
Moderators are common on UK stalking rifles, and they need a bit of extra attention in wet weather. As soon as I can after shooting, I remove the moderator and let it drain and dry properly. I store it separately from the rifle and lightly oil the threads on both the barrel and the moderator.
One thing I avoid is leaving a moderator fitted overnight, as it traps moisture and is a common cause of corrosion around the muzzle and threads.
Clothing, Footwear and Other Kit
Most UK hunting involves repeated wet days rather than one big soaking, so drying kit properly becomes routine. I empty my rucksack completely and leave it open to dry, with all pockets and zips undone. Boots get dried slowly at room temperature , never near direct heat , and I’ll use newspaper or boot dryers to draw moisture out.
When waterproof clothing stops beading water, I reproof it. Even good waterproof kit will hold onto moisture if it’s not aired properly between outings.
A Simple Wet-Weather Kit
I keep a small maintenance kit either in the vehicle or the gun room. It includes a silicone gun cloth, a microfiber lens cloth kept in a sealed bag, a lens blower, insulating tape, desiccant packs and a light gun oil suited to damp conditions. Having it to hand makes it much easier to stay disciplined.
Final Thoughts
In UK conditions, moisture is relentless. Most problems don’t come from one bad day in the rain, but from gear being put away damp time after time. Spending a few minutes drying and maintaining kit after every stalk saves a lot of hassle and expense in the long run.
If you look after your gear properly, it’ll keep working when you need it to , whatever the weather’s doing. READ ARTICLE
What Scope Do You Really Need?
Thinking about buying a new scope? Confused by all the offerings?
You're not alone, with over 2800 listings for scopes and their accessories, there is an abundance of choice.
But it begs the bigger question — what do I actually need?
Well, it depends what you are doing.
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Backyard Shooting or Informal Shooting on Private Land
Backyard plinking is all about kicking back and having fun at close range, and you don’t need to spend a fortune on glass to enjoy it. Scopes from brands like Vector, Hawke, and Optisan offer good clarity and dependable performance for well under £300, making them great companions for casual range days or informal targets.
With this type of shooting, you don’t need additional high-end features because you simply won’t make use of them at these distances.
Competition and Small Bore Shooting
Air rifle and small-calibre target shooting demands consistency and accuracy. When the targets shrink, clarity and fine adjustment matter more. Scopes from Falcon, Arken, and higher-end Hawke models (around £1,000 or less) offer better turret tracking, cleaner glass, and adjustable parallax.
Hunting
Deer and fox hunting introduces real-world challenges — low light, awkward shooting positions, rough terrain, and moving targets. Higher-quality optics reward you here with rugged construction and brighter glass.
Long-Range Hunting & Long-Range Target
Long-range shooting requires the very best: precise turrets, world-class glass, zero stops, and refined reticles. Small errors at 100m become major misses at 1,000m.
In summary, choosing the right scope means understanding your shooting style and matching an optic to it. The best scope is not always the biggest — it’s the one that suits the task.
If you have any questions, please contact the Optics Warehouse sales team on 01803 611895.
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Yeti products. Are they worth it?
Now that we sell Yeti... buckle up kids, it's time for a sales pitch.
You're probably wondering whether it is worth getting a Yeti bottle or cooler instead of getting a random one from the middle of Lidl.
Fair enough question to ask, Lidl is pretty cheap.
I think it is because I have tried Yeti products in the hottest of conditions that would make any English person fall down with heatstroke.
AUSTRALIA
I have personally tested a few of the eskies (coolers) and the large water bottles (ramblers) and can verify that they work excellently while out in 40 degrees Celsius and out in the sun for hours at a time.
YETI Bottles
I owned a 64oz (1.9L) Rambler and I would take it everywhere.
Every morning, I would place 4 large ice balls in there with water straight from the tap and set off.
I would do farm work out in the country and if you've ever seen "Crocodile Dundee", it's a pretty apt description of what it was like where I was working (although significantly fewer crocodiles).
In the afternoon, after an entire day of the bottle sitting in the sun, bouncing around the buggy and being opened constantly, the ice would still be inside the bottle.
The middle of Lidl is pretty good, but I don't think it is that good.
Eskies (cool boxes)
We call them eskies in Australia.
I've used a few of these for transporting meat or keeping drinks cold during farm or range days—which, in Australia, is a lot.
On range days with 30 people constantly grabbing drinks, the ice still lasted all day, even in 30–40°C heat.
After the range day, we'd leave the esky outside and bring it to work on Monday. Even after sitting since Saturday, the ice was still there.
Transporting steaks was the real revelation. I would take frozen steaks home on a 6-hour drive in the back of a Ute. Even sitting in a scorching steel tray, they stayed rock solid the entire time.
These are just my experiences with Yeti—wholly positive—and I recommend the brand highly as it has never failed me.
Yes, they cost a bit more than other brands, but the quality makes them worth every penny.
Shop the full YETI range
Shop YETI Coolers
Shop YETI Bottles
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Delta Optical Stryker HD 1–10x28 FFP SDOG-1 Review: A Versatile Tactical Scope Built for Precision
Delta Optical Stryker HD 1-10x28 FFP 0.1 MRAD SDOG-1 Side Focus Rifle Scope (Serious Performance, Serious Value)
Straight away it’s clear this isn’t just another riflescope trying to blend in, the Delta Optical Stryker HD 1-10x28 FFP 0.1 MRAD SDOG-1 Side Focus is aimed at shooters who want solid performance without overcomplicating things. It looks well put together from the moment you take it out of the box, but as most shooters know the real question is how it holds up once it’s actually on the rifle. In this review we’ll take a proper look at what the Stryker is like to use day to day, how the 1–10x magnification works in real situations, how the reticle and adjustments feel and whether everything comes together the way it should. If clear glass, dependable turrets and all-round versatility matter to you, let’s see if this scope really delivers.
The Delta Optical Stryker HD 1-10x28 FFP is built for shooters who need one optic to cover a lot of ground, it’s a well proven LPVO that’s seen use at a professional level, including with the Polish Special Forces, and that pedigree shows in both the design and performance. Manufactured in Japan and fitted with HD/ED glass, it delivers sharp, high contrast images that hold up well across the full magnification range, one feature that immediately stands out is the inclusion of a side focus parallax adjustment, something you don’t often see on a scope in this class, with the ability to focus down to just 10 metres.
That close focus capability, combined with the wide 1–10x magnification range, gives the Stryker HD a level of versatility that suits a variety of shooting styles, at low magnification it’s quick and intuitive for close work, while winding it up provides plenty of detail for more precise shots at distance. The parallax adjustment keeps the image clean and well defined even at shorter ranges, which has made this scope particularly appealing to air rifle shooters and those competing in disciplines where close range accuracy really matters.
As a first focal plane (FFP) optic, the reticle stays true throughout the zoom range, allowing consistent holdovers and reliable ranging regardless of magnification, this is especially useful in dynamic shooting scenarios where magnification changes are frequent. The illuminated reticle adds another layer of usability in low light conditions, and the overall build quality feels solid and confidence inspiring, designed to handle demanding use without issue.
What makes the Stryker HD stand out isn’t just one headline feature, but how everything works together, the combination of optical clarity, usable magnification, close focus performance and robust construction results in a scope that feels equally at home on the range, in competition or in more demanding environments. It’s a well rounded optic that offers genuine capability across multiple disciplines without unnecessary compromise.
The SDOG‑1 reticle on the Stryker HD is a first focal plane MRAD-style “Christmas tree” design that works well at both close and long ranges. Because it’s in the first focal plane, the markings stay accurate no matter the magnification, making holdovers, range estimation, and windage adjustments easy to apply. At low magnification, the illuminated centre dot and surrounding circle allow for fast target acquisition, almost like a precise red dot, while the denser grid becomes useful as you zoom in, letting you judge distance, compensate for bullet drop, and track moving targets. In practical use, it’s versatile: you can quickly engage close-range targets on a 1× stage, hold over for medium-range shots using the hash marks, or smoothly transition to higher magnification for longer shots without losing reference points. This combination of speed and precision makes the reticle well-suited for dynamic shooting, competition, or any scenario where you need an optic that can handle both near and far targets effectively.
Parallax adjustment
The Delta Optical Stryker HD 1‑10x28 FFP features a side-focus parallax adjustment that ranges from 10 m all the way to infinity, giving the shooter precise control over focus across virtually any engagement distance. For Hunter Field Target or close-range air rifle work, being able to dial the parallax down to 10 m ensures the target stays sharp and the reticle doesn’t appear to shift as you move your head, which is critical for accuracy at short ranges. In mid- to short-range shooting, roughly 20–200 m, the adjustable parallax keeps the image crisp and the reticle stable, allowing for quick follow-up shots and tighter groups without worrying about parallax error affecting your point of impact. For hunting and longer-range shots, adjusting the parallax toward infinity keeps distant targets clear and helps with accurate sizing, terrain judgment, and reduced eye strain during extended observation. Overall, the wide 10 m to infinity parallax range makes the Stryker HD extremely versatile, performing well from very close targets to mid- and long-range engagements, while letting the shooter fine-tune focus for the specific distance they’re engaging.
Specifications
Magnification Range
1x - 10x
Objective Diameter
28mm
Field of View @ 100m
38.9m - 3.9m
Eye Relief
81-99mm
Diopter Range
-2D/+2D
Water Proof (N2)
0.3kg/cm²
Reticle Position
1st focal place
Illumination
Cross + ring
Counter Clockwise
YES
Per Click
0.1 MRAD
Per Revolution
10 MRAD
Elev AdJ Range
29 MRAD
Wind Adj Range
29 MRAD
Parallax Adjustment
10m - ∞
Zero-Stop
NO
Tube Diameter
34mm
Length
270mm (10.63")
Weight
600g (21.16oz)
COST
£1689.99
This scope truly is one of the best scopes in today's market. Offering 1-10x magnification which is one of the most versatile and useful magnification ranges around, almost every type of shooting is catered for in this scope. Pairing that with High Definition, Extreme Low Dispersion glass makes this scope immaculately clear and perfect for use in even the worst environments whether that be sunny days or the most overcast and stormy afternoons. If you needed a scope for HFT, hunting, target shooting or even just long-range plinking, this is the scope for you. With 11mrad in the reticle alone, you can holdover for 1000m on most intermediate cartridges (308, 6.5creed, 6.5x55) and adjust even further. I've used these types of scopes in target shooting rifles out past 300m and hunting and I can confirm that they are the most versatile, useful and reliable scopes as any target between 1-1000m is easily within view and able to be taken.
Shop Here: Delta Optical Stryker HD 1-10x28 FFP 0.1 MRAD SDOG-1 Side Focus Rifle Scope
Shop Delta Optical Here
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AREA 419 mounts. What can you do with them?
AREA 419 mounts. What can you do with them?
The best mounts on the market are a hotly debated topic in the industry today. Just about every manufacturer says that their mounts are the best in one way or another but who can we trust? Who is actually the maker of the best mounts? We believe Area 419 is a solid contender for the title of "best mount maker" in todays market because of the extreme level of quality and adaptability of these mounts with regard to attachments and modularity.
What makes mounts, "The best mounts"?
The best rifle scope mounts come down to doing a few things really well. Holding the scope solidly in place, keeping it aligned, and not moving no matter how much recoil the rifle has. The best mounts are made from strong, well-machined materials like aluminium or steel, fit the rifle properly, and clamp down evenly on the scope without stressing it. Quality hardware and proper torque matter because loose or poorly fitted mounts are one of the fastest ways to lose zero. Ring height also plays a big role, since the scope needs to sit at a height that feels natural and allows for a good cheek weld. In the end, the best mount is one you don’t have to think about—it just works, stays put, and lets the rifle and scope do their job.
What makes Area 419 mounts, the best mounts?
Area 419 takes a unique approach to making high quality mounts as they offer raw aluminium, precision bored scope contact surfaces for maximum grip, multiple accessory mounting points & steel guide pins between base and caps, aiding in alignment. These rings leave no doubt about the quality and performance these mounts are capable of. Area 419 mounts use precision-bored contact surfaces to make sure the scope rings are perfectly aligned and matched as a set. Instead of relying on separate parts lining up by chance, the mount is fully assembled and then bored so the inside of the rings is truly concentric. This gives even contact around the scope tube, which reduces stress on the optic, prevents slipping under recoil, and helps the scope hold zero more reliably. In simple terms, the scope sits straighter, grips better, and stays put.
What can the Area 419 mounts do?
The possibilities with these mounts are endless, you can attach any number of accessories or optics to aid in your shooting whether it be lasers, red dots, rangefinders or bubble levels, this scope can do it all. With the aid of diving board mounts, and side mount pic rails, it is extremely easy to add accessories to these mounts whether it is the Hunt rings or the match single piece mounts, they will all attach and interchange together.
Diving Boards
With the diving board mounts, you can attach rangefinders, lasers, red dots, and any other attachment you can use with picatinny rails.
Side mount picatinny rail
With the side mount picatinny rail, you can attach red dots, lasers, dope sheets or level.
Other accessories
With the modularity of the area 419 system, the above is by no means the only attachments you can put onto this mount.
There are direct fit data sheets, bubble levels, red dot mounts and offset mounts so you can use any accessory or optic, the way that you want.
The sky is truly the limit with these mounts. With the highest level of optimisation, innovation and reliability, it is difficult to look at other mounts. Yes, they can be a little expensive but for one mount in which every use and quirk has been thought of and anticipated, it is an absolute bargain.
Shop Area 419 here: AREA 419
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