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Top pigeon cartridges


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14 hours ago, 8 shot said:

Pray tell what is a decent Pigeon Load.

 

A decent cartridge for any quarry species is the Gun's preferred choice, which remains comfortable in repeated use,  delivers sufficient individual pellet energy and enough of them on average in order to ensure that it is reasonable to expect that on every accurately placed shot sufficient pellet strikes will be made to ensure a clean kill at a pre-determined maximum range and is economically viable. 

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OK ... so 10 types of shell written off through discomfort?

28g being OK, but 29g being too much ... ?

Apologies for poking a bit on this, but when 10 types of cartridge that have accounted for '000's of thousands of dead pigeons, partridges and corvids etc are written off, one can't help but ask!

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48 minutes ago, Smokersmith said:

OK ... so 10 types of shell written off through discomfort?

28g being OK, but 29g being too much ... ?

Apologies for poking a bit on this, but when 10 types of cartridge that have accounted for '000's of thousands of dead pigeons, partridges and corvids etc are written off, one can't help but ask!

No apology required. All any of us can do is offer our own opinion. Each and every one of the cartridges listed will qualify in someone's opinion as being decent. Consequently, it is worth noting that the one criterion that you mentioned is not the first but the second, being preceded by "the Gun's preferred choice". We also now seem to be twixt 'top' and 'decent', two things that aren't the same thing at all.

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On 23/03/2021 at 21:20, Jim Neal said:

I appreciate what they're trying to achieve by doing this test, but the title of "best cartridge" will always be disputed.  There are so many variables that it's simply impossible to have a "best" that everyone will find best, for reasons already stated above.

Part 2 is out!

 

Just watched that. It would probably pay to keep well clear of Tristram when he loads/closes his gun. :oops:

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Many years ago a friend with a Gun Shop and a Clay pigeon Shoot in Kent decided to test people.

He had some unmarked shells loaded by Gamebore with 7 1/2 shot in plastic wads.

Half the boxes contained red shells and the other half were blue, but the contents were exactly the same!

They were handed out and shooters were asked to use them and report back.

 

All of the shooters reported that the red cased shells were much faster and hit harder than the blue ones!

 

 

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1 hour ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Many years ago a friend with a Gun Shop and a Clay pigeon Shoot in Kent decided to test people.

He had some unmarked shells loaded by Gamebore with 7 1/2 shot in plastic wads.

Half the boxes contained red shells and the other half were blue, but the contents were exactly the same!

They were handed out and shooters were asked to use them and report back.

 

All of the shooters reported that the red cased shells were much faster and hit harder than the blue ones!

 

 

Oh. I must get some red ones then.

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3 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Many years ago a friend with a Gun Shop and a Clay pigeon Shoot in Kent decided to test people.

He had some unmarked shells loaded by Gamebore with 7 1/2 shot in plastic wads.

Half the boxes contained red shells and the other half were blue, but the contents were exactly the same!

They were handed out and shooters were asked to use them and report back.

 

All of the shooters reported that the red cased shells were much faster and hit harder than the blue ones!

 

 

Red is best in 12b without doubt,nothing else can compete!!!!!!!

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5 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Many years ago a friend with a Gun Shop and a Clay pigeon Shoot in Kent decided to test people.

He had some unmarked shells loaded by Gamebore with 7 1/2 shot in plastic wads.

Half the boxes contained red shells and the other half were blue, but the contents were exactly the same!

They were handed out and shooters were asked to use them and report back.

 

All of the shooters reported that the red cased shells were much faster and hit harder than the blue ones!

 

 

Great story! Thanks for posting.

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3 hours ago, London Best said:

Great story! Thanks for posting.

I sent some loads to Birmingham proof house for testing. 20 cartridge in batches of 5. I loaded 15 in one colour and had five a different colour but loaded the same. Strange  thing is the 5 different coloured ones were 100fps faster for the exact same load. They ring you with the findings and commented on this difference in speed. 

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12 hours ago, Jim Neal said:

Yeah I picked up on that too but didn't want to get too pedantic! :innocent:

Stock to barrels, Tristram, there's a good chap!

Worthy of a little concern, perhaps, as this company- Shoot Straight Ltd - offers 'Professional Shooting Tuition'. Let's just hope it was a case of do as I say and not do as I do. :oops:

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well "best cartridge" is a subjective thing really too many variables and it depends on the shooters needs. strangely enough i use eley pigeon hv have got fantastic results for me since they released and the percived recoil is very good given its a fast 32g load downside is only 1 retailer within reasonable driving distance

ive always been a strong beliver in respect for the quarry so ive stayed away from the "as cheap as possible" mentality  and clay loads for pigeons (not to open that can of worms) but i shoot way more clay pigeons than live ones so in terms of  familiarlty with a gun and cart combo, olympic blues are way ahead for me and surely that has to cound for somthing right?. plus they pattern great and being £60 per 1k less is nice as price is getting to be a factor the way theve steadly crept up. i think i am going to give them a try and see if i can kill as cleanly and consistantly as i have been with dedicated pigeon loads.

 

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6 hours ago, Sweet11-87 said:

well "best cartridge" is a subjective thing really too many variables and it depends on the shooters needs. strangely enough i use eley pigeon hv have got fantastic results for me since they released and the percived recoil is very good given its a fast 32g load downside is only 1 retailer within reasonable driving distance

ive always been a strong beliver in respect for the quarry so ive stayed away from the "as cheap as possible" mentality  and clay loads for pigeons (not to open that can of worms) but i shoot way more clay pigeons than live ones so in terms of  familiarlty with a gun and cart combo, olympic blues are way ahead for me and surely that has to cound for somthing right?. plus they pattern great and being £60 per 1k less is nice as price is getting to be a factor the way theve steadly crept up. i think i am going to give them a try and see if i can kill as cleanly and consistantly as i have been with dedicated pigeon loads.

I presume you've taken the "Top Pigeon Cartridges" title and are now offering opinion on cartridges for clays as you mention "your respect for the quarry" and that Eley Olympic Blues come in various charges and shot sizes although the largest is 7.5.

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There will be a few folk on here that are good enough shots to notice a difference in cartridges (which they are probably capable of adapting to very quickly) but for most of us mere mortals which pigeon cartridge or choke for that matter is a mute point. If you are an average shot gun shot, as I am, then letting cartridge type or choke get in your head is counter productive. Your energy would be far better focussed on gun mount and swing through.

 

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9 hours ago, Sweet11-87 said:

well "best cartridge" is a subjective thing really too many variables and it depends on the shooters needs. strangely enough i use eley pigeon hv have got fantastic results for me since they released and the percived recoil is very good given its a fast 32g load downside is only 1 retailer within reasonable driving distance

ive always been a strong beliver in respect for the quarry so ive stayed away from the "as cheap as possible" mentality  and clay loads for pigeons (not to open that can of worms) but i shoot way more clay pigeons than live ones so in terms of  familiarlty with a gun and cart combo, olympic blues are way ahead for me and surely that has to cound for somthing right?. plus they pattern great and being £60 per 1k less is nice as price is getting to be a factor the way theve steadly crept up. i think i am going to give them a try and see if i can kill as cleanly and consistantly as i have been with dedicated pigeon loads.

 

No sure what you mean by “respect for the quarry” steering away from cheap as possible mentality clay cartridges for pigeons? 
I have shot more pigeons with clay cartridges than any other cartridges.

I begin using Winchester trap 100’s, in the 80’s then Eley Olympics . In recent times I have used Primas, trust & Joker cartridges all 28g no 7 or 7.5 - don’t be too quick to dismiss clay loads for pigeons.

I have been using a 30g no 6 load recently and I have to say that I prefer the clay loads for decoying.

Hitman.

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2 hours ago, 243deer said:

There will be a few folk on here that are good enough shots to notice a difference in cartridges (which they are probably capable of adapting to very quickly) but for most of us mere mortals which pigeon cartridge or choke for that matter is a mute point. If you are an average shot gun shot, as I am, then letting cartridge type or choke get in your head is counter productive. Your energy would be far better focussed on gun mount and swing through.

 

Yep, but not at all costs. The small amount of effort required to make sure that your cartridge choice is capable and well suited to your needs (without overkill which means excess and usually unnecessary expenditure with no additional benefits) and its performance with a given gun pales into insignificance  compared to the confidence obtained from the knowledge that you've got it right.

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2 hours ago, 243deer said:

There will be a few folk on here that are good enough shots to notice a difference in cartridges (which they are probably capable of adapting to very quickly) but for most of us mere mortals which pigeon cartridge or choke for that matter is a mute point. If you are an average shot gun shot, as I am, then letting cartridge type or choke get in your head is counter productive. Your energy would be far better focussed on gun mount and swing through.

 

All of which takes us neatly back to my initial post. Cue smug emoticon. ☺️🙂

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Clever manufacturers marketing / packaging has got some people convinced that there is such a thing as a ‘pigeon’ cartridge or a ‘clay’ cartridge. I am not sure what they think the difference is. A cartridge is a cartridge.   
I wouldn’t want any of them fired at my backside.

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