A couple weeks ago I had an opportunity to shoot clays at three nice English clay courses: Bisley, West Kent, and the E.J. Churchill Shooting Grounds. I borrowed a friend's beautiful vintage Hodges sidelock side by side to shoot. Once again, I found the Hull 21 gram (3/4 oz) load to be a very good and popular load.
Part of the popularlity is that English cartridges seem to be priced by the amount of lead, with lighter loads being noticeably cheaper.
We tackled the Grouse Butt and a 50 yard high tower. The light loads did a great job. They didn't seem as soft as the RST 3/4 oz Falcons, but recoil was noticably light and you couldn't beat the price.
Sensitivity over the lead issue is also apparently pushing some clubs to encourage lighter loads. While over there I read and heard a lot about the looming battle in the UK over lead shoot. A government committee has been appointed to look into the lead shot issue, and major sporting organizations are wrestling with how to respond.
If lead is banned, less available or more costly, it could really put some UK clubs in a bind because many clubs have already banned steel target loads due to safety (riccochet) issues. At West Kent Shooting Grounds, there is a sign on the clubhouse door that steel loads are banned at the club due to it's proximity to a residential area.
Here is an interesting article on the ballistic performance of Hull Comp X 21 gram loads and some of the issues involved:
http://gunmart.net/accessories_review/hu...utm_campaign=rl
