The mania of the cartridges has always been an Italian prerogative, but not all Italian hunters think the same way, or at least many operate a discernment between the different situations and today entrust the tasks of long shots to the aquatic men to the heavy load and tomorrow they will present to a joke with the pointing dog or to a drive English style with all the attention to the spirit, clothing, shotgun and, last but not least, cartridges. The British have always distinguished themselves for a sobriety that is sometimes snobbish, sometimes stubborn, but always elegant because some of their choices are the product of a whole series of values where none excels over the others, but all combine to make their application in the field a something extremely functional. Obviously, these peculiarities give their best when you stay in an area as to say ... a lot British where excesses of all kinds are banned and where class and measure are the yardstick of the onlookers. Now it is not that we go hunting to collect the opinions of those around us, but observing the specific etiquette is always a good way to be appreciated and maybe enjoy some hunting benevolence that certainly does not hurt.
All this prologue to illustrate the cartridges that Purdey makes available, thanks to the importation of the Paganini of Turin, also to the Italian lovers of measure understood as a virtuous star in the middle between two extremes. Rivers of ink have been spent on the charges of the shot cartridges, often to reconfirm what in the land of Albion had been codified for decades and even more. For the 12 gauge the 76 mm chamber is now standardized even if 70 mm cartridges are currently used: here we are still linked to the 65/67 mm chamber and we read the French language prescriptions on the beautiful dark green cardboard box. so the cartridges contained can be used in those many shotguns that still live across the Channel and around the world and are so comraded. It is recommended not to use badly functioning rifles and to wait at least 30 seconds in case of non-fire before opening the weapon, appropriately addressed where there are no dangers for accidental firing.
The cartridge is adequate in every detail to the style to which it refers, so you can touch with pleasure a beautiful red cardboard case with brown writing where the brand, amount of charge, numbering of the pellets are clearly legible; a concession to the becoming of things is the stellar closure with six folds with an owl's beak edge, a “modernity” that reminds us of the beautiful clay pigeon cartridges of the 60s loaded by Oderda di Ceva (CN) with Cooppal powder. The weight of the shot, here of n. 7 therefore 2,4 mm, stands on the legendary ounce, our 28 g, which to be honest is the natural charge of the 16 gauge and for some time now that of the clay pigeon for the subordinate categories.
You can't see the wad, but just reading how it is made of felt makes us savor something that risks ending up in oblivion: it is true that it does not have the protective function of the column of weights that rub against the inside of the barrel, but it is also true that cramming 28 g instead of 36 forces the small spheres to flatten less, deforming and spoiling the pattern a little; likewise the exploitation of the elasticity of the felt softens the water hammer with the advantages that everyone knows by now.
In short, these Purdey charges certainly make a great impression from an aesthetic and historical point of view, winning together the satisfaction of the shooter who will be able to behave accordingly with the engagements of the wild: there is the favor of the exit speed of the charge, an appreciable prerogative, and of the almost imperceptible recoil: even after many, many blows you don't have a sore shoulder and a red cheekbone: things that would make you exclaim rightly oh my God!