Gamebore Black Gold

[Jim Neal]

I don't recall hearing/reading of anything official or otherwise on this subject, so I'm making a conclusion based on my findings here.

It seems that the Black Gold 30g no.6 game load I always used to shoot aren't made any more?  Black box, red stripe.  The only option that looks anything like it now is a much lighter clay load called the same.  Am I right or not?

They seem to have moved the game loads on to this "Dark Storm" subtitle with all its marketing testicles-talking about diamond shot and quad seals etc etc etc.... I have shot 2 slabs of that cartridge and it's an utterly horrific load in my gun.  The first dark storm I ever fired I damn near plucked a bird in mid air, the next one the same, then countless unexplained easy ones missed, then I blew half the head off a bird at a range well over 25 yards.  For me in my gun they're an unpredictable, poorly patterning cartridge which I lost all confidence in.

 

[enfieldspares]

I would sooner give up shooting than ever use Gamebore cartridges in any gun I own.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Oh dear Jim, Just Cartridges are selling off the black box version as an end of line;

https://www.justcartridges.com/product/dark-storm-game-12ga-2/?utm_source=JC&utm_medium=HERO_2&utm_campaign=DS_SALE

If these are any use to you, just get in touch;

 

[Jaymo]

🤤, Are these also for distribution to us poor brethren!

[Jim Neal]

5 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

I would sooner give up shooting than ever use Gamebore cartridges in any gun I own.

Care to elaborate as to why that is??!

1 hour ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Oh dear Jim, Just Cartridges are selling off the black box version as an end of line;

https://www.justcartridges.com/product/dark-storm-game-12ga-2/?utm_source=JC&utm_medium=HERO_2&utm_campaign=DS_SALE

If these are any use to you, just get in touch;

 

Thanks, I looked on JC the other day as well as a couple of other places, no luck. 

Believe it or not my local gun shop is actually cheaper than JC so I’d rather support them if I can

I’m going to try out something a lot of people mention, and give some 28g 7.5s a whirl, see how that goes. 

Hopefully will get a session in today or tomorrow to report back!

[Charliedog]

The 30g 6 quad seals work great in my gun, I use 3/8 choke, what are you shooting them through gun and choke wise, I know several other people using them and very happy also,  I would suggest i prefer the newer version but they both did the job perfectly well for me

[Scully]

Black Gold. I’ve never tried them personally but have several shooting mates who won’t use anything else, and one in particular has stocked enough to ‘ see me out ‘, as he puts it. 

[Spr1985]

I’ve shot the dark storm variant (pre quad seal) since i starred shooting game 5 years ago and never had any issues. I shoot through a beretta 692 (yes, a clay gun 😁) with quarter and half choke (extended, as I know how much the game shooters love them)  and found them to be a great cartridge. I’d also be interested to know what choke etc you use @Jim Neal and wether what you’ve described is a regular occurrence or a few incidents from the same batch. Purely out of intrigue more than anything else 👍🏻

[Fellside]

9 hours ago, Jim Neal said:

I don't recall hearing/reading of anything official or otherwise on this subject, so I'm making a conclusion based on my findings here.

It seems that the Black Gold 30g no.6 game load I always used to shoot aren't made any more?  Black box, red stripe.  The only option that looks anything like it now is a much lighter clay load called the same.  Am I right or not?

They seem to have moved the game loads on to this "Dark Storm" subtitle with all its marketing testicles-talking about diamond shot and quad seals etc etc etc.... I have shot 2 slabs of that cartridge and it's an utterly horrific load in my gun.  The first dark storm I ever fired I damn near plucked a bird in mid air, the next one the same, then countless unexplained easy ones missed, then I blew half the head off a bird at a range well over 25 yards.  For me in my gun they're an unpredictable, poorly patterning cartridge which I lost all confidence in.

 

Try the Hull High Pheasant Extreme number 6 30 gram. Like the Black Gold they use continental shot so not really a 6, closer to a UK 5. Lovely cartridge.

[Stonepark]

Jim,

Gamebore have indeed been mucking about with both their Game and Clay range, like many companies changing for changing sake and to try to move you onto a more premium (profitable) product.

To digress on the Clay side, Blue Diamond was removed 12 months ago and now up pops Rose Gold with the same profile, whilst White Gold is now White Gold QS, Black Gold is now gone, effectively replaced by Dark Storm and Dark Storm now has been superceded by Dark Storm Onyx.

On the Game side, as noted Black Gold has again been replaced by Dark Storm QS, now rebranded Dark Storm Game and next step down is Grouse Extreme running at the old Black Gold profile but in 29g, after that Regal, Highbird and Clear Pigeon in that order.

Clear Pigeon does provide a non premium reasonably priced alternative in a game cartridge in 30g no6.

Depending on what you shoot at and what range, if the majority is pheasant\mallard size and smaller and 40 yards and under 28g of UK no7 (continental 7.5) will drop them cleanly without an issue, whilst being able to stretch out to 45 yards for pigeons and crows.

Currently 28g no 7 Highbird (UK no7 65mm, 1350fps, fibre low antimony lead) is £370\thousand, whilst 28g no 7.5 white gold (UK no7 70mm 1450fps fibre QS diamond shot) is £316\thousand, 28g no6  Darkstorm (UK no 5 70mm 1525fps fibre QS diamond shot) is £417\thousand.

My primary general purpose cartridge for the last 25 years has been White Gold 7.5 for game & vermin and no one has been able to claim that those I knock down are "winged", in fact the opposite is the case, due to the good patterns, a higher than average percentage are stone dead.

 

Which ever route you choose, I would pattern my gun at 40 yards with them to give confidence in their use.

 

[Lever357]

On 10/02/2023 at 07:53, Jim Neal said:

 

Believe it or not my local gun shop is actually cheaper than JC so I’d rather support them if I can

 

It doesn't really take much to believe your local gun shop is cheaper than Just Cartridges! I think everywhere I look at cartridges is cheaper than JC!!

[Smudger687]

If you're turning them inside out, missing the easy ones (close range I'm guessing) and blowing the head off at plus 25 yards, then it sounds like the new dark storms throw tighter patterns in your gun than the old. 

Probably worth backing the choke off and doing some pattern testing.

[Jim Neal]

On 10/02/2023 at 07:53, Charliedog said:

The 30g 6 quad seals work great in my gun, I use 3/8 choke, what are you shooting them through gun and choke wise, I know several other people using them and very happy also,  I would suggest i prefer the newer version but they both did the job perfectly well for me

Mostly my trusty old Miroku 7000.  I've tried all chokes; more open just more misses, tighter more damaged birds.

On 10/02/2023 at 08:18, Spr1985 said:

I’ve shot the dark storm variant (pre quad seal) since i starred shooting game 5 years ago and never had any issues. I shoot through a beretta 692 (yes, a clay gun 😁) with quarter and half choke (extended, as I know how much the game shooters love them)  and found them to be a great cartridge. I’d also be interested to know what choke etc you use @Jim Neal and wether what you’ve described is a regular occurrence or a few incidents from the same batch. Purely out of intrigue more than anything else 👍🏻

I shot two slabs of the 30g 6s on game and pigeons.  It was a very consistent bad experience throughout!

On 10/02/2023 at 09:49, Fellside said:

Try the Hull High Pheasant Extreme number 6 30 gram. Like the Black Gold they use continental shot so not really a 6, closer to a UK 5. Lovely cartridge.

Thanks for the tip, I'll have a look at them because my local shop stocks Hull.  More on that in a moment...

On 10/02/2023 at 10:23, Stonepark said:

Jim,

Gamebore have indeed been mucking about with both their Game and Clay range, like many companies changing for changing sake and to try to move you onto a more premium (profitable) product.

To digress on the Clay side, Blue Diamond was removed 12 months ago and now up pops Rose Gold with the same profile, whilst White Gold is now White Gold QS, Black Gold is now gone, effectively replaced by Dark Storm and Dark Storm now has been superceded by Dark Storm Onyx.

On the Game side, as noted Black Gold has again been replaced by Dark Storm QS, now rebranded Dark Storm Game and next step down is Grouse Extreme running at the old Black Gold profile but in 29g, after that Regal, Highbird and Clear Pigeon in that order.

Clear Pigeon does provide a non premium reasonably priced alternative in a game cartridge in 30g no6.

Depending on what you shoot at and what range, if the majority is pheasant\mallard size and smaller and 40 yards and under 28g of UK no7 (continental 7.5) will drop them cleanly without an issue, whilst being able to stretch out to 45 yards for pigeons and crows.

Currently 28g no 7 Highbird (UK no7 65mm, 1350fps, fibre low antimony lead) is £370\thousand, whilst 28g no 7.5 white gold (UK no7 70mm 1450fps fibre QS diamond shot) is £316\thousand, 28g no6  Darkstorm (UK no 5 70mm 1525fps fibre QS diamond shot) is £417\thousand.

My primary general purpose cartridge for the last 25 years has been White Gold 7.5 for game & vermin and no one has been able to claim that those I knock down are "winged", in fact the opposite is the case, due to the good patterns, a higher than average percentage are stone dead.

 

Which ever route you choose, I would pattern my gun at 40 yards with them to give confidence in their use.

 

Thanks for taking time to write that.  I totally agree, it seems like they're just trying to jazz it up to make more sales.  I should do more pattern testing but there's always something further up the priority list!

On 12/02/2023 at 20:00, Smudger687 said:

If you're turning them inside out, missing the easy ones (close range I'm guessing) and blowing the head off at plus 25 yards, then it sounds like the new dark storms throw tighter patterns in your gun than the old. 

Probably worth backing the choke off and doing some pattern testing.

I did play a tune on chokes, opening up just resulted in more missing.  I think I did whack a couple into a feed sack to see what was going on, the results didn't inspire me.  I don't think they pattern tighter, I think they just pattern badly in my gun for some reason.  I still can't get my head round that - after all all shotguns are just a steel tube, it should be the same for everyone right?!....

I've had exactly the same issues with the Eley VIP Game 30g 6s that I've been using this last game season.  Honestly it's like I'm shooting blanks with them.

Soooooooo anyway, I went cartridge shopping on Friday and got myself a slab each of Hull's Superfast Pigeon in 29g 6s and superfast clay load in 27g 7.5s.  I took them out to the wood on Saturday for a shakedown.

I've always been wary of being the bad workman who blames his tools but, let's just say, it was definitely the cartridges that were the problem.