Celebrating Rifle Shooter’s 10th Anniversary

Real-world tuition, honest kit tests and zero waffle

When Rifle Shooter landed on the shelves that October in 2015, it felt like someone finally made a magazine for the trigger-pullers rather than the tweed set. Founding editor Dom Holtam spotted two big things: rifle ownership was booming and Britain’s deer numbers had exploded. His promise? “Real-world tuition, honest kit tests and zero waffle.” Issue one of Rifle Shooter rallied Britain’s rifle nuts and never looked back.

One obsession, many flavours

Unlike the jack-of-all-trades titles, every page here points down a barrel. Foxing at midnight, stalking in the rain, PRS steel at 1,000 yards – if it involves a rifle, it makes print. Practical how-tos sat next to adventure pieces; classic .22s rub shoulders with the latest night-vision rigs. Three red threads tie it all together: accuracy, ethics and pure fun.

The crew

Dom set the tone, but the baton soon passed to editor Paul Austin, with Rebecca Green and Emily Damment keeping the engine humming. Out front you’ll know the regulars: Chris Parkin for geek-level kit reviews, Mark “Mr Rips” Ripley on lamp-shy foxes, and the maestro himself Mr Mike Powell –  the list goes on. Industry experts and true enthusiasts one and all.  Add vintage-rifle sage Diggory Hadoke and the roster reads like a who’s who of modern riflery.

Covers that hit the mark

Chamois on sheer Alpine scree; excursions into Scandinavian seal hunting; the multi-part “Getting into Shooting” starter series – all proof the mag could swoop from bucket-list epics to first-step guides without missing a beat. It was also first to really put night vision and thermal scopes through the wringer, long before they became mainstream.

Growing with the sport

Rifle culture changed; the magazine changed with it. As PRS matches and lead-free ammo debates surfaced, new columns and opinion pieces followed. A “Night Stalker” section appeared in 2020, and precision-rifle coverage now sits alongside stalking staples. Print evolved into a busy website, app and social feeds, but the heartbeat remains that bi-monthly thump through the letterbox.

Ten years in, the brief’s unchanged

Deliver sharp advice, honest reviews and great stories – all written by shooters, for shooters. Here’s to the first decade of hitting the mark, and the issues to come, full of tighter groups, healthier deer herds and bigger smiles behind the scope.

To celebrate Rifle Shooter’s 10 years in print we’ve got an amazing prize pool on offer from some of the biggest names in the business!

Browning X-Bolt 2 Alpen Varitech Moter Adjustable – the very latest in precision hunting tech (RRP £1,539)
Härkila Pro Hunter GTX Legacy Suit – 40th-anniversary evolution of the iconic Endure line (RRP £1,130)
German Precision Optics Centuri 2.5-15x50i (MOA/CCW) (RRP £579.99)
Le Chameau Zermatt Leather-Lined Low Boots – premium comfort and grip for the hill or any hunting trip (RRP £280)
West London Shooting School rifle lesson for two – a one-hour session on the John Rigby & Co. Rifle Range (RRP £250)

To enter this fantastic competition, simply click the link below.

Competition closes 10 September 2025

Did you know you can save on shop price when you subscribe to Rifle Shooter?

Pay just £4.50 per issue— 44% cheaper than buying in-store at £7.99!