best carts for pigeon/phesant

[bullmastiff 610]

The cheapest I can get!! It's not hard sometimes to get through a few hundred cartridges in a weekend if the numbers are there.

and I'd rather spend £40 a weekend than £60-£

28gm 71/2 Express English Sporter from Mole Valley Farmers are £34 for 250

28gm 71/2 Lyavale English Shorter From Scat country stores are £41 for 250

Extra few £ on either will get you Fibre wads.

 

Any other cartridge I've found are anything from £20- £50 more expensive! even if you buy by a thousand block.

[nasher1 258]

The cheapest I can get!! It's not hard sometimes to get through a few hundred cartridges in a weekend if the numbers are there.

and I'd rather spend £40 a weekend than £60-£

28gm 71/2 Express English Sporter from Mole Valley Farmers are £34 for 250

28gm 71/2 Lyavale English Shorter From Scat country stores are £41 for 250

Extra few £ on either will get you Fibre wads.

 

Any other cartridge I've found are anything from £20- £50 more expensive! even if you buy by a thousand block.

Scats and mole valley are the same company Luke, u got your sgc in the end then

[Big bald beautiful 1,231]

hull superfast in 6,s are £5 a box

[jam1e 12]

I've been reading the posts as i'm hoping what is good on pigeons, (high and low) will be just as good on crows?? I hope so as i'll look a right plum after writing all the below!

30 6's or 32 6's seem to be a good starting point if the above's right......

Are fibre wad bio-degradable? I'm not particularly a "tree hugger" but on a permission a few years back, (before i had a break from shooting) it had been shot hard in a particular area. It was bad enough being ankle deep in used carts under a certain tree! But the surounding area was also totally littered with plastic wads and looked total s***e!

[The Duncan 802]

I've made the switch to fibre wads now too - only a few quid more per slab and a clearer conscience too.

Its worth using one size tighter chokes when you switch though - the fibre wads don't seem to hold the shot together as much.

[jam1e 12]

I've made the switch to fibre wads now too - only a few quid more per slab and a clearer conscience too.

Its worth using one size tighter chokes when you switch though - the fibre wads don't seem to hold the shot together as much.

 

Talking of which, what is the best choke size for decoying pigeons and crows?

It's been along time since i've had a shotgun, i have several rifles on fac but waiting for my sgc to come through the letter box any day now so i'll be looking for a cheap semi-auto that i don't have to worry about getting scratched....

[Chid 6,378]

 

I've made the switch to fibre wads now too - only a few quid more per slab and a clearer conscience too.

Its worth using one size tighter chokes when you switch though - the fibre wads don't seem to hold the shot together as much.

 

Talking of which, what is the best choke size for decoying pigeons and crows?

It's been along time since i've had a shotgun, i have several rifles on fac but waiting for my sgc to come through the letter box any day now so i'll be looking for a cheap semi-auto that i don't have to worry about getting scratched....

1/2 for your semi ... (if it was a double barrelled gun id say 1/4 and 1/2)

[The Duncan 802]

 

I've made the switch to fibre wads now too - only a few quid more per slab and a clearer conscience too.

Its worth using one size tighter chokes when you switch though - the fibre wads don't seem to hold the shot together as much.

 

Talking of which, what is the best choke size for decoying pigeons and crows?

It's been along time since i've had a shotgun, i have several rifles on fac but waiting for my sgc to come through the letter box any day now so i'll be looking for a cheap semi-auto that i don't have to worry about getting scratched....

I'd probably go 1/2 choke on a semi with fibre wads, should be spot on. ALways worth patterning your gun at the ranges you'll be shooting at though.

I go 1/4 and 1/2 with my O/U gun.

[engraver 44]

I have just shot a slab of those kent velocity 29grm 6,s last week and to be honest I thought they were the worst catridges Ive used for some years.

 

In fact the amount of birds I had to second shot even 3rd shot was crazy.

 

I smashed one bird about 25yrds last week it hit the middle of the pattern and started hopping off I gave it two shots from the hide blowing plenty of feathers off it went to pick it and it was still alive, and that was the case most of the day god knows what was happening.

 

I choked tighter the day after and again every other bird was recovering at 25yrds max and after plucking a few they had plenty of pellet strikes.

 

So by friday I took some fibre wad 7.5 express I have for claying and bada bing, dropping em a little more convincingly.

 

I dont know maybe they were stored in a wet hanger or something before I bought em because the barrels were mucky as hell, even though I keep em warm and dry.

 

Maybe the lesson learnt was I was choked too tight in the first place.

 

I picking up a new semi auto next week so Ill c what cartridges they have in stock I used to use clear pigeon a lot but Im thinking of a 32grm cartridge to break in the semi, anyone recommend a fast punchy cartridge brand at present?

Edited March 18, 2013 by engraver

[jam1e 12]

Cheers fellas much appreciated.

I forgot to ask what length barrel/barrels to go for, for general "rough shooting" and hide work?

I like the idea of 24", but would that just make my pattern very wide at a short distance?

[gouldy257 79]

7 and half 28grm eley Olympics you'll not go wrong mate and you'll be sure you'll not get a mouthful of led i shoot them all the time at pheasants and piegons 5s and 6s then for ducks mate,,, 28inch barrel does a good all rounder

same to you engraver as above you won't go wrong mate as i shoot a automatic..

Edited March 18, 2013 by gouldy257

[engraver 44]

If its a multichoke even a short barrel should pattern the same as a longer barrel.

 

Ive ordered a 26" maxus semi for a hide gun and I asked this question also.

 

The short barrel should just make it more pointable for snap shooting, not ideal for long range geese I suppose but I only shoot pigeons anyway.

[jam1e 12]

Cheers fellas.

I like the idea of it being more "pointable", and i'll only be using it for crows and pigeons. Just can't clear enough of them with a rimfire.....

[The Duncan 802]

Like engraver, I was deeply unimpressed with Kent high velocity. Utter crap compared to eleys

[Millet 4,497]

I've never had a sctter gun for several year's now but my favourite cartridge was gamebore clear pigeon 32grm 6's..very little flew or ran on after being hit with one of them..