How tough IS a pheasant ????
 

I know some people hunt grouse with # 8 shot...so I was wondering - would I be insane to hunt pheasant (stocked birds, not the wiley wild ones) with # 7 shot (vs. my usual # 6) ????

I am using a light ( 1 1/2 dram) black powder 16 gauge load (fiber wads, no plastic shot cup) with only 3/4 ounces of shot. I am considering the # 7 shot in an effort to improve pattern density, since I lose a lot of pellets with the fiber wads & over-shot card. (...and with only 3/4 ounces of shot, there's only about 165 # 6 pellets to begin with.)

Any experience with this odd size (# 7) ?

Thanks !

John

John: I am not sure I can answer your question but out here in Kansas land we use # 5 for both released birds and wild. jvb

Over pointing dogs you can kill preserve pheasants with #7 shot but I would not choose to hunt these birds with only 3/4 oz of them at what I suspect will be a rather low velocity. I have hunted them successfully with an 1885 16ga Parker hammergun choked .020/.020 using 2 1/2 drams of FFG, fibre wads and 7/8oz of #6 in a Magtech brass case which I suspect would be closer to the original owner of the gun's choice of load.

My magic ammo is 1&1/4 oz of #5's pushed by 23gr of PB in a Double AA hull. Works wonders in any high wind conditions and on home grown of wild pheasants. I do not like #4's as the break bones and I like my phesants bones all in one piece, ie tiny bone fragments to get in the way of eating. 7&1/2's will kill if you are up close and a good shot.

PTG Roger

I have seen people kill pheasant, wild or released, with #6 shot out of a 410 or a 28ga, when they pick their shots carefully for close in head shots. If you can't limit yourself to less than 20 yards and crossing head shots, use something with more punch. A 20ga is about as low as I go when the birds hold tight and my usual pheasant guns are 16's for early season and 12's for later. #5 shot is the prefered pheasant load.

I hunted pheasant for a while with a 28ga D. It was a crippler and I gave up and sold the gun.

Thank you all !

I think I'll stay with # 6 shot & only use this gun when hunting over dogs (hunting preserve). The shots are usually close.

For my other hunting, I have some nice parkers that I'm not afraid to load up.

(This 16 gauge is an old German drilling that has quite a bit of pitting, and it's on a very small-frame receiver. Hence the light 28 gauge load...)


(I'm a better shot with my Parkers anyway !)

Thanks again !

John, while I use 7/8 oz #6 in a 20 ga to hunt both wild and released pheasants, I think 3/4 oz #7 would be fine if you don't take straight-away shots and try to limit yourself to 30 yards or so. I like #7 for Sharptails, Chukars and Huns and I'm sure it would kill pheasants fine if you're careful!
Joe

Thanks Joe !



John

I would not use black powder in a pitted barrel. I would trust my barrels enough to load an ounce of #6 shot at 1150 feet per second ahead of a smokeless powder load that would produce about 8000 psi or less, a common combination. If you don't trust your gun with that type of load, you shouldn't be shooting it.

I have shot a lot of release birds with my 28ga VHE and 3/4 oz's of B & P # 7's , the advice to keep the shots undr 25 yards and shoot for the head is sound

Doug Helton