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Game Cartridge Advice Wanted


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I have enjoyed shooting clays for a few years now and I am very happy with my choice of clay cartridge but this year I've joined my first pheasant and partridge shoot and have no idea of which cartridge to use.

Please can some of you experienced game shooters offer some advice an which manufacturer and shot size etc to use. Plus will I have to shoot fibre wad or can I stick with plastic wads.

 

Many Thanks

Dodgemball

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Guest topshot_2k

Hi,

 

30g number 6 shot for all round game shooting.

My personal preference is for Gamebore Clear pigeon 30g 6shot (ignore the title they are superb for driven game) or Express Supreme game 30g 6 shot. Both are available in fibre and plastic

 

Better off asking the keeper/captain about plastic wads but i dont like the sight of them all over our farm/shoot so i use fibre :lol:

Edited by topshot_2k
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I use Hull Cartridge almost exclusively now, as they perform well. I use 28g 6s for partridge; 32g 6s for early/mid-season pheasants; 36g 5s for knarly old pheasants. Fibre wads a must unless the shoot captain and or landowner expressly says that plastic wads are acceptable.

 

Nobody who farms gives a stuff whether modern plastic wads are photodegradable - they look a mess and they cause no end of problems if the land is put to livestock.

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You can't go wrong with fibre, with plastic you may get refused.

6's & your fav' make, quite often dictated by what your local sells.

No matter what's recomended if you can't get them local why search the country for them.

Stick with well know brands, any.

Don't worry about a thing, just go & enjoy.

Someone will be chatty & helpfull, even if you miss everything just stare the frowners in the eye & say I've been given bad advice I think, what do you suggest.

Relax, enjoy, fall face down in the mud & jump up with a big grin.

It's clay shooting but the clays have feathers & the clay ground does things a little differently.

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Guest cookoff013

i`ve been reading up, its considered an insult to the game keeper if you absolutely destroy the bird. 6`s are used mainly, 4`s on occasion for late season and high.

stick with the 6, just make sure they are in range.

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Cartridge depends on what gun you are putting it through, most of the above are fine for O/Us but will be pretty painfull through most lightweight side by side game guns.

 

For side by sides I would recommend Eley Impax, 28gr of 6 shot, I have taken some very long January cock pheasants with this little cartridge and 1/2 choke. In 0/Us I prefer 30gr of 5 shot, rarely get a runner and anything that does go on is usually picked dead. I have used Hull High Pheasant for the last 8 or 10 years but have just switched this year to Eley High Pheasant purely on a cost basis. These cartridges are a bit to punchy for most side by side game guns.

 

A

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DB,

 

This really depends on the shoot itself, how high are the birds?, probably the best thing to do will be to ask other syndicate members that have shot there before, what cartridges and shot size they use also what choke they use.!!

 

If they are high birds then choke also comes into the equation, for most of my game shooting I use either 1/4 and 1/4 or 1/4 and 1/2. (although I have used 3/4 and Full on occasions on trips to devon with as much as 36g 4's and 3's)

 

Cartridge wise I must admit I probably go over the top for local shooting and like Whitebridges us RC SIPE 32g in 6's. I can't recommend these enough, although not cheap (which doesn't really matter now your paying £22-£40+ a bird) I find that these kill very well and saves the pickers up a bit of work.

 

Word of caution though, DO NOT use SIPE's if you also shoot a 20G as they are yellow like most 20 gauge shells so very easy to get mixed up, I also shoot a 20g and am in the process of trying to find another equivalent cartridge after a friend had his 12G explode.!! ???

 

All I can sday is enjoy, to be honest most shells will kill if you point them in the right direction, if you shoot clays then maybe go with a make you trust already, just go for one of their game loads in 28-32g 6 or 5's, if you have confidence in what's in your gun then chances are you'll do OK.

 

Good Luck

Hewey

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The average driven pheasant in this country is killed at below 30 yards, most shoot consistantly showing birds at 40 yards plus are normally high cost commercial shoots in places like Devon. I can out birds over my gun line almost out of shot on a windy day and very challenging normally but only on three or four drives.

 

As Hewey says shoot what you have confidence in and dont switch after a bad day. 28gr of 6s are fine in the right place for the large majority of birds. I switched to the larger shot (5s) watching a friend put 28 gr of 5s through a 20 bore with devastating results. They were either missed or dead in the air every time.

 

Midn you first day out on a this season good partridge day next week and I will take 6s, just cant decide on O/U or SBS,

 

A

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