doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com #7.5 vs #8 Shot Performance in the Field

I generally run about an ounce of 6s when I hunt. Pheasant and grouse season overlap in MN, and many of the places I hunt you can find both. 6s also lessen the "running around on the ground" factor for birds that are going to die, but, aren't just there, yet. And the "too many pellets in this bird" thing, which, makes 'em hard to eat.
Many years ago, I had a nice conversation with an English gunsmith, who told me he only used #8 when he went pheasant hunting. The conversation was more about loads for older English guns than hunting, so his load would have been more typical for clay shooting than any pheasant hunting I did. I tried a typical low brass load in the more open barrel of my McNaughten boxlock, with predictable results, ie, my Gordon spent multiple hours running down winged pheasants, that day. I went back to 5s and 6s later that afternoon.
On another conversation with him, I discovered he had never hunted pheasants in the US, and had only hunted birds that were driven to him, and birds that weren't all that wild, either. I feel guilty about shooting incoming birds I encounter in the wild, as they seem to die several magnatudes easier than those cagy birds that get up perhaps 35 yards out going straight away.
Grouse give up the ghost a bunch easier than do WMA wild pheasants, in my experience. I still use 6s on them. Force of habit, at this point.

Best,
Ted

Ted S,

Nothing wrong with 6's for Grouse, especially under the 2nd Trigger. However I like the #5's best for wild Pheasant or hold overs. The stocked stuff I use the 6's like you do.

When the foliage is real heavy in the 1st part of the Pa Grouse season most of time I use 7's or 7 1/2 under the 1st trigger and 6's under the 2nd trigger. I also like the Fiocchi 7's under the 1st trigger, 5's under the 2nd when hunting Pheasant.

Ryman Gun Dog
L.C. Smith Man

After Thanksgiving, pheasant hunting in the Southern part of MN, and on trips to the Dakotas, I use 5s. There will be no ruffed grouse to contend with on these trips, and the pheasants that remain will be smarter.

Best,
Ted

# 4�s are serious wild pheasant medicine too.

Patterns get shaky with 4s in the guns I use, after about 30 yards.

A pity, as I have about 5000 1 1/4 oz #4 lead loads hanging around the homestead, left overs my Dad never used after steel became the law.

I shot a fox one time, figure it was out 30-35 yards, with 1 1/4 of 4s, the thing laid down and died before the smoke cleared. It had one hole on each side of the pelt, through both lungs and the heart. Gun was an A5 with a 26� Hastings barrel and an IC choke. Patterned the gun with that load, later, and was surprised I got him with anything.


Best,
Ted

I've never hunted woodcock.

I like one ounce of eights at about 1150 fps for everything else on the list.

Best,

Mike

GREAT to see you posting, Mike. I would add that winter, and cold weather add another dimension to shooting birds, and 8s might be a bit light when the leaves are down and the temp are down in the single digits, for ruffed grouse. Ditto prarie grouse.
Might not apply where you are, or hunt.

Thats all I got.

Best,
Ted

If those 5K ever get seriously in your way, Ted, I'll pay the shipping to get them out of your way.

They are "medicina muy mala" for crows.

SRH

If I had a choice of one size, one load lead it would be 1 1/4 oz No. 4.

King Brown,

If you are mostly a Duck Hunter and maybe every once in a while shoot some Pheasants also, I can see your choice. However I want 8's thru 6's, for my Grouse and Woodcock hunting, 5's for my wild Pheasant.

RGD/Dave
L.C. Smith Man