schmokinn
Well-known member
surely unburnt propellant equals less power so must have some effect on the performance of the cartridge?
Eley. I should have known better!
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Yes admittedly it isn't what Frank Williams would settle for on one of his engines but I personally couldn't/wouldn't be able to detect a difference in performance if my life depended on it. Eley have been guilty of some lax practices but they did fix this particular problem a loooong time ago and I honestly find my barrels visually clean when I use either Superbs or Blues. I have had and witnessed minor issues with every other make of shell out there, we're talking about a mass produced item rolling off machines at the rate of millions per day for 20p each, you're gonna get problems from time to time.
I use Clever and they have been ultra reliable, never had a misfire out of more than 14k and they leave the barrels really clean. I usually don't clean my gun barrels for weeks... which is probably wrong but I shoot every weekend and the gun is always dry so I don't see corrosion as a problem. Maxam make lots of cartridges that are used down here all very popular especially RIO although it has to be said I have never seen a fibre wad cartridge used down here... infact I have never seen them offered for sale anywhere??
Iggy
Well-known member
I too choose shells based on their shooting characteristics and having tried loads of varieties have settled in Clevers as well....they're lovely to shoot, smooth and break targets well. They're not the fastest shell around but I've got that particular 'nugget' out of my system now and I can't say I'm suffering for less speed. They used to be hard to locate but they are getting a wider distribution of late
Im not fussed about how clean a shell is or isn't as I always clean my gun after each use, but the Clevers do leave the gun (bordering on) unbelievably clean....literally nothing in the barrels as John says. It's not why I use them, but its a very nice bonus.
Back on topic.... a few months ago I bought 2 slabs of Olympic Blues because I was bored and thought I might have been missing something...wow they felt harsh by comparison and the tubes looked like dirty drains after 100, so I won't be buying any more. Pity really, the Eley brand is one I've always associated with shooting and its a shame when things start to slide.
Im not fussed about how clean a shell is or isn't as I always clean my gun after each use, but the Clevers do leave the gun (bordering on) unbelievably clean....literally nothing in the barrels as John says. It's not why I use them, but its a very nice bonus.
Back on topic.... a few months ago I bought 2 slabs of Olympic Blues because I was bored and thought I might have been missing something...wow they felt harsh by comparison and the tubes looked like dirty drains after 100, so I won't be buying any more. Pity really, the Eley brand is one I've always associated with shooting and its a shame when things start to slide.
So what was actually wrong with them ?
Not being unkind but shotgun shells have a habit of going off with an almighty bang and kick, it's what they do and OK so these felt a bit punchier but there will be dozens of more expensive and classier shells that will kick even more so that isn't really a sign of the brands downward spiral. Neither is cleanliness to be honest and there does seem to be a mix of experiences with these anyway, as I have mentioned my barrels using plastic wad Blue or Superbs simply show minor signs of being shot rather than the more obvious crumbs galore you sometimes see particularly with fibre wads.
I'm just interested as to why this characteristics is deemed to be a defect and conversely leaving little residue is deemed to be a strength ? Does target breaking ability not matter a tad more ?
Iggy
Well-known member
Absolutely, and from the perspective of breaking clays when pointed in the right place the Blues performed exactly the same as the Clevers, but the Clevers did so with smoother recoil and less resultant crud in the barrels.
I don't think I actually stated the Clevers were 'better' but in my opinion they are 'preferable' for the above reasons....at the end of the day shotgun cartridges are a consumable item and we all buy the ones that suit us best based on personal experience and preference.
But as for why leaving little residue isn't perceived as a strength, and given the clay breaking ability is identical, why shouldn't it be?
I don't think I actually stated the Clevers were 'better' but in my opinion they are 'preferable' for the above reasons....at the end of the day shotgun cartridges are a consumable item and we all buy the ones that suit us best based on personal experience and preference.
But as for why leaving little residue isn't perceived as a strength, and given the clay breaking ability is identical, why shouldn't it be?
I suppose I too would pick the cleaner one all else being equal it's just when you stated :
Pity really, the Eley brand is one I've always associated with shooting and its a shame when things start to slide.
that it sounded as though clean barrels are a prerequisite to a firms survival.
David Paul Gag
Well-known member
through the years a lot of shooters have winged about Eley I cannot help but think about the old saying "give a dog a bad name and it sticks"
At present I am in Australia and have been shooting when ever I can
back in the Uk I would use Hull sporting 100 but thay do not stock them near us so
a shooting friend of mine suggested I try Eley Olympic blues so for the last two months that's what I have been shooting
In my view thay are not as soft as the Sporting 100 but kills are excellent and surprise surprise! I find them dare I say it "clean"
now could it be possible that the climate as some thing to do with it ???
Happy Shooting
Dave
At present I am in Australia and have been shooting when ever I can
back in the Uk I would use Hull sporting 100 but thay do not stock them near us so
a shooting friend of mine suggested I try Eley Olympic blues so for the last two months that's what I have been shooting
In my view thay are not as soft as the Sporting 100 but kills are excellent and surprise surprise! I find them dare I say it "clean"
now could it be possible that the climate as some thing to do with it ???
Happy Shooting
Dave
Touch wood I must be lucky with eley superb then. I've shot a few of them over the past year and I must be extremely lucky then. Never had a misfire or a duff cartridge and seem to work well in my b525.
I did use the rc2 for a while and had nothing but hassles with misfires on them.
Bet I've gone and jinxed myself now.
I did use the rc2 for a while and had nothing but hassles with misfires on them.
Bet I've gone and jinxed myself now.
bugsey hogan
Well-known member
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Olympic blues still good enough for me and I'm not going to spend a lot more money just to get cleaner barrels.
Will Hewland
Well-known member
Rios should be available to all. Like nhs treatment or school meals to the low earners. It would settle so much anxiety..
Will Hewland
Well-known member
I watched a bloke today having lots of fun with Eley Olympic Blues or whatever they are called. He was using them in one barrel (Gamebore for the first shot at long crosser). Every time, the Eley did something nasty. A few "worked" but went off quietly, leaving masses of powder in the barrel. His best one went phut and a long stick was needed to push the whole plas wad out of the barrel. He said he buys them from somewhere that stores them properly..
FloodDefence
Well-known member
As an Eley shooter I will admit to having problems with superbs not going off on a basis that was more than acceptable and new pins in my gun made no discernible difference, maybe the gun just doesn't like them?. That said they are one of the best cartridges I've shot, it just became a bit of a head worm wondering if maybe it would be "this one" that wouldn't go bang, other than that I wouldn't use anything else. So I switched up to VIP trap and VIP sporting, awesome kills from both but will admit to the sporting (fibre) being absolutely filthy since they changed to a shorter brass, obviously that's not the cause but something else must have altered too, Still awesome breaks though just more scrubbing required .. Only issue is £57.40 a slab and I get through lots and lots of them!.
There was a guy called Gavin at Four Counties on the last Registered shoot using Eley and he had a hazel stick with him to push the wads out if the barrel when he had a "pop". I witnessed about 5 wads get stuck in his barrel on one stand of 10........
I really felt for him as he was shooting well.
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westley
Well-known member
Wonder if he still uses them ? :???:
I have a 3 piece rod in the bottom of my cartridge bag, just in case I encounter any Eley users !
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David Paul Gag
Well-known member
As stated in a previous post I've been over in South Australia for a few months and been shooting Eley Olympic blues I have said previously they were not soft to shoot but brakes were good they were not particularly dirty and I had no malfunctions at all on maybe 3000 cartridges
Well came home 3 weeks ago could not get my usual cartridges so thought I would try eley Olympic blues again !!
Well maybe I'm wrong but thay seem a bit bumpier the brakes were good still but my barrels were filthy (not that that bothers me)
Or could it be the climate !!
Or is it more that the packaging that's being changed
Could it be that South Australian Olympic blues are made somewere else ?
Anybody know??
David Paul Gag
Well-known member
As stated in a previous post I've been over in South Australia for a few months and been shooting Eley Olympic blues I have said previously they were not soft to shoot but brakes were good they were not particularly dirty and I had no malfunctions at all on maybe 3000 cartridges
Well came home 3 weeks ago could not get my usual cartridges so thought I would try eley Olympic blues again !!
Well maybe I'm wrong but thay seem a bit bumpier the brakes were good still but my barrels were filthy (not that that bothers me)
Or could it be the climate !!
Or is it more that the packaging that's being changed
Could it be that South Australian Olympic blues are made somewere else ?
Anybody know??
Is anything to do with storage? My son and I shoot about 1500 clays a month of all different brands, including Eley, and I would be surprised if we had more than 1 fail to fire cartridge out of a thousand. If I had 5 misfire out of 100 I would take them back to the shop, why would you be so prepared for a misfire that you carry a stick to clean the gun....that did make me laugh!
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