matone Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Could anyone tell me what the difference is between these two 11/4 oz loads ? Was it velocity ?Other than case colour and head height the boxes don`t really give any indication ! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 The main difference was the length of the brass head on the cartridge and the Hymax were a little cheaper.. Both were good wildfowling shells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted October 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Thought that may be the case ! Thanks for your input,only ever used Alphamax but have a box of Hymax that I`ve never tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Apart from the brass head length, I think the Alphamax were claimed to be a bit faster than the Hymax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted October 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Always liked Alphamax 4`s for ducks back then ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
propercartridges Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 if you like any load get about 10 to me I will look at speed and pressure and mike the shot and get as near as I can to them for you any cart at all but no steel at the moment thanks george Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) Weren't Hymax a 2 1/2" 1 1/8 load? Alphamax were a 2 3/4" 1 1/4 load, but are now the 3" Magnum load, at least in bismuth. I'm going back a awhile though, before the lead ban for wildfowl. Nope, I'm wrong on the Hymax. http://www.ammo-one.com/12GA-ELEY-14.html I was thinking of the Maximum. Edited October 26, 2015 by Penelope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pushandpull Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 The original Alphamax (1936) were 3" and loaded with no less than 1 3/4 oz. using Neoflak powder. At the same time the original 2 1/2" Maximum catridges were loaded with the same then-new powder and 1 1/4 oz shot. Post-war the load in Alphamax went down as low as 1 3/8 oz so the Eley Magums introduced in the 1970s looked like really a heavy load at 1 5/8 oz in 3". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 1969 Eley Maximum 2-1/2" load 1-3/16 oz Hymax 2-3/4 load 1-1/4oz Alphamax 2-3/4" load 1-1/4oz and Alphamax 3" load 1-3/8oz then 2-3/4 Magnum load 1-1/2oz and 3" Magnum 1-5/8oz have all these cartridges in my collection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 (edited) Shot them all Boyd back then. I used to love Eley Maximum 1 3\16ozs s for duck inland and when I was a bit flush the Alphamax 1 1\4 oz for coastal tide flighting. The differance in hitting power for geese with the 3 inch magnums when they first came out was amazing. I seem to remember you knocking down 5 pinks in a row when we were out by the Fish Traps on the Wash one morning with the magnums. I could not quite match you with 4 for 5 shots and Nigel ( we credited it to him though nobody was realy sure ) had just one for quite a few shots. Ten pinks in one morning was an exceptional flight in those days on the Wash. I am struggling at the moment with my shooting. The semi auto has packed up so cant use steel at the moment and I am having to revert to Tungsten in the s\s, but my shooting is going through a bad patch at the moment . I have had this before , once you get used to steel I have trouble using other shells. Missed a sitter at pinks at the weekend in the Broads , It was so simple I could not beleve it just carried on flying and I forgot the second barrel until too late. Edited October 27, 2015 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted October 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Agree about the Maximums,I`m still using 70`s loaded ones and they are hard hitters.They smell better than new stuff too ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Shot them all Boyd back then. I used to love Eley Maximum 1 3\16ozs s for duck inland and when I was a bit flush the Alphamax 1 1\4 oz for coastal tide flighting. The differance in hitting power for geese with the 3 inch magnums when they first came out was amazing. I seem to remember you knocking down 5 pinks in a row when we were out by the Fish Traps on the Wash one morning with the magnums. I could not quite match you with 4 for 5 shots and Nigel ( we credited it to him though nobody was realy sure ) had just one for quite a few shots. Ten pinks in one morning was an exceptional flight in those days on the Wash. I am struggling at the moment with my shooting. The semi auto has packed up so cant use steel at the moment and I am having to revert to Tungsten in the s\s, but my shooting is going through a bad patch at the moment . I have had this before , once you get used to steel I have trouble using other shells. Missed a sitter at pinks at the weekend in the Broads , It was so simple I could not beleve it just carried on flying and I forgot the second barrel until too late. Fond memories Robert at least one or twice a year I drive to the beach park sit on the shingle letting the mind wander back to such mornings. Good times Robert never to be forgotten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimfireboy Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 Just sorting through, found some more old eley maximum in 4 shot. Eley have stopped making them now. Don't know when I bought these, might have been eighties? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 Shot them all Boyd back then. I used to love Eley Maximum 1 3\16ozs s for duck inland and when I was a bit flush the Alphamax 1 1\4 oz for coastal tide flighting. The differance in hitting power for geese with the 3 inch magnums when they first came out was amazing. I seem to remember you knocking down 5 pinks in a row when we were out by the Fish Traps on the Wash one morning with the magnums. I could not quite match you with 4 for 5 shots and Nigel ( we credited it to him though nobody was realy sure ) had just one for quite a few shots. Ten pinks in one morning was an exceptional flight in those days on the Wash. I am struggling at the moment with my shooting. The semi auto has packed up so cant use steel at the moment and I am having to revert to Tungsten in the s\s, but my shooting is going through a bad patch at the moment . I have had this before , once you get used to steel I have trouble using other shells. Missed a sitter at pinks at the weekend in the Broads , It was so simple I could not beleve it just carried on flying and I forgot the second barrel until too late. same for me when i jump from subsonics back to 1400fps loads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 if you like any load get about 10 to me I will look at speed and pressure and mike the shot and get as near as I can to them for you any cart at all but no steel at the moment thanks george thats a good sentiment, but the shells are gone, no longer made. i bet you could make something better with your eyes closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 (edited) if you like any load get about 10 to me I will look at speed and pressure and mike the shot and get as near as I can to them for you any cart at all but no steel at the moment thanks george Wish i had a few baikal record 32 gram red case 4s and 6s they steemed ducks crows and pigeons in fact prety much anything , and were cheap as chips, wimps cryed about therm being loud and frightening to use :lol: rumour was they stopped selling them because of this. Edited February 25, 2016 by TONY R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busbiter Posted February 26, 2016 Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 Never see a maximum in a black case! Beautiful They would have been from late 70's or any time in the 80's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimfireboy Posted February 27, 2016 Report Share Posted February 27, 2016 Never see a maximum in a black case! Beautiful They would have been from late 70's or any time in the 80'sThanks for that, I couldn't remember when I bought them, but I know it's a good while back. Had these about the same time as well I think ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsonicnat Posted February 27, 2016 Report Share Posted February 27, 2016 I think they were about around the time of the, AMERICAN SUPER X,, Crikey they kicked like a mule in my 3" magnum Aya Beavertail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 The 16 gauge HYMAX paper shell was 1.1/8 oz. Blue case, red print. Circa 1960s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipper Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Eley also made maximum load 1 1/16 only on sale for a short time.Dipper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busbiter Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Eley also made maximum load 1 1/16 only on sale for a short time.Dipper. That they did indeed dipper in 16g. This load is listed in brochures in the late 60's and they did also make it in paper cases prior to the switch over to plastic cases. I managed to aquire 2 boxes of 10 from a holts sale a year or so ago, they were loaded for a foreign market (probably germany) and are rare as rocking horse poo in plastic case. If anyone has any plastic cased 16g maximums I would be most interested! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 1969 Eley Maximum 2-1/2" load 1-3/16 oz Hymax 2-3/4 load 1-1/4oz Alphamax 2-3/4" load 1-1/4oz and Alphamax 3" load 1-3/8oz then 2-3/4 Magnum load 1-1/2oz and 3" Magnum 1-5/8oz have all these cartridges in my collection Was there also an Impax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted March 3, 2016 Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 (edited) Never see a maximum in a black case! Beautiful They would have been from late 70's or any time in the 80's I have shot a lot of maximums in the past, but like busbiter never seen them in a black case. They always used to be orange the same shade as the old Gran Prix. Eley had a good system 40 years ago for field cartridges , 12 bore 1oz - 1 3\16s( Impax , Gran Prix, maximum) were orange, 1 1\4 oz to 1 5\8s oz ( Alphamax and the two magmum loads) were pink, 16 bore blue, twenty bore yellow , never saw 28 gauge but the 4.10 used to be brown , but I think some of the later ones were red. Eley Clay cartridges were a different colour , but in those days clay shooting was a rich mans sport and we could not afford to waste money busting them. There is something about those old cartridges that is missing today, I used to love the smell of the paper cases when you opened a fresh box. Mind they were very expensive compared to today. A box of Gran Prix in the late 60s was 19 shillings and six pence ( just under a pound in todays money). That was 20% of my weeks wages ( at 18 ) for just one box. Today a box is a little over 2% of the average weeks wage. Edited March 3, 2016 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted March 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 The system of case colours was well thought out and practical ! That is totally out of fashion these days . I used quite a lot of Eley Super Game 1 1/8 oz until I bought a case and discovered they too were loaded in black cases.This would be late 80`s or early 90`s I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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