doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Shot size for 100 yard birds? revisited

As for George Digweed I believe anyone can hit a clay at 100 yards; eventually! What one can't do, and that applies to George Digweed although he may hit a higher percentage than most, is do it consistantly. Try hanging a clay pigoen on a piece of string edge on and firing at it at 100 yards. Then try a clay flat on at 100 yards. I bet not all that many get hit even firing at the stationary object.

I will sometimes take a Bushnell range finder out with me when walking the dogs and point it at birds going over such as crows and gulls. It gives a good idea what things look like at whatever range. If you have one then it is an interesting experiment. Lagopus....

I saw the u tube of George Dickweed hitting the 100 yard clay. but it was moving strait up. Not to take anything away from the way he did it but with a little time any of us can figure out how to hit a clay. It's barrel speed ect..Parallel would be a whole new ball game to me. He could probably do it but nowhere as consistant as a strait up. This is to me an I am not an expert for sure.

You cannot put an arbitrary range on shooting unless you specify what presentation the bird gives. For example, I am extremely hesitant to shoot at a straightaway bird at much over 35 yards. I, however, won't hesitate to take a straight incoming dove at 70 yds. with 7/8 oz. of 7 1/2s. Presentation is everything.

After seeing the GD video I set up a similar target at my shooting ground. Most of us could get back to 70 yrds fairly comfortable but beyond that � even using fairly hefty cartridges and tight chokes the kills became very problematic.
A few of us got back to 100 yrs and I did manage a 110 yards after about 10 shots.
We did try patterning some cartridges at 100 yrds and it looked like a 4ft drop with a pattern so thin you could have easily missed a ruby ball in places � and if you don�t know what a rugby ball look like you have a similar game you play with an oval ball I believe!!
The other interesting thing was that at that range not all the pellets actually penetrated a piece of corrugated cardboard � so striking energy was very low even with No 4 shot.
My advice is that if you want to shoot something at 100 yards use a rifle. If you want to shoot game with a shotgun keep it to less than 40 yards.
I think this long range shooting is an invention of the cartridge manufacturers to up their profits � great fun though!
John

I recall Pat Moore had a 100 yd crosser target at his range a few yrs ago. It took me about 10-15 shots to hit it with a 20 g. But then I could hit it 50/50 after that. I emptied a box of 410 2 1/2" @ it to no luck.

As I recall, one foot-pound of kinetic energy is considered appropriate for clays. So, whatever pellet size and MV has 1 f-p retained energy at 100 yd should do the trick. From my long range shooting days, I would shoot #6 and suspected #5 would be better but never tried it conclusively.

DDA

One of my members challenged me to hit the clay from 100 yards with a 20 bore. All i had at the time was a 1/4 choked gun with a few 24g fibre wad 7 1/2. Got it with the 5th shot and the air ambulance is �10 better off!!
Bit lucky i guess and please don't ask me to repeat it.

Provided the bird is static .17 works well although a bit messy. If dinner is not the plan then .338 Lapua does an even better job.
I have never contemplated a 100 yard shot at live birds with a shotgun - 50 yards is a very loooong shot for me.

Amen, GD is probably one of the best shotgunners in the last 60 years or more and I have seen him in a video shoot crows out to 70yds BUT they are vermin. I really do not think anyone has any right to be shooting a game bird out past 50 yards unless he is one of the "gods", best, Mike

Everyone has turned the question into hunting ethics. The question was " could it be done " not " I try it all the time ". Charlie, the gentleman who ask the question, shoots a couple of 8ga guns with heavy loads and just threw the question out for discussion. I'm a member of the PGCA and go on their web site every day. Oh Charlie likes to hunt turkey, deer [ had a round ball mold made for it ], and Dr. Pepper cans with his 8ga. Claims he gets 4 hits at 70 yards on the cans. Not bad. Paul