Anyone use No 5's for pigeons?

[Alycidon]

5s for me as well. No runners usually, either dead or missed. Statistically under 35 yards there is nothing in 5s or 6s given the bird is within the centre of the pattern but once you get over that then the bigger shot have a significant advantage in pellet energy and knockdown power. I dont really shoot pigeons but I do shoot pheasants, quite a few of them. Over the course of a season I have only a handful of birds that I hit that are not picked. Using 6s I will have 4 or 5 a day sometimes if I am not on song.

 

A

[ciaran]

What on earth prompted you to reply to a 6+ year old thread!

Ha...Well spoted alright..didn't even realise, done it on another thread aswell...hehe..

[Guest cookoff013]

5s for everything live for me, and at least 1/4 choke as it's only fair.

 

+1

 

for light game, anything weighing more than 3kg needs bigger shot.

[Spara Dritto]

George Digweed does.

[WinchesterDave]

Gamebore Clear Pigeon 32g, 6 shot 1/4 choke over deeks, change to 1/2 choke roost shooting or flight lines if they are up a bit.

Should nail them a treat.

Regards

Alan

This is the cart I use. Does seem to be a good all purpose cartridge

[lee-kinsman]

Number 5's traveling at the same velocity/pace at 6's will bring the birds down better. A chap came shooting with me, he brought 32gram Eley VIP in 6's (these are a high pheasant/game load) travel at around 1600 fps. He was clearly drilling the pigeons within 30 yards and knocking puffs of feathers out but the birds would fly on 300-400 yds and drop out of the sky. The reason being the pellets weren't leaving enough energy in the bird. Heavier bullets/pellets flying at the same pace as smaller bullets/pellets have a better take down ability....this is fact. Smaller bullets/pellets at higher velocity have to be more carefully placed to kill.

 

If you want to use 5's then great a good pigeon cartridge will have a velocity of 1350 fps(ish), the extra weight of the individual pellet will give you more distance as well. The down side is if you hit pigeons with 30gram of 5's inside 30yds where the pattern is quite tight it could be quite a mushy busted up carcass. Hence why alot of pigeon shooters use 6's or 7's, because decoying usually gets your birds between, 20 and 35yds.

 

ATB,

Lee

[Guest cookoff013]

Number 5's traveling at the same velocity/pace at 6's will bring the birds down better. A chap came shooting with me, he brought 32gram Eley VIP in 6's (these are a high pheasant/game load) travel at around 1600 fps. He was clearly drilling the pigeons within 30 yards and knocking puffs of feathers out but the birds would fly on 300-400 yds and drop out of the sky. The reason being the pellets weren't leaving enough energy in the bird. Heavier bullets/pellets flying at the same pace as smaller bullets/pellets have a better take down ability....this is fact. Smaller bullets/pellets at higher velocity have to be more carefully placed to kill.

 

If you want to use 5's then great a good pigeon cartridge will have a velocity of 1350 fps(ish), the extra weight of the individual pellet will give you more distance as well. The down side is if you hit pigeons with 30gram of 5's inside 30yds where the pattern is quite tight it could be quite a mushy busted up carcass. Hence why alot of pigeon shooters use 6's or 7's, because decoying usually gets your birds between, 20 and 35yds.

 

ATB,

Lee

 

i`m guessing that these are quoted speeds. 1600fps isnt needed for shooting birds, the quoted speeds are not absolute truth. it certainly takes alot of effort to get the shells to 1600fps. certainly 5s can be shot at more acceptable and achievable speeds. 1200fps is an acceptable speed. especially when the majority of shells are 1300 at most (even these speeds are questionable.) slower speeds pattern better. so gets the most out of the shotcharge, keepeng every shot in the pattern.

these super fast loads need very hard lead just to survive the firing sequence.

 

i`ve seen custom loads at 2000fps, but 5/8oz loads, are they better than a 32g#5s at 1200fps ? prolly not.

 

a good 1200fps load, 1,1/8oz of lead, great patterns, softer shooting. great combo.