Steeling myself for Northumberland's most challenging partridges

My favourite comedian, James Acaster tells a running joke on the Off Menu Podcast, about his revelation into Coca-Cola. To cut a funny and rather long story short, for many reasons he stopped drinking the full-fat stuff and after five years, he had a Diet Coke which he previously avoided due to lacking significantly in the taste department. Quite to his amazement... “it tasted just like normal Coke!”

I’m telling you this because the whole lead vs steel shot debacle is – in my opinion and experience – much the same thing. We all want to use lead but we know it is a bit naughty, and steel just doesn’t quite satisfy one’s tastebuds, but if it was all we ever knew I don’t think anyone would be disappointed.

Don’t get me wrong; I know when it comes to killing game, lead is undoubtedly the best option there is due to its deformation properties, density etc. Given the choice and forgetting about the future of shooting, environmental impacts, the food chain and generally just doing the right thing, I’d shoot my current favourite lead cartridges – Eley VIP Game 32g 5s – all day long.

They pattern well through my gun, I know the speed, they are very smooth and consistent, and experience dictates they will bring down anything when put in the right place. Plus, I love the black and brass combo of the shell – though that’s superficial – and the price point is fair. BUT... lead – despite little evidence to show the harm from falling shot, human or animal consumption – is toxic and doesn’t have a future in shooting.

A lead-free diet

Steel and other lead-free options have come on leaps and bounds in performance and availability in such a short space of time. That said, I have been guilty of having little faith in what is out there and as such stuck to the tried and tested for fear of tainting a day’s shooting, which I cherish so much, by inadequate performance. Much like many of you, no doubt.

I have tried Eley’s lead-free products over the past few years, doing a pocket-full on a drive at most and despite being quite happy with the results, would opt to return to lead for the majority of a day’s shooting. And this is where I think I made a mistake; I never gave it a full, independent chance to impress me – like taking alternate sips between Coca-Cola and then Diet Coke. We all know which comes out trumps every time!

This year, I’ve made the decision to go on a diet. I have opted for the VIP Steel Pro Eco Wad cartridge in 32g 4s – and have purchased a slab or two of the aforementioned loads in No. 5s as cheat meals just in case I don’t get on with them.

Grounds for experimenting

Having documented a number of days for him in the past two seasons (including the first grouse drive in over 60 years! More on that another time), the owner of a very fine estate in Northumberland very kindly invited me to shoot on one of his days this October. Little did I know until the week leading up to the date, it was to be a double gun day on this fabulous and challenging shoot – which has a growing reputation for having the greatest partridge drives in Northumberland – so a lot of opportunity to let off some steel. Despite my conviction, I still gave my loader the slab of lead “just in case”.

Muzzle velocity comparison

Without going too science-y – there are plenty of dedicated articles on that – as a standard steel load Eley VIP Steel shells have a muzzle velocity of 1230fps or 375mps, whereas the lead VIP Game are achieving speeds of 1,356 fps or 413mps.

That is 10% slower in simple terms, and a key factor why I think people have lacking success when trying a handful of one shell and switching back to what they have used for years, often missing behind or increasing the number of pricked birds by shooting them in the back end. But they are still perfectly fast enough for 80 or 90 per cent of shoots!

Indeed, on the first drive, I shot pretty appallingly; 30-something shots for a handful of partridge and a pheasant, and not the most convincing of kills. Come drive two, the results started to improve and by the signature drive, it really started to fall into place and I got my eye in. I remember going through a flurry of shots without missing, folding challenging birds that I would have been very satisfied to hit with any cartridge. My ratio – not that I would ever normally tally such a thing – was around 3:1 come the end of the day.

It was the most exhilarating day’s shooting I have been on and the majority of the line were surprised to know I was shooting steel. I did wonder and was also asked whether it would have been improved by shooting anything other than VIP Steels? The answer was absolutely not. If anything, it felt even more satisfying and rewarding re-discovering just how capable they are.

Price point

Cost is somewhat a consideration. Eley VIP Steel Pro Eco shells are listed on Just Cartridges for £529/1,000 while Eley VIP Game are £419/1,000 – of course, there are other places to buy cartridges from and prices vary between retailers. Yes, they are around £25 more per slab (half a moderate day’s tip for the keeper/pheasant), but it’s a very small increase to pay when you consider the premium eco wad upgrade, specific SSB blend of powders, and generally to do the right thing for the environment and food chain.

Extreme range shooting

While I was certainly shooting somewhere in the upper echelons of shoots in the UK, with its steep valleys offering challenging birds and open fells for varied sport, it is not an extreme-range shoot like a Brigands or a Pennal. Here, another type of cartridge will be required, and indeed gun that is high performance steel proofed, stamped with the fleur de lys, and matched with the appropriate chokes (nothing tighter than ¼ recommended).

Eley have – in keeping with their mantra of always striving to deliver shooters with innovative products so they can make informed choices – brought to market the ESP Pro Eco Steel cartridge. A High Performance steel load in 36 3s or 1s in a 3” casing, designed to extend the capabilities even further of steel. A slab has been signed for here, and I look forward to giving them a go and offering my thoughts before the season is out.

Final word

I have been asking people their opinion for steel or lead-free alternative cartridges for a few years now. I am pleased with the responses of many top shots from the many shoots I visit who have had similar happy results as me. However, there are a few who still want to challenge the move and argue that steel will never be as good as lead.

My response is this: Yes, steel loads will never be as good as lead... but they don’t have to be.

The offerings from Eley are close enough. Explore the full Eley range of game and clay cartridges.