If you find doves to be insufficiently challenging, by all means shoot 6's. You are going to have to tighten up on choke to get the same pattern density at the same range as, say, 8's. I find that more pellets= more doves. When I was reloading, I used 9's. Doesn't take much to bring a dove down if you are on target. Same thought process as shooting 6 (lead) vs. 4 (again, in terms of lead shot) at a wood duck vs. a mallard. I don't need more of a challenge than an ounce of 7-1/2's or 8's gives me; an ounce of 6's is about 225 pellets per ounce vs. 410 pellets for 8's. If forced to use steel, then 6's might be necessary, otherwise no thanks.
