A passion of the royal family

The sporting rifle in the hands of a deerstalker dates back earlier than many realise, writes Diggory Hadoke

A young Prince William — now the Prince of Wales — shot his first Highland stag at Balmoral aged 14, as was widely reported in the press at the time. The announcement was in no way unusual for members of his family; an illustration in The Times from 1858 shows his Victorian forebears engaged in Highland stalking on the very same estate. Stalking has been a passion of the royal family and the landed gentry for as long as firearms have been available to sportsmen. The rifles that evolved as the sport gained popularity in Britain improved dramatically during Queen Victoria’s reign. The history of stalking deer with firearms in Britain began in the flintlock era. However, it required several step-changes in ignition system, barrel making, bullet design, sighting and loading operation…

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Shooting Times & Country (Digital) - 1 Issue, 14-Jun-2023

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