#6 or #7???

[Maidment78]

Evening all,

 

Being new to the whole shotgun scene I am finding it really hard to decide what is good and what is not. There seems to be hundreds of people who swear by one thing then the same who swears by another.

 

I would say I shoot 90% pigeon and 10% rabbit, I will not mention at what % I shoot at either as this is different again but I started using a number 6 cartridge and found that out to 30 yards I was more than capable of hitting most things to a reasonable degree but further out than this I was missing more than I hit, then with the number 7 cartridge I would hit about the same close and a little more further out.

 

I have a Lanber fixed choke over and under so whatever I fire it is the same and I am not messing about confusing myself with different patterns (I thought I would save that for a bit then get really confused.)

 

My BASC guide to shooting book states that for Hare a number 6 shot is advisable but it does not mention rabbit? I am just worried if I use a smaller shot with less hitting energy then I may not deliver a clean kill. I do not mind missing but I do mind any unnecesary pain for any animal so my question is for a beginner that has an average hit ration of less than 50% what would be a good choice?

 

I do not want to cause an argument here but I am genuinely interested in other people experiences while out in the field.

 

Thanks again,

 

Paul.

[Zapp]

6's for pigeons and rabbits and crows,

5's or 4's for hares.

 

ZB

[wymberley]

Hi,

Sitting here, miles away, I would suggest that all things being equal that if you kill further out with No7s than you do with No6s you have somewhat "open" chokes. If you are not sure how the gun is patterning you'll remain confused. For pigeon decoying, 6s, 6.5s and 7s are all good although I prefer the 6.5s. For rabbit, 5s or 6s unless you fancy some German size 6s which would equate to our 5.5s and are a good bet.

I am pretty sure (as in The Handbook of Shooting) that when that BASC book gave No6 for hare, it also gave a limiting range. It's probably fair to say that that size is a tad ambitious. No4 for brown and No5 for blue hares is nearer the mark.

Cheers

[davecooper1]

6's for pigeons and rabbits and crows,

5's or 4's for hares.

 

ZB

 

Yes fully agree with Zapp.

[Dempy]

I always use a 32 gram 6 for pheasant, but I find this a tad of overkill for shooting pigeons,our local gunshop is at a clay ground and they always have a good offer on some 28 gram 7's and I find these ample for pigeons, all depends what you are confident with, a lot of cartride selection is in the head.

[pegleg31]

i shoot rabbit,pigeon,duck,partridge and pheasent with hull FITASC 7's

 

 

i know i'll be shot down for saying so but i've found a cartridge that work's for me and i'm sticking to it.i kill cleanly 90% of the time and i don't try and shoot at silly range's.

 

stick to what you feel your killing best with

[Dempy]

i shoot rabbit,pigeon,duck,partridge and pheasent with hull FITASC 7's

 

 

i know i'll be shot down for saying so but i've found a cartridge that work's for me and i'm sticking to it.i kill cleanly 90% of the time and i don't try and shoot at silly range's.

 

stick to what you feel your killing best with

 

 

[Dekers]

6's for pigeons and rabbits and crows,

5's or 4's for hares.

 

ZB

 

 

Yes fully agree with Zapp.

 

 

I'm not going to argue with that but personally I rate the 5, and use the 5, for almolst everything in the field!

[Dekers]

i shoot rabbit,pigeon,duck,partridge and pheasent with hull FITASC 7's

 

 

i know i'll be shot down for saying so but i've found a cartridge that work's for me and i'm sticking to it.i kill cleanly 90% of the time and i don't try and shoot at silly range's.

 

stick to what you feel your killing best with

 

 

If it works for you and at your ranges then fine, but personally I am not happy with 7 for anything live..unless its staring down the barrel!!

 

90% kills and NOT at silly ranges, :( everyone has different expectations and sets there own parameters!

[WGD]

I'm not going to argue with that but personally I rate the 5, and use the 5, for almolst everything in the field!

 

[Dempy]

If it works for you and at your ranges then fine, but personally I am not happy with 7 for anything live..unless its staring down the barrel!!

 

90% kills and NOT at silly ranges, :( everyone has different expectations and sets there own parameters!

 

I shoot with a chap in his late 40's who shoot's ounce 7 on pheasants, he is an excellent shot and if you stood next to him you bet money he was using much heavier loads.

 

Many of the older croud I shoot with use lighter loads,

[pegleg31]

told you

[Dekers]

I shoot with a chap in his late 40's who shoot's ounce 7 on pheasants, he is an excellent shot and if you stood next to him you bet money he was using much heavier loads.

 

Many of the older croud I shoot with use lighter loads,

 

 

told you

 

 

If it works for you and at your ranges then fine, but personally I am not happy with 7 for anything live..unless its staring down the barrel!!

[apache]

I would say I shoot 90% pigeon and 10% rabbit, I will not mention at what % I shoot at either as this is different again but I started using a number 6 cartridge and found that out to 30 yards I was more than capable of hitting most things to a reasonable degree but further out than this I was missing more than I hit, then with the number 7 cartridge I would hit about the same close and a little more further out.

If it was me I'd stick with the 6's and stalk the bunnies to 30 yards or less whilst you build your confidence!

 

I have shot bunnies with 30g No 6 but IF I went to No 5 I might be tempted to go up to 35g, to throw a few more shot around.

[Beretta28g]

I tend to mostly use 32g of 5 for most things

[garyb]

5's from September onwards...

 

6's most of the time for me.

[chrispti]

28g #5 for everything in the field works for me

[Vince Green]

I like 7s for pigeon. Under all those feathers the body is really small and the denser the pattern the better.

[Dekers]

I like 7s for pigeon. Under all those feathers the body is really small and the denser the pattern the better.

 

 

If the range is right it will work, but the density of the pattern is somewhat irrelevant if you have loads of light shot with no energy or penetration.

 

You could wound the bird with 100 no 7 shot and it flies off, hit it with 1 no 5 in the same situation and it could fall down.

 

It's a combination of effect you need, density of shot does not kill, its the energy that kills!!

 

ATB!!

Edited June 25, 2010 by Dekers

[Cushat]

.i kill cleanly 90% of the time and i don't try and shoot at silly range's.

 

It was the 90% success rate I was impressed with. Assuming you're up there with Ripon and co as one of the great game shots?

[motty]

A friend of mine uses generally 28 gm 5's for pigeons and i generally use 28gm 7 1/2's. He gets plenty more wounded birds than i do. He's not a bad shot, but i feel he could do with a bit more pattern. I used some winchester gb 30 gm 6 shot yesterday and got on quite well in the hide, getting 19 kills for the box i used. However, my best two kills of the day were with eley first, 28gm 8 shot. The 40ish yard crosser stopped like it had flown into a brick wall. Small pellets CAN work.

[Maidment78]

Thanks for all the hints, I have just been given a book by old old hand here by JEM Ruffer, I have to say although it is dated the guy is a genious.

 

Seems to have pattern densities and hitting power of pellets worked out (if these are still valid I will have to check) but the larger the shot the less pellets and thus a smaller pattern.

 

For 45 yards it seems there is little benifit to use the #6 shot for pheasant and pigeon so I will have a little trial with both and see what happens.

 

Seems there is a massive range in what people get on with.

[Zapp]

I'm not going to argue with that but personally I rate the 5, and use the 5, for almolst everything in the field!

 

No arguments here, I have used 5's before for pigeons and rabbits to great effect

 

It is a great shot size for mooching about with a gun and a dog during game season, when you dont know what you are going to flush next :(

 

ZB

[Dempy]

Thanks for all the hints, I have just been given a book by old old hand here by JEM Ruffer, I have to say although it is dated the guy is a genious.

 

Seems to have pattern densities and hitting power of pellets worked out (if these are still valid I will have to check) but the larger the shot the less pellets and thus a smaller pattern.

 

For 45 yards it seems there is little benifit to use the #6 shot for pheasant and pigeon so I will have a little trial with both and see what happens.

 

Seems there is a massive range in what people get on with.

 

 

its all in the head!

 

people will always use what they have shot best with

[al4x]

At sensible ranges 7's will kill fine but there is no logic for them working better than 6's at range. I've even shot a fox with 7's which didn't know what hit it, but its all to do with range. As said 7's will give you a dense pattern at 30 yards and kill pigeons no problem, its when you stretch over that you will have issues. I use 6.5's at the moment for most things and if you point them in the right direction they work well

Edited June 25, 2010 by al4x