How important is shot count?

[ElvisThePelvis]

I have settled on Hull Imperial Game for sxs and can notice the difference between 5 and 6 in terms of clean kills, I really wanted to stick to 28g as the 30g are a little harder on recoil but gunshop has said that the shot count in 28g will be a little thin, does this ring true?

[motty]

You are a better man than I if you can really notice the difference between 5 and 6 shot.

[wymberley]

I have settled on Hull Imperial Game for sxs and can notice the difference between 5 and 6 in terms of clean kills, I really wanted to stick to 28g as the 30g are a little harder on recoil but gunshop has said that the shot count in 28g will be a little thin, does this ring true?

You'll probably get as many different opinions as there are answers so I might as well start it off. In my sxs which throws a pretty consistent 1//2 choke as it is bored, Imp' Game pattern at 52% - a slightly tight IC. However, when I use High Pheasant this alters to 64.5% - 3/4. Consequently, it would appear, at least in my barrel that these shoot somewhat loose.

[eastdevon]

What ya shooting?? Pigeons I'm guessing?! If so, why the 5 or 6 shot? Have changed over to clay loads 7.5shot, get your part right and they drop like a stone. Only time I use 5 shot now is to smash up the squirrel dreys.

[GingerCat]

Theres about 5 or 6 pellets difference. I doubt it's the shot count that you're noticing. Maybe a thin pattern but the size of shot makes a big ballistic difference at range.

Personaly I don't find much difference between 5 or 6 at normal ranges, at 40 + yards through a tight choke 5 comes into its own.

Edited August 29, 2016 by GingerCat

[ElvisThePelvis]

You are a better man than I if you can really notice the difference between 5 and 6 shot.

I have noticed a clear difference in clean kills with 5 over 6

What ya shooting?? Pigeons I'm guessing?! If so, why the 5 or 6 shot? Have changed over to clay loads 7.5shot, get your part right and they drop like a stone. Only time I use 5 shot now is to smash up the squirrel dreys.

Yep on pigeons, but I have noticed a clear difference on ranger pigeons between 6 and 5

[ElvisThePelvis]

Theres about 5 or 6 pellets difference. I doubt it's the shot count that you're noticing. Maybe a thin pattern but the size of shot makes a big ballistic difference at range.

Personaly I don't find much difference between 5 or 6 at normal ranges, at 40 + yards through a tight choke 5 comes into its own.

 

According to website it's 14 shot different or 7%, can't see how it makes much difference myself but the shop suggested that in 28g it could be too thin.

 

Much of the non decoyed pigeon shooting is longer range and I'm thinking more for the forthcoming pheasant season.

[ElvisThePelvis]

You'll probably get as many different opinions as there are answers so I might as well start it off. In my sxs which throws a pretty consistent 1//2 choke as it is bored, Imp' Game pattern at 52% - a slightly tight IC. However, when I use High Pheasant this alters to 64.5% - 3/4. Consequently, it would appear, at least in my barrel that these shoot somewhat loose.

This makes perfect sense, my sxs is 5/8 aid 3/8 so a looser cartridge is helpful.

[Guest cookoff013]

patterns matter.

[neutron619]

I have settled on Hull Imperial Game for sxs and can notice the difference between 5 and 6 in terms of clean kills, I really wanted to stick to 28g as the 30g are a little harder on recoil but gunshop has said that the shot count in 28g will be a little thin, does this ring true?

 

 

You are a better man than I if you can really notice the difference between 5 and 6 shot.

 

He's a more sensitive man than me if he can notice the difference between 28g and 30g!

 

Oh and +1 to cooky's post. I've been out shooting 21g/#6 through a cylinder choke (28ga) at some pretty long pigeons recently. I didn't believe it would drop a 40 yard bird until I shot about 5 of them in a row and had to sit down and have a serious re-think about what I thought I "knew" about how much shot, what size, etc. 20 mins shooting at a cardboard box showed probably the most even / consistent pattern I've ever seen.

 

(Stick with the 28g if that's what you like.)

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Oh you sensitive types! :lol:

[Guest cookoff013]

 

 

 

He's a more sensitive man than me if he can notice the difference between 28g and 30g!

 

Oh and +1 to cooky's post. I've been out shooting 21g/#6 through a cylinder choke (28ga) at some pretty long pigeons recently. I didn't believe it would drop a 40 yard bird until I shot about 5 of them in a row and had to sit down and have a serious re-think about what I thought I "knew" about how much shot, what size, etc. 20 mins shooting at a cardboard box showed probably the most even / consistent pattern I've ever seen.

 

(Stick with the 28g if that's what you like.)

 

ok, i have to admit something....

i met a guy.....

 

he wanted to learn to reload and he really wanted to give it a damn good going to get the cheapest cartridge he could. so with what components i had at the time, was AS, and some supersparks, 70mm hulls and a box of cheap #6 lead.

we reloaded a fast style competition load... but with 25grams of 6s. i didnt shoot them, it was more of "i taught him how to reload". the idea was he would try them out on clays then have a go on some pigeons. however he just went a

head and shot the lot at birds. i wouldnt say he is the greatest shot, but he said they did justice on anything he shot at. even a single rabbit. he was really pleased and i havent a clue what distance or whatever he did.

i just remember getting texts in the middle of the day and in the early evening praising the cheap load.

i kind passed it off as a one off, and he hasnt started reloading.

it didnt and hasnot stopped my thinking of big slow loads as better. but i cant argue, because it worked for him.

where does it end? 25grams of #6 or #5.

thats cheap !

[TONY R]

The light fast loads can and do work .. well. That is in lead steel TSS whatever.

It does however tend to be quite controversial, its not a recent theme this it has been going on for years, but in the late 1090s early 2000s to say 2005 what with the internet web sites croping up forums this subject mostly surounding steel became a hot pottato and generaly debates ended badly, Poor old NED S a charecter off AW And other forums was a knowledgable and strong advocate for fast loads in steel.

The theorists had their views and what with a few very vocal self styled Shooting review individuals getting involved they kept Neds views well under the thumb.

Ned S is god bless him no longer with us he was an old man back in the 2000s he would have been im guessing 80 at least when he died.

Velocity is not the whole story and of course what starts out fast does slow down proportionaly faster play with a bloon flicking it shows this, but identical loads of shot any type at different speeds, the fast load will still ALWAYS be faster downrange regardless, now if that extra speedcis of any physical advantage in ftlbs of energey etc is i supose debbatable, but its still faster.

I like faster loads in steel it is more obvious to me it comes in handy, but its not essential to kill things, this is where some get all upset about velicity.

The best for one person might not be everybodys idea what is the best, And the debates rage on surounding velocity esspecialy in steel shot waterfowling loads.

Now at the opposite end of the spectrum alltogether and sticking with steel for sake of debate, Subsonic large lettered steel shot in heavy steel loads at subsonic speeds, on paper these loads carry enough ft lbs energey for geese and ducks to 40 yards or more with f shot etc, but i have never tried any in the field, so have zero idea if they will work or not.

Safe bets here are where most go medium to large steel loads of medium to verging on large steel shot sizes, at medium speeds between 1250 1450 fps , this is Middle of the road politics sound safe bet nothing radical out of the box or revolutionary and it can not really be argued with in a negative way nor would anyone want to.

but this middle of the road route is not the whole story either, some chose to step outside these norms at either end of the speed spectrum, and from what i have seemn at higher speeds in steel in any case i know there is worthwile advantages for me to utilise, but its not for everyboby, and its nice when we can all still make our own choices whatever they may be.