We talk alot about our favorite shotguns, but seldom mention loads for the specific game we hunt....
I use 12 ga. pumps most of the time..for big birds, sage grouse, blue grouse, and ringnecks...my favorite load is 3 1/4-1 1/4-5's.

Ruffed Grouse,Quail and Dove the same load with 7's or 7 1/2' or 3-1 1/8-7 1/2's

with my 20 ga. usually 1oz-7 1/2 with the 28ga. 3/4oz 7 1/2's...I seldom shoot handloads any more exept for a few #7's..

1 ounce of 6's in 12 Ga for just about everything upland. Hunt little Waterfowl, but when I do, 2 3/4in of non-tox 4s if I can get 2 3/4in. Often can't. Hate the recoil of 3in.

7/8ounce 6's in 20Ga. 1 ounce 6's in 16Ga, but I usually have to order them ahead of time.

I shoot a whole lot more sporting clays than I hunt any more, so my answer may not be completely on track with your question. When I do hunt, it's for smaller birds... doves and grouse mainly.

I load most everything I shoot, until I need more hulls, at which time I run a few boxes of AAs.

I shoot pretty much 7 1/2s across the board, with some occassional 8s.

3/4 oz in 28 and 20 ga, and 7/8 oz in the 12 ga.

The light loads in the 12 are a dream to shoot, and actually break just about as many clays as the 1 1/8 oz loads that I used for years.

Yes those 7/8 oz target loads are awesome. Now if I could just get it out of my mind they will not work, when I know they will.

Only problem is they are hard to find and more expensive whey you do. You can load your own, but reloads are not allowed in many tournaments.

I use either 28 or 20 ga. shotguns for almost everything and hunt mostly upland game, very little waterfowl. Start out in September in Montana hunting sharptail and huns, shoot at doves if they are still around. Then we head south for the winter in New Mexico for desert quail and doves. On the way this year hunted prairie chickens and pheasants in South Dakota. Then pheasants in Kansas and Colorado (with very little luck). I like 7/8 oz. of #6 in the 28 and 1 oz. #6 in the 20 for just about everything, these are Fiocchi Golden Pheasant loads and they are dam expensive. Got a flat of Rio 3/4 oz. 7 1/2 loads for the 28 that I will use in the desert.

Estate makes a reasonably priced shell for the 28 and 20 in 6's that seem to work as well as any. I order them by the case.

In 16s the 2 3/4 are a little longer than normal and can cause ejection problems in pumps that have a 2 3/4only receiver. No problem in o/u and sxs.

I've found Rio's can give inconsistent ignition in cold weather.

Yep, took me a while too, until I got used to admitting that *I* missed, not the shell I was using.



I shoot purely for fun with buddies (we still need to get together at LCSA some day). Being a non-tournament shooter, reloads work just fine for me.

Let me know when you can fit a day in and I'll try to make it work.

Shooting for pure fun, most times guarantees one will be a winner.

Haven't had any problems with the Rios, but then I do ecerything I can to stay out of the cold weather

I hunt almost all upland. Once in awhile ducks over decoys. 12 or 20 for doves depending on where. 20 for almost everything over dogs.

If I had to go with one for everything it would be appropriate, good quality; Winchester AA, "Heavy Target" or Remington STS "Handicap" 7&1/2s in both gauges. Otherwise 6s for ducks, Remington 1oz "Game Load" 8s for early season doves and Remington "Gun Club" 8s & 9s for clays.