Shotgun Shell recommendation for newbie

jingojonson

Hi All

Taking delivery of my new semi auto this week. Don't have much experience with shotguns so looking for simple up to date (I already read older threads) recommendation for

1. Game cartridge for pigeon / pheasant
2. Clay cartridge

Other things being equal would prefer low recoil.

I know feck all about this area so all detail appreciated.

Cheers

J

Cass

jingojonson wrote: »

Hi All

Taking delivery of my new semi auto this week.

Congrats, well wear.

1. Game cartridge for pigeon / pheasant

A little "heavy" but i like RC3s in 36gr 5s. A dependable and hard hitting shell. A lighter load i go to would be Eley 32gr, 6s for pigeon, crows, and other crop protection shooting.

2. Clay cartridge

I'm a bit of the loop with the newer stuff, but i've always used Eley Olympic and Superb for clays. The Superb are a better round but about 20-25% more expensive per slab.

Someone will be along to give you more up to date info on newer shells.

Other things being equal would prefer low recoil.

Have you fired/owned a semi auto before? they are inherently lower recoil guns as they use gas, or inertia, to cycle the gun and hence you'll find the same shell in an O/U will feel less "kicky" in a semi auto. As such the above shells like the RCs while a heavier load might not feel as bad as you'd think.

Again best of luck with your new gun. Don't forget to stick up a few pics when she arrives.

GolfVI

Personally I find the best way to choose a cartridge is to buy a few different boxes of different brands and go test them out, find which best suits your needs, however if youre looking for a head start heres why i use/used. Of course price will be a determining factor for most.

For pigeon and crows I use either
Gamebore clear pigeon or Eley pigeon select both in 6, 30g

Both do the job nicely, however I find the Eley pigeon select to be quite a dirty cartridge in my over/under and it does need a good scrubbing even after shooting a couple shots.

For clays Im sure 70% of the lads on here would suggest Eley olympic blues to anyone starting out, and while they are a great cartridge for the price, i personally find them a bit thumpy for my liking, so i use either Gamebore evo or Gamebore Velocity + in 7.5, 28gr which i find both lighter on the shoulder.

garv123

For clays all cheap shells seem very thumpy, not too bad in a semi auto tho. I use Hull Pro 1s or super fast.
Eley blues are probably the most common, they kick in lighter guns but aren't bad in a semi auto.

32g 6 and 7s will knock all game at a decent distance.

JohnFitz2332

I don't shoot game, but for clays I like Eley Olympic Blues

cookimonster

I've a gas operated gun and find the following ok:
Clays: Eley Blues / Chedite 28g 7.5
Game cartridges in 4/5/6 from 32g up to 36g. RC, Chedite, Gamebore. (Ducks, Pheasant, Snipe, Pigeon, Covids, Rabbits)
They all did me fine, I always say that I miss just as good with the dear stuff as I do with the cheep ones.
I mainly use the semi for dedicated decoying, pigeons/crows, duck and the odd bit of clay shooting preferring the o/u for rough shooting.
The semi eats 28g clay cartridges with no issues, some guns can't handle them, so during the frenzy suicidal days of pigeon decoying they suit the purpose well but with the newer dedicated pigeon cartridges now on the market I tend to buy these as theres not too much in the difference price wise but gives you that better clout.
You'll need to do a bit of patterning with your chokes and cartridges just to see whats happening. The whole issue of chokes and opinions are a nightmare of contradiction but generally we tend to use too tight a choke.
Lastly fibre wad or plastic?...... I'll clean my semi on two occasions, firstly when I put it away after the pigeon decoying is over, only to be taken out the odd time untill next Spring and secoundly only when I feel the recoil increase or the cycle begin to slow. This is dependent on the amount of slabs I go through over the Spring /Summer. The exception to this routine was when I used fibre wad cartridges, with the gun requiring more frequent cleaning due to fouling.

Best of luck with the gun.

jingojonson

Thanks to all for replies. Thats given me enough to get started with. I'll buy a few boxes of the recommended and see how they go in the gun when I'm patterning. Let the learning commence.

Grizzly 45

It also might be a case of finding out what the gun likes best to eat and going with that.Semis being more mechanical than the other shotgun designs,can all have their little quirks as to what they work best with.
Best thing to do is as suggested.Buy a bunch of brands and try them out to find out which you both agree on.You on recoil and the gun on functionality.It can be the most stupid of things betimes. For example there are a couple of brands I cant use in one of my semis.Not because it wont fire them.The shell cases when fired are too long with the crimp to exit cleanly from the ejection port! End result,the action is so fast,they dont clear the port properly and are hit by the returning breech block and are back in battery in the chamber,thus causing a jam.Change the brand,no probs.

Gorgeousgeorge

What semi did you purchase?

Clay carts as a beginner I'd stick with tt1/Olympic blues. Can be thumpy but your semi will absorb all that

Pigeon I use rc sipe in 32g of 7 shot. Nice and cheap.

Pheasant eley/gamebore/b&p 32g/34g in either a 6 or 5.

Either way best of luck with it! Great hobby

jingojonson

Thanks for recommendations. Its a Franchi affinity - I had it out today with RC 32 game and eley olympic blues and I'm quite happy with it.

May try the gamebore next.

Cheers

J

Luckysasha

Whatever shells you go with just make sure you can get a plentiful supply of them. Nothing worse than having to wait 4 or 5 weeks for stock to arrive

J.R.

Luckysasha wrote: »

Whatever shells you go with just make sure you can get a plentiful supply of them. Nothing worse than having to wait 4 or 5 weeks for stock to arrive

I always order cartridges online from Sportsden - next day delivery by courier to Dublin.

Gorgeousgeorge

J.R. wrote: »

I always order cartridges online from Sportsden - next day delivery by courier to Dublin.

very pricey on the gamebore stuff?

jingojonson

Another query - For game i intend to cook it etc so what are implications of shotgun cartridge on this
ie steel shot vs lead, pellets in meat etc?

garv123

jingojonson wrote: »

Another query - For game i intend to cook it etc so what are implications of shotgun cartridge on this
ie steel shot vs lead, pellets in meat etc?

Led shot is fine, most popular at the minute.

I shoot duck, pheasant, pigeon all with 32g 7s, great knocking power, and very little damage to the bird, bigger shot size can do more damage, the pattern keeps tighter for longer, therefore more led in the same spot.

The pigeon man

Gorgeousgeorge wrote: »

very pricey on the gamebore stuff?

It is pricey for all of the gamebore cartridges. Balheary shooting grounds is probably the cheapest.

anthony500_1

jingojonson wrote:

Thanks for recommendations. Its a Franchi affinity/quote]


Looked at a new one of these a few weeks back. As a starter gun also. Was a black synthetic one. Felt lovely to handle and I liked the slightly raised rib on it. Didn't fire it but I was very impressed with the fit and feel off it.

Well may it wear for you.

jingojonson

Thanks - I was on a budget and wanted a semi so i did the usual online review round but ultimately it felt good and fit me fairly well off the shelf. I went for the wood stock one.

cavan shooter

32g 6 for game is what I've always used Eley are plentiful I think I've Supergame and grand prix put it through a 1/2 choke and if your on him you'll drop him.

For Ducks 32g 5

For Clay's 28g 7.5.

Eley will get you started and are available everywhere. After that if your like me you'll start buying a box or two here and there. Enjoy and good luck