Cartridge loads.

[Cranfield]

I have mostly shot 30 gram loads for pigeon, but when clay shooting lately, I have been using 28 gram loads.

 

This week I shot clays with a chap who was using 25 gram loads. He broke clays cleanly at distance and the reduced shot sound was very evident.

 

Is anyone else shooting "light" loads for pigeon and how effective are they with clean kills ?

[highdowns hunter]

Just bought some Eley Alphamax Bismuth  36 gramme cartridges for my forthcoming Goose shooting trip at the cheap price of £22.75 for 25 it nearly broke my heart

There goes the kids xmas presents this year :(

[Cranfield]

HH, are you sure you need that heavy artillery ? :(

 

I shot decoyed geese in Scotland near Kirriemuir, many years ago and we killed birds with Eley Maximum 30 or 32 gram No.4 shot.

 

Have a word with Deako and see if he can get you a bit closer to them. :thumbs:  :thumbs:  

[rabbitstopper]

I have used 24gram 7.5's on Doves before, and recoil was non existant and could easily get out to 45yards with them.

 

James

[ernyha]

Shot my first 2 geese with 30 gram 6, pigeon specials when they came over unexpected. :music:  p.s. before the lead ban!

[highdowns hunter]

Cranfield I needed to get some non toxic shot for the geese and have used heavy loads before in Scotland which did the trick

However the guys who were with me only had light loads and were only knocking the feathers out of the geese. I thought it better to be safe than sorry

:(

[Cranfield]

HH, makes sense. :(

 

So,apart from rabbitstoppers dove loads, nobody is using less than 30 gram loads for pigeon.

Darn it, I will have to try the 25 gram load myself and see what happens.

[peter-n]

Hi Cranfield iv'e used 28 Gram express 8's quite successfully on pigeons when iv'e run out of 6's but they are fairly fast so arn't allot softer to shoot      peter :(  :thumbs:

[neil]

I've used 28gr express 7s on pigeon and corvoid and they seem to kill very well at sensible ranges

[Cranfield]

thanks lads, I am going to try lighter loads to reduce the shot noise, but I don,t want to lose too much "hitting power".

 

20 bore users must shoot lighter loads than 30 gram, they kill pigeons consistently.

Do they vary their shot size with the smaller cartridge ?

 

I wouldn,t want to go to smaller shot than No.7, but it might be worth trying No 5, with the lighter loads.

[Cranfield]

I tried some lighter loads at the Clay Grounds today and was then informed, that the lighter loads have no influence on the amount of noise the cartridge makes.

The lighter load just becomes faster, as the powder load remains the same.

 

I was advised that some brands of cartridge, are reputed to be quieter.

Does anyone know which ones ?

 

I do not want to go to sub-sonic cartridges, as they are too slow for my shooting.

[Hammergun]

Some brands of cartridge produce higher muzzle velocities when fired, giving a greater hitting power and I expect tat the noise is more to do with this than anything else.  Quality of powder must figure too.  

 

There was a cartridge review in "The Field" recently which looked at various types of cartridges and compared this, so see if you can get hold of an old copy.

 

Some cartridge boxes give power ratings on the labels.  The shot I have been using recently was 1400lbf.  Subsonics are about 1000lbf (i.e. just over 2/3 the power) (if my memory serves me right).

 

I shoot 30g for pigeon. (3 Crowns, Grand Prix)