Lots of factors at play in shotgun shell effectiveness. Skill, range, choke, size...I think an underrated factor is "how hard/round is the shot?" I think velocity is overrated.

I bought four cases of Herter's 16ga a few years back. Two cases of 6, two cases of 5. The sixes are one ounce, the fives are 1 1/8. Should be deadly, right?

I noticed quite quickly that I wasn't getting enough kills with either of them. They've been sitting on the basement floor. I thought it might be in my head. So I took nothing but the 5's with me on Sunday. Emptied my pockets and replaced all with Herter's fives. Hunted alone so dogs and I could focus on just us. Dogs ended up working their asses off to run down these birds. Something seems amiss with these Made in Italy shells. I suspect it is in the shot. I'll probably get bored and do some more work on it.

The most effective shells I ever bought were Federal Classic Field 16ga from the mid 90's. I had two cases of #6's that I bought at Walmart in Madison Wi on a closeout for $2 a box. They were real slayers. One ounce, not too much velocity, and penetrated like a prom king.


"Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin.'"