Q: As we move towards the pheasant season can you recommend the best cartridge load for driven pheasants. I don’t mean skyscraper high pheasants, rather standard ones. A: I think cartridges are very much a personal preference and I would say that whatever gives you confidence when you are shooting is the correct cartridge for you. Shooting…
Ammunition
Ammunition is one of the core elements of the shooting experience.
Choosing the right load is key – and will depend on the gun being used, the level of shooting expertise, the quarry, the terrain and the target.
Is it best to buy online or visit a specialist supplier?
Here our team of experts at Shooting UK give you the latest information on choosing and using the right ammunition, whether shotgun cartridges or air rifle pellets, with tips on storing, wearing and maintaining it safely.
How to store shotgun cartridges legally and safely
I want to keep shotgun cartridges in the loft, which never drops below freezing but does get a bit damp at times. I am not talking about keeping the ammo for a long time, but maybe buying a year or more’s supply at a time.
Would a lighter load improve your shooting standard?
Having taught hundreds of new and experienced shooters over the years, I’ve seen lots of examples of how excessive and unnecessary recoil can adversely affect some people. In many cases (particularly with long-term shooters) these can often go unnoticed or, worse, become accepted as part of the sport and a…
Looking at a 28-bore shotgun and cartridges
A good shot and friend of mine has been invited to shoot stupidly high birds on a commercial pheasant shoot where the headkeeper is a little sniffy about any cartridge that doesn’t carry at least 1.1/4oz (36gms) of big lead pellets in a plastic wad. Even my mate’s other friends…
Will coated cartridges make you a better Shot?
It is the latest trend in cartridge production for both clay and game shooting. Coated cartridges — or, to be more accurate, lead shotgun pellets that have been coated with copper or nickel — are today headlining the cartridge manufacturers’ billboards. Are coated cartridges new? Well, no; as far back…
12 of the best clayshooting cartridges reviewed
The clay-shooting cartridges listed here are the products of just six companies. From their extensive ranges we have picked just two cartridges – a 28g general competition load, and a light load suitable for shooters who are particularly affected by recoil. Some of this latter group are subsonic, so are…
Cartridge safety rules
Reloading your shotgun cartridges is popular in places like America but nobody in the UK (with the possible exception of a few wildfowlers) seems to bother. Why is this?
What’s the right cartridge for red deer?
Deer stalking: I plan to get involved in deer stalking on my father’s farm and two neighbouring Estates where there are Roe, Fallow and a few Sika. Can you recommend a calibre that will cope equally well with all three species?
How to check your scope
As the bullet is the last thing to have contact with the barrel as it leaves and is the first thing that hits your quarry, the uniformity of the projectile is paramount in achieving good, consistent accuracy.
Is the rimfire .22 long rifle cartridge the top seller in the UK?
However an intelligent guess is that the rimfire .22 Long Rifle is leading the way. And, to do a bit more guessing, subsonic variations on the Long Rifle theme must be the most popular. The reason? Subsonic ammo for competition is more accurate than supersonic, and pinpoint accuracy is desirable…
Will Garfit on cartridges for pigeon shooting
A recent question from a reader asked what cartridges I used for pigeon shooting. The answer is simple: Gamebore Velocity, 28gram loaded with No.7½ shot. But the explanation for my choice is more complicated and requires some explanation. A miss is a miss I am no cartridge or ballistics geek…
Why the shot in cartridges should be made of gold
Lead has been used for shot and bullets for centuries; not because it is ideal in all applications but because it is the best compromise. It is cheap when compared to many other metals, heavy enough to maintain velocity and energy over relatively long distances and is soft enough not…
Your cartridges are going to cost you more
Thinking of buying new cartridges to replenish your dwindling stock? If so, perhaps you should do it sooner rather than later. The rising cost of lead on the world market in 2016 forced UK cartridge makers to increase prices last month and there’s no guarantee they won’t go up again…
A female Shot reviews cartridges
With the number of female shooters growing, we thought that it was about time we asked a keen female Shot, Laura Ohrman, to review some cartridges for us. She is a keen Gun and was happy to oblige. So she took some slabs out with her on a shoot day with…
Why cartridge prices are rising
Speaking to Shooting Times, David Bontoft, managing director of premium brand Hull Cartridge, said that despite widespread talk of “nasty cartridge people”, the price rises were unavoidable due to the global cost of lead soaring by 20 per cent in 2016 and the value of the pound falling against the…
What if I load airgun pellets backwards?
Q: I’ve heard that loading airgun pellets backwards is a great way to achieve a dum-dum e ffect when controlling pests such as rats. Does it work and could it damage the barrel of my airgun? A: Loading airgun pellets backwards is unlikely to harm your barrel but it is not conducive to accurate…
Is this new rimfire cartridge any good?
A: Yes, this new cartridge looks to be very interesting to anyone who likes small calibres. It is a rival to the .17 HMR cartridge, which is also a rimfire, but the WSM or Winchester Super Magnum is a more powerful round. Its brass case is roughly 50 per cent thicker than the .17 HMR The .17 WSM…
Shotgun cartridges for geese reviewed
A wild goose chase can be exactly what it says on the tin, so when you get the birds in range you want the confidence that you are packing sufficient power to get one in the bag. Goose shooting can take place in a range of different scenarios, from decoying at close range to foreshore flighting…
How to choose the right cartridge
There are lots of different makes and thousands of configurations of cartridge on the market, so many in fact that even many experienced shots don’t fully understand all the terminology. When it comes to choosing cartridges, everyone has their own ideas. Despite the increasing popularity of the 20 bore shotguns, the 12 still rules the roost. By virtue of its versatility…
Picking the perfect airgun pellet
The airgun pellet is an important link between the shooter and the target. It can make the difference between Olympic gold or bronze. For most airgunners it can just mean the difference between a hit or a miss, but that’s equally important as Olympic glory, especially when you are hunting. Pellets come in four main calibres (sizes): .177; .20;…