heavier shells ?

[digger]

last time i went out i hit several birds that flew on after being hit.i know i hit them as they trailed feathers and/or checked in flight.i currently shoot 32g 6s but have been considering moving up to 34 or 36g 5s.none of the shots were at over usual range i.e. 35 yards

all advice appreciated

[Cranfield]

I shoot 30 g No7,s and don,t have any problems with half hit birds {I do miss a few though ).

Perhaps you are hitting them behind, caused by not enough lead, that usually produces feathers.

Alternatively, drop down to No7,s see if it makes any difference.

 

34g loads seem a bit heavy, but I,m sure somebody that uses Alphamax 3,s will post some advice.

[ernyha]

I don't think the cartridges are at fault and have to agree with Cranfield in that it is likely that you are hitting them behind.

 

I have had spells just as you describe and have bought heavier loads but always end up coming back to my 30 gram 6's, which i am doing well with at the moment.

[Teal]

I agree the carts you mention definitely pack enough punch. Do you ever try on the clays? It may be something worth considering

 

I shot 28g sixes (20gauge).

[bigdev]

Same here ? No problem with the 20bore using 28gms of 7s

[digger]

thanks gents.i use a semi auto so recoil isnt a problem.

will shoot a hundred at clays on sunday then decide.

will also try more lead on the real thing and see if that helps.

chose to blame the cartridges instead of my shooting :*)

[Aled_cky]

i bought 1000 28g size 8's for 12bore the other day.. ive been hitting crows and bigger stuff at a fair distance where my dad was using 34g size 4's and missing them all..

Aled

[Deako]

28g of 8's?....on crows?...at distance??

 

Did you kill any?

[P.Shuter]

Digger-

Your not on 'em mate! Get in front of 'em!! Feathers everywhere mean your only pricking 'em at the tail end, a good clean front end kill does not detach any feathers!! I use 23gr 7's in my twenty bore with great effect!!!

[ernyha]

28g of 8's?....on crows?...at distance??

 

Did you kill any?

I've got a funny feeling we've been down this road before.

 

Let's sit back and wait for the replies then.

[Hammergun]

I usually use 28g loads and they are quite capable of hitting pigeons or crows at distance (in my estimation, the kind of height they circle above the tall trees at). I sometimes find I have a load of 7s or 8s in my bag left over from clay shooting, and whilst I admit they aren't ideal, they do bring birds down no problem.

 

Distance? well that is subjective.

 

I suggest if you are concerned you are not hitting them, try shooting at a target and checking your pellet pattern. Try it at different distances.

 

30g suffice for the majority of shooters, and so you might find there is something at falut in your technique, or in the fit of your gun.

 

The only thing you are going to get with heavier loads what you don't get with 28 or 30g is a sore shoulder!

[Deako]

hmmm...

 

I've used a 20 bore for the last 15 years....always 28g of six shot, and I reckon I can shoot with the best of 'em.

 

But shot size 8 on crows circling above the tallest trees?...********.

[Aled_cky]

no they give a fair distance.. crows at a long distance flying over infront or anywhere and you'll hit.. just bought 30g 6's so i'll have to see what there like aswell.. found 34g hurts shoulder after a while..

btw.. ive got the 30g 6's for crows and pigeons.

Aled

[P.Shuter]

Hey Deako,

There is no need to be rude to Hammergun, I mean if you got some choke in your gun 28gr/8's should work fine, IF you know where to point your barrells!

I am begining to think you have'nt got as much shooting experience as you say!

[Aled_cky]

ye with 1/4 1/4 chokes they do shoot quite far..

they will be tested on clays shortly..

Aled

[Cranfield]

PShuter, I,m not sure Deako was specifically referring to Hammerguns post, when he commented.

Even tall English trees rarely get to 210 ft (70 yards), that has been claimed as a killing distance on here lately.

 

It is completely irresponsible to shoot at any living target, at a range that does not ensure a clean kill.

It is also our responsibility to use the correct weapons and cartridges.

No.8 shot, is not sold as a live pigeon load.

 

Now all the idiots that use .410,s with No9 shot and kill pigeons at 100 yards, post away.

 

Also Deako is not only an ex Pigeon Guide of some repute, but is known to be an excellent driven game shot.

In his profession he is a firearms expert and a marksman.

Whilst I don,t always see eye to eye with him, you cannot criticise his shooting credentials.

 

Now fire back if you want, but I am now off to Gatwick to catch a plane to Ireland.

Where I will be fishing out of Clew Bay, Co Mayo for the next week, in pursuit of the common skate and other piscatorial creatures.

[rjimmer]

Anybody like to estimate the height of an English 'high' tree?

 

Cranfield, just promise not to claim a Bigger Common skate that they 'alledgedly' get in the Sound of Mull!!!!!

 

NUDGE, NUDGE, WINK, WINK!!!!!!!!!

[webber]

Deako

 

The words Aled and distance are not compatible on the same page. He is either from a long line of ********ters or just cant measure. His next must have item needs to be a range finder.

 

webber

[eugene molloy]

Aled posted....

ive been hitting crows and bigger stuff

 

Aled, what's bigger than a crow and legal quarry right now? Seagulls?

 

Eug.

[Teal]

I have to agree with deako and cranfield. I honestly don't think size 8 should be used on anything other than clays, or perhaps driven snipe if you are lucky enough to have that opportunity.

 

I stated already I use size 6 for pigeon but I actually downsize to 5 for crows. There is nothing worse than what I find when with size 7, and hence not using it anymore, and that is "hoppers". I use 5's for rabbits and crows and 6s for everything else.

 

One of the worst things about a forum is that people can make these "claims" of consistently pulling off 60yard ++++ shots, knowing full well they may never have to back it up and hence come up a cropper. Fortunately it's not too difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff here

[bigdev]

I agree guys!!!! That the peferred shot size for woodies is shot size No 6 with the 12 bore, But i myself, think that when using the 20 bore" it throws a tighter pattern so i use No 7 shot. BD

[digger]

will give more in front and see if it makes the difference,hate pricking birds.

i would rather leave a shot than risk one at over long range so i take ninety % of my shots inside 35 yards.

[plinker]

i was using 6 shot for crows mainly because i allways have done then a mate rcommended 7.5 (probably because he could see i am not quite george digweed)

i deffently hit more birds but killed a good few less than with the 6's. lesson learned.

plinker

[Aled_cky]

yes eugene.. Black Blacked Gulls, Greater and Lesser. and also the odd Herring on the rape.

i dont do a lot of shooting at gulls unless a G.B.B.G is on a dead sheep then i do decoying with the carcase.. there was only 2families but its reduced to 1.

these birds are absolutely destructive.

Aled

[Hammergun]

I admit that "how tall is a tree?" is a bit lilke "how long's a piece of string?"

 

The trees where I shoot are not particularly high compared to the height, for example, of an ancient oak tree.

 

No, I am not generally in the habit of using 8's, but there are times when I have found them still in my pockets from clay shooting.

 

I would never take a "long" shot where there was a very high chance of wounding as that is completely wrong, but if they are close enough, an 8 can do a lot of damage.

 

 

 

The old farmer I used to work for as a teenager would to always shoot herring gulls from the back of the tractor when he was ploughing. He used to think they were worse than crows.