The description ‘Traditional’ in the name of perhaps the best-known Eley game cartridge, the Eley Grand Prix, may appear a little incongruous. It is understandable that the UK’s most senior cartridge company would seek to capitalise upon the huge following the most established cartridge in their game line has amassed over its long history. Noted icons of the game shooting fraternity have commented upon their reliance of Eley Grand Prix for their driven game shooting days.
Now faced with the likelihood of a transition to steel shot for game shooting, ‘times are a changin’’. There is nothing ‘traditional’ about steel shot where game shooting is concerned, but that’s not the point. What is very traditional is the style of gun that formed the bedrock of typical English game shooting over generations; namely, the lightweight English-style side-by-side shotgun. Today, there is clearly a growing trend towards the use of over-and-under shotguns for game shooting. The over-and-under was once frowned upon, and certain established shooting estates discouraged this change. However, lighter recoil, the ability to shoot heavier loads and growing interest in high-bird shooting
