Guide :shotgun cartridge use for game and vermin

[jonevo]

ADMIN How about making a sticky for the novice or uneducated on shotgun cartridges for shooting certain game/vermin

Ie:7.5s 6s 5,4,3,BB,AA ,LG etc....

and a suggested load and purpose of use

 

Im sure even the most experienced guns will appreciate this as a guide

 

thanks

Jonevo

[Guest cookoff013]

#7s for partridge

#6-7s for decoyed pigeon

#7-6-5-4 for driven pheasant,(#7 may be light, but i used them)

#5s minimum for rabbit up to #4 (my preferred load) ive used #2s too.

#1s to BB for foxy bingo.

[jonevo]

thats a good start come on admin pull your finger out

[TJ91]

thats a good start come on admin pull your finger out

 

30-34g 6 for partridge, rabbit, pigeon, pheasant, rat, squirrel

50g 3 or BB for fox

46g 3 or BB for geese (bismuth)

32g 5 for duck (bismuth)

 

everyone has their own opinion on this and in plenty of peoples eyes i am totally 'wrong' and in my eyes other people will be 'wrong'

[Dunkield]

thats a good start come on admin pull your finger out

There won't be a sticky (no one ever reads them) so there are no fingers to be pulled out

 

As you will have learnt from many recent discussions about this there is no 'right' cartridge, more preferred..

[jonevo]

well I have been shooting for some 30yrs using shotguns and various other firearms,I have a vast range of experience and some of the comments on various threads leave me wondering on how some people even got a shotgun certificate.

a sticky would be a considerable help to those who dont have a bloody clue

 

IE:using 7s for fox shooting

or 6s for geese and duck shooting

 

It costs nothing to put up a guide and would be a great help to those that dont know loads and shot size

 

its only a guide not set in stone.

 

you guys that have some knowledge you must also shake your head in disagreement at some comments.

 

best wishes Jonevo

[Alycidon]

We have a duty to help all those who wish to enter out sport.

 

 

I have used shotguns against live game for over 45 years so I have been around the track a few times. These days my standard cartridge ( in 12 bore) is 30gr of 5 shot over a felt wad. I use this load for everything except wildfowl and foxes. Geese I use 36gr of 4 Hevishot or bigger, ducks get 32gr of 4s or 5s, usually Bismuth. Foxes get a centerfire rifle but if pushed I keep a couple of 36gr of BB in my pocket.

 

28gr loads are fine for driven birds in lightweight game guns, I have on occasion tried 26gr when I was shooting well, both kill Ok but do not have the authority of 30gr.

 

A

[Guest cookoff013]

this is a great idea, new non toxic shot is coming out all the time. it is an absolute minefield.

new "TSS" tungsten, steel, lead, tin, hevishot, itx, itm, bismuth, powershot, niceshot,

 

#8 TSS is the same equivalent to #1 lead.

steel 4 is equivalent to lead #6

 

this isnt even mentioning the fact that continental shells can contain one shotsize bigger than our uk variants.

thats why some shells "whacks `em `ard"

[throbbingfinger]

#7s for partridge

#6-7s for decoyed pigeon

#7-6-5-4 for driven pheasant,(#7 may be light, but i used them)

#5s minimum for rabbit up to #4 (my preferred load) ive used #2s too.

#1s to BB for foxy bingo.

 

 

Whilst i think this is a great help to people like me, i think it needs expanding.

 

I currently use 28g No6 for Pheasent and 32g No6 for Pigeon.

 

When/why would i use a No 7/6/5/4 size shot for the type of quarry?

ANd when/why would i select the load size 28g, 30g etc?

 

The reason i use number six is because thats what everyone tells me to use.

I am a newcomer and read a lot about the sport but the more i read the more confused i get.

I've just about got my head around chokes, dont ask me what are in my gun right now, the gamekeeper put them in and there staying in.

 

Many thanks

 

Mark

[Guest cookoff013]

Whilst i think this is a great help to people like me, i think it needs expanding.

I currently use 28g No6 for Pheasent and 32g No6 for Pigeon.

When/why would i use a No 7/6/5/4 size shot for the type of quarry?

ANd when/why would i select the load size 28g, 30g etc?

The reason i use number six is because thats what everyone tells me to use.

I am a newcomer and read a lot about the sport but the more i read the more confused i get.

I've just about got my head around chokes, dont ask me what are in my gun right now, the gamekeeper put them in and there staying in.

Many thanks

Mark

 

you would use bigger cartridges when "extreme" targets are presented. in some driven game shoots, the high pheasant is very high,

its not un hittable, but the bigger pellets get there and have enough umpf to do the job, pricking birds isnt nice.

some continental cartridges are very legendary, but have continent version of shotsize, ie itallian #7, english #6

some swear by the 6.5 shotsize but if you can shoot, then shot selection is virtually immaterial,

 

you would select a much larger payload 36g #4 would be the biggest load i`d use, that would be for hare (may even go to 2s)

 

try and match the cartridge to the weight of the game taken.

i`d say pigeons are an exception, 32g of 6s or 5s do really well.

[throbbingfinger]

Whilst i think this is a great help to people like me, i think it needs expanding.

I currently use 28g No6 for Pheasent and 32g No6 for Pigeon.

When/why would i use a No 7/6/5/4 size shot for the type of quarry?

ANd when/why would i select the load size 28g, 30g etc?

The reason i use number six is because thats what everyone tells me to use.

I am a newcomer and read a lot about the sport but the more i read the more confused i get.

I've just about got my head around chokes, dont ask me what are in my gun right now, the gamekeeper put them in and there staying in.

Many thanks

Mark

 

you would use bigger cartridges when "extreme" targets are presented. in some driven game shoots, the high pheasant is very high,

its not un hittable, but the bigger pellets get there and have enough umpf to do the job, pricking birds isnt nice.

some continental cartridges are very legendary, but have continent version of shotsize, ie itallian #7, english #6

some swear by the 6.5 shotsize but if you can shoot, then shot selection is virtually immaterial,

 

you would select a much larger payload 36g #4 would be the biggest load i`d use, that would be for hare (may even go to 2s)

 

try and match the cartridge to the weight of the game taken.

i`d say pigeons are an exception, 32g of 6s or 5s do really well.

 

So would Gamebore Black Gold Game 28g No6 suffice for shooting at high birds as well as the normal birds presented to me?

 

Many thanks again

 

Mark

[Alycidon]

So would Gamebore Black Gold Game 28g No6 suffice for shooting at high birds as well as the normal birds presented to me?

 

Many thanks again

 

Mark

 

 

Yes the cartridge is a nice load and will perform well for birds up to about 40 yards. If you are regularly shooting at more distant birds ( and 95% of driven pheasants are shot at below 25 yards !!) then move up to 30gr of 5s. Dont worry about pigeons, whatever you happen to have in the gun will do fine.

 

Just buy one cartridge and stick to it for the season, you will have bad days and better days with it but you will learn that the cartridge kills when you place the pattern in the right place, three feet behind and nothing will kill that bird. It sounds like you have 28gr of 6s, as a novice just stay with them. I have killed birds to 50 yards with the same load but the chances of a wounded bird are higher at extended ranges. Next time you buy a batch buy the same cartridge but 30gr of 5s then you can handle anything out to 50 yards.

A

[throbbingfinger]

I'm going to stick with them for the time being. Im doing a fair bit of shooting now on driven days.

I'm figuring that what im using is ok and wont be changing anything unless i feel i need to. Im not going to bother using different cartridges for Pigeon and Pheasent after ive used up my pigeon ones now.

Once all my driven days are done i think i'll try the 30g No5's to see how i get on with them.

 

Thanks for your help guys, i understand the difference now.

 

Mark

[sitsinhedges]

Yes the cartridge is a nice load and will perform well for birds up to about 40 yards. If you are regularly shooting at more distant birds ( and 95% of driven pheasants are shot at below 25 yards !!) then move up to 30gr of 5s. Dont worry about pigeons, whatever you happen to have in the gun will do fine.

 

Just buy one cartridge and stick to it for the season, you will have bad days and better days with it but you will learn that the cartridge kills when you place the pattern in the right place, three feet behind and nothing will kill that bird. It sounds like you have 28gr of 6s, as a novice just stay with them. I have killed birds to 50 yards with the same load but the chances of a wounded bird are higher at extended ranges. Next time you buy a batch buy the same cartridge but 30gr of 5s then you can handle anything out to 50 yards.A

 

Without actually disagreeing with someone who has far more experience than me, I struggle to see how a pattern can remain effective at distance with so few pellets in it unless full choke is the order of the day.

 

I have shot pigeons at a good distance with Winchester AA 5s but there is rarely more than one pellet in the bird and that could so easily have passed thru gaps in the pattern untouched.

 

Using a pattern board even 6s can start to look at bit gappy at range.

[chrispti]

A general guide wouldn't hurt, but as has already been said, it probably wont get noticed, and opinions vary greatly.

 

I personally use 28g #5 for all my field shooting and would only recommend using #6's on decoying pigeons. That is just my own preference

[Guest cookoff013]

Without actually disagreeing with someone who has far more experience than me, I struggle to see how a pattern can remain effective at distance with so few pellets in it unless full choke is the order of the day.

 

I have shot pigeons at a good distance with Winchester AA 5s but there is rarely more than one pellet in the bird and that could so easily have passed thru gaps in the pattern untouched.

 

Using a pattern board even 6s can start to look at bit gappy at range.

 

american 5s are more like our 4s so i`m not surprised.

 

30g #5s are a nice bird cartridge, well suited for the use you intend.

at the end of the day, if it works stick with it, if it doesnt, and you loose confidence in the cartridge, upgrade!

 

i just liked using large shotsizes on vermin, rabbits with #4 and #2 in 34-36g loads, good fun. i`ve had equil success with 32g #6s at close range.

thats the name of the game, "FUN"

[Bang 666]

I like my 30g 6.5 works well for me but on high bird days I take 32g 5