16ga.com ~ View topic - Is there ever a need for more than 1 oz. in the uplands?

Guest

I'm just pondering, maybe reevaluating my thinking. I've always used 1 oz. loads for grouse and woodcock, but I've tended to use 1 1/8 oz loads when I hunt pheasants. Maybe it's just a mild case of undiagnosed magnumistis, and the 1 oz. is optimum.

Thoughts?

Joined: 27 Jan 2016 Posts: 490 Location: Oswego, Kansas

I shot a lot of pheasants for several years with a 20ga and 1oz. of 6's before I got a 16 and the 20 killed the birds just as dead. I prefer my 16's for most hunting because I also like to try to jump ducks off the farm ponds where I hunt and load heavier loads in the gun for that. Wink

Guest

Byron, I have pretty much the same experiences. The few ducks I've shot with a 16 gauge were with 1 1/8 oz. bismuth. I always seemed to hold my own with 1 oz. in a 20 gauge, even back in the lead shot days of duck hunting.

Member Joined: 09 Jan 2013 Posts: 2168 Location: Florida

Dave , the way I see it is, 1 1/8 oz only has an advantage for shots beyond 40 yards and when using shot sizes #5 and larger .

Guest

I shoot 1 oz. of #6's from my Imp Cyl barrel and 1 1/8 oz. of 5 1/2 shot in my mod barrel for late season pheasant hunting over a pointing dog. The extra 1/8 oz, of slightly larger shot has the same approximate pellet count as the 1 oz. of 6's with a little more down range energy.

Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1338

I shoot 1 oz. of #6's from my Imp Cyl barrel and 1 1/8 oz. of 5 1/2 shot in my mod barrel for late season pheasant hunting over a pointing dog. The extra 1/8 oz, of slightly larger shot has the same approximate pellet count as the 1 oz. of 6's with a little more down range energy.

Over the 40 odd years or so I've hunted upland game, I've taken birds from as small as sora rail and starlings to big tough roosters and a few very big full sized canada geese. I've taken birds from as close as 15 feet to past 50 yards out. I've upland hunted from late summer for snipe and rail and early season goose through very late winter for pheasant. I've hunted in many different conditions and in all kinds of cover. I've successfully used all kinds of shotguns from the little .410 through the 12 gauge magnum to take birds. I've used all kinds of loads as well.

I've learned the importance of using big enough shot to penetrate enough from any angle in order to cleanly kill the bird or birds I'm hunting at that time. I've learned to use loads with enough of that particular shot size to produce a lethal pattern out where I expect to hit these various birds. I've learned that velocities must be fast enough to hit hard enough at the ranges I expect to be taking these various birds.

My experience has taught me that when it comes to wing shooting, there are no magic gauges or shells. I've learned it is very important to choose the right tools for the job at hand and to practice enough to be very good with those tools. Based on my experiences, here are my recommendations for hunting pheasant of various sizes in various cover over a full season.

For early season smaller stocked pheasant over pointing dogs including young roosters and hens, a 7/8 ounce of #7 pigeon shot doing 1250 FPS will kill them all stone dead if only close in crossing shots are taken and the patterns hit them in the head/neck every time. Even shot as small as #9 will do the job if the birds are hit in the head, but I'd never recommend shot smaller than #7 here. Even so, an ounce of #6 shot doing at least 1250 FPS will kill them just as dead from any angle out to no more than 30 yards. So out of experience, that is my choice now for early season smaller young pen raised pheasant. However, for early season young wild pheasant, I'd start out with at least 1-1/8 ounces of #5 shot. Ranges will be longer and the birds will be smarter and tougher right off the bat.

Later on as stocked birds get heavier, tougher, smarter, and faster, I start loading at least 1-1/8 ounces of #5 shot doing about 1250 FPS or more. #5 shot doing at least 1250 FPS hits hard enough to penetrate any pheasant from the stem to the boiler room out to 40 yards or so. #5 shot snaps wing and leg bones very well out yonder as well. There are close to or about 200 #5 pellets in a 1-1/8 ounce load. That's enough pellets to produce a lethal pattern out at 40 yards if the selected choke for the barrel being used to launch that load is the right one. For wild pheasant later on, I will have already gone with at least 1-1/4 ounces of #4 shot. I know I'm going to need these bigger, harder hitting pellets to cleanly kill these tough, wily, fast departing survivors. They did not survive into late October from being trustingly stupid enough to let me or my dog get close.

For any and all late season roosters with heavy winter plumage and a fast cold tail wind helping them to rocket along as they flush out yonder, nothing beats at least 1-1/4 ounces of #4 shot doing about 1250 FPS or more. 1-1/2 ounces of #4 shot is even better, but that big a load requires a 12 gauge to launch it fast enough and far enough to kill those big, smart, fast departing roosters wearing full winter plumage.

You all can agree or disagree, but them's my choices and I'm sticking to 'em. You can choose what works for you where and when you hunt what you want. Good luck too. Very Happy

NO, NO!! The extra 1/8 ounce x 2 or even 3 makes the gun too heavy and unusable.
Weight is the most important question.
Embarassed

Member Joined: 09 Jan 2013 Posts: 2168 Location: Florida

Also if you put the 1 1/8 oz in PURPLE hull they kill better ! and feel lighter . Laughing

Guest

Guest

Joined: 18 Jun 2014 Posts: 312 Location: Western Wisconsin

Dave,

After that last picture I think there is a padded room with your name on the door... Lord help us all! Wink