Walker570

Well, Just Cartridges came good and delivered 125 Eley Bismuth to my door this afternoon. I splashed out and used two to do a non scientific testest. Measured precisely 27mtrs(88ft) as near 30yrds as needs be. Put a 3/8 ply board up with a sheet of 30x30 paper on it and fired the first shot. The pattern was thin but the small outline of the breast and head of a duck received three hits with the #5s. Now 3 hits with #5s on a duck should be good enough. Skinned many a pheasant with not a mark on them, not even teeth marks. The big deal at 30yrds was penetration, so I got a bunch of newsprint and soaked it then rolled it to a thickness that when flattened it was 10 inches by 4 inches and 3/4inch thick. I slid this behind the paper into the centre and walked back and fired another shot .. both shots off hand .. The pattern from the second shell appeared to be a little better and on checking the wet paper found that at least seven pellets had totally passed through and had sufficient force to bury themselves into the hard ply to the depth of the pellet. My feelings is that put this load in the right place up to 30yrds and it will cleanly kill ducks. 30yrds is a lot further than many of us estimate when we take shots. Shooting twenty odd days of driven birds through the season I estimate that the average distance is closer to twenty yards. The downside ? ? ? I have to wait until October before I can put them into practise :-(

Eley not now producing the 410 Bismuth but I did manage to secure 125 from Just Cartridges, their last few boxes. They might just see me through next season then I am into reloading, so plenty of time to research and experiment. I shoot bismuth through my 16 gauge and of course 12 gauge and have had good results but I only shoot at sensible ranges anyway. I think that is the key to non toxic other than maybe the Heavy stuff. If I want target practise at long range I go and shoot at clays. Many thanks for the info. At over a £ a shot I'm not going to do much testing but I will try some Eley in some wet newsprint and see how it patterns.

I will make enquiries on the Eley Bismuth because even reloading when you take into account the purchase of all the kit it works out at as much if not more. In the overall cost of 20 plus driven days a year the cost of cartridges to me is not something I think about. I will try and source a box of Eley and do some pattern testing etc., I have been at it long enough(6 decades) to know the limits of my gun/range etc. I have no time whatsoever for the shooting of pheasants out to 80yrds. How many of those get a #4 shot and carry on un picked. An interesting article on heavy loads versus light loads in 410s in particular indicated that a relatively light load, say the 16gr Eley had a higher mz vel and consequently a better chance of penetration. I will set up some wet newsprint and see what penetration I get at 30yrds/25yrds/20yrds with those Eley's. Watch this space. Many thanks for your contributions and I took the 'lead' comment as given 'tongue in cheek'. I have no truck whatsoever with breaking laws regardless of how stupid.

I am pretty sure 410 non toxic loads are not available factory loaded, so as I will be needing a fair few this autumn/winter I am considering reloading. Any of you done this ? Shooting Fiocchi and RC 3 inch #6s at the moment for pheasant/partridge/pigeon/crow with good success out of 30 inch full choke Yilditz barrels. The new shoot I have joined for the 2016 season has about a 30% possibility of wild duck, various species in it's drives, all birds within 30yrds. I can use my 16 gauge but enjoy shooting the 410. Would appreciate your thoughts. Been insulted by professionals so don't hold back :-) Toying with a 19/20grm load #6 bismuth ? 3 inch shell