matone Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 Just cut a dud Caledonian Monarch up,weighed the powder out of interest and it had 25.5 gr of a green powder that looks like a CSB variant. Seems a big charge for a 29gm shot load ? Any ideas on what it could be? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 Its hard to say because a lot of commercial powders aren't sold on the amateur market to people like us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted May 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 tbh ,was just surprised by the charge in a relatively light shot load for 2 1/2". It`s an acrid smelling powder too,not pleasant to the nose ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HW95J Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 (edited) Their website says maxam though nothing more specific. Edit: They're produced by Eley who I believe use CSB so would make sense that it's the same Edited May 16, 2017 by HW95J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted May 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 Thanks,the cartridges in question pre date the Eley takeover tbh.Guess it`l be some commercial powder as has been suggested.just one of lifes mysteries,lol.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 I wouldn't swear to it but was told some time ago (when they were at Brechin) they used to use Vectan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Continental Shooter Posted May 17, 2017 Report Share Posted May 17, 2017 they used vectan but changed to cheaper powder a few years back (like most retail reloading shops) without a picture is hard to guess; but as i said, manufacturer have powders made up to specific requirements so, would never copy one and wouldn't question the charge there was a discussion a while ago on some Gamebore overpodering their light ish shell with A0 .... but if you cna add a pci we can all have a pop at guessing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HW95J Posted May 17, 2017 Report Share Posted May 17, 2017 I'm sure somewhere on the boxes/website it says made to a 'special Scottish recipe' or something like that. Maybe it's oats Only ever used their 20bore clay loads but found them to be excellent, soft shooting and feel well made. I also contacted Caledonian once and found them to be extremely polite and helpful. Were the cartridges more readily available near me then I'd be happy to use them exclusively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted May 17, 2017 Report Share Posted May 17, 2017 I'm sure somewhere on the boxes/website it says made to a 'special Scottish recipe' or something like that. Maybe it's oats Only ever used their 20bore clay loads but found them to be excellent, soft shooting and feel well made. I also contacted Caledonian once and found them to be extremely polite and helpful. Were the cartridges more readily available near me then I'd be happy to use them exclusively. Do they still exist? They were bought out by Eley, I understand? Called in when passing, years ago the factory was in a wood between Montrose and Brechin.......had a tour of the factory and bought some heavy 3" lead fowling shells (before the lead ban!) damn things were that hot they could have loosened all my fillings! lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted May 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2017 Still there and retail their loads made for them by Eley.Have a website too . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scobydog Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 (edited) Manchester airguns had a load of 20 bore Caledonian in stock when I went last week, iirc they were 25 gram loads. £4.50 a box. S Edited May 18, 2017 by scobydog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted May 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 Cheap ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted May 18, 2017 Report Share Posted May 18, 2017 D20SE? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted May 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Could be! Looks visually similar and the odd bits of data do seem to have weighty charges too. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 How is it that someone making cartridges goes to a powder manufacturer and specifies they want a certain recipe? How would/ why would anyone know what Was available, what would work and why go to all of the bother to spend out time and effort to sod about with all of this instead of just getting off the peg components which are commonly available at the cheapest price. Who are all these people who are experts in all of these things? The mysterious back room boys who do all of these things. I've never seen anyone on here say "I work for xyz and we use this because -------. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Powder manufacturers don't sell all the powders in their range to people like us. They don't make much money, if any, out of doing 1kg tubs. So commercial customers will be offered powders that we are unaware of and at prices we could only dream of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Continental Shooter Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 D20SE? FC: Is this the D20 showing on the Vectan page? Manufacturer do produce the same powder they sell (well, at least in the rest of Europe that is). The fact the UK market is somewhat limited doesn't mean these powders are not on sale (i.e. the B&P powders are on sale in EU, but you can't find them here). What they do, however, is to produce them to the client's specification which, very broadly, means they are usually faster than the retail version; hence why i always stress the importance not to copycat factory loads. I bought a batch of a very well known Nobel powder from an industrial lot and it turned out to be way too fast than the one i was used to; thank god i got it checked as it failed the proofing in a 70 mm shell and just passed it on a 76 mm ... all this with 26 grams lead ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 Caledonian XL game carts were my favorite at one time beforeEley bought them out. Smooth to shoot and did the business through my gun better than others I'd shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted May 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 20g XL`s were very good pre Eley.Never had any since tho`. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 Nor me, soon as Eley got involved that ruined the company for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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