Michael Yardley

Michael Yardley

Mike Yardley, the author of a dozen books and more than two million words of journalism, is one of the world’s best known writers on sporting guns and shooting technique. He’s a graduate of London University and Sandhurst. His books include: Positive Shooting, The Shotgun: An Instructor’s Handbook & Backing Into the Limelight and a biography of T.E.Lawrence. He has broadcast much on terror, made films on JFK and RFK for the Discovery Channel, and was a main contributor to the Oxford History of the British Army. He has 70,000+ Twitter followers. He is also on Facebook and Linked in.

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Benelli 828 Silver Progressive

The Benelli 828 Silver Progressive is a most intriguing gun. With its hinged and sprung breech face and long, streamlined aluminium receiver (the hinged face is steel), there is nothing else…

HJ Hussey Imperial side-by-sides

This month our test considers a pair of 29in-barrelled HJ Hussey Imperial sidelock ejectors built by Grulla Armas, the respected and long-established Spanish maker. They have been produced for and…

Holland and Holland Takedown rifle

The spotlight is on the new Holland & Holland (H&H) Takedown Magazine Rifle in .375 H&H belted magnum – still one of the most versatile and applauded big-game cartridges ever…

Beretta A400L

I have been looking at the latest, scroll-engraved version of the Beretta A400 semi-automatic: the A400L. The gun is 3in chambered for high-performance steel (as well as standard loads), and…

Browning B25 Superposed

The word ‘legendary’ is often applied promiscuously to sporting guns but is well deserved in the case of the Browning B25 Superposed, which has just celebrated its 100th birthday. The…

Fabarm side by side guns

I’ve taken a look at two Fabarm side-by-sides imported by Anglo Italian Arms. Both are built on rounded-bar, forgedsteel- frame, trigger-plate actions that are mechanically alike. The guns have similarities…

Chamberlain vintage side-by-side gun

This test gun is not our usual fare, being an intriguing Edwin Chamberlain back-action, seven-pin sidelock ejector side-by-side made circa 1900 (somewhere between 1896 and 1904 from the proof marks).…

Rizzini BR221

For the November 2025 issue of The Field, I was testing two new BR221 guns from Rizzini imported by Anglo Spanish Imports (ASI) of Snape: one is a 28-bore, the…

The 28-bore is enjoying something of a renaissance. Once deemed only for young shots and lady guns, it now has a growing band of enthusiasts of all ages and sexes.…

Manor & Co .22 revolving carbine

The test gun is a bespoke Manor & Co .22 revolving carbine – a most unusual (but repeatable) custom creation. It is built on a centrefire-sized frame with interchangeable .22…