I am a firm believer that confidence is the most important factor when trying to perform at the highest level on the shooting field. But confidence is not just about your belief in your ability to make the perfect shot; it’s equally the trust and faith you have in your chosen cartridge to get the job done when you put the shot in the right spot.

Cartridges (shotshells) are the biggest consumable in our sport and there are many brands on the market and at different price points.

All shotshells are not made equal; and, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.

So, what do I look for in a shotshell? For me, it needs to be consistent, smooth on the shoulder without sacrificing velocity, with an even, solid impact when I put the shot in the right place. The way that I break the target provides confidence and, in turn, confidence enhances performance. For me, Baschieri & Pellagri (B&P) ticks all these boxes. 

To understand why B&P is held by many as the leading manufacturer of shotshells around the world, you must first understand the history of the company and then look inside its products.

Who is B&P? 

Baschieri & Pellagri – more commonly known in Australia as ‘B&P’ was formed in 1885 in Bologna, Italy by dedicated hunter Settimio Baschieri and Guido Pellagri, a chemistry graduate who created the first ‘smokeless’ white gunpowder, called Acapnia.

Since 1885, B&P has been passionate about its powders, producing many unique propellants based on traditional recipes, and refining these formulations over the years through ongoing research and a dedication to excellence.

B&P’s special chemical compositions paired with the company’s expertise provide a guarantee of superior performance and consistency.

With more than 137 years of experience, it is no mystery why B&P has grown to become a worldwide leader not only in the manufacture of cartridges, but also in the production and distribution of powders, plastic wads and cartridge cases using the famous Gordon System.

It is no wonder that many other cartridge brands around the world are using B&P’s components in their shotshells today.

So, let’s take a closer look at all the components that are made by B&P and their importance in creating the perfect recipe.

The Gordon case system

The B&P Gordon case is recognisable by its unique shock-absorbing base-wad.

If you have ever fired cartridges with a Gordon case, you probably already know the ultimate feeling of shooting softness and comfort, particularly considering the speed of the shell. The faster, the shell (velocity), the more recoil is felt on the shoulder.

The Gordon case, unlike other conventional shell casings, is specially designed to minimise the recoil felt by the shooter and is unique in offering two shock absorbing systems within the cartridge.

As soon as the shot is fired, the gunpowder inside the cartridge becomes high-pressure gas. Due to the radial resistance of the steel barrel, this gas can expand only axially, meaning forward onto the pellets and backwards onto the shooter’s shoulder.

When using the Gordon case, the impact of the gases in the direction of the shoulder is in part absorbed by the shock absorption of the Gordon base-wad, and in part by the springiness of the wad. These two dampening systems offset this force and this generate a much lesser recoil effect. 

With a conventional shell casing, there is nothing to absorb the backwards force of the gases, so the impact on the shoulder is perceived in all its violence.

The Gordon case also gives B&P products an attractive and unique look among its peers in a very competitive market.

What are the benefits in competition?

In short, the Gordon case offers the competitive shooter comfort and faster second shot acquisition by enabling them to recover from the recoil of the first shot while staying connected with the target and without having to sacrifice velocity to achieve it. There is also a benefit to the shooter by feeling less fatigued throughout an event or at the end of a day’s shooting, due to being less affected by recoil.

Cartridge components

The plastic tube: the quality of the plastic tube which makes up the hull of the cartridge is of primary importance, as is strict observance of dimensional parameters. These aspects guarantee a uniform wad seal and the necessary force to open the shell crimp.

The wad: the wad is one of the most important components when creating a perfect shotshell.

The shot cup (wad) separates the shot from the powder and acts as a seal between the propulsive gases and the shot stack, preventing direct contact between the hot gases and the delicate pellets, which could melt or distort them.

When the pellets leave the barrel, the shot cup protects the pellet swarm from pressure gusts that could affect or even damage the quality of the spread and as the petals open in a symmetrical way, this lets the swarm of pellets maintain a perfectly regular and symmetrical shape, essential for the quality of the spread.

Top-of-the-range B&P shells use pre-cut wads to make this important feature a certainty. Thanks to the wad, less stress is placed on the pellets, which maintains a better sphericity, producing more dense and uniform patterns that are therefore more penetrating on impact.

The propellant (powder): the powder, which is made totally onsite at B&P, ensures absolute uniformity in terms of thrust on the pellet stack, producing consistent velocities and uniform spreads, shot after shot.

Environmental factors can affect shell performance, and for this reason B&P makes sure its propellants are extremely stable and unaffected by different conditions in a variety of shooting contexts. This is only possible with propellants that have a precise and constant thermodynamic performance, so they can guarantee identical pressure and velocity figures from one batch to the next.

The pellets (shot): The pellets are of primary importance if the shell is to produce excellent shot patterns. The quality of the shot patterns produced by competition shells depends mainly on the perfect roundness, hardness and dimensional regularity of the shot. It is for this reason that B&P selects only the highest quality shot to complete its recipe.

The final result? Competition shells that give you perfectly reliable performance!

Quality control

B&P is more than a company that assembles shells; every day, production is monitored and controlled so that the shells perform in exactly the same way and the shooter has the same experience each time they use them.

B&P has a careful and rigorous selection of suppliers, with continuous and methodical checks on the raw materials that are supplied.

B&P’s quality control is a permanent feature before, during and after the production process.

It has a state-of-the-art test bench where chemists and skilled technicians make constant checks on components to guarantee the best products possible. During the whole production process, there are up to 33 different and independent control checks for each shift which include functional and performance tests of the finished products.

Through a simple but perfected equation of superior materials, uniquely patented practices and the most devoted people, the company continues to innovate and deliver the best products.

The B&P range

To be completely transparent, I have been an ambassador for B&P since late January this year.

I had already made the switch the previous year after searching for a new shotshell to compete with, that met all my requirements. The hardest decision I had to make was not whether I wanted to shoot B&P shells, but rather which shell I was going to use out of its extensive range.

Since making the switch, I have achieved some of my personal best scores and was fortunate to visit the factory in Bologna, Italy, in July.

B&P has one of the largest selections of shotshells on offer, in various gauges, gram weights, velocities and shot sizes for clay shooters and hunters, from the beginner to the experienced shooter – so there a shell in the range for everyone. 

The Australian distributor for B&P – Outdoor Sporting Agencies – imports a huge selection of cartridges, and you can view the range at www.osaaustralia.com.au