Number 10 birdshot

[Tom Flanigan]

Todd, if RST is out of 10's, I can send you a box of 28 bore 10's that Morris gave me years ago. They were a gift so I never shot them. But they are what I consider the best grouse load for a 28 bore, the 3/4 oz. load of 10's.

[todd allen]

Penetration testing could be on pigeons, mostly. I know a family from Laos, btw, who will make good use of the birds, so nothing goes to waste.
Under controlled circumstances. I think we could pretty much duplicate what happened, back in the day.
Flyers would be shot with a 1906 BHE and an Underlifter.

[terc]

I have a few boxes of RST #10 shot in 2" shells. I can send you a box. PM your address.
You probably won't see much penetration with shot that small. Is penetration even a factor in bagging a grouse ? I've skinned more than 200 grouse over the last 30 years, most of the shot is under the skin or in shallow wound channels in the meat. It would be a rare occasion for a pellet to find it's way into the heart or lungs. Most grouse are bagged by breaking a wing bone, or by hitting them in the head or spine.
More shot , denser patterns, will definitely give you better chance to hit these small areas.
Just my opinion, Dave

[Tom Flanigan]

OMG Dave...skinned? I've never skinned one though the practice is common. Personally I don't skin any birds. I always pick them. To each his own.

Some of the boys in Saskatchewan use to ride the roads though wooded areas in the evening to ground swat grouse. Before you think too poorly of them, these were guys who wanted to add birds to the family larder. Money is tight in northern Saskatchewan and one lady told me she grew up eating grouse shot off the roadways.

They didn't know the niceties of bird shooting, they just wanted meat. They didn't have the money to buy enough shells to become wing shooters, even if they wanted. One bird one shell was their mantra.

They "skinned" their birds by putting a wing under each foot and pulling hard on the legs. The breast came off sans skin. They laughed at me when I told them treating grouse this way was an abomination.

[10 bore]

Originally Posted by Rick Losey

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

yes, that's what my dad called it, Dust
tks

[Tom Flanigan]

Just one more note from my experiences, Dave. I believe the shot you saw just under the skin is shot that has passed through the body of the bird and has been stopped by the elastic nature of the skin on the far side. The same reason we often find spent bullets under the skin on the far side of where we hit deer or other big game.

If you look closely at the skin above the shot, I believe you'll find no hole in it. Some #9 shot will definitely penetrate through the bird to the other side. Some birds have broken wings but many do not.

I've often shot birds with just one broken wing and no shot in the body. These birds always flip dramatically on the side of the broken wing. They hit the ground running and I always get my dog quickly to the spot where they fell if the dog doesn't see it. The amount of ground they can cover quickly is amazing. Without a dog, it is a lost bird.

[Phil C]

I have stated a number of times the effectivness of # 9 shot on pointed Mearns quail. My hunting partner likes the 10’s. I used #10’s spreaders this last season in my Remington 12 gauge DEO that is choked F/F. Shooting RST’s. Killed with authority. Under 25 yards I have nothing but positive things to say.

That said not so effective on the late season skittish Gamble and Scale quail. Shot some 6 and 7 1/2 shot, killed much better. These birds were getting up at 30 yards plus a lot of times.

[terc]

Tom, I'll have to look a closer this October.

[Brush Buster]

I always skin Pheasants and Pluck Grouse ,I also skin Woodcock for what this information is worth ! I have used #10 Shot in a 28 Gauge for years , it is for whatever reason a wonderful Woodcock load and seems to do well on Grouse also ! Like Dave T ,I really never thought shot penetration was a huge deal in Grouse or Woodcock as it surely is in Pheasant Hunting where I have even gone as large as #5 in late season birds that have had a lot of hunting pressure , Well Dave maybe it is just a Pennsylvania way of reasoning !

[Tom Flanigan]

I don’t think penetration is a big deal in grouse hunting either although #9 shot will often penetrate the bird to wind up under the skin on the far side.

As far as skinning grouse, in my youth after tiring of picking a bunch of birds, I asked my grandfather if I could skin some of them to save time. He told me that anyone who skins a partridge doesn’t deserve to eat one. Harsh words but I got his point. I have never skinned a game bird.

Woodcock have a bit of fat under the skin on both sides of the backbone. Skinning would remove this fat which is beneficial in roasting. To each his own, but I’ll go with my grandfather’s ways.

Just a note, the New York city market of the 1800’s would never accept a skinned bird or one with a lot of shot in it. The market buyers were very particular back in the day.