Eley Hawk's ambassadors Jean Paul Gaudin (The Seated Gun) and James Goulding (of The Pig hotels) share their choice of shotgun cartridges for the 2022 game season.
Industry leading manufacturers of fine shotgun cartridges for game and clay shooters, Eley Hawk, are proud sponsors of some of the most talented clay and game shooters in the country. From new, up and coming talent, national, world, and Olympic champions to legends of the sport. Within this elite group, two avid game shooters are preparing for another season in the heather using their most trusted cartridge brand, Eley Hawk.
Jean-Paul Gaudin, more commonly known as The Seated Gun, has only been an Eley Hawk ambassador for three months, but has been an avid user of the brand for as long as he can remember, first using the Grand Prix paper style back in France with his grandfather when he was 12 years old. Jean-Paul commented on his chosen load for game shooting: “The load for me would have to be Zenith throughout! From early season pheasant and partridge using a 32/5 through to the extreme height and super strong birds where I use a 36/4. Zenith continually give me the consistency of pattern I require, alongside superb take down power, these elements combined with their speed and low recoil make them, for me, the best cartridge to use on any game day.”
James Golding, Group Chef Director of THE PIG hotels, has been an Eley Hawk chef ambassador for 10 months and is a stalwart of sustainable produce and an avid game shot. James promotes the eating of game and other wild, responsibly sourced ingredients via his seasonal menus, considerable social media following, and on live TV. James commented on his preferred load: “For game, I am now using the 12 bore VIP Eley VIP Steel Pro in 5 shot predominantly and 3 shot for those high bird days”. When asked about his first impressions of the load he said: “Very positive indeed! I have only used them for a short time, but I can safely say everything I have shot at has come down convincingly – and if it didn’t, it was down to user error. They certainly have enough performance and patterning characteristics to do what they need to do!”.
With an arsenal of over 30 game cartridges on the market, each offering unique characteristics, the Eley Hawk team provides a unique load for every game shooter to provide consistency, reliability, and performance for over-under and side-by-side users alike.
Eley Hawk Ambassador's perfect choice of game cartridges
Eley Zenith
The Zenith is Eley’s premier game shooting cartridge, featuring the very best components including premium copper-coated lead shot to deliver superior patterning for grouse and other gamebirds. Whether loaded with fibre or the innovative Pro-Eco wad, the Zenith will deliver the high point to anyone’s shooting day. Available in 12 and 20 gauge in a variety of loads and shot sizes.
VIP Steel Pro Eco
Eley Hawk’s VIP Steel Pro Eco wad cartridges have changed the game for lead-free loads. The first of their kind loaded by a UK manufacturer, VIP Steel Pro Eco cartridges allow wildfowlers, game, and clay shooters alike to be able to shoot steel cartridges safely with a non-plastic wad that is harmless to the environment. They have been rigorously tested for safety and ballistic confidence and are available in 32 gram and 3 and 5 shot.
Both loads listed above are available now in Eley stockists and from online cartridge retailers.