Performance Data
| Date | Range | Choke (Nominal) | 30" Circle Impacts (Total) | Performance (Nominal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/08/2017 | 30 Yards | 0.015" (Modified) | 89 (124) | 71% (Improved Cylinder) |
| 01/08/2017 | 30 Yards | 0.015" (Modified) | 68 (124) | 55% (< Cylinder) |
| 01/08/2017 | 30 Yards | 0.020" (Improved Modified) | 91 (124) | 73% (Improved Cylinder) |
| 01/08/2017 | 30 Yards | 0.020" (Improved Modified) | 76 (124) | 61% (Cylinder) |
Performance Analysis
One or two of the .410 cartridges containing #6 shot tested by the SmallBoreShotguns team have shown moments of promise, but all have ultimately disappointed. It is difficult to draw direct comparisons between them, as the loadings are all different, but the Eley cartridge gives, on average, the best percentage performance of any of them. This is not particularly surprising given that the Eley cartridges of all configurations have consistently out-shot the competition.
As above, they are, ultimately, disappointing. Whilst percentage performances, on the basis of the data recorded to date, has been reasonably good, no pattern usable at even 30 yards has yet been seen, which is hardly surprising when the average cartridge contains only four pellets more than the SmallBoreShotguns teams’ “lowest-acceptable” limit of 120 pellets. Like it’s #5 stablemate, this cartridge simply doesn’t have enough to start with to be humanely useful at all but the shortest ranges and in itself, this relies upon accepting a significant reduction in usable pattern area.
Whilst one #6 cartridge so far tested – the Eley “Extralong” 18g/#6 Subsonic – will throw usable patterns at 30 yards, the rest will not and the “Fourlong” is firmly within the sub-standard grouping. No pattern recorded thus far even approaches the lower limit and although the variation in performance appears to be lesser than the #5 version of this cartridge, it is by no means clear whether this is because the cartridge is genuinely more consistent or as a result of “lucky” patterning.
Future testing may make the situation clearer.
Example Patterns
