Cartridges/choke or me?

[blacta]

I went shooting on saturday and shot 15

 

But i wounded quite a few and im sure it wasnt me as it was the first time i was using my brothers W&S SbS 12 decoying pigeons but having regularly shot 35/50 clays and lots of pheasants with it i dont think its me.

 

Also i shot at about 4 on the ground at 30 yards and saw the dust kick up around them in a wide circle, to see them fly off!! :icon_eek: Could it be the choke?

 

I was using 30g 6 shot clear pigeons, i was wondering what others use?

 

Any help would be great, cheers Blacta

[Lez325]

30 No6 sounds right for woodies - I use 32 No 6 slightly more lead in them- and also I shoot 1/4 choke

 

you dont say what choke you shot with???

 

Les

[blacta]

not sure its a fixed 12 sbs but i would have thought it was the usual but just seemed a bit wide, will try dads 12 on fri and get some 32g's!

 

Anyone use 7 shot?

 

Blacta

[b325]

I would guess as it was a borrowed gun and the first time you shot with it, i think it didnt quite fit you properly.Probably wasnt pointing where you thought it was. Pigeons just catching the edge of the pattern not the middle like you would with your normal gun.Only my guess.

[blacta]

no when i quote with clays and pheasants its with this gun!

 

Really annoyed me and i couldnt work out what it was due to shooting at those 4 on the ground, seeing the pellets kick up and then it just flies off!!

[magman]

I went shooting on saturday and shot 15

 

But i wounded quite a few and im sure it wasnt me as it was the first time i was using my brothers W&S SbS 12 decoying pigeons but having regularly shot 35/50 clays and lots of pheasants with it i dont think its me.

 

Also i shot at about 4 on the ground at 30 yards and saw the dust kick up around them in a wide circle, to see them fly off!! :icon_eek: Could it be the choke?

 

I was using 30g 6 shot clear pigeons, i was wondering what others use?

 

Any help would be great, cheers Blacta

 

Birds on the ground or sitting in a tree are harder to kill than a flying bird mate

[COACH]

When you aim at a pigeon/rabbit on the ground, ALWAYS aim at the feet. Depending on what gun you have 60/70% of the shot rides high just above the barrels. If you aim AT the target the majority of the shot goes over the top and not enough to kill the bird, just scare it off to die later.

However, I have had the same thing with trying to shoot pigeons with skeet chokes and number 6s and 7s there is just too much spread.

A lot of the older s/s are open choked for pheasant shooting as a pheasant is quite a bit larger than a pigeon.

If you use it again try some bigger shot. I use 5s for everything but clays.

[blacta]

When you aim at a pigeon/rabbit on the ground, ALWAYS aim at the feet. Depending on what gun you have 60/70% of the shot rides high just above the barrels. If you aim AT the target the majority of the shot goes over the top and not enough to kill the bird, just scare it off to die later.

However, I have had the same thing with trying to shoot pigeons with skeet chokes and number 6s and 7s there is just too much spread.

A lot of the older s/s are open choked for pheasant shooting as a pheasant is quite a bit larger than a pigeon.

If you use it again try some bigger shot. I use 5s for everything but clays.

 

I think you may have it there as it is a old gun but takes pheses beautifully!

[magman]

I think you may have it there as it is a old gun but takes pheses beautifully!

 

You must shoot on a poor pheasant shoot then if your gun cannot shoot a pigeon at 30 yrds but kill a pheasant at 50 + yards

[hawkeye]

You are going to have to stop smoking rob its stunting your growth.. :good:

[wymberley]

Hi,

I've lost this. Where does the OP say that he's shot pheasant at 50yds. If the gun is open choke for pheasant which we are told are are quite a bit bigger than pigeon, then No. 5 shot is hardly going to help, is it!

Cheers

[blacta]

I never said it didnt shoot pheasants at 50 yrds....but thats usually using the second barrell which i think has a tighter choke as the first still hits but is not as effective

[henry d]

IMHO, it`s you.

[wymberley]

IMHO, it`s you.

Yep, 'fraid so!

[Stretch]

I've just gone through/coming out of a bad patch. Turns out it was the cartridges i was using. I use an IM choke and could'nt hit a thing, after talking to one of the guys on here i done a pattern test on four different brand of cartridge, there is a massive difference in spread. The cartridge i was using was spreading equal too or large than "cylinder" with a very uneven pattern. I would suggest you do the same before blaming yourself.

Edited May 26, 2010 by Stretch

[lister1]

i had the same problem a last year and changed to 5 shot and it improved but in reality it was me getting things wrong.

i think i was getting my distances a bit wrong and not swinging through on the shots enough so i was putting the bird in the middle of the pattern. i think when you get into a bad patch its worth having some practice but that said perhaps a change of cartridges will sort it out.

[dougall]

The hardest bird to kill clean is a sitter,may sound strange but is true.Have shot pigeons for more years than care to remember and without doubt birds on the ground protect their vitals very well with wings closed,I expect you find you hit them in the shoulders etc which,if the wing was up ie flying would hit the chest etc.. shoot them in the air,thats what a shotgun is designed for and at 30 yards it will not be the cartridge failing...and choke is irrelevent ,that my friend leaves the nut behind the stock...