Finding out for myself.
 

I shot pigeons recently and I took along my 20 gauge reproduction used #4 shot 7/8 oz, 16 gauge Merkel 1 oz #6 shot, and Remington 12 gauge RST 2 1/2” woodcock loads #10 shot 7/8 oz.
I shot best with the Merkel and Remington percentage wise. What surprised me was how well the #10 woodcock loads performed. I was shooting birds that provided multiple presentations from 20 to 40 yards. These are big healthy pigeons that eat well at the dairy where I was shooting.
I shot one box of the woodcock loads and killed 17 birds outright. 2 additional birds fell with broken wings one of which was a trailing bird on a true double.
Two birds were lost that were hit but did not drop within my view. The rest I believe I missed.
I know that there is a lot of different opinions on #10 shot but I must say the results really surprised me. My Remington is choked really full so I’m sure this helped.
I had been really pleased with shooting Mearns quail over my dogs last year with this load but did not expect the performance these gave me on pigeons.
Just sharing for what ever it’s worth.

Phil, can you show us the meat on the birds killed with #10 shot?

That is one very pretty Merkel!!




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Dean I gave all of the birds to the guys working at the Dairy and did not dress any of the birds.
I am headed up in a few weeks and will try and do a video as well as well as skin some pigeons to show the results. Unfortunately I was delivery pecans to a customer and was trying to stay clean as possible on this trip.

Dean, one year I decided to try #9's on grouse and woodcock, as I had been given a couple cases of 20 ga AA 9's by the widow of a friend. I had to basically just throw away alot of birds as they were so shot up as to be inedible. I have since gone back to 7 1/2 and 8's, or even straight 7's. I use the rest of the 9's on clays.

My opinion of 10’s is about the same as yours Harold. I use 8’s on woodcock and grouse and if they’re close I try to make head shots if I can. Most of the birds I kill have very few, if any pellet damage to the breasts.
- No, I’m not really that good but I will try for head shots and I’m often lucky.





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I shot a few woodcock with those loads and was barely able to scavenge a wing to send to the USFWS wing survey.

I don't use #9's on any gamebirds but on pigeons, either out of a trap or hand-thrown, they are deadly. As Phil found out that small shot is the ticket.
I shot a live bird shoot this weekend over 8 Barnaby type traps. The first 5 bird race had me scoring a 3 which won't even get you an honorable mention. I checked the bottom choke in my K32, thinking I had .015 constriction when it was really .027. DUH, my bad. Switched it out to .015 and using 3- 1 1/8- 9's followed by a top barrel with .043 and 3 1/4- 1 1/4- 7 1/2's. Ran the next 13 birds only having to use my second barrel twice to anchor the bird.

Some guys say their experience is that it’s unsportsman like to shoot birds with 9 or 10 shot as it won’t kill over 15 yards.
Others find it devastates birds.
Lots of variables I suppose but like many of you I’m retired and hunt with my dogs for quail every chance I get.
Season starts in early October and ends in February.
I enjoy eating quail and use what works. For Mearns pointed by my dogs I shoot 9’s spreaders and open chokes.
I can only think of two birds I could not salvage this year. One that flew right at me and I should have never shot, the other where a covey flushed close and I shot at less than 12 yards, something I should not have done.
I do not find my birds are horribly shot up. Then again I don’t mind two or three pellets in the breast.
Most are very easily and cleanly removed with a tool made from a nail.

I think that big hairy Newfoundlander shot some of those birds in the last pic ...he cleaned them too , found very little damage of note ...very tasty little birds

LOL yes that was a good morning out. You were shooting the Parker 16 with the modified stock with some RST #9’s.
My favorite eating bird to hunt and to eat.