quadimodo Posted October 30, 2012 Report Share Posted October 30, 2012 Hi guys,our shoot captain always gives a safety talk before the shooting begins,and asks us to respect the quarry ,shooting it at a not too close range. So on plucking a mallard today I find 51, no.6 size non toxic pellets in the breast area alone,we all use 12 gauge guns, is it possible to calculate the height that this bird would have been when it was shot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casts_by_fly Posted October 30, 2012 Report Share Posted October 30, 2012 You could make a guess, but you would need to know the choke they used to get a rough pattern percentage and the load they used to know how many pellets there were in the first place. 51 is a lot though. That is roughly 25% of a 200 pellet load which isn't far off 32g of #5 lead. If things were choked tightly and one shooter hit the bird, i would guess 15-20 yards or so. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 51 sounds excessive? i would imagine it was fairly low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 no as non-toxic shotcups sometimes fail to open correctly, i have seen them retained to 35 yds quite regular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southeastpete Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 Or two shots? Or two shots from one shooter and a third from another? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiLisCer Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 As Kent says - you cannot make a call from that - shot balling is also a common problem with Heavy shot (The brand) and Bismuth - I have picked ducks off the foreshore shot at a good 35-40 yards that looked like I had shot therm with a cannon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 If it was exceptionally low odds are the shot wouldn't have stayed in the breast area so it may be higher than you think, hit slap bang in the middle of the pattern and possibly as mentioned had two guns shoot together. With that number in I can't imagine its good for much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 1, 2012 Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 just been testing 36 grm gamebore mamouth in no.3 steel 50 stikes in 10" centre at 30yds. another choke another gun who knows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quadimodo Posted November 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 Thanks guys, for your comments, Kent ,your test with steel at 30 yards give cause for thought.In all my 55 years shooting I cannot remember finding more than 9 pellets in a mallard shot with both lead and now non toxic,although more birds were not killed outright when non toxic came into use.Most were killed at 25_40 yards 30 gram, winchester chasse 6 shot, and now impact 30 gram 6 shot, inland shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 1, 2012 Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 Thanks guys, for your comments, Kent ,your test with steel at 30 yards give cause for thought.In all my 55 years shooting I cannot remember finding more than 9 pellets in a mallard shot with both lead and now non toxic,although more birds were not killed outright when non toxic came into use.Most were killed at 25_40 yards 30 gram, winchester chasse 6 shot, and now impact 30 gram 6 shot, inland shooting. Theres a lot to do with which gun and which choke with what shell. Steel will generally pattern far tighter than lead etc through the same choke. No.6 is too small for steel on duck like mallard at normal ranges, i do know a guy who uses no.5 steel and open choke at short range though its not for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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