Gamebore's UER cartridge gives unprecedented power at extended ranges

Over the last few years the game shooting community has rapidly moved away from the use of plastic wad cartridges. According to the 2014 Game Shooting Census 17% of game shots felt that plastic wads should be permitted for game shooting. By 2020 that figure had dropped to 2%. However, there are still those, especially high bird shots, who value the improved patterns that plastic wads deliver at longer ranges.

The shot cup employed by plastic wads, which reduces shot deformation by protecting it from the barrels and holds the shot in a tighter group for longer, as well as the improved gas seal in back-bored or over-bored barrels, delivers less felt recoil, and improved patterns. The combination, many felt, resulted in greater consistency.

Interestingly, it is the move away from plastic wads, precipitated by that announcement from the shooting organisations in early 2020 that has given the plastic-heads an alternative to fibre wad cartridges, in the form of the still fairly new biodegradable wad systems. 

By now, many will be familiar with Gamebore’s Bio-Wad. Not only do these injection-moulded wads break down ten times faster than a fibre wad, but they are made from a 100% environmental water-soluble material, making them a better bet from a conservation perspective. When submerged in water the non-toxic material breaks down in 24 hours. When left on the surface, the material is non-toxic, safe for livestock and breaks down in a maximum of 30 days. 

Better than plastic

But the real shooting benefit is when it comes to performance. For the 2023/24 game season Gamebore have released an update to their perennially popular Black Gold game cartridges, Black Gold UER (Ultra Extended Range). In developing these cartridges the company’s R&D team have effectively started from scratch, analysing what aspects could be improved upon. The result is a new lead load that they say delivers a “level of performance never achieved before.”

Building on the success of the Bio-Wad shot cup employed in their steel-shot cartridges, Gamebore have updated the technology based on the last couple of seasons’ experience. Two and a half times denser than an equivalent plastic wad, the new Bio-Wad Gen II falls away from the shot at a greater distance from the muzzle, resulting in tighter patterns at range.

The newly designed wad/cup system features four ribbed petals with 45 degree overlapping edges. The ribbing reduces surface friction as the wad travels down the barrel - this is an exercise in marginal gains!

Similarly the new wads employ the same four ring Quad Seal technology, which gives an improved gas seal, reducing felt-recoil and increasing striking energy. The improved seal also ensures that the powder burns cleaner. 

The exclusive Bio-Wad also features a built-in cushioning system to help reduce the felt recoil.

The shot cup is filled with either 32 or 36g of size 3, 4, or 5 shot. The shot in question is Gamebore’s proprietary Diamond Shot Xtra, produced in the company’s own shot tower. It is graded 7 times  to ensure conformity, and is a harder pellet than the Diamond Shot that was loaded in the old Black Golds, reducing the deformation of pellets. At 11g/cm3, it is also the densest shot in Gamebore’s range, helping to extend the range.

To make the all important bang and providing the power, Gamebore have employed a new custom-made double base RS propellant, which burns progressively, balancing downrange speed with low felt-recoil.

“Fabulous,” I hear you say, “But what does all this mean?” Well, the clue is in the name. All of the above combines to give dramatically improved performance at longer ranges. 

The graph below shows the measured speed of two cartridges, the Black Gold Dark Storm and the new Black Gold UER, both in 32g 5.

Despite both having the same muzzle velocity, you can see that even at 20m from the muzzle the Dark Storms have lost 34% of their speed, while the Black Gold UER have only lost 29%. Out at 40 yards - a high bird by anyone’s standards, the Dark Storms have lost 48%, while the UERs have only lost 44%. 

While this difference may not seem all that great, down-range energy is what delivers knock-down power and clean kills. To put this in perspective, I have also included the velocity of Gamebore’s traditional 2 ½ inch load, Super Game High Bird. At 50 yards the UERs are faster than the Super Game at 40 yards, and I can say from personal experience that the Super Game are fantastic cartridges.

Combine this with the improved tighter pattern that the shot cup gives, and you’re looking at a far more effective cartridge at extended ranges. No doubt those heading to the high bird shoots of Yorkshire, Wales and Exmoor will be excited to give these a try this season.

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