Hull Pro Piston # 9 shot at the range

Arrived at the range early yesterday - remembered I was given a slab of Hull Pro Piston - gave them a try. I was mostly interested in close range pattern and efective range on given target.

Here is a pattern through 3/8 Teagues at 20m (all distances lasered) - must admit I was expecting some more spread:



Next was a try at rabbits - first at 40m, broad side (stationary) - pellets that stroke the thick rim bounced off, while one of those that hit the center went through - two others just punched a chip out on the off side. Target broked more by coincidence (those two pellets coincide with inner tensions) - it did broke tho and if it would be regular moving target it would too - I guess.





At 30m it gets better:



At 25 m there isn't much left.

Last I gave them a try at trap. First shot breaks were nonetheless there, but all only 2-3 piece type, with second shot proving to be too far.

So what I gather - fine cartridge for tatgets showing full face (perfect for Batues and vertical teal or driven - even long ones), with rabbit out to 30, maybe 35m as long as it is perpendicular. Once moving into quartering teritory effective range shortens accordingly.

I will keep a couple of those in my pocket, when I will need a mental boost for some bogey close stuff.

Thanks for putting that up Freeshot. I've been using these for a little while. It would have been interesting to see a pattern comparison against a non-spreader round with the same choke at the same distance. Something like a Pro-One 7.5. I'm not all that convinced the Pro-Piston gives a much greater spread. 

I tried these last weekend and I think that they are hardly worth the bother - and they're expensive. Conclusion? Shoot Pro-One 8's at everything.

I've used a couple of thousand of these and through tight chokes up to medium range they are a devastating cartridge. As Freeshot says best on targets showing some face. Did pattern them at about 12 yards and they were no different in spread to a standard 9. 

Have given up on them due to the recent price hike, hell of a cartridge at hell of a price!

wylye said:

I tried these last weekend and I think that they are hardly worth the bother - and they're expensive. Conclusion? Shoot Pro-One 8's at everything.

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Agreed. Once I run out of Pro-Piston, I doubt I'll buy anymore. I'll stick with Sporting 100 8's. 

Scott725 said:

I'm not all that convinced the Pro-Piston gives a much greater spread. 

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It doesn't  - at least not by a big margin - it is there somewhere with Clever Bior or regular Clever T2 #8 (2.3 mm) that give ~2" greater spread from my combo at that distance.

As I see Pro Piston is a very narrow dedicated shell (not a main volume do them most one) that might (due to regular spread) find its niche somewhere at long(ish) distances where sheer number of pellets give that edge and sufficiently cover big(er) area & still capable of breaking the target...

A slab of those will serve me long time I believe - even if I am a firm believer that no target deserves anything better (or worse), will keep them close and if felt like it, let them down the range.

I recon that a fibre wad is about the same, the wad, no matter the shape, leaves the shot behind within 2 yards, i think the choke is the biggest influence, more open the better, even then, i don`t worry about changing chokes, mostly your own confidence in what you believe is the best.

I've used these (and bior wad Fiocchi's in 9 and fibre wad in 9).  Only on very close targets.  My gun is fixed choke and it just makes me feel a little more confident on the close ones.  Any difference it makes it probably more in my head that anything.  Maybe just taking to time to consciously choose which cartridge to use makes me focus more on the fact it's a close one and take that into account.

I use fibres for close stuff being fixed choke but ANY fibre make/shot size will do close up.

schmokinn said:

I use fibres for close stuff being fixed choke but ANY fibre make/shot size will do close up.

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Hmm.. careful. Try a Sovereign fibre 7..

Not all 9,s or fibres spread that well. Pattern every cartridge before assuming it will do what you think.. 

That`s true Will,  

out of interest, i used to make shot, which was sieved out to size, but was not perfectly round, but close enough,, and patterned at 30m there were very few `flyer`s` ,and  the spread was really no different  to factory stuff either. It also used to smash clays out to 80m , so i never worry too much about spread etc. if it breaks ,that`s all i need, 

in fact there was a Russian cartridge for Skeet, that was lead wire cut off, (no9)no idea if they spread better ! looked like solder wire ! 

Jim Wheeler said:

That`s true Will,  

out of interest, i used to make shot, which was sieved out to size, but was not perfectly round, but close enough,, and patterned at 30m there were very few `flyer`s` ,and  the spread was really no different  to factory stuff either. It also used to smash clays out to 80m , so i never worry too much about spread etc. if it breaks ,that`s all i need, 

in fact there was a Russian cartridge for Skeet, that was lead wire cut off, (no9)no idea if they spread better ! looked like solder wire ! 

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I think this cropped up a few years ago, loads with misshapen and square pellets. Banned I'm certain.

wylye said:

I tried these last weekend and I think that they are hardly worth the bother - and they're expensive. Conclusion? Shoot Pro-One 8's at everything.

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ya i tried these aswell . was very surprised when i patterend them that there was a surprisingly tight group at 20m . i thought there would be a much bigger spread . they do the job no doubt but i dont think il bother with them again over just a standard 8 shot cartridge hull pro one 

The original Hull Pro Pistons were an 8.5 of which I still have a few as I only ever use them on rabbits. They give devastating kills. I don't know why they were changed to 9 shot though?

I've shot a fair few of Fiocchi F3's Greens.  Nice even patterns and do break stuff with aplomb, however, looking at your first post only affirms what I've already said.  Use big balls on rabbits.  At close range the 9's are fine, but a quartering rabbit at 15yds out to 50yds, I always use 7 shot.  My labrador has retrieved several rabbit clays shot at 15yds that had several strikes on it and it was still intact.  7 shot removes that.  

And looking at your pattern (very nice it is too), I am becoming sceptical as to the effects of choke.  Certainly with my 18.4 bored Perazzi.....no matter what choke is in it.....it shatters clays.  In my gun, I've found that a Piston wad (Blue Fiocchi F3) opens the pattern out better than a change of choke.  So I shoot Fiocchi F3 Blues (UK 8 shot) out to 40m, and rabbits and longer stuff get Fiocchi F-Blacks 28gm 7.5's (uk 7 shot).  Fiocchi F-blacks have exactly the same wad in as a Fiocchi Golden trap.....which means tight patterns.  As ever, rather than be sold on what the manufacturers claim, you've got to find what suits you, suits your gun, and suits your mind.  Then stick with it.  I like soft smooth shells because i'm a soft and gentle Geordie  :angel: