We take great pleasure in helping new shooters at the start
of their shooting journey, and two of the main questions we are asked are “what
are the differences in cartridge loads” and “how does choking work” We decided they would make good topics to share on here too.
In this blog we are offering some great advice and useful tips on cartridges and the next blog we will post will be all about chokes and what they do.
Cartridges
Shotgun cartridges come in a wide range of sizes and loads,
to suit the different types of guns and shooting experience. There are two
things that you must know about your gun before using any cartridges.
Gauge/calibre – There are different sizes of shotgun and you
have to make sure you get the right cartridges for each. The most common
shotgun size is a 12g but there are others, like 20g, 28g and .410. You MUST
have the correct cartridges for the gun.
Chamber length – The chamber is where you slide a cartridge
in to load it. This space has a fixed length which determines what length of
cartridge will safely shoot. Most modern shotguns are 70 – 76mm (2 ¾” or 3”)
but older guns may have shorter chambers of 65mm (2 ½“). Cartridges come in
these different lengths. You can shoot cartridges shorter than your chamber
length, but it is dangerous to shoot cartridges longer than your chamber
length.
What makes up a cartridge?
Inside a shotgun cartridge are small balls of shot, a wad
and cordite (the explosive). These sit on top of each other, inside a plastic
or paper case with a metal cap containing a primer inside at the bottom. This
primer is hit by a firing pin, which causes it to ignite the cordite. The force
from the cordite burning in turn builds pressure and forces both the wad and
the pellets out of the case, down the barrel and out of the muzzle at great
speeds.
The shot inside the case come in a variety of sizes,
dictated by a number. The smaller the pellet the bigger the number and vice
versa. The smaller the pellet the more you fit inside the case, but the less
hitting power they will have as all the energy in the cartridge will be spread
amongst them. Bigger pellets in turn have more hitting power but there will be
less of them.
The smallest size
pellet frequently used in the UK would be a 9 and are used for clay shooting.
The largest pellet would be a 1 which is used for shooting large birds like
geese. You can get even bigger pellet sizes called AA, BB’s and SG’s. These are
all used for wildfowl and large vermin species.
Various different size shot
Shot Content
Shot can be made from a variety of materials but the most
commonly used is lead. However, there is a concern about lead getting into the
food chain and some game dealers are only accepting birds shot with “non lead”
cartridges. This is a rapidly changing and divisive topic but there are
cartridges available with shot made from steel, bismuth and alloys of other
metals available where required. There may be a change in law to follow but
this as yet not been passed.
Shot Weight
This is denoted in grams and indicated the weight of pellets
inside the case. The lightest 12g lead cartridge would be 21grams and they go up
past 50gram or more for longer case lengths. The weight and shot size together determine
the range that the pellets will go. The heavier the weight the more recoil is
felt. A 21gram would be very gentle on the shoulder in comparison to a 50gram
The “cartridge load” is denoted by two numbers. The shot
size and the weight of shot e.g.) 28g 7
Wad
The wad is what keeps the shot separate from the cordite in
the cartridge. You can get various types but the most common is a fibre or felt
wad. This is a biodegradable flat disc. You can get plastic wads which are cup
shaped around the shot. These keep the pellets together and help concentrate
the force into the pellets (and not leak out around them) They are only
acceptable to use on clay grounds that allow them. There are also various
bio-wads/hydro-wads that act like a plastic wad but do biodegrade over time.
Clay Shooting
Clay grounds have limits on the cartridge load that can be
used on their grounds. For safety reasons they work out the “fall out” range of
the shot to ensure that there is sufficient space for any shot to be contained
within their perimeters. Any cartridges that exceed their limit would go
further than this fall out zone which could be dangerous. Clay grounds usually
limit a cartridge weight of 28grams or below, with a shot size of 7.5 or above.
Game Shooting
Game birds require a larger number of bigger pellets to
humanely kill them. The most common cartridge we sell for game shooting would
be a 30gram 6, but if you were shooting tall pheasants you may jump up in
weight, and down in shot size to a 32gram 5 or a 34gram 4. Everyone has their
own preferences on game cartridges depending on the location of the shoot and what
time of year it is (later in the season the birds are older, fitter and fly
higher). If you are unsure, then ask the shoot host or a fellow shooter before
you go.
Other
Pigeon shooting cartridges can also vary depending on whether you are shooting birds close over decoys or you are roost shooting high birds in woodland. But normally 28gram and up with size 6 shot is used. Wildfowling usually means shooting tough big bodied birds very high up so this is where very large cartridges are used, like 42-gram 2s. Again, lots of variables (species and height) in wildfowling so ask advice first! Please note: Wildfowl have to be shot with steel shot
With a combination of changing choking and cartridges you can vary what a shotgun does a huge amount. Everyone gets a preference for the cartridge brand, the load and the choking that they will use for different situations but it takes time with your gun to try out different combinations to see what suits you.
We are always happy to advise on choking and cartridges to those who are unsure. For more information about Shotgun Chokes please see our next blog.