Cartridges

[maddmatt]

So over the years I have tried around 75% of what is available for clay shooting, from Express Super Comp's to Supreme's, Hull Sovereigns to Pro Sport, Eley's, Gamebore, Fiochi's, RC's, Kents, to name a few.

Recently I have noticed recoil, probably due to a number of factors to boring to mention here, but I did try a shell a few weeks ago and am blown away by them, issue is they are a little pricey. So I decided to try Hull's Pro DTL 300's in a 28gm 7 1/2 shot through my trusty MK38 with long forcing cones and half fixed chokes, these shells are 1400 FPS accoording to Hull.

WOW they are seriously good, very low felt recoil, immense killing power even on rangey edge on midi's and anything showing its top or belly then its history. Question is, at what point does price become the decision maker, these shells are £220 a thousand or thereabouts, Eley Superbs are £200 so over a thousand shells not really a lot in it, keeping in mind I am now not suffering with shoulder issues after a shoot.

I personally think it may be worthwhile, in the long run, to use a premium shell, the kills are very consistent, the recoil is less and this must help when shooting even at this price point, or does the financial saving of say an Eley Olympic outway recoil and performance? (Yes I know these are good shells, and yes they kill targets, but generally I felt better using the 300's).

Is cost the main reason you use the shells you do use or a mix of cost, performance, recoil etc.?

 

[Will Hewland]

After 50 pages of debate that this topic may produce, phew get ready, I believe the summary will be this:

Nobody likes paying more for something than they need to, so its a PERSONAL quest to find a cart that does what you want for the money you are prepared to shell out (pardon pun). Like you, I've tried a good few and found one that ticks a lot of boxes. It's quite cheap, but it isn't nasty.

Having said that, the other point that many will agree with is that if a £230 cartridge really makes a difference (real, imagined or physical), its only £5-7 more per shoot than the very cheapest. So is your sport (your cherished day, maybe only two or three times a month) worth the price of two pints extra to make the whole thing better for you?

I would buy the dear ones if I felt there was any advantage.

 

[maddmatt]

Will, this is what I concluded, at the end of the day it really is only 2 pints difference and if it means I can still hit pleasing scores and not have shoulder problems then its worth the extra. What shells did you go for?

 

[Will Hewland]

Will, this is what I concluded, at the end of the day it really is only 2 pints difference and if it means I can still hit pleasing scores and not have shoulder problems then its worth the extra. What shells did you go for?

Rio Target 20 plas 8. Medium recoil, excellent pattern, clean in barrel, £162.50 maximum.
The 7.5 (UK 7) gives spectacular kills.

My journey in recent years was: Hull Pro One, became stupid money so shifted to Clever T2 which in a blind test is a Hull Pro One for £30 cheaper. The Rio is ALMOST as smooth at the Clever T2, with other attributes all equal, for £162..

 

[ips]

Simple answer i believe anything over 200 quid is taking the proverbial and having shot many expensive ones i don't consider the so called top end any better. F black is as good as it gets for quality at affordable price IMO

 

[maddmatt]

Ian, is this still true though? I remember shooting for years and the price never really increased, then all of a sudden we had an increase which made us all go, WTF!

20p per shell is still cheap when you consider what is in the cartridge and how its made, yes I know there are cheaper alternatives like F Blacks and Rio, BUT do they go through the same quality control as the premium shells or have the industry conned us with the higher price shells. (running for cover, tin hat going on!!!)

 

[Will Hewland]

I think if low recoil in a high quality pattern is important to you, then you will probably pay more. Clever T3 Granditalia spring to mind..

 

[Salopian]

Hull's Pro DTL 300 is a fabulous cartridge.

It has been around a long time and was designed using the finest available components to do a specific job. Namely to convincingly break edge on DTL targets. It is very comfortable to shoot and is not too expensive. Recoil and fatigue can not have a price put on them, they should only be reduced or negated. If that means paying 10p a shot more it is a small price to pay. 

 

[ips]

Matt

yes that's true they did remain stable in 80s and 90s

i stand by my comment though i don't find top end stuff any better. Nothing wrong with F blue or black and the good old Olympic IMO

 

[Jan Powell]

I'll keep it short as I haven't the stomach for another 'what's your favourite cartridge' debate.

Hull DTL's are just about the finest DTL shell you'll find. I could explain the reasons why but it's a bit long winded. As an 8 I would imagine they make a decent sporting shell too but as I don't shoot that you'll have to ask a hedgie.

 

[Hamster]

Nothing is worth over £200 a thou, I stopped shooting Express Super when they hit £100 and have just dropped Eley Superbs for hitting double that. You can get any combination of speed, recoil, shot size or case colour you want for sub £185, probably closer to £160. 

When Express ballsed up their pricing / marketing with the Super / World Cup about ten years ago I said they'd lose massive market share to Eley Superbs and they did, the Superbs are now heading for the same ride.

 

[Fuzrat]

Shoot what feels good, works in your weapon of choice and is in your budget simples

 

[40UP]

Hull DTL but you only need one box per round of sporting, the rest of the time you'll get even less recoil from 24gm

 

[jwpzx9r]

I am new to clay/trap shooting so it may be totally irrelevant and spurious but I bought 1000 of my usual @ €160 per thou and a thou of another more expensive brand @ €200 per thou and guess what scores nearly the same with the cheaper shells, that could be because I have never used the more expensive ones before and also as I say I am new to the game that day I scored 20,21 and 22 at ABT the 21 was with the dearer shells I suppose statistically there was no significant difference. I tend to think if you shoot the right bit of sky you will break the clay with any shell regardless of cost as to recoil the Browning moves for no shell I have tried through it yet 

 

[Blackstar Ninja]

I'm with Clever on this RIO Target loads absolutely great cartridge and for the price excellent value IMHO.

 

[Salopian]

I am awfully sorry to have to point out to my learned cartridge tester from Berkshire that his beloved Rio's use the same components as his unloved sticky back plastic Eley Olympics??????? All components manufactured by and distributed by Maxum the Spanish parent company.

Which begs the question when we are looking at price of cartridges, how can one manufacturer offer us CCI Claybusters , Rio's, Caledonians, Eley Hawk,

 & Eley, all using practically the same components, but with a vast difference in price. But when challenged about price increases, roll out the same lame reasoning?????

 

[Hamster]

They Eley Olympics is a fine cartridge incidentally yet seems to be available at up to £45 less than Superbs?! There is a lot of shenanigans going on with shells.

 

[Fuzrat]

Indeed, was looking at just carts last night, Olympics at 188 per thou from probably the biggest wholesaler and tiny little Francis Lovel 10 mins up the road is doing them at 156ish. Not on special so must be making something on them

 

[ips]

They Eley Olympics is a fine cartridge incidentally yet seems to be available at up to £45 less than Superbs?! There is a lot of shenanigans going on with shells.

I did a side by side test of Olympic / superbs a few months ago. 75 targets with each in same afternoon (OT) excellent light etc. there was 2 extra hits with superb but to be honest I could not put it down to the cartridge I just missed em.

So is anything worth 50 or 60 more than olympic or indeed the fiocchi range, certainly not for the likes of mere mortal shooters but maybe for super human GB funded juniors