Well guys I have never hunted any birds with # 10 shot. I do hunt grouse quite a lot in October and November. I shoot 1 oz of 8s in my right and 1 1/8 of 7 1/2 in my left. The guns I use most often are choked a little tight but that is the way I received them and haven't yet changed them. However my "go to" grouse gun is a 12 bore @ 6 lbs .003" choke in the right and .017" choke in the left. Shots are taken as they come but most are within 15 yards and it is very rare that I take one over 35 yards on grouse. All this to say that I notice no real difference in "kills on the wing " with the above combination when compared to when I shot 7 1/2s in the right and 6's in the left. I might also comment that it is still possible for a decent shot with a fair dog and eager legs to take 8 to 10 birds a day where I hunt - and those on the wing. I don't often exceed 4 but that is by choice ( occasionaly bad shooting sometimes makes it so as well ) I grant you that the birds I hunt are somewhat naive when compared to those long lived campaigners of the North Eastern States and Southern Ontario but they are not as "easy" as the as yet uneducated birds that frequent some parts of the West and North. I don't know how #9s would work but I believe well- close up say within 20 yards or so beyond that I think one is limiting themselves for no real purpose. Empirical proof could prove me wrong in my belief but I don't believe that I will be the one shooting either 9s or 10s at the King of the Uplands.
