Challenger Ammo?
- Thread starter Grouser
- Start date
ninepointer
CGN frequent flyer
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- Central Ontario
I have only tried the Challenger 12 ga. slugs with attached wads. Lots of shooters seem to like Challenger slugs for their smoothbores, but I have not had success with them. Poor accuracy for me, hourglass shaped holes in the target (tumbling in flight) and 2 holes in the target (wad is detaching).
The only problem with Challenger is lack of availability.
I have a dwindling supply of their 1 ounce 1,350 fps 12 gauge that I like for longer sporting targets and a few boxes left of their 1,330 fps 28 gauge which is also good when ranges get long.
I also have a flat of their 12 gauge 1-1/8 ounce #6 which is probably the best ammo I've used for preserve pheasant hunting and some left over #4 in the same loading which is a favourite for chasing crows.
Challenger is very similar to Kent ammunition as both use primarily Cheddite components. However Challenger's owner once told me that "speed kills" and I agree. Compared to Kent most Challenger ammo is a little warmer and often faster than what is claimed on the box.
I have a dwindling supply of their 1 ounce 1,350 fps 12 gauge that I like for longer sporting targets and a few boxes left of their 1,330 fps 28 gauge which is also good when ranges get long.
I also have a flat of their 12 gauge 1-1/8 ounce #6 which is probably the best ammo I've used for preserve pheasant hunting and some left over #4 in the same loading which is a favourite for chasing crows.
Challenger is very similar to Kent ammunition as both use primarily Cheddite components. However Challenger's owner once told me that "speed kills" and I agree. Compared to Kent most Challenger ammo is a little warmer and often faster than what is claimed on the box.
When lead was legal for waterfowl my favourite shotshell was the Challenger 3 inch 1 7/8 ounce.I have used Challenger shotshells in my 28 gauge shotguns with good results.
Agree with Claybuster that the only problem with Challenger shells is their lack of availability.
Agree with Claybuster that the only problem with Challenger shells is their lack of availability.
While Challenger and Kent both use Cheditte hulls (Challenger is also the agent for Cheditte and Cheditte is a partner in Challenger), the hulls used by both are nearly entirely different. Cheditte makes a large variation of hulls. The Kent are easily seen as of more luxurious plastic and higher brass. The powders and wads are entirely different. The Kent lead is far a superiror product and is ALWAYS of the quoted size. As for speed, please visit the Kent site. The speeds are identical but there is less recoil in the Kent package!
http://www.kentgamebore.com
We had to use the 2 3/4 1oz Challenger Thrilling last weekend at the Leucan shoot. It kicked more than the Wally Mart 1 1/8 oz Federal!
As for patterning, the wad will tell you everything! Open an 1 oz Challenger and you will see that the shotcup leaves a large portion of exposed lead that will be scrubbed in the bore. It makes a great spreader load. Now open the competition. There might be at the most, one row of lead that is not protected.
As for distributors, Kent garantees price protection for all resellers.
Think about it carefully before choosing
Best of luck,
Henry
http://www.kentgamebore.com
We had to use the 2 3/4 1oz Challenger Thrilling last weekend at the Leucan shoot. It kicked more than the Wally Mart 1 1/8 oz Federal!
As for patterning, the wad will tell you everything! Open an 1 oz Challenger and you will see that the shotcup leaves a large portion of exposed lead that will be scrubbed in the bore. It makes a great spreader load. Now open the competition. There might be at the most, one row of lead that is not protected.
As for distributors, Kent garantees price protection for all resellers.
Think about it carefully before choosing
Best of luck,
Henry
While Challenger and Kent both use Cheditte hulls (Challenger is also the agent for Cheditte and Cheditte is a partner in Challenger), the hulls used by both are nearly entirely different. Cheditte makes a large variation of hulls. The Kent are easily seen as of more luxurious plastic and higher brass. The powders and wads are entirely different. The Kent lead is far a superiror product and is ALWAYS of the quoted size. As for speed, please visit the Kent site. The speeds are identical but there is less recoil in the Kent package!
http://www.kentgamebore.com
We had to use the 2 3/4 1oz Challenger Thrilling last weekend at the Leucan shoot. It kicked more than the Wally Mart 1 1/8 oz Federal!
As for patterning, the wad will tell you everything! Open an 1 oz Challenger and you will see that the shotcup leaves a large portion of exposed lead that will be scrubbed in the bore. It makes a great spreader load. Now open the competition. There might be at the most, one row of lead that is not protected.
As for distributors, Kent garantees price protection for all resellers.
Think about it carefully before choosing
Best of luck,
Henry
I used to sell Kent and it is a great product -- only problem was trying to get the local distributor to pay me any commissions!
People should also think about the fact that Henry is a contributor to a glossy clay shooting rag and Kent is a big sponsor so take what he says in that context.While Challenger and Kent both use Cheditte hulls (Challenger is also the agent for Cheditte and Cheditte is a partner in Challenger), the hulls used by both are nearly entirely different. Cheditte makes a large variation of hulls. The Kent are easily seen as of more luxurious plastic and higher brass. The powders and wads are entirely different. The Kent lead is far a superiror product and is ALWAYS of the quoted size. As for speed, please visit the Kent site. The speeds are identical but there is less recoil in the Kent package!
http://www.kentgamebore.com
We had to use the 2 3/4 1oz Challenger Thrilling last weekend at the Leucan shoot. It kicked more than the Wally Mart 1 1/8 oz Federal!
As for patterning, the wad will tell you everything! Open an 1 oz Challenger and you will see that the shotcup leaves a large portion of exposed lead that will be scrubbed in the bore. It makes a great spreader load. Now open the competition. There might be at the most, one row of lead that is not protected.
As for distributors, Kent garantees price protection for all resellers.
Think about it carefully before choosing
Best of luck,
Henry
Kent Velocity is good ammo. No question about that but it's more expensive. Their All Purpose line which is cheaper is not as good as the Canadian-made Challenger.
As for patterning the wad tells you very little. The patterning board tells you everything. Kent Velocity is slight better, Challenger a close second, the All Purpose not nearly as good.
Henry is also wrong about brass heights in Kents always being higher. Challenger 28 gauge use high brass while Kent use low brass. Not that it matters. Brass height doesn't affect how a shell patterns or is an indication of the quality of the shell.
BTW Henry it's Cheddite, not Cheditte. I usually wouldn't mention something like that but you claim to be a writer and should be held to higher standards.
http://www.cheddite.com/
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Unfortunately it is not very fun to put the horse patoot as Col Potter used to say, in the right spot. "Just the Facts" ! One should always know them before speaking doogy doo or horse patoo!
None of the publications that I write for, have Kent as an advertiser! Only one, has an affiliate, Gamebore as an advertiser and it is in Europe! I don't even shoot the stuff if I can! We no longer use Kent game loads for pheasant shooting as it is so much less effective than the Federal #5.
Any and every European shotshell company including Mary Arm which is the consumer product sold by , yes, Cheddite (my misspelling) has a wad that totaly encapsulates the shot. All of the better and of course more expensive N.A. products also completely covers and protects the lead from the the bore. And, this DOES makes a big difference in patterns, try it!
One usualy gets what one pays for! Therefore, it does cost a little more for Kent Velocity than the Thrilling and regular Challenger loads. So they DO perform better but not as good as AA or Gold Medal! Pattern them, and you will see the difference. It won't make a difference on skeet, but it does at 27 yards and sporting targets.
High brass shell casing are much more expensive than low brass. Most if not all Euro shells use high brass as a sign of quality. Low brass casings are a sign of cost cutting. It does not affect patterns and I did not mention it.
As for spelling, that is why we have editors and spellcheck! It really does not make a rat a** difference!
I don't claim ANYTHING!
The facts are the facts!
It is very unfortunate that you may have a personal vendetta and no backup on real facts.
Your ignorance in some matters has greatly impacted your credebility.
Henry
None of the publications that I write for, have Kent as an advertiser! Only one, has an affiliate, Gamebore as an advertiser and it is in Europe! I don't even shoot the stuff if I can! We no longer use Kent game loads for pheasant shooting as it is so much less effective than the Federal #5.
Any and every European shotshell company including Mary Arm which is the consumer product sold by , yes, Cheddite (my misspelling) has a wad that totaly encapsulates the shot. All of the better and of course more expensive N.A. products also completely covers and protects the lead from the the bore. And, this DOES makes a big difference in patterns, try it!
One usualy gets what one pays for! Therefore, it does cost a little more for Kent Velocity than the Thrilling and regular Challenger loads. So they DO perform better but not as good as AA or Gold Medal! Pattern them, and you will see the difference. It won't make a difference on skeet, but it does at 27 yards and sporting targets.
High brass shell casing are much more expensive than low brass. Most if not all Euro shells use high brass as a sign of quality. Low brass casings are a sign of cost cutting. It does not affect patterns and I did not mention it.
As for spelling, that is why we have editors and spellcheck! It really does not make a rat a** difference!
I don't claim ANYTHING! The facts are the facts!
It is very unfortunate that you may have a personal vendetta and no backup on real facts.
Your ignorance in some matters has greatly impacted your credebility.
Henry
If you are going to attack someone's credibility you might at least be able to spell the word. But then magazine writers are not what they used to be.Your ignorance in some matters has greatly impacted your credebility.
Henry
Don't be a weasel Henry. You know full well the corporate relationship between Gamebore and Kent.
High brass is more expensive. But the examples you mentioned Winchester AA and Federal Gold Medal both use low brass. You can look it up.
However I will acknowledge your superiority in one area. Well when it comes to horse's asses I do recognize your preeminent leadership in the field.
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Unfortunately it is not very fun to put the horse patoot as Col Potter used to say, in the right spot. "Just the Facts" ! One should always know them before speaking doogy doo or horse patoo!
Henry
"Hores patoot & doogy doo"
!! What's wrong hnachaj?? Did Miss Kelly not see you in her "Magic Mirror"? This morning 
Personally I think the arguement is moot, both of these outfits make ammo that is far below the quality of top notch target ammo produced by Win., Rem., or Federal......I would put AAs, Premiers, or Gold Metals/Paper Champions far above those mentioned, or have we grown comfortable with second best?
"Hores patoot & doogy doo"
Win 64, u r the master of the cheep shot
and I no I misspelled cheep Instead of adding ur 2 bits Y don't you contribute ur wisdumb eh!Win 64, u r the master of the cheep shot
You spelled "no" (know) wrong too.
I like the Challengers (except under the lights) they are smokey. The Winchesters I have used lately have been awfull. Have to be honest though I buy the cheapest. I wish we would start seeing Rio's again.Or what's cheapest.
For once Win, I think you are right. Many not only want the cheap ####, but whine and snivel and create many threads about the inferior quality of wally world bulk, the extraction problems with winchester 100 pacs and those dirty top guns. You get what you pay for. Challenger are very mid range in price and quality.
