Number 10 birdshot
 

After some discussion here about hunters using super small shot on grouse, myself, and a friend came up with a theory on why some of the old timers would use such tiny shot. I have no doubt that some early pioneers in North Easten grouse hunting had great success, on short range, dense foliage shooting. I am looking for someone to help by donating a small quantity of #10s for some ballistics testing, and a report to be shared here, or in the Parker Pages.
You can PM me, or email me at: Toddandcathyallen@gmail.com

A little more detail. We need just enough #10 shot to chronograph at several yardages, (15 to 25 yds.) and do pattern and penetration testing. I've asked around a bit, and #10s don't seem to exist out here, and I don't want to throw a lot of money at it.
These old timers may have been on to something, (I think I know what it was). I would like to confirm just what happens, when the "rubber meets the road", so to speak.

RST sells 10 loads as a woodcock round

Todd,
I just checked what I have it is smaller than 10 shot at .040 to.045. 10 shot is .0669. ballistic products have 10 shot.
the stuff I have must be rat shot??? just started looking to see what I have ,it looks like 13 shot?
scott

Thanks, guys. If RST will sell me a box, already loaded, that should do the trick.

it was called "dust" maybe its whats loaded for pistol shotshells, but as i understand it was used by those that collect bird specimens for taxidermy displays

BTW, for what its worth. I wouldn't count on 10's as a grouse load, maybe woodcock in the earliest part of the season when the leaves are thick and the shots are close or not at all

Todd, I’m glad you are doing some analysis on #10 shot. Your findings will be interesting and I hope you write them up for Parker Pages.
There is no doubt that the old time grouse gunners, probably to a man, were using sub size shot. Spiller, Schaldach and Foster used #9’s and the old time gunners I knew, my grandfather included, used #10’s.
All of the books, articles and gun company recommendations available to me as a 13 year old boy, beginning a lifetime of grouse shooting, recommended 7 ½ shot for Ruffed Grouse. My wisdom as a 13 year old told me that my grandfathers and others were wrong. I bought a box of high brass 7 ½’s to begin my first grouse hunt. My grandfather looked at them, chuckled, and said that we’ll go Larry’s (the local sport shop owner) and get you a few boxes of partridge loads before you hunt.
There was an article in Outdoor Life the following year, written by a guy that switched from 7 ½’s to 9’s and claimed that his birds to hand increased significantly. I thought to myself, maybe those old boys were on to something. I wish I still had that article.
However, the conventional wisdom of old timers is not always correct. We’ll see, but they sure took a lot of birds, myself included, with sub size shot.

not that i can claim to be any expert

my normal for the uplands - back when we actually had grouse around here to run setters on, was 9's in the right tube and 8's in the left in the early season-

switching to 8's left and 7 1/2 or 7's if i had them later in the season - not because of the old tale about a grouse somehow getting thicker feathers in November vs October, but simply because the leaves were down and the shots were longer

Todd, if you test the 10's - a penetration on soft pine or a pad of wet paper might be interesting to see

Using a size larger in the second barrel can be a good idea. I’ve done that often but not on grouse. My coverts are so tight that the bird is only in sight for a few seconds and a “longer” shot doesn’t often present itself.

I went to #8’s during the winter because the shots tended to be longer. It had nothing to do with feathers being thicker, an old wives tale.

I’ve used 6’s on grouse in Saskatchewan but only because grouse woods bordered my sharptail and hun areas and I hunted them at times just for the hell of it. I could get grouse back home, I focused my bird hunting on the sharptails and huns.

I have never used 7 ½’s on grouse.