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Joined: 05 Dec 2007 Posts: 119 Location: Russellville, AR

Im going on my first wild pheasant/quail hunt this fall. I think I would like to play with some hand loads for my sweet 16. I have some components already on hand from loading some nice shot loads for duck hunting. There used to be a web page that had all kinds of load recipies but I cant find it now? Can anybody point me back to that page or share some recipies?

My current inventory:
Cheddite multi hull with cheddite 209 primers.
empty hearters low brass loads from cabelas. (look like cheddites)
some empty remington game loads
some empty federal high brass hulls

Ballistic products z16 wads and s 16 wads
remington sp16 wads

Winchester 209 primers

I have some longshot powder but not much so I can get different powder when i order shot. Speaking of shot, copper plated, nickel plated or straight lead for wild pheasant?

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3177 Location: NCWa

If you check the Hodgdon/Winchester/IMR load data pages they have the specific loads. For heavier (1 1/8 oz) loads the SP16 wads work as long as you push it hard enough to flare the bottom of the wad so that it seals the powder. for shot I just go with Magnum/high antimony lead, at least if I'm going to an area that allows lead.

If you use the Remington hulls with the Rem SP16 wads, the powder migration is not a concern for the 1 1/8 oz. loads, and with Longshot you still can make a nice snotty load to drive those roosters into the dirt.

#6 or #5 magnum lead shot works just fine. I suppose if you want to get fancy the plated stuff is OK. Never seen any difference in lethality between plated and unplated shot to be honest.

Hey DC , how's it going !? What Mark said . Rems you can use sp's or rp's anytime - made specifically for each other . Need to pay some attn. to the Chedds though . Stick with the Z wads or the other G wads . THEY are made for each other . What AM said can work for sp/chedds , but after waiting so long to go , and walking as far as you might on a pheas hunt , you don't want to take a risk . It is one thing to shoot targets , but another to walk 5 prairie mis and then get some dud/bloopers . (check your loads for gun fit and ,make sure you have a barrel clearing device - can be a LONG walk to the car to clear a barrel !)

Joined: 28 Aug 2014 Posts: 924 Location: Eastern Tennessee

I have avoided using any of my powders with Cheddite/Federal hulls combined with SP-16 wads other than 800-x. After reopening 50 shells earlier this year (3 months after making them and carrying them around) the most observed migration was not more than 5 or 6 flakes in the shot.

My main pheasant load last year was using my purple hulls (ched or fed) with the 800-x and the SP-16 wad with 1-1/8 oz of #5 mag lead at about 1240-1277 FPS. Never had a problem with any of the loads I shot. I tend to use light mod choke and shoot in fairly poor conditions.

I did recently load up the same shot and wad with RGL and longshot. Plan to take it out for a patterning.

Joined: 05 Dec 2007 Posts: 119 Location: Russellville, AR

Well I cleaned up a few folders in my work desk today and found my printed pages of the spreadsheet that used to be available. Im glad I dont throw stuff away very often, I printed these in 2012!

So if im hunting pheasant and quail would I be better off loading #5s or #6s?

Are Cheddite 209 primers interchangeable with Win 209 primers? It seems like I read that somewhere.

Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 85 Location: mo

R_289, If you are going to areas with both pheasants and quail, stick with #6's. My favorite pheasant-only shot size is #5s (just as it was my favorite mallard duck shot size way back in the lead-shot day), but I've had very poor luck killing quail with 5s. Even if it is straight-away shooting!

When I hunt in areas with both pheasants and quail, I normally shoot a re-loaded high-velocity 7.5, followed by 5s or 6s, regardless of which gun I carry. I hunt over dogs and have killed lots of roosters with 7.5s, and they are great if quail get up. At least one bobwhite goes down!

For what its worth, I now use HS-6 powder in Win CF hulls with Rem SP wads and Win 209s for my high-velocity loads. I used to use Win 571 back in the day (my brother ran on to a un-opened pound recently, but won't budge). I believe this load is listed in the Hodgdon/Winchester/IMR load data. I've bought some Longshot, but haven't tried it yet. The HS-6 seems to knock them into the dirt as best I can tell. And I've been shooting it for over ten years.

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 601 Location: Virginia

Back when those data sheets were put together and posted by Chuckarman on SSBB, I downloaded them onto my hard drive. They are a handy reference. The newer charts available through the Yahoo group are also great, but I've also stored copies on my hard drive just to make sure I have them if and when the internet goes kaput.

Dan

Joined: 16 Jul 2015 Posts: 2126 Location: Hudson,Wy

Dogchaser made an interesting comment about plated shot. I will weigh in with my experiences. Unless the pellet being plated is high antimony, the shot will still be soft. Plating a soft pellet just makes a really pretty soft pellet. Unfortunately, antimony content is seldom listed for plated shot. I have given a few copper or nickel pellets the squeeze test with a pair of pliers and then given the same squeeze to a magnum lead pellet (5% antimony) of the same size and been real disappointed when the plated shot crushed with noticeably less force. You can feel the difference pretty easily. I used up 9 lbs. of copper plated 5's in brush loads during recent years after they failed the test.
As most of you know, round pellets fly straighter and retain momentum better than out of round pellets. Patterns respond accordingly.

Joined: 16 Jul 2015 Posts: 2126 Location: Hudson,Wy

Something I forgot to mention, some plated shot also has "bastard" dimensions. A certain brand of highly hyped nickel shot measures smaller than standard diameter, thus providing higher shot counts due to a slightly smaller size shot. At least they do post the diameter though.
This can be misleading at the pattern board when making comparisons to standard magnum lead. The pellet counts on paper need to be compared to the actual number of pellets in the payload otherwise the test has been heavily biased due to one payload being given the advantage of more pellets to begin with.
As I said, some plated shot is not very good. Some folks just spend way to much on the shot, see more holes in the paper and assume that the extra cash was well spent. On the other hand, there are some sources of plated shot that actually do use a 5-6% antimony pellet before plating and do produce a superior product. Point is, check before you brag! Only pay more if it actually makes a difference.
And no, making a miracle shot or two in the field does not equate to the "bestest load ever". My Uncle once dropped a sage grouse at 97 paces with a chokeless 16 ga. and #6 shot. Dumb luck for sure and by no means a long range combo.