Big_Sam Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I have been popping at rooks the last few days but having much success. Had one today, easy shot it was at the top of a tree, I was shooting at 45deg up at it, 30 yards, full choke 32g #6 knocked it out the tree but it was very much alive and needed another round to finish it off. Strange as I had plenty of time to aim and it was a good hit. I am thinking that #6 is not much good. All I have otherwise is 32g #5 or 36g #3. I am tempted to use the #3 36g on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I'm thinking your shot mostly missed the rook as at 20 yards 6's are plenty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Sam Posted March 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 It was 30 yards paced and it good hit, just did not kill it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 You are possibly flinching Sam, shotgun recoil is only noticeable when shooting at a stationary target. Try aiming at a specific point, the feet are usually recommended, it makes no difference as you are throwing a 30 inch pattern, but it makes you conciously aim at a specific point, rather than "poking" at the whole bird. 6 is plenty big enough for rooks and crows, they are no bigger than pigeons, and consider that the majority of foxes killed with shotguns are shot with 6's at game shoots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 i cant seem to kill crows or rooks eather all i do is use some silly sized cartriges and let rip some people can kill em come (like me )cant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I've found that the larger corvids are much harder to actually hit than pigeon. They are certainly tougher than pigeon. They fly deceptively and I think the tendency is to over lead them (I know this was stationary sam..) I've killed them out to longer ranges than I'll put on a post here with No6 and no6.5's in 30 and 32g No5 certainly does the job as well but for inside 40yds you shouldn't need to go that big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 its a bit like geese a head shot with 6's will drop them stone dead but in the body they are tough blighters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Sam Posted March 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 #6 is actually quite a weedy round really, only holds around 2-3 ft/lb energy at that range. The airifle drops them fine, but I prefer the noise of a 12b. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codling99 Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 i use 32/34 gram 6 s for crows and pigeons.kill 90% of them in air. some hit ground and flap a bit,needing another cart or a knock on head. shot 51 crows 5 pigeon and a magpie on sunday with them,out to 35/40 yds with half choke.my reckoning is you cant be hitting them square on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casts_by_fly Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I'd put 5:1 that you didn't center the pattern on it. At 30 yd with a full load of #6 you'll drop it dead out of the tree. You should have had at least 2-3 pellets in the head and neck plus a couple more in the body. A full pattern at 30 yd should be 85-90% in a 30" circle. With 32g you should have plenty of density. If you center the pattern the bird drops dead as a rock. My money is that you aimed a little too much ("plenty of time to aim") and were not in your natural position to shoot. As such you caught the bird with the edge of the pattern and only put body shots on it. A landed crow with wings folded where you only put body shots on the lower half of the body will fall out of the tree, flop the whole way down, and bounce around on the ground with its wings. Bigger shot won't give you much in that case since you didn't hit vitals anyway. If that is your common shooting distance, I'd open up to IC/Mod. Thanks, Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Sam Posted March 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Well I was quite pleased to get it with the first (only) barrel of the Baikal S/B 12b. I think the rooks here have taken to wearing kevlar as we are having trouble dropping them even at less than 30 yards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 #6 is actually quite a weedy round really, only holds around 2-3 ft/lb energy at that range. The airifle drops them fine, but I prefer the noise of a 12b. You sure about those numbers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Well I was quite pleased to get it with the first (only) barrel of the Baikal S/B 12b. I think the rooks here have taken to wearing kevlar as we are having trouble dropping them even at less than 30 yards. one things for sure I wouldn't want to be hit at 30 yards with a load of 6's, I've seen them kill rooks at 70 plus yards not my shot I might add i'd not even bothered shooting at it as I knew I had more chance throwing stones at it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Hrm, just did some numbers sam and it's all assumption stuff, I was surprised to find the energy as low as that @ only 40yds. Granted I have been working on quoted figures on shells I use (couldn't find test data) and I make it about 3.5lb/ft @ 40yds. I would have expected more than that, but then thinking about it once the pattern density really spreads out there's nothing in the way of mass to keep the momentum.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I have shot a crow out the sky with 32g of number 6 from my pump action. In the hide we stopped for a chat, then looked round and it had got up off the deck and flown off. Crows are well and truly armoured and I use plenty number 5 now and 1/2 choke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 if it was all down to one pellet then there is a point but the whole aim of the game is to hit it with as many pellets as possible. Though it would appear 3.5 is enough on its own as i've certainly had head shot pigeons that only had one shot hit them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildoliver Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I think the simple answer to anyone saying that a no6 cart is weedy at 30, 40 yards is to walk out to 50 yards and let someone shoot you with said cartridge. I suspect there would be few takers. And were tougher than crows. If you hit a crow with 6's and the emphasis here is hit not clip, then out to circa 40 yards you will kill it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I have shot a crow out the sky with 32g of number 6 from my pump action. In the hide we stopped for a chat, then looked round and it had got up off the deck and flown off. Crows are well and truly armoured and I use plenty number 5 now and 1/2 choke. imw with you 100% on that one they are hard i have hit them sitting with 50 gram 3# and extra full choke and had them fly of only to drop a hundred of so yards on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I bought 500 42g #1s from a local farm shop, for a bargain price recently. Unsurprisingly, they are pretty effective on crows at 45 yards. I too find that 32g #6s struggle to penetrate the crows' thick feathers, hence the resort to spine-jarringly powerful ammunition. It is much more fun to pick them off with a .22-250 from 200+ yards though. No issue with thick feathers then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I have been popping at rooks the last few days but having much success. Had one today, easy shot it was at the top of a tree, I was shooting at 45deg up at it, 30 yards, full choke 32g #6 knocked it out the tree but it was very much alive and needed another round to finish it off. Strange as I had plenty of time to aim and it was a good hit. I am thinking that #6 is not much good. All I have otherwise is 32g #5 or 36g #3. I am tempted to use the #3 36g on them. Sam, can I ask why you dont carry a priest? To use another cartridge on a wounded rook is to say the least unprofessional, yes if there was a danger of it escaping and suffering a prolonged death but to blast it with another barrel imo is not something to make a habit of, especially in company. With regard to your apparent lack of shooting prowess, my advice would be to draw several Rook silhouettes on a large board and see exactly where your shot is going, there is no reason why no6 shot at that range should not account for the Rook if placed correctly. I think you will be suprised when you see your pattern in relation to the target. D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Most corvids are deceptive fliers, as they are usually going faster than you think. 28 or 30 gm load No6 is what I use and ***** very few. When shooting up into a tree at a sitting bird, it is very easy to mount the gun to "over shoot" the bird. You can correct this by aiming at its feet. At 30 yards with 32 gms No 6 , it should be a very dead rook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Most corvids are deceptive fliers, as they are usually going faster than you think.28 or 30 gm load No6 is what I use and ***** very few. When shooting up into a tree at a sitting bird, it is very easy to mount the gun to "over shoot" the bird. You can correct this by aiming at its feet. At 30 yards with 32 gms No 6 , it should be a very dead rook. Commonsense at last, now can we put this one to bed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappy0766 Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Hate to say this, sam. But it just sounds like you cant hit them. Practice, practice, practice. 6's are a very good shot size, and very well suited to corvids. Even at 30 yards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Sam Posted March 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Well you chaps can hark on about patterns and energies, I was just out and 32g #5 drops them much better. Several more joined their deceased relative. Only took 8 rounds to get it out the tree afterwards. Oh and the noise is not a problem when you wear earmuffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignoel Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 i shoot crows with 6.32g and they do drop some dead some half dead the half dead one's i finish by hand . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.