Eley Superb vs Lyalvale Power Gold Vs Hull Sovereign for Sporting

[Chris_S]

I've been using all three recently and really can't decide which I prefer.

My subjective feelings are that Power gold is slightly smoother but also seems slightly faster than the Eley. Hull seems fastest and most hard hitting but costs more.

My plan is to use Hull 7s if really needed for really long or edgy ones (probably more for confidence than actual ballistics).

I like 9s for close ones and I can't really tell a difference between all the 9s I've tried.

What should my main cartridge be, PG 8s (UK size 7) or Eley 7.5?

 I know it doesn't matter if I put the shot in the right place but let's assume I don't always get it right!

 

[bisondan]

Have you tried the Pro Ones or Sporting 100's?

I shoot them in 8s at everything.

 

[Will Hewland]

I've been using all three recently and really can't decide which I prefer.

My subjective feelings are that Power gold is slightly smoother but also seems slightly faster than the Eley. Hull seems fastest and most hard hitting but costs more.

My plan is to use Hull 7s if really needed for really long or edgy ones (probably more for confidence than actual ballistics).

I like 9s for close ones and I can't really tell a difference between all the 9s I've tried.

What should my main cartridge be, PG 8s (UK size 7) or Eley 7.5?

 I know it doesn't matter if I put the shot in the right place but let's assume I don't always get it right!

They are all expensive premium type shells. So mentally if that’s important to you, they will all more than do the job. So go for the smoothest feel I would say. Personally I like 2.2mm UK 8 shot and that decides a lot of this for me as not every shell offers it. For sure, a cheaper shell will be 98-100% effective on all sporting targets in comparison. 

 

[Chris_S]

Yes, I'm happy to spend a bit more to get tamer recoil but when they all feel and perform the same, how does one decide.

I like Hull pro fibres and sporting 100 as well but they somehow didn't feel as hard hitting as Superbs or Power gold, probably just me though.

 

[Will Hewland]

Yes, I'm happy to spend a bit more to get tamer recoil but when they all feel and perform the same, how does one decide.

I like Hull pro fibres and sporting 100 as well but they somehow didn't feel as hard hitting as Superbs or Power gold, probably just me though.

There are two things I feel are unnecessary distractions with cartridges and that’s speed and “hard hitting”. The speed thing is pretty much a number on the box which reduces down range and makes the tiniest effect on lead. Spectacular breaks mean a lot of pellets hit the clay and that means the pattern was tight, giving very little margin for error. I would look for even breaks rather than dust on anything over 20 yards. But as I said, the confidence part of cartridges is as big a factor as the pattern, so go with what you feel. I do like Power Golds btw..

 

[Jan Powell]

There are two things I feel are unnecessary distractions with cartridges and that’s speed and “hard hitting”. The speed thing is pretty much a number on the box which reduces down range and makes the tiniest effect on lead. Spectacular breaks mean a lot of pellets hit the clay and that means the pattern was tight, giving very little margin for error. I would look for even breaks rather than dust on anything over 20 yards. But as I said, the confidence part of cartridges is as big a factor as the pattern, so go with what you feel. I do like Power Golds btw..

Too true. Many years ago I recall speaking to a chap involved with a UK cartridge manufacturer. They’d tried to market a trap load to sporting shooters on the basis its smooth performance would pay dividends. Sales were sluggish to say the least.

Six months later they remarketed the exact same cartridge albeit in a different coloured case and with ‘hyper fast’ on the box. They couldn’t make them quickly enough! 

 

[Chris_S]

I'll stick with power golds then, just wondered if for the same money there was an option that was just as smooth but better in some way. Lots of people say good things about Eley superbs and I really like both. Its psychological really, but if someone were to convince me that one was faster or harder and just as smooth, I would probably hit more purely from having the confidence. And I'd know I was getting the best bang for the buck...

 

[Freddypip]

Will's comments are right.

It is very easy to assume a premium fast cartridge will tick the boxes. My experience is that most (if not all) cartridges in in the middle of the charts will do the job well beyond the majority of shooters skills. I have tried white gold, black gold, power golds, F3s, Sovereigns, only to find EVOs do the job just as well without excessive cost.

I have always had a soft spot for F3s because they were made/specified to break hard clays - the reason for them existing made sense to me. Having shot a few thousand they make no difference to my scores.

I would also concur with Will regardng the breaks - you may get a dusted clay at 30 yards but it would suggest an uneven pattern. It the clay breaks its a kill. The point is having confidence that a clay in the pattern will break - into two bits is just fine.

 

[Geordieboy]

So then, I've just sold both my Browning 725 and Perazzi HPX and gone back to an MK38 trap.  As the gun is fixed choke I wanted to pattern it to ascertain which cartridge gave the best patterns;

In order of pattern density within a 30" Circle at 40m all shot through my 3/4 choke;

1;  Hull PRO-one 7.5's   86% of the load within the Circle

2;  ELEY Superb 7.5s    75%

3;  ELEY VIP TRAP 7.5's 65%

4   HULL PRO ONE DTL 300 7.5's 64%

All of these shells break (with aplomb) anything out there certainly to 60m that I've tried.  I've also been shooting EXPRESS Power Gold 7.5's (True 7 shot) and they definitely hammer everything too.  

Without a doubt, I dust more clays with the Pro-Ones.  All of the cartridges above are giving Full choke pattern densities at 40m.

I will more than likely be plumbing for the PRO ONE's.  They are smooth to shoot, and with that many more pellets in a 30" pattern I am very confident of what they can do for me.

All of the above cartridges are very smooth to shoot through my mk38.  

If anything, I will be looking for a tight 7 or 6.5 shot cartridge for the odd occasion that somebody has sent a clay into Orbit! 

 

[Will Hewland]

So then, I've just sold both my Browning 725 and Perazzi HPX and gone back to an MK38 trap.  As the gun is fixed choke I wanted to pattern it to ascertain which cartridge gave the best patterns;

In order of pattern density within a 30" Circle at 40m all shot through my 3/4 choke;

1;  Hull PRO-one 7.5's   86% of the load within the Circle

2;  ELEY Superb 7.5s    75%

3;  ELEY VIP TRAP 7.5's 65%

4   HULL PRO ONE DTL 300 7.5's 64%

All of these shells break (with aplomb) anything out there certainly to 60m that I've tried.  I've also been shooting EXPRESS Power Gold 7.5's (True 7 shot) and they definitely hammer everything too.  

Without a doubt, I dust more clays with the Pro-Ones.  All of the cartridges above are giving Full choke pattern densities at 40m.

I will more than likely be plumbing for the PRO ONE's.  They are smooth to shoot, and with that many more pellets in a 30" pattern I am very confident of what they can do for me.

All of the above cartridges are very smooth to shoot through my mk38.  

If anything, I will be looking for a tight 7 or 6.5 shot cartridge for the odd occasion that somebody has sent a clay into Orbit! 

Always nice to see this info. Although my version of best pattern isn’t how tight it is (or how many pellets in a given circle) but more how it looks for even spread and low number of fliers. And for sure, on most targets on a sporting course I wouldn’t want 86% of them inside 30” at 40m. Far too tight. With a full choke I’d shoot most of it with those DTL probably. 

 

[Chris_S]

So then, I've just sold both my Browning 725 and Perazzi HPX and gone back to an MK38 trap.  As the gun is fixed choke I wanted to pattern it to ascertain which cartridge gave the best patterns;

In order of pattern density within a 30" Circle at 40m all shot through my 3/4 choke;

1;  Hull PRO-one 7.5's   86% of the load within the Circle

2;  ELEY Superb 7.5s    75%

3;  ELEY VIP TRAP 7.5's 65%

4   HULL PRO ONE DTL 300 7.5's 64%

All of these shells break (with aplomb) anything out there certainly to 60m that I've tried.  I've also been shooting EXPRESS Power Gold 7.5's (True 7 shot) and they definitely hammer everything too.  

Without a doubt, I dust more clays with the Pro-Ones.  All of the cartridges above are giving Full choke pattern densities at 40m.

I will more than likely be plumbing for the PRO ONE's.  They are smooth to shoot, and with that many more pellets in a 30" pattern I am very confident of what they can do for me.

All of the above cartridges are very smooth to shoot through my mk38.  

If anything, I will be looking for a tight 7 or 6.5 shot cartridge for the odd occasion that somebody has sent a clay into Orbit! 

Interesting that the DTLs aren't as tight as the pro ones at 40yds through full choke, I'd have thought that's where they would be best. I need fibre wad so I could try pro fibres but power gold seem to work well for me. I had high hopes for Eley due to their reputation but no-one seems to sing their praises much any more, maybe they have been overtaken with newer products...

 

[Geordieboy]

Interesting that the DTLs aren't as tight as the pro ones at 40yds through full choke, I'd have thought that's where they would be best. I need fibre wad so I could try pro fibres but power gold seem to work well for me. I had high hopes for Eley due to their reputation but no-one seems to sing their praises much any more, maybe they have been overtaken with newer products...

Great shells ELEY.

I've shot them for several years and SUPERBS and TITANIUMS have been my shell choice through my Perazzi and my Browning 725.  The patterns were so dense, I had to use them.  I shot them through 3/4 choke (measures 3/8th) in the Browning, and 5/8th in the Perazzi.  Smoothest shells and fantastically devastating in both guns.  

I needed to test these shells in my MK38 fixed choke gun to see what performed.  The results are above.  I'd happily shoot a SUPERB all day long.  fantastic even patterns.  

Will Hewland, as you suggest eveness of pattern is important.  I can tell you that my percentages are based on the pellet count within a 30" circle.  All shells gave even patterns.  The PRO-ONE was also even.  It just has an extra 40+ pellets within the diamater.

I view patterns not by choke and diameter.  I WANT A 30" Circle with as many pellets as I can get in it. All were shot with 3/4 choke.  In my Browning, 3/8th gave the most even pattern with the most pellets within it.  I forget the designation of choke now. 

From my perspective, shooting at a large plate, I find that you have a 2m pattern no matter the choke.  1/4 through to full.  I personally want as many pellets in that 30" circle as I can get. 

For example, my perazzi only got only 40% of the pellets in the 30" circle with full choke, and only 5 pellets in the inner 20%.  Awful.  No wonder my breaks were horrid.  But it still gave a pattern 2m in diameter just with a lot less lead.

Horses for courses.  PRO_ONES for me.  340 odd pellets evenly disributed in a pattern the size of a 45 gallon drum is not tight.......ITS DENSE.

I hope this clarifies things?

 

[Will Hewland]

Yes I get what you’re doing and to a large degree it’s important that you have belief in what you’re shooting so you can forget it and just shoot. I would just say that a 2m diameter pattern that looks even in the 30” centre is centre hot perhaps? My main point is that most targets are under 40 yards. I also always amazed how much better clays break than the pattern suggests they should. This is why I’m happy to test at 15 yards only. 

 

[Freddypip]

The other, and often forgotten factor, is the presentation of the clay. A clay showing its belly at 50 yards may want the same pattern (spread to 40") as something edge on at 30 yards (spread out to 30"). The numbers chosen are purely representative - please note other distances and spreads are available.