|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,958
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,958 |
No matter what the bird, I tend to use smaller shot size earlier in the season and move to heavier shot by the 3rd weekend. They flush longer and the birds feathers are heavier as well thicker layers of fat for the pellets to penetrate. Works for me ,you do her anyway you like.Best of luck to your success. Magnum Man
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,237
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,237 |
7.5 in the lower barrel and 6 in the upper.
molɔ̀ːn labé skýla
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 24,688 Likes: 46
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 24,688 Likes: 46 |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,755
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,755 |
Mostly these "what shot size" threads prove that a shotgun really deserves it's nickname "scattergun" and a wide range of birdshot will work for a lot of different birds.
How can you obsess about that?
He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.
- Albert Einstein
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 28,172
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 28,172 |
I like 7s for ruffed grouse and quail. They seem to shock the bird better and nail them to the ground. A moderate #6 load is also one of my favorites.
Hunt with Class and Classics
Religion: A founder of The Church of Spray and Pray
Acquit v. t. To render a judgment in a murder case in San Francisco... EQUAL, adj. As bad as something else. Ambrose Bierce “The Devil's Dictionary”
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 28,172
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 28,172 |
JB, I like #4 shot for about anything. There might be less shot density, but one pellet into the body about anywhere will kill the bird and make far less holes full of feathers.
Hunt with Class and Classics
Religion: A founder of The Church of Spray and Pray
Acquit v. t. To render a judgment in a murder case in San Francisco... EQUAL, adj. As bad as something else. Ambrose Bierce “The Devil's Dictionary”
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 14,317 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 14,317 Likes: 3 |
Its all right to be white!! Stupidity left unattended will run rampant Don't argue with stupid people, They will drag you down to their level and then win by experience
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044 |
you could actually put 6, 7.5 or 8's in your shotgun and a grouse wouldn't know the difference if you shoot straight
A Doe walks out of the woods today and says, that is the last time I'm going to do that for Two Bucks.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,383 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,383 Likes: 1 |
7 1/2's or 6's depending on what choke I am using.
Deerslayers are pretty close to Improved Cylinder and seem to work best with 7 1/2's.
I tend to use 6's with modified and full choked guns.
I used 6's with a full choke on one outing this year and shot a hen turkey with that load as well.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,961
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,961 |
My old 16 gauge Wingmasters from the early 1950's like either 7 1/2 or 6's.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,501
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,501 |
I use the cheapest 2-3/4" low brass #6 shotshells I can find. I have tried 7-1/2 and even 8, but I find that the 6 shot gives better kills at longer ranges. (12 guage) And what's worse is that Kutenay and I agree on it, which makes 2 things out of 200,000. It MUST be Christmas. I'm with these two guys, #6's, 2 3/4 high brass though. Ruffies, Blues and Spruce all live close together where I hunt. On a combo moose or elk/grouse hunt, my 35 Whelen in 250gr is pretty definitive as well, just don't shoot to low if you get my drift.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,612
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,612 |
I use 2 3/4" 1 1/8 oz of #5's in my single shot 12 gauge and 3/4 oz of #6's in 28 gauge for grouse but would have bought #5 if they had been for sale locally. The bigger shot size often goes through the bird and when it doesn't it is easier to find than the smaller shot. BTW troufly, I shot one once with a 180 gr Speer Mag Tip from a 308 Norma Mag, the head dissapeared and ended up stripping all the feathers of the neck, it was a nice clean kill
Gerry.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,226
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,226 |
6's out of either a 20 or 12 gauge. Used 7 1/2's for 20+ years, but found 6's to be more effective and more meat friendly.
I'm almost out of the last 'ole box of 20ga. Federal Premium, copper plated 6's. I don't know if they even offer them anymore. I bet that I haven't packed a 12ga. for ruffed grouse in 15+ years and I really don't think that it has cost me any grouse over using the 12ga.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 302
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 302 |
As can be seen here, it often depends what other species you may encounter. I hunt ruffed grouse and woodcock far more than I big game hunt.
Now if you are doing it right you will be hunting with a SxS, well at least try it anyway. Burton Spiller and Foster figured this game out a long time ago.
I shoot 8's in both barrels for the first 3 weeks. Woodcock are small and need pattern denisty. I will transiition to 8's right 7.5's left and finally end up hunting 7.5's after the second week of November. I like hard shot. I hunt Federal papers at 1200 for 8's and hunt Remington STS for 7.5's as they are green and easy to tell apart from the 8's.
Could I hunt with 7.5's or 8's all season long? No problem at all.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,828
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,828 |
Well I lean toward 6's for 90% of my bird shooting, I go heavier late 4's or 5's in winter. I think it more how your gun patterns than anything else. I am by far not expert on the matter. All I know if that modern shotguns and shell pattern way tighter than they did when I start hunting in the 1960's. I shoot a Vinci and well, I admit that if I don't let a bird fly out a bit, they tend to turn into burger. I come to belief that the old rules about chokes and shot size really don't apply to the short of guns and the material the shot is made out of. The pattern board is your friend more so now than it was in the past. My gun needed some stock mods so the shot would go were I looked, I was shooting low and to the right some. It was fine just wearing a shirt, Cloths that I usually wear made enough of a difference to cause me to miss birds. Needed a shorter stock, and they shimmed it a little and I was back on, I even shoot better in just a shirt too. this stuff is Voodoo. When I comes to shotguns, its a world of its own.
"Any idiot can face a crisis,it's the day-to-day living that wears you out."
Anton Chekhov
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044 |
where i hunt grouse if you let them fly anywhere you won't kill one or even see it. If you get a glimpse of the bird when he flushes, you shoot if you want a Ruff for supper. There is no letting them get out there. You shoot and then listen for them to hit the ground.
A Doe walks out of the woods today and says, that is the last time I'm going to do that for Two Bucks.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 651
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 651 |
I prefer 7 1/2s to 6s for Ruff Grouse or Chuckar. I developed this opinion when Oregon Chuckar was in its heyday and we'd each shoot 15-20 in a long week-end. I also use high quality, heavy Trap loads. Another good thing about the smaller shot size ---- They're easier on your teeth.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,313
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,313 |
I use #6 for everything, but only because I do so little shotgunning that I don't want to stock different shotshells for different things.
Brushbuster: "Is this thread about the dear heard or there Jeans?" Plugger: "If you cant be safe at strip club in Detroit at 2am is anywhere safe?" Deer are somewhere all the time To report a post you disagree with, please push Alt + F4. Thank You.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,472
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 9,472 |
I run Remington 2 3/4", 1 1/8oz of #8 shot nitro gold sporting clay loads most of the time. In the late season I switch over to #6 shot because buy that time I am mostly hunting rabbits with grouse as a bonus.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,813 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,813 Likes: 3 |
I like 6's or reloaded 7's..also have killed lots with #5's...
Molon Labe
|
|
|
|
504 members (1OntarioJim, 10gaugemag, 160user, 1Longbow, 1badf350, 17CalFan, 44 invisible),
2,303
guests, and
1,230
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,194,333
Posts18,526,732
Members74,031
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|