With so many different makes and thousands of configurations of cartridge on the market, how do you go about choosing the right cartridge for you? Ask the experts? Trouble is everyone has their own ideas and likes, and that doesn’t mean that will be right for you.
Tips to choosing the right cartridge
- Weight – cartridges are sold according to gram weight of the shot (shot load) eg 30g, 32g. You will want a heavier loads to maintain pattern density the further you are shooting. It is important that there is sufficient quantity and velocity over that distance to ensure a clean kill.
- Cartridge speed - one thing we find that the quicker powder burns the faster the speed but does mean there is an increase in recoil. So depending on the guns used we can advise appropriately.
- Fibre or plastic wad? – clearly an eco decision, to protect the environment you will probably use fibre wads. Fibre is also known for not expanding in the chamber in the same way as plastic when fired, which makes them good for use in old English-style guns where weak ejector springs may be an issue.
- Calibre –it’s obviously important to ensure the cartridge is the correct calibre for your shotgun, whether 12 or 20 bore.
Unless you are using an older gun, you may also want to consider choke (used to shape the spread of the shot to gain better range and accuracy) . The lighter the shot load you use, the tighter the choke is needed to maintain pattern density.
We’re always happy to chat about which cartridge is best for you, your gun, your sport. Pop into the shop at any time for a chat!
