Eley Alphamax

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Eley Alphamax

Post by Grumpy » 05 Nov 2021, 5:53 pm

Hi all.
My young bloke got this ammo as part of a deal when he purchased a new shotgun and I’m struggling to work out what it’s for. I’ve tried researching but couldn’t find much information about this particular ammo. It’s labeled as 4 shot, but also labeled as a Heavy Game cartridge. I thought that #4 was geared towards use on wild birds, Or if it’s #4 buck this still wouldn’t be for heavy game. I have limited knowledge on shotgun loads so please enlighten me to what I’m missing.
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by mchughcb » 05 Nov 2021, 6:01 pm

Eley is a good quality cartridge. The #4 should be around 3.3mm in diameter. 34gram load is a light to medium field load sits between 32 and 42gram field loads. It will drop a rabbit at 40m+ and be good for foxes at 35m+ without kicking too much.
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by bladeracer » 05 Nov 2021, 6:08 pm

Grumpy wrote:Hi all.
My young bloke got this ammo as part of a deal when he purchased a new shotgun and I’m struggling to work out what it’s for. I’ve tried researching but couldn’t find much information about this particular ammo. It’s labeled as 4 shot, but also labeled as a Heavy Game cartridge. I thought that #4 was geared towards use on wild birds, Or if it’s #4 buck this still wouldn’t be for heavy game. I have limited knowledge on shotgun loads so please enlighten me to what I’m missing.



I used to use #4 on galahs and rabbits. Probably a bit light for foxes except at close-range. I think it would specify if it were #4 Buck, but you should be able see the pellets if you hold it up to a strong light, or just open one up.
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by womble » 05 Nov 2021, 6:15 pm

#4 buck.
Foxes, pigs, no problem.
Smaller shot but more shot likely to hit the target.
And i think higher velocity than 00 buckshot but still a tight pattern ?
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by womble » 05 Nov 2021, 6:21 pm

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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by womble » 05 Nov 2021, 6:32 pm

Less recoil, heavy game. Probably developed for fat soft Americans. Home defence without the bruising.
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by bigpete » 05 Nov 2021, 6:43 pm

Its just size 4 shot. I use it myself. Its not no.4 buckshot
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by Grumpy » 05 Nov 2021, 7:34 pm

Thanks guys. I thought that it was probably size 4 shot but the Heavy Game bit had me confused.
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by bladeracer » 05 Nov 2021, 7:35 pm

womble wrote:#4 buck.
Foxes, pigs, no problem.
Smaller shot but more shot likely to hit the target.
And i think higher velocity than 00 buckshot but still a tight pattern ?


Maybe if it is Buck, but I doubt it is.
I wouldn't be using #4 birdshot on pigs further than about two-metres from the muzzle.

#4 shot is about .130" and 3gr. #4 Buck is about .240" and about 30gn. The first is like half a .177 air-rifle pellet, the second is like the old .22 Long 29gn bullet.
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by Grumpy » 05 Nov 2021, 8:01 pm

womble wrote:Less recoil, heavy game. Probably developed for fat soft Americans. Home defence without the bruising.

I'm fat & from American descent, but live in Aus so this options out.
bladeracer wrote:Maybe if it is Buck, but I doubt it is.
I wouldn't be using #4 birdshot on pigs further than about two-metres from the muzzle.
[/quote]
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by deye243 » 05 Nov 2021, 8:21 pm

I think you will find that these have a reasonable amount of recoil as they are 42g load I've been using quite a bit of it lately very good stuff.

Oops just went back and had a look at the picture of the box you have 34g the ones I have are 42 absolutely love it
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by womble » 05 Nov 2021, 11:59 pm

Pretty sure the others are right and i a m wrong.
#4 bird shot, not buck.
Heavy game kinda threw me but i think that’s relative to the load. Probably moreso medium as McHugh said.
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by bladeracer » 06 Nov 2021, 7:12 am

womble wrote:Pretty sure the others are right and i a m wrong.
#4 bird shot, not buck.
Heavy game kinda threw me but i think that’s relative to the load. Probably moreso medium as McHugh said.


In Btitish parlance "heavy game" probably means pheasant :-)
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by bigpete » 06 Nov 2021, 7:36 am

bladeracer wrote:
womble wrote:Pretty sure the others are right and i a m wrong.
#4 bird shot, not buck.
Heavy game kinda threw me but i think that’s relative to the load. Probably moreso medium as McHugh said.


In Btitish parlance "heavy game" probably means pheasant

Yep,that's about the sum of it. I'm on a few British pages and I've seen them multiple times recommend aaa buckshot for fox hunting....
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by Diamond Jim » 23 Nov 2021, 12:18 am

No. 4 shot - rabbit, hare, cat, duck etc. Heavy Game refers to the load - 34gm - and velocity - 1241fps.. Put a slab of that through a 6 1/2lb sxs and you'll believe it is a "heavy game" cartridge.
https://www.nioa.com.au/products/eley-a ... -4-1241fps
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by animalpest » 23 Nov 2021, 9:45 am

Yep, it's more like Heavy, game shot rather than heavy game, shot.

#4 is for large duck etc
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by Diamond Jim » 27 Nov 2021, 6:40 pm

animalpest wrote:Yep, it's more like Heavy, game shot rather than heavy game, shot.

#4 is for large duck etc


That's what I was trying to say, it's a "game" load (e.g. pheasants, rabbits, etc) loaded "heavy" i.e. 34gr as opposed to a "light" load of 24 - 28gr of no.4 shot (i.e. a light, game load).

Not so much for fat Americans - rather for english game shooting by heretics using modern U/O guns.
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Re: Eley Alphamax

Post by Grumpy » 29 Nov 2021, 1:10 pm

Diamond Jim wrote:
animalpest wrote:Yep, it's more like Heavy, game shot rather than heavy game, shot.

#4 is for large duck etc


That's what I was trying to say, it's a "game" load (e.g. pheasants, rabbits, etc) loaded "heavy" i.e. 34gr as opposed to a "light" load of 24 - 28gr of no.4 shot (i.e. a light, game load).

Not so much for fat Americans - rather for english game shooting by heretics using modern U/O guns.

Now it’s all starting to make sense.
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