Gear News

Would sub-sonic cartridges make less noise?

Pigeon shooting: I have got a bit of a noise issue with a couple of villagers close to where I shoot. I can’t afford to splash out on a moderated shotgun but wondered if sub-sonic cartridges might be the answer.

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Do you have any experience of them, and do they kill cleanly?

PIGEON SHOOTING
Peter Theobald
Sub-sonic shells will reduce the noise significantly, but at only two thirds the velocity of normal cartridges will also be less effective.

It’s not so much the hitting power – most shells have plenty to spare – but the fact that your lead pictures will be completely different, because they are so slow.

Like you, I have many fields that border houses or villages and find that I can minimise disturbance by using the wind to mask the sound of my shots, i.e don’t fire directly downwind towards houses.