Shotgun Loads

[TonyD]

What's a few opions on 12 ga. loads for:

Pheasant

Quail

Dove

Turkey

etc.

[derek]

For Pheasants I use 6's or 7's.

[TonyD]

For Pheasants I use 6's or 7's.

Any particular brand or shot weight?

What would you recommend for the others?

[Nickle]

Depends on cover and shooting distance. Northern woods I can comment about, and you are originally from the North, so:

Early season, woods cover, short distance:

Pheasant, Dove - #6 (1 1/8 or 1 1/4 ounce loads):
Quail, Grouse, Squirrel - #7 1/2 (1 1/8 ounce loads)

Later season, open woods, longer distance (also early season and fields) (1 1/4 ounce loads):

Pheasant, Dove - #4, 5 0r 6
Quail, Grouse, Squirrel - #6 (1 1/8 are OK, as well)

Turkey, anytime - #2, Mag loads

If Georgia is like Arkansas, the same will apply.

[TonyD]

Thanks for the info. Been awhile since I've done any shotgunning but it all sounds about the same.

Talk to me about chokes??

[Nickle]

Well, I'm a nut about chokes.

Turkeys, Full, or Extra Full.

Everything else, close in, Skeet or Imp Cyl.

Further out Imp Cyl, Skeet 2 or possibly modified.

Doves and Pheasants, I'd use the tighter side of the recommendations.

I Grouse hunt with my Skeet gun, a Winchester 101 Field Gun, rechoked to Skeet/Skeet 2.

Skeet 2 is between Imp Cyl and Modified, IIRC.

[TonyD]

My 1100 has a 28" Mod. choke. What can I get away with?

[Nickle]

About any of it. Let the Turkeys get close, though.

[TonyD]

Why such a big load for Turkeys?

[derek]

Them feathers are thick.

[Nickle]

A Grouse weighs what, a couple of pounds. Turkeys go 16 and up. Turkeys take a lot of killing, and like moose, they don't always know that they're dead yet.

1 1/2 ounce of #2's (2 3/4" Mag) is on the lower end. I've seen 2 ounce loads (3"), and recommend them.

[Adam_MA]

[stirring up old memories] What about home defense? [/stirring up old memories]

[twisted] [twisted] [twisted]

[TonyD]

My 1100 is only 2 3/4" chamber.

[Nickle]

1 1/2 ounce loads would be the one to use on Turkeys. It works.

[Chris]

I've seen people pull out the old 10 guage, and you'll even see the occational custom built 8 guage for Turkey. I think the real key for Turkey is to find a really good location and get them in close. Many of the 'Bigger is better" crowd I feel don't use the tactics of calling and position very effectively and try to make up for it with more firepower. Different folks with different views.

With just about any shotgun hunt, it's the analysis of the wildlife patterns, finding your ideal place to sit and wait, and then having the patience to wait for the shot.

Your best test is to take your gun, large pieces of poster board, and see how your gun patterns with various loads at different distances. Use the spread to determine where you want to find your targtets, or adjust the power and choke to better meet your expected range.

The larger the bird, the larger the shot you need for a kill. Different shot will pattern differently, so be sure to try various sizes.

The more lead weight you have, the higher a dram charge you'll need to launch it effectively. Especially when you are after larger targets.

Patterning will be your best indicator as to what mix is best for your gun. When you find a good array of the shot of the size you need for the bird you are hunting in the range you expect to take a shot, you've found your load.

Just remember if you decide that you will take your shot at 30 yards and use a dense powerful shell to be effective at that range, and then you see your best shots are in the 12-18 yard range, you might just end up with bird fluff, so always have some ammo in the pocket for different tasks.

A lot of working out the best ammo is knowing how it works in your gun and what the prey you are going after will be like.

The first bird I ever took was on the ground and never saw me. I don't remember the load I was using, but all that was left after the shot was fluff and the leg band. After suffering the laughter of my family, I was reminded that there was a 'reason' to getting them in the air.

[TonyD]

Thanks for the input, Chris. I've done patterning and I'm very familiar with the need to get close.

One more question: What is 'BB' 'BBB', etc?

[Nickle]

BB are larger than B (which is rare these days), and BBB is bigger than BB. Both are best suited for Geese. BB will work on Turkeys, baut are not legal up here.

[Adam_MA]

Does the BB in anyway correlate to the actual measurement of a BB from a BB gun?

Adam

[TonyD]

I'm trying to figure out how 'BB' relates to '00'. Some type of comparison.

[Coyote33]

http://tinypic.com/bi6uwz.jpg

from:

Tennessee Hunt and Fish - Shotgunner Pellet Chart. (http://tennhuntandfish.proboards44.com/index.cgi?board=reload&action=display&thread=1125619774&page=1)





http://www.angelfire.com/tx/ShotGun/images/shotsizs.jpg

from

The Multi Purpose Shotgun (http://www.angelfire.com/tx/ShotGun/)




http://www.shotgunworld.com/shot_sizes.jpg

from

Shot Size Table* (http://www.shotgunworld.com/amm.html)





more:
Steel Shot "vs" Lead Shot (http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.steelvslead.html)

Shotgun Shot Patterning (http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.shotgun-patterning.html)

Findout how many pellets are in a shotgun shell! View the Shot Conversion Chart courtesy of MEC. Have you ever wondered how Lead Shot is made? (http://www.youthtrapshooter.com/reloading.html)

Matching Choke to Your Quarry (http://hunter-ed.com/id/course/ch3_shotgun_shooting.htm)

Steel shot energy chart (http://duckhuntingchat.com/viewtopic.php?t=3623&view=next)

Is the 3" 20 gauge a Good Turkey Gun? (http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=17667&sid=a6cb8128e8566aefdc593be0538b7da5)



I didn't want to reinvent the wheel. It is amazing how fast I found this using Google.

Here is my google search:
Here is a nice link if you'd like some hints on how to try it yourself some time. (http://www.google.com/search?hs=vGE&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&c2coff=1&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=shotgun+loads+picture+chart+pellet&btnG=Search)

[derek]

Here is my google search:

Try it yourself some time. (http://www.google.com/search?hs=vGE&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&c2coff=1&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=shotgun+loads+picture+chart+pellet&btnG=Search)

With comments like that maybe we don't need a forum.

[Coyote33]

I fixed the post for political correctness. [roll]

[derek]

I fixed the post for political correctness. [roll]

No need to be PC here. If you act like a smart ass I'll call you on it.

[TonyD]

I didn't want to reinvent the wheel. It is amazing how fast I found this using Google.

Here is my google search:
Here is a nice link if you'd like some hints on how to try it yourself some time. (http://www.google.com/search?hs=vGE&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&c2coff=1&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=shotgun+loads+picture+chart+pellet&btnG=Search)

I'm absoluting indepted to you for the wealth of knolwedge you have brought to our forum with your Google skills!! I must now label you as the Google master as we peons here apparently don't know the process. I assume with your mastery knowledge of the internent you must have realized that our forming of this forum was to ask and answer firearm realted questions, and now thanks to you we can eliminate this forum and rely solely on Google.

My many thanks to you and Al Gore for inventing the internet.

[Coyote33]

No problem!

(-:

[derek]

My many thanks to you and Al Gore for inventing the internet.

http://www.free-smileys.org/emo/happy044.gif

[TonyD]

No problem!

(-:

I'm glad it's no problem. Now, do you have anything constructive to add to our forum or just feel like making an ass of yourself?

[Coyote33]

I'm trying to figure out how 'BB' relates to '00'. Some type of comparison.

Did the charts or links not help there?

[TonyD]

I'm trying to figure out how 'BB' relates to '00'. Some type of comparison.

Did the charts or links not help there?

The charts were fine and very much appeciated. I have not researched the links.

It's your attitude on my forum I don't care for.

[Coyote33]

Hey, I edited the link, I added a smiley, what more do you want. That was before I even knew you were a moderator of the forum. What is so terribly wrong tonight?

Sorry.

[TonyD]

Hey, I edited the link, I added a smiley, what more do you want. That was before I even knew you were a moderator of the forum. What is so terribly wrong tonight?

Sorry.

Being a moderator means nothing on how we converse with our memebers. Our memebers are our forum.

[LenS]

Gentlemen, please call a truce and let's move on.

Google is an excellent asset in finding information, and too few people really know how to use it.

Coyote could have been a little less "direct" in his wording, but the info he posted was useful. He apologized and he's new here so I'd like to suggest that we cut him a little slack. I think he has learned his lesson that posting info is useful but to try not to be condescending, right Coyote?

Personally, after I've posted the same info numerous times on this and other forums, I recall coming up short on someone here and I was called on it by the other Mods, right? We all do it on occasion . . . but we can try to make those occasions very rare.

Peace to all and Good Night! [wink]

[Coyote33]

Truce here.

Thanks for the nice forum. Just trying to help was all.

[TonyD]

Gentlemen, please call a truce and let's move on.

Google is an excellent asset in finding information, and too few people really know how to use it.

Coyote could have been a little less "direct" in his wording, but the info he posted was useful. He apologized and he's new here so I'd like to suggest that we cut him a little slack. I think he has learned his lesson that posting info is useful but to try not to be condescending, right Coyote?

Personally, after I've posted the same info numerous times on this and other forums, I recall coming up short on someone here and I was called on it by the other Mods, right? We all do it on occasion . . . but we can try to make those occasions very rare.

Peace to all and Good Night! [wink]

I give no quarters concerning preserving the integrity of our forum.

I offer no appologies. So be it.

[Nickle]

Does the BB in anyway correlate to the actual measurement of a BB from a BB gun?

Adam

They are the same. You can use LEAD BB shot in a BB Gun.

[Adam_MA]

Thanks for the answer Nickle