Eley pro eco wads - awful!

[Dave at kelton]

21 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

Yes when you do the figures there's little in the count for that extra 1 1/16 ounce. Best, by far the best, all around cartridge were an ounce of English 6 1/2 as they had range, good pattern and yet lighter recoil than loads with greater payload.

That used to be the old Winchester GB back in the day. Having said that an internet search shows that some thought them awful! I keep thinking of getting some Hull "Grouse" but have, now, so little shooting, yet so many cartridges to hand that it'd be money not well used.

Those Winchester GB where my go to for donkeys years. Never really found one to match them although Eley impax were a good second.

[London Best]

I swapped from Impax to Winchester GB and much preferred them. I used them until I could no longer obtain them.

[wymberley]

23 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

Yes when you do the figures there's little in the count for that extra 1 1/16 ounce. Best, by far the best, all around cartridge were an ounce of English 6 1/2 as they had range, good pattern and yet lighter recoil than loads with greater payload.

That used to be the old Winchester GB back in the day. Having said that an internet search shows that some thought them awful! I keep thinking of getting some Hull "Grouse" but have, now, so little shooting, yet so many cartridges to hand that it'd be money not well used.

Having to move around the country with work can make it difficult to acquire your preferred cartridge and particularly if it's one the of the more unusual choices. Hit a brick wall some time back and had - before the company changed hands - one outfit knock out a special order for just 2000. Wouldn't happen now. They must have approved of the load as they've been doing them ever since. There was a pause on my part as Eley decided to play ball for a while but then stopped. The company in question did have a shot quality blip for a while but this was resolved so I'm back on the Lyalvale Supreme Game 28g of 6&1/2 shot which suit the 6&1/2 lb OU superbly well.

[London Best]

6 minutes ago, wymberley said:

so I'm back on the Lyalvale Supreme Game 28g of 6&1/2 shot which suit the 6&1/2 lb OU superbly well.

That is my first choice in cartridges too. 
I shoot mostly partridge so buy the 7 shot option, but if I know the day will be all pheasants I take the No.6’s. 
This through a 6lb 2oz SxS.

[enfieldspares]

1 hour ago, wymberley said:

Having to move around the country with work can make it difficult to acquire your preferred cartridge and particularly if it's one the of the more unusual choices. Hit a brick wall some time back and had - before the company changed hands - one outfit knock out a special order for just 2000. Wouldn't happen now. They must have approved of the load as they've been doing them ever since. There was a pause on my part as Eley decided to play ball for a while but then stopped. The company in question did have a shot quality blip for a while but this was resolved so I'm back on the Lyalvale Supreme Game 28g of 6&1/2 shot which suit the 6&1/2 lb OU superbly well.

Thank you! That's really kind to take trouble to mention this. My local clay ground has a fortnightly Lyalvale delivery and I'll ask. Much appreciated. I like Lyalvale and have used their paper game in 12 bore and both Supreme game and Special Game in plastic. 

Edited November 27, 2022 by enfieldspares

[wymberley]

4 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

Thank you! That's really kind to take trouble to mention this. My local clay ground has a fortnightly Lyalvale delivery and I'll ask. Much appreciated. I like Lyalvale and have used their paper game in 12 bore and both Supreme game and Special Game in plastic. 

My pleasure, really. I can't rotate my left wrist so the SbSs have had to go and apart from the barrels being the wrong way around the 12b Chapuis and 20b 56E Beretta are bog standard SbS configuration - but with the fore-ends easier to manage - and both OUs. For when I can't handle the 2 triggers/SHS I have a standard OU 20b in 425 flavour. Although I can use 28g in the light 56E without a problem I have some 25g for this keeping the 28g mainly for the 425. Again, both Supremes but in 7s. Handily, whereas the 28g are to size, the 25g are what would be termed 7&1/4 shot giving the same pellet count as the 28g and spot on for the usual decoy ranges. Stocked up on these in case they were a 'one off' lot.

[Dave at kelton]

8 hours ago, wymberley said:

Having to move around the country with work can make it difficult to acquire your preferred cartridge and particularly if it's one the of the more unusual choices. Hit a brick wall some time back and had - before the company changed hands - one outfit knock out a special order for just 2000. Wouldn't happen now. They must have approved of the load as they've been doing them ever since. There was a pause on my part as Eley decided to play ball for a while but then stopped. The company in question did have a shot quality blip for a while but this was resolved so I'm back on the Lyalvale Supreme Game 28g of 6&1/2 shot which suit the 6&1/2 lb OU superbly well.

Thanks worth knowing!

[Penelope]

On 24/11/2022 at 10:35, Ultrastu said:

Connor mac cleod of the clan mac cleod, born 1518 - Glen finnan , deep in the Scottish Highlands. 

Perhaps  ?

😆

[Poor Shot]

On 21/11/2022 at 13:56, Poor Shot said:

Thanks for the review.

I've got purchase some steel biowads for an upcoming driven day. I had considered the eleys as the cheaper option but was hesitant as they are Standard steel with a low advertised velocity (1325 fps).

Probably worth going with a HP steel option like the dark storm Precision Steel and limiting the amount of shooting I do where steel ecowad cartridges are mandatory.

I purchased some of the Gamebore Dark Storm Precision Steel cartridges following some Poor reviews of the Eley biowad cartridges and used them yesterday on some flighting ducks.

Little felt recoil through a semi auto and they seemed to kill ok at sensible ranges. Took one duck at 60 yards+ which came down ok.

They were the 30g No4 option through a 1/4 choke.

The only real issue came when cleaning the gun this afternoon. Barrel packed with some horrible rubbery/plastic residue which took a LOT of scrubbing with a brass brush to remove.

I still think that the lead alternative would have been better and will continue to use lead where I can.

[London Best]

36 minutes ago, Poor Shot said:

they seemed to kill ok at sensible ranges. Took one duck at 60 yards+ which came down ok.

 

Since when has 60 yards + been a sensible range?

[TIGHTCHOKE]

1 minute ago, London Best said:

Since when has 60 yards + been a sensible range?

Well I could see that one coming from about a mile off!   

[archi]

1 minute ago, London Best said:

Since when has 60 yards + been a sensible range?

Probably more likely 40 yards

[Poor Shot]

10 minutes ago, London Best said:

Since when has 60 yards + been a sensible range?

That's me told. . I should edit to clarify that most shots at 30 yards with one taken out there at 60 yards.

Not that I would attend one but there are countless commercial shoots who sell out year after year based on being able to offer 100 yard presentations.

You just go back to your ounce of 7's, olde english SxS and shooting birds at 20 yards.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Poor Shot

[London Best]

Sixty yards plus might be a sensible range for a clay shooter, but is simply NOT ACCEPTABLE for a duck shooter..

[Scully]

2 minutes ago, Poor Shot said:

 

Not that I would attend one but there are countless commercial shoots who sell out year after year based on being able to offer 100 yard presentations.

 

Which shoots are these? 

[Poor Shot]

25 minutes ago, London Best said:

Sixty yards plus might be a sensible range for a clay shooter, but is simply NOT ACCEPTABLE for a duck shooter..

Yes, thanks. Will take your advice on board.

 

[Smudger687]

42 minutes ago, London Best said:

Sixty yards plus might be a sensible range for a clay shooter, but is simply NOT ACCEPTABLE for a duck shooter..

Please forgive him, 'O holy and righteous one.

[Sweet11-87]

5 hours ago, London Best said:

Since when has 60 yards + been a sensible range?

depends on the shot really. im not confident personally shooting out to that range but id sooner take a 60 yard shot at a bird coming head on  than shooting one up the back end  flying away at 40.  angle of shot doesent seem to be a factor thse days but its probably one of the key factors when downing birds in live quarry shooting

hard to really judge the bloke when all the info hes given was estimated range and that it dropped the bird.

 

Edited December 4, 2022 by Sweet11-87

[Scully]

15 hours ago, Scully said:

Which shoots are these? 

Still waiting. 

[Poor Shot]

20 minutes ago, Scully said:

Still waiting. 

https://www.scribehound.com/shoot-reviews/s/shoot-review/10-great-high-bird-shoots

Fill your boots. All offer presentations of 60 yards plus with confident guns taking them higher.

[Scully]

14 minutes ago, Poor Shot said:

https://www.scribehound.com/shoot-reviews/s/shoot-review/10-great-high-bird-shoots

Fill your boots. All offer presentations of 60 yards plus with confident guns taking them higher.

Thanks. One mentioned birds of 60yds plus, and another mentioned 50-95 yds. No mention of 100 yds in the brief scroll through them that I’ve just done. Do I need to delve further to find mention of 100 yd presentations? 
Anyhow, So that’s two out of a ‘countless’ number you mentioned ( neither of which mention 100 yds ) and as you’ve been shooting birds at 60yds perhaps you’re not in any position to judge others? 
So where are the countless shoots selling out Year after year on the basis of offering 100yd presentations? 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Scully

[Poor Shot]

4 minutes ago, Scully said:

Thanks. One mentioned birds of 60yds plus, and another mentioned 50-95 yds. No mention of 100 yds in the brief scroll through them that I’ve just done. Do I need to delve further to find mention of 100 yd presentations? 
Anyhow, So that’s two out of a ‘countless’ number you mentioned ( neither of which mention 100 yds ) and as you’ve been shooting birds at 60yds perhaps you’re not in any position to judge others? 
So where are the countless shoots selling out Year after year on the basis of offering 100yd presentations? 

I can't tell if your being pedantic or naive (I don't believe its the later) but you'd be a fool to believe that, though these shoots aren't actively advertising that they can present birds at 100 yards, they don't base their reputation on being able to do so.

It's also not me doing the judging. I don't make a habit of taking longer shots, just this one that presented itself in such a way that I felt confident that I could take it (which I did successfully) but I won't judge those who attend these high bird shoots and have skills and/or confidence to take a day of high birds.

You on other hand seemed to have jumped on this (and many other posts of a similar nature) like a dog to a bitch on heat. Same goes for London Best.

You may struggle with the concept but there are others who live in this world who share different opinions to yourself. I respect both of you as valued members of the forum and read most of your topics and posts with interest but Jesus christ, you don't need to jump down the throat of anyone who shares an opinion that doesn't with align with your own.

[Scully]

27 minutes ago, Poor Shot said:

I can't tell if your being pedantic or naive (I don't believe its the later) but you'd be a fool to believe that, though these shoots aren't actively advertising that they can present birds at 100 yards, they don't base their reputation on being able to do so.

It's also not me doing the judging. I don't make a habit of taking longer shots, just this one that presented itself in such a way that I felt confident that I could take it (which I did successfully) but I won't judge those who attend these high bird shoots and have skills and/or confidence to take a day of high birds.

You on other hand seemed to have jumped on this (and many other posts of a similar nature) like a dog to a bitch on heat. Same goes for London Best.

You may struggle with the concept but there are others who live in this world who share different opinions to yourself. I respect both of you as valued members of the forum and read most of your topics and posts with interest but Jesus christ, you don't need to jump down the throat of anyone who shares an opinion that doesn't with align with your own.

It’s bad enough antis making spurious claims about commercial driven shooting, and I know they aren’t perfect, ( we’re all shooting for the enjoyment after all ) but when shooters make spurious claims that they can’t back up then it really annoys me.
You stated there are ‘ countless commercial shoots which sell out year after year on the basis of offering 100 yd presentations’, and I’ve asked you to name them, which you haven't. Nothing to do with opinion, YOU made the claim that there are shoots doing so year after year, but now you claim these shoots aren’t ‘actively advertising that they can present birds at 100 yds’.
So you don’t actually know; you just got burned for criticism over a 60 yd shot so thought you’d justify it by making a spurious claim there were others doing worse. 🤷‍♂️

[Gordon R]

Quote

You stated there are ‘ countless commercial shoots which sell out year after year on the basis of offering 100 yd presentations’, and I’ve asked you to name them, which you haven't. Nothing to do with opinion, YOU made the claim that there are shoots doing so year after year, but now you claim these shoots aren’t ‘actively advertising that they can present birds at 100 yds’.
So you don’t actually know; you just got burned for criticism over a 60 yd shot so thought you’d justify it by making a spurious claim there were others doing worse. 🤷‍♂️

I await the answer with interest, if it ever arrives.

[Fellside]

About this 60 yard shot (and not wishing to enter the 100 yard debate without consulting my legal team…🙂), 60 yard wildfowling shots aren’t that uncommon. With heavy pellets and tight chokes, it is more than feasible. I have shot (killed) geese and a a handful of mallard over the stubbles in Scotland with lead 1 1/2 oz 3s and a 3/4 choke at 60 yards - intercepting flight lines and decoying etc. I don’t want to appear boastful, it’s not a major achievement and I have seen others do it too. It is possible to crudely measure the distance if a bird is shot flying parallel to the hedge behind the hide. With tungsten shot this range can be achieved routinely. Tungsten patterns very tightly - it’s hard to get it to separate to be honest. I ended up using cylinder most of the time. That said, I think it often tempts guns to stretch their expectations too far at times. Understanding ones limits isn’t a bad thing. None of us like wounding. 

There you are - that’s my two penneth for what it’s worth. If anyone is tempted to shout at me for using lead, please be reminded I am referring to shooting non-wetlands in SCOTLAND…!! Cheers.