ehb102 Posted June 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 21gr is a very light payload for a 12 bore, pattern must be thin at the best of times. 21g CompX in my 425 with quarter chokes can kill clays easily at 60 yards. Not in my hands unfortunately, but the cartridge is still better than I am! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShropshireSam Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 I would try out a range of guns. My semi-auto can give my cheek some damage (must be when I mount wrongly), but never have this problem with my O/U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett1985 Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 another vote for the gamebore super games in 24gram from me. not a noticeable amount of difference from 21gram carts with regards to recoil, but a little more lead in the air. just out of curiosity, have you tried a semi auto yet? my wife had a go on my beretta 1301 yesterday and found it very easy to shoot with. (she suffers from cheek knock aswell!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 (edited) The only problem with Comp X is that the shot size will be what it says on the box, a true 7 1/2. Have a look in the current Pull mag. there is a guide to shot size published on page 17, it may be of some help. Do not hesitate to use 24 or even 21 grams. If you plan on doing a lot of pigeon shooting, it may pay to pick up a cheap auto and preferably a gas operated one. They are nicer to shoot in a pigeon hide, easier to load and less chance of tangling with the hide. It is just a bit harder cleaning up before leaving. Anyone living near Kelbrook Lodge, Colne, Lancs. They have Express 29 gram felt wad 6 pigeon cartridge at £182 at present. Edited June 30, 2014 by Westley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilR Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 Martin Barker at Nuthampstead SG near Royston has got a supply of RC Romagnola cartridges in stock with fibres in 21g, 24g and 28g shot size 2.4mm so English size 7. The 24g are £160 a thou and the 28g are 165 a thou. I've bought a slab of 24g to try and will comment after Thursday on their performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 I'd say try a semi auto as they are light in weight and the recoil is less. Or go for a 28 bore I've never fired a softer 25gram cartridge, the gun goes pop and no felt recoil. Have you tried a neoprene gun stock sleeve to cushion your face. Figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itchy trigger Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 . Do not know which part of the country you are in but, if you can locate some Cheddite cartridges, I agree with Westley, I use Cheddite T2's Fibre wad for clays and pigeon , decoying and flighting, 28 gram 71/2's, so English 7's, fine out to 35 - 40yds my guns are 1/4 and 1/2 chokes, last time out at Bywell for a couple of rounds of skeet we each exchanged a couple of cartridges, the other people on the squad remarked on how soft they were, along with good kills, I thought the cartridges I got in exchange ( express, hull, gamebore) were not as smooth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evo Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 had to laugh at some of the early comments,,, good on you for putting those males in their place lol, I know you said its your face that's hurting and taking the recoil, so could you not get a gel pad to put on your stock as I think this will help and try using some eley Olympics 24g,,i found them an excellent choice of cart for the pigeons and also very light on the recoil, hope this helps atb Evo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Eye dominance and/or maybe a comb that is too low can make you end end with a sore face. I think begin with proper gun fitting from someone who knows what they are talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehb102 Posted July 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 I'm beginning to feel some people are not listening to me :-) I've HAD a proper gun fitting, the latest and most productive was at Nuthampstead with the great Martin Barker diagnosing me as needing lots of right-hand cast, and then working with my shooting mentor who corrected my stance whilst I was mounting the gun whilst Justin Risby the gunsmith put an adjustable backplate on my gun so I could have the cast I needed as a test run. Having tried it I like it but as I say upthread, it's not worth me splashing out for a permanently corrected stock until (a) I'm sure this is right for me and (b) I stop personally changing shape, which is going to be a while. Thus the current stock is slightly to much into my face, but I'm not ready to commit to getting it changed. It's fine for clays of all kinds, it's just live quarry I want to be sure about. I've read a lot about what kind of load to use where, and how it's irresponsible to ***** birds without killing them. I can't find a Cheddite supplier nearby, which is a shame because lots of people seem to recommend their cartridges. It's all Hull, Gamebore and Ely, and RCs at Nuthampstead now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 If you are fine on clays with the gun, you will be fine on the pigeons; even the best shot does not kill them all every shot. Eley First 24gm in 7 1/2's??? I'm beginning to feel some people are not listening to me :-) I've HAD a proper gun fitting, the latest and most productive was at Nuthampstead with the great Martin Barker diagnosing me as needing lots of right-hand cast, and then working with my shooting mentor who corrected my stance whilst I was mounting the gun whilst Justin Risby the gunsmith put an adjustable backplate on my gun so I could have the cast I needed as a test run. Having tried it I like it but as I say upthread, it's not worth me splashing out for a permanently corrected stock until (a) I'm sure this is right for me and ( B) I stop personally changing shape, which is going to be a while. Thus the current stock is slightly to much into my face, but I'm not ready to commit to getting it changed. It's fine for clays of all kinds, it's just live quarry I want to be sure about. I've read a lot about what kind of load to use where, and how it's irresponsible to ***** birds without killing them. I can't find a Cheddite supplier nearby, which is a shame because lots of people seem to recommend their cartridges. It's all Hull, Gamebore and Ely, and RCs at Nuthampstead now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 (edited) OK, well if you say you are properly fitted, then have at it, but frankly something sounds wrong to me. Of course if you are still changing shape that is a variable about which nobody can help. I started the same way, in terms of getting bashed about, having been "fitted" by the instructor at the clay ground. I decided I was being sold bad information and went elsewhere. **** ******* was the guy who took a better look at me and tossed everything I thought I knew out of the window. Since then the only other people I have trusted on that score are Shirley and her husband at The Oxford Gun company. I learned more about what works and why from those I just named than from anyone else. (( OK, so why is the name of the guy edited out by PW filters? )) Edited July 3, 2014 by john_r Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 OK, well if you say you are properly fitted, then have at it, but frankly something sounds wrong to me. Of course if you are still changing shape that is a variable about which nobody can help. I started the same way, in terms of getting bashed about, having been "fitted" by the instructor at the clay ground. I decided I was being sold bad information and went elsewhere. **** ******* was the guy who took a better look at me and tossed everything I thought I knew out of the window. Since then the only other people I have trusted on that score are Shirley and her husband at The Oxford Gun company. I learned more about what works and why from those I just named than from anyone else. (( OK, so why is the name of the guy edited out by PW filters? )) Because, as usual, some guys on here were bad mouthing him so he had the Mods filter his name so he couldn't be discussed. Mr Yard-Lee is who you are referring to I assume Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30-6 Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 When i fractured my spine last year, getting back into it i tried EXPRESS SPECIAL GAME - 25g of 7. No recoil felt ( or very very little ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berettacocker Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 I shoot 32gm through my 682 beretta, really comfortable, even shooting 300 + in a day. Mate let me shoot a few ducks with his aya no2, which was about an inch or two too short for me, and after 10 shots I had enough! Cheek sore shoulder throbbing, and I'm 6' 2" and 17st. What I'm saying is, maybe your gun is a bit short for you, regardless of cast ? If not I shot a lot of pigeons, roost shooting with Express pigeon plastic wad 30 gm. Probably the softest 30 gm shell I've used. Only thing was I've never seen such rotten, dirty barrels since the baikal/ record days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilR Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Martin Barker at Nuthampstead SG near Royston has got a supply of RC Romagnola cartridges in stock with fibres in 21g, 24g and 28g shot size 2.4mm so English size 7. The 24g are £160 a thou and the 28g are 165 a thou. I've bought a slab of 24g to try and will comment after Thursday on their performance. I shot several boxes of the 24g #7's yesterday and found them very nice to shoot without recoil, unlike the 28s which, in my opinion, were quite thumpy. I placed the magnet and decoys in a newly sown cover crop of maize to try and draw the pigeons off line from the standing wheat which they were hitting and I shot 35 and picked 30 so an enjoyable couple of hours. Will definitely be buying some more of these cartridges ready for stubble shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
propercartridges Posted July 6, 2014 Report Share Posted July 6, 2014 hi ehb 102 I make a cart which is very soft on recoil I am going to Cambridge this week I can leave you 50 to try free at my mates in Cambridge now although its really meant for clays I do not agree to shoot pigeons with 7.5 so I have made sum in 6 shot at 28 gram which r soft so make your mind up what you want to try if you get this message in time thanks George young propercartridges.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehb102 Posted July 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2014 hi ehb 102 I make a cart which is very soft on recoil I am going to Cambridge this week I can leave you 50 to try free at my mates in Cambridge now although its really meant for clays I do not agree to shoot pigeons with 7.5 so I have made sum in 6 shot at 28 gram which r soft so make your mind up what you want to try if you get this message in time thanks George young propercartridges.com PM sent to George. What a kind offer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehb102 Posted August 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2014 Right, following all the advice and being nearly unable to find anything recommended in my local shops I gathered boxes of just about every kind of suitable cartridge I could lay my hands on. I tested them beforehand and they were all fine, apart from the 29g high pheasant, which were considerably thumpier than everything else. The box I worked my way through was 28g RC6s, sold to me by nice Mr Simpson of Newmarket. I only got through one box in my day. I said I wanted the authentic pigeon shooting experience, and the pigeons kindly complied and spent the entire day in woods not on the permission! But judicious use of bangers every half hour meant I had something to aim at a couple of times in the afternoon. Looking in the crops at the end of the day they hadn't really been feeding. I can now say I've done for a couple of pigeons, although they were fairly random fliers past my hide. I'm hoping to go out again and actually see the birds coming in to the pattern and the magnet. The pigeons were very tasty BTW. Not much breast meat compared to the ones I've been given previously but enough meat on four of them for a generous meal for two of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Albert Posted August 1, 2014 Report Share Posted August 1, 2014 Whilst you are changing shape I would suggest you try and find someone who has an old wet suit and cut a chunk of the sleeve off. Slip this over the stock and it should absorb the shock to your cheek. Failing that try a dive shop nearby and see if they have any offcuts of neoprene. This will absorb a lot of the shock to your cheek until you can get your gun altered to your new shape. Have you tried the Amber cartridges? They seem to get a good write-up in the press. Best of luck with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted August 1, 2014 Report Share Posted August 1, 2014 iv been shooting pigeons with 28g 7 1/2 for years killing out as far as 40 yards, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merseapaul Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 As others have said just stick to same ones you are using for clays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy King Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Get a gas operated auto it's very low on recoil regardless of what cartridges you use!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I put RC professional cartridges through my side by side and find them to be soft shooting and hard hitting. 30g 5 or 6 but I think they do an ounce load too which should be even softer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncher Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 21g CompX in my 425 with quarter chokes can kill clays easily at 60 yards. Not in my hands unfortunately, but the cartridge is still better than I am! I Have a 425 wildfowler and ive shot it for years then all of a sudden it beat the hell out of me and its all down to gun fit , I had an adjustable comb raiser and recoil reducer fitted cost me about £400 .Best move I ever made 50gram loads down I don't feel anything if you can afford to have it done and set to you the problem will go away overnight. jules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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