Sub £200/thou value for money?

[HantsRob]

Just looking at Greenfields, Litespeed and TT1's seem to be sub £200 once more? 

Just wondering if I mis-read first time a few weeks ago, or if the lead price drop has actually been reflected in cart costs at last and the price as dropped? I thought they had all gone over £200?

Anyway. I fired some gamebore 28g velocity + today that were really clean in the barrel, just wondering to save £25 if I should move to Litespeed or TT1, or are they going to burn dirty and thump harder?

 

Is aiming for sub-£200 ever truly value today? Just curious what peoples favourite budget cart is right now and why

[ditchman]

there are a lot of good value for money cartridges out there...........i used for a while Joker cartridges  1oz 7's......was pleasantly surprised............alot of this cartridge nonsense is in the mind....we get addicted to ....bright shiny colours....fancy words....and catch phrases

try the cheapest cartridge and use them with an open mind..........you might be surprised

[TIGHTCHOKE]

HR

What are you trying to do?

Why are you so keen to have a clean cartridge?

As Ditchy says, use the cheapest you can regularly buy, they work if you are doing your bit.

We have been through the harder hitting supposedly faster shells thing several times over the years.

A gun that fits and an understanding of choke/cartridge performance will allow you to shoot to your ability.

[Newbie to this]

Buy British 

[marsh man]

2 hours ago, HantsRob said:

Just looking at Greenfields, Litespeed and TT1's seem to be sub £200 once more? 

Just wondering if I mis-read first time a few weeks ago, or if the lead price drop has actually been reflected in cart costs at last and the price as dropped? I thought they had all gone over £200?

Anyway. I fired some gamebore 28g velocity + today that were really clean in the barrel, just wondering to save £25 if I should move to Litespeed or TT1, or are they going to burn dirty and thump harder?

 

Is aiming for sub-£200 ever truly value today? Just curious what peoples favourite budget cart is right now and why

I used Gamebore velocity for a while and I found them ideal for decoying , gentle on the shoulder and if you are shooting straight they will certainly do the job and at a good price , the fishing tackle shop near mine that were selling them had to order 10k at a time and the demand wasn't no longer there so they stopped selling them  , pity really as they were a good shell.

[Windswept]

24 minutes ago, Newbie to this said:

Buy British 

Is there much difference these days? Aren't most primers, powder, wads, shot and cases made abroad even if the cartridge is assembled in the UK?

[Newbie to this]

24 minutes ago, Windswept said:

Is there much difference these days? Aren't most primers, powder, wads, shot and cases made abroad even if the cartridge is assembled in the UK?

Keeps people employed and supports the UK economy. I won't buy anything but British cartridges now.

[HantsRob]

1 hour ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

HR

What are you trying to do?

Why are you so keen to have a clean cartridge?

As Ditchy says, use the cheapest you can regularly buy, they work if you are doing your bit.

We have been through the harder hitting supposedly faster shells thing several times over the years.

A gun that fits and an understanding of choke/cartridge performance will allow you to shoot to your ability.

Good point, well presented.

As a newbie, I need to get used to my gun, ideally without too much bruising to my shoulder (which I had recently and it made the last 20 clays really un-fun!). So, removed the thump, so I can focus on learning. I've not tried many shells, and I have no authority or knowledge to say what's good except for the 5-6 types I've shot. So at my newbie level, something that doesn't leave a tonne of **** in the barrels seems good! 

Also, to me (and I may be wrong), lots of **** in the barrel is unburnt or badly burned powder, meaning the shot is inefficient? I don't know.... maybe I am too focused on an unimportant element. 

For a new shooter, it's really hard to navigate the complexity of brands and loads! 24g Amber (taking colour out) vs 24g gamebore load. I have no idea, hence partly the question. I *can* afford £250 a thou rather than 200, but without the knowledge of why and probably experience then I am probably not going to see any difference. I guess my question is also "as a newbie are all cheap carts equal, til I become more competent".

I'm not sold on subsonic and superfast. 

Choke....well TC, I have spent hours reading about choke, and as it is very opinion based rather than fact based (I have yet to read an unbiased post in general) then I am as lost as I was day 1. I at least understand the mechanics of it!

 

44 minutes ago, Newbie to this said:

Buy British 

 

Where the pricepoint affords it, I will gladly. If Empire had a better price, I would be going for them. As a newbie, the extra price and my poor skillset seems pointless at this stage. I would love to try 10 of their carts to see how they fire, to see if they worked for me Maybe I'll bump into a Hampshire bod who'll have a pair I can try one day. Until then, it comes down to bottom line. 

 

24 minutes ago, marsh man said:

I used Gamebore velocity for a while and I found them ideal for decoying , gentle on the shoulder and if you are shooting straight they will certainly do the job and at a good price , the fishing tackle shop near mine that were selling them had to order 10k at a time and the demand wasn't no longer there so they stopped selling them  , pity really as they were a good shell.

Yup, shot 75 today and for £20-25 more than a cheap TT1, that kind of was the point. I know it's only 2.5p more a shot, but pennies add up. 

How would you or TC (or anyone else) rate TT1 Vs gamebore velocity? 
Separate Q - what do I get for £25 more as a newbie? 

 

Genuine trying to learn Q

[TIGHTCHOKE]

The only way to see what your cartridge and choke combination is doing, although in a two dimensional form is to use a pattern plate.

[Newbie to this]

40 minutes ago, HantsRob said:

Where the pricepoint affords it,

Try English Sporter by Lyalvale express.

[London Best]

HR, if any cartridge is actually bruising your shoulder the problem lies with gun fit or more likely your gun mount. The cartridge will make little or no difference.

[ditchman]

try storing your cartridges in the airing cupboard.....if they are a little damp they will take about 4 days to dry out.......the weather has been very humid of late and some cartridge sellers will store their ammo in unsuitable places....like sweaty containers ...on concrete floors etc....some cartridges can be a bit sooty.....you wont really know which ones until you know for a fact that the ones you are using are completely dry........

dont be put off buying cartridges that have the word "Express" on them....some express cartriges fire very smooth and sweet.....

Edited August 15, 2021 by ditchman

[HantsRob]

12 hours ago, ditchman said:

try storing your cartridges in the airing cupboard.....

dont be put off buying cartridges that have the word "Express" on them....some express cartriges fire very smooth and sweet.....

 

Great tip on newly bought carts, I hadn't thought of that!

TBF, my local school uses Lyalvale, and they've always seemed to have treated me ok, I have no negativity against them, but my instructor hates them! That said everyone slated the Amber carts, and I thought they shot beautifully

[Oak]

On 15/08/2021 at 18:38, Newbie to this said:

Buy British 

By. British ? The only thing British about British cartridges is the MDs dividends so they can ponce about in there RANGE ROVERS and take £1000 driven game days all winter none of the components are made in the UK just loaded in the UK ? With possibly the exception of some of the shot? British brands cartridges are a bloody rip off 

[Newbie to this]

5 minutes ago, Oak said:

By. British ? The only thing British about British cartridges is the MDs dividends so they can ponce about in there RANGE ROVERS and take £1000 driven game days all winter none of the components are made in the UK just loaded in the UK ? With possibly the exception of some of the shot? British brands cartridges are a bloody rip off 

And despite all that, buy British!

[Oak]

8 minutes ago, Oak said:

By. British ? The only thing British about British cartridges is the MDs dividends so they can ponce about in there RANGE ROVERS and take £1000 driven game days all winter none of the components are made in the UK just loaded in the UK ? With possibly the exception of some of the shot? British brands cartridges are a bloody rip off 

I by British when it is British and not putting funds in to the fat cats pockets just saying 

[udderlyoffroad]

1 hour ago, Oak said:

I by British when it is British

Could you give us an example of what that might be?

Your objection to British made cartridges seemingly is that the companies make a profit sufficient to allow directors (and other shareholders) to be paid a divvie?

[oowee]

1 hour ago, Newbie to this said:

And despite all that, buy British!

This this and this. If i have to pay some extra this again. What goes around comes around. 

Not easy but i try where i can.

[wymberley]

On 15/08/2021 at 20:45, London Best said:

HR, if any cartridge is actually bruising your shoulder the problem lies with gun fit or more likely your gun mount. The cartridge will make little or no difference.

Tend to disagree, but only because of terminology. It was the OP who said shoulder and I'll bet it was the top of his arm. If it was the shoulder bruised then it was a good chance it was excessive recoil. If it was the top of the arm then the quoted post is spot on.

[London Best]

41 minutes ago, wymberley said:

Tend to disagree, but only because of terminology. It was the OP who said shoulder and I'll bet it was the top of his arm. If it was the shoulder bruised then it was a good chance it was excessive recoil. If it was the top of the arm then the quoted post is spot on.

Agreed. But I have never fired a cartridge where the recoil is heavy enough to bruise a shoulder.  I don’t think such a cartridge exists if fired from a suitable gun.

[DUNKS]

I am old "very" and I shoot a light 12g gun "a smidge over 7lbs I only shoot clays and 28 gram. I buy whatever is available and cheap Just finished 1000 Bio ammo " they are very dirty". Now on Velocity. I have never suffered bruising. SO I agree its all about gun mount and fit. I have very occasionally got a bruised arm playing at silly **** and gun down trying snap shots but I know I have not mounted properly.

[Stimo22]

Been using Gamebore evo 21g and 24g for sometime on clays and my scores have remained the same as with 28g and they are a lot kinder on the shoulder

[London Best]

My first twelve bore I could call my own, ie: not my Dad’s, was an Italian hammerless folding single barrel which weighed five pounds. The gun had no recoil pad. I was fourteen years old and fired anything between 28 and 36 gram cartridges through it but it never hurt me or bruised me. To be fair, we didn’t fire lots of cartridges in those days. Thinking about it, I have never owned a shotgun with a recoil pad.

[wymberley]

On 15/08/2021 at 19:33, HantsRob said:

Good point, well presented.

As a newbie, I need to get used to my gun, ideally without too much bruising to my shoulder (which I had recently and it made the last 20 clays really un-fun!). So, removed the thump, so I can focus on learning. I've not tried many shells, and I have no authority or knowledge to say what's good except for the 5-6 types I've shot. So at my newbie level, something that doesn't leave a tonne of **** in the barrels seems good! 

Also, to me (and I may be wrong), lots of **** in the barrel is unburnt or badly burned powder, meaning the shot is inefficient? I don't know.... maybe I am too focused on an unimportant element. 

For a new shooter, it's really hard to navigate the complexity of brands and loads! 24g Amber (taking colour out) vs 24g gamebore load. I have no idea, hence partly the question. I *can* afford £250 a thou rather than 200, but without the knowledge of why and probably experience then I am probably not going to see any difference. I guess my question is also "as a newbie are all cheap carts equal, til I become more competent".

I'm not sold on subsonic and superfast. 

Choke....well TC, I have spent hours reading about choke, and as it is very opinion based rather than fact based (I have yet to read an unbiased post in general) then I am as lost as I was day 1. I at least understand the mechanics of it!

 

 

Where the pricepoint affords it, I will gladly. If Empire had a better price, I would be going for them. As a newbie, the extra price and my poor skillset seems pointless at this stage. I would love to try 10 of their carts to see how they fire, to see if they worked for me Maybe I'll bump into a Hampshire bod who'll have a pair I can try one day. Until then, it comes down to bottom line. 

 

Yup, shot 75 today and for £20-25 more than a cheap TT1, that kind of was the point. I know it's only 2.5p more a shot, but pennies add up. 

How would you or TC (or anyone else) rate TT1 Vs gamebore velocity? 
Separate Q - what do I get for £25 more as a newbie? 

 

Genuine trying to learn Q

There's some good stuff here:

 

[Guest cookoff013]

Much as id like to say "buy british" the absolute drivel the manufacturers come out with to justify price hikes. ie: The cost of lead increases, so steel shells increase more than lead !

buy what you can afford. It will represent the market, and feed the market. It always will. Over time,  it just is.

as for the "not sold on subsonics or superspeeds" is a loaded statement. Light loads automatic have speed and subs are slow. They are for mods and training rounds and for recoil sensitive shooters. The elderly. I once watched a guy pushed around by 36g gamebore black gold. Old guy. Could just about stand up.