Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns #9 shot in 28 gauge for clay birds?

Anyone using #9 shot in the 28 gauge for shooting clay birds, out to about 30 yards?

Got a chance to pick some AA's up for $13. a box.

Thanks for any feedback!

Virgil B.

# 9 is great for that distance.

+1

Forgot to mention, save those hulls. Some of the best for reloading.

Thanks!

Hope they are still "in stock" when I get to the shop!

Yep! Been saving all my 28 gauge empties!

Son in law just bought a 28 gauge Beretta auto.

"We" are going the invest in a Mec 28 gauge reloader.

Virgil B.

Not for cool days.

Shoot the clays and not worry about it. You will find that they will work fine, except for fringe hits on rangy (35 yards +) and edgy targets. In the center 1/2 of the pattern they will shock you with how well they work, even on the rangy shots.

Do stay away from rabbits!

Our local (Springfield, Or.) Cabela's still had some AA #9 shot shells in stock, so I picked up 4 boxes.

Have 4 boxes of AA #7-1/2 shot also, I'll give both a try on clay birds next time I get a chance.

Am thinking the # 7-1/2's might be "just right" for Jack Rabbit hunting, in the eastern part of Oregon.

10gaugemag; Not understanding the "cool days" comment? Will the lighter shot not carry as well on cool days?

Novice shot gunner here. Please educate me.

Virgil B.

Clays don't break as easily when cold/cool.

#9 shot is probably the most popular shot size in all gauges for skeet shooters. #8 and 8 1/2 shot also works well at skeet.

#9 shot will also work for 16 yard trap, but it is not very popular. Most trap shooters use #8 or #7 1/2 shot for 16 yard singles and #7 1/2 shot for the longer shots in handicap trap.

#9 shot is probably the most popular shot size in all gauges for skeet shooters. #8 and 8 1/2 shot also works well at skeet.

#9 shot will also work for 16 yard trap, but it is not very popular. Most trap shooters use #8 or #7 1/2 shot for 16 yard singles and #7 1/2 shot for the longer shots in handicap trap.


Shotgun shooters also don't as well when it's cold. 😁

#9 shot is all I use in my 28 gauge hammer gun, which I use to shoot skeet regularly. If I'm handicapped, I've never noticed it. It performs as well as #8 or #7-1/2, which I use in my 20 and 12 gauge hammer guns respectively.

Within your parameter of 30 yards and in their isn't a clay that can survive a well centered load of 9's..You may lose some frings chip hits, but that is it..Center them and the temp or target type will make little difference.

For the most part clays break from the impact forces of multiple hits, combined with the spin of the clay adding to tearing it apart..and at 30yards and in, 9's are not a handicap. In fact if they are showing belly, 9's may be the best first choice. As far as rabbit targets, I know one high master class shooter who shot nothing but 9's at rabbits with a full choke. He crushed them more often than not.

Yes, I would say that of all the things a beginner has to worry about when trying to break clays out to 30 yards, shot size (7.5, 8, 8.5 or 9) is at the bottom of the list.

I once took a team of kids to shoot int'l trap in the Junior Olympics in Colorado Springs. Some of us got there a day early, before our ammo arrived, and wanted to shoot some practice. The only shot size we could find was #9. In bunker you get two shots on each target (until finals) but the targets are harder than regular clays in order to withstand the force of the much higher velocities of the low birds, and the max allowed load is 7/8 oz (24 gram). By the time the kids were shooting their second shots the clays were usually about 50 yards out. I was stunned at how well they broke with the 9's, if the gun was pointed correctly.

Competitors use larger shot, usually, for two reasons. First larger shot gets blown around by the wind less, and second, in case they fringe a bird with their pattern they figure one or two larger pellets are more like to produce a visible break than two or three strikes with #9's. I'm pretty sure that is correct, but only once you are shooting past about 40 yards, and wind is not going to move your pattern much at all inside 30 yards. I'm not sure it is ever something you need to worry about with clays because whatever the wind is doing to your shot-cloud it is also doing to the target.

Bottom line: 9's will work fine for what you are doing.

'Lot of GREAT feedback!

Thanks again!

Virgil B.