B & P Shotshells Available in the US
By Scott Winston

Baschieri & Pellagri, Italian shotshell manufactures, have re-emerged on the US market. B & P is licensed exclusively to use the Gordon system patent and offers a wide variety of loads, including 2.5 inch shotshell for vintage double guns.  The patented Gordon system is truly a revolutionary design. These shotshells have a cone shaped inner profile that serve as a progressive absorbing mecanism reducing recoil and the physiological effects of recoil on accuracy.  I am also interested in reduced recoil because too much recoil can cause expensive damage to vintage firearms. The cone-shaped inner profile improves powder combustion and thus performance. Better performance from a softer shell? I had to try these.

When I learn that John Palazzo, national accounts manager for B & P owned and hunted an English Springer Spaniel, I had more of a propensity to hear the B & P pitch. I also hunt with an English Springer Spaniel (see the last issue of SITF- Wild Practice Roosters), but I had just acquired a London built W. J. Jefferies with 2.5 inch chambers. I was shopping around for a shotshell I could use for pursuing sharptail grouse and prairie chickens on the South Dakota prairie. Not only is this 12 bore easy on the eyes, but it only weights a tad bit over 6 pounds.  So John shipped me a case of High Pheasants with an ounce and a sixteenth of #6 shot. These are rated at 1280 feet per second.

I couldn’t have made a better choice. I killed more grouse this fall then I ever dream possible hunting these native birds with a flushing dog. I even managed several doubles, but that’s another story. If you have ever hunted or researched prairie grouse, you’ll quickly learn that as the season progresses, these illusive game birds flush wild. Most guys hunt them with pointing dogs, but Mack, my springer and I are the exception. The Jefferies is choked skeet and extra full. I bagged most of the shaptails with my second trigger and did manage a few chickens with the skeet barrel. I was very impressed with the B & P High Pheasants in #6 for prairie grouse. It looks like without a lot of effort, I have found a very effective shotshell and gun combination for pursuing these wild game birds, indigenous to the American prairie.  I now look forward to next fall with the memories of those grouse doubles swirling in my head.

For more information on B & P shotshells, imported from the Italy, go to WWW.BANDPUSA.COM or contact John Palazzo direct at (630) 400-2407 or jpalazzo@kaltron.com to place your order. John is the exclusive importer of B & P shotshells to the United States.

Editor’s note: Scott Winston is a school principal in Boulder CO. He is also a leadership coach and offers leadership retreats for individuals or small groups in combination with upland hunting trips to South Dakota. To reach him call (303) 450-5013.