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*Last edited by Lon on Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:19 pm; edited 2 times in total*

i've been meaning to share this recipe with group for a long time but never got around to it. Please forgive my tardiness and the length of this post!

I've done a lot of chronographing and patterning over the last number of years trying to find what I consider to be a really good pheasant load. I was wanting to come up with something as good or better than the results I was getting with the factory load, Fiocchi Golden Pheasant 1 1/8 oz of 5s.

I've tested and hunted with the Golden Pheasant load for years with very good results. But my reload recipe is a bit more consistent in velocity, patterns better and seems to kill roosters as well or better than the Golden Pheasant factory load.

After extensive testing, here's what I came up with:

Fiocchi 2.75" new hull (I pop out the Fio 616 primer)
Federal 209A primer
23 grains of Longshot
SG-16 wad
1 1/8 oz of fives or sixes

This combination of components fills the hull to within 3/8" to 5/16" of the top of the hull, without fillers; which allows for a good, deep crimp.

My first 10-shot string over the chronograph on 10-17-13 produced
1,272 fps
7 SD
22 EV

My second 10-shot string over the chronograph on 3-13-14 produced
1,273 fps
8 SD
28 EV

My third 10-shot string over the chronograph on 6-23-14 produced
1,270 fps
5 SD
17 EV

So I was very pleased with its consistency in velocity over time and in different temperatures.

When I patterned it at 25 yards with an IC choke it put an average of 92% of the pellets in a 30" circle, based on three patterns.

Next, I sent ten rounds of this recipe off to Precision Reloading for testing. Keith at PR came up with these numbers:

1,292 fps
7 SD
20 EV

9,846 psi.

If you were paying attention you noticed about a 2% increase in velocity from Precision Reloading's results than my chronograph results. I've sent more than 30 recipes in for testing to PR and their velocities always end up a couple percentage points higher than my results. I chalk it up to a difference in test gun, test equipment, etc.

In addition to this load working well in the reloading room, over the chronograph and at the pattern board, most importantly it works very well on wild roosters too.

In the last four seasons I've killed more than 150 wild roosters with this load in temperatures varying from 60 F to -23 below zero with excellent results. When I put the pattern where it's suppose to be, which unfortunately I don't always do, this load flat out works.

I've looked through the spreadsheets and don't recall seeing this exact combination anywhere previously. If I've overlooked a similar load please forgive me.

Not to bore you with more statistics but I also shot this same recipe with 22 grains and 21 grains of Longshot for those interested in a slower velocity and a little bit less pressure. I did not spend the money on pressure testing these because I suspect dropping the powder charge will most likely lessen pressure a tad too.

Here are my results with 22 grains:
1,213 fps
11 SD
38 EV

With 21 grains:
1,179 fps
11 SD
38 EV

These two iterations are not quite as consistent but still very useable. And they indicate to me a pretty stable combination of components.

I didn't pattern these two lower-powder drop recipes either. Perhaps they would pattern even better than my 23-grain load?

Interestingly, I tried the same exact recipe but used the Federal hull and got very similar results.

Once again, from Precision Reloading:

Federal 2.75" hull once fired
Federal 209A primer
23 grains of Longshot
SG-16 wad
1 1/8 oz of fives or sixes

1,289 fps
7 SD
23 EV

9,644 PSI

For the data wonks I did find a very similar published load to this one from the 2000 Hodgdon book.

It's the same as above except 23.5 grains of Longshot. It's listed at:

1,240 fps
9,100 psi

So, that tracks relatively well too.

I have not done as much work with this load in the Federal hull other than hunting with it. And, from my what I've seen on roosters, it works very similar as the load in the Fiocchi hull.

I use the purple Federal hull load with sixes in my bottom barrel and then the blue Fiocchi hull load with fives in the top barrel.

And I shoot either a skeet or IC choke in my bottom/first barrel and IC or LM choke in my top/second barrel depending on how the birds are behaving.

This mix of shot sizes and chokes have allowed me to kill pheasants from 10 yards to 50 yards, with most of my shots occurring between 20 and 30 yards.

This combo works well for me.

Lon

Guest

Lon, that looks like an outstanding load! Thanks for sharing it.

Is that a Fed 209 or 209A?

Dave,

Thanks for the kind words.

I read and re-read my post several times, trying to make sure I didn't miss any details. Alas, I'm human!

It's a Federal 209A primer. Thanks for the catch.

Lon

Joined: 26 Apr 2016 Posts: 369 Location: Vermont

Lon Thanks for posting. Very informative I will give that load a try. I have a couple 16 ga Citori's and an Auto 5 to use them in. I used to read some of your articles in bowhunting magazines if you are one in the same.

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

Lon , thanks for putting in the time and testing and then sharing with us . Sounds like a great load that will save us 16ga,ers alot foot work .

Mark

Guest

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

Lon, that is one hell of a post! I too have printed it out and it will go in with my load data.

The load is a little too stout for my old English doubles. But, it gives me one more reason to buy the new Sweet 16!

Thank you sir!

Matt

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

Lon , What Brand of shot are you using in these loads ?

Thanks for the support guys.

Soggy Socks, yes, I'm the same guy. I've written for many hunting publications over the years.

I mostly use West Coast or Lawrence brands of lead shot.

Lon

Joined: 26 Apr 2016 Posts: 369 Location: Vermont

Thats cool... you still a fingers shooter??

Soggy Socks,

No, I switched to a mechanical release aid years ago when they started making bows with much shorter axle to axle lengths.

Lon

Member Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 376 Location: North ID.

Thanks for the load info Lon.

I'll need to give that one a try. Sounds like it's a good one for busting some pheasants.

Cameron

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

That list includes some very good pheasant loads. If anyone claims you need more, don't believe it!
I have had stellar results with 1 1/8 oz. of shot in a different wad propelled to 1200fps or so with Longshot. The pattern board likes 'em and the pheasants hate 'em. I can live with that.

Lon: I recently loaded a couple rounds of a very similar load from the Lyman handbook. A Fed hull with F209, SG16 and 23.5 grs. of Longshot and 1 1/8 oz nickle 7.5's. Lyman rates it at 1270 fps.

I am looking to tighten the patterns from my CZ Bobwhite's loose chokes. I loaded a couple of samples to check crimp space. I'll check velocity and patterns later, probably after hunting season. In the meantime, I hope to get a chance to use the samples on birds, but I've been playing with a recently acquired Ithaca 37 and haven't had the CZ out yet.

Thanks for sharing you data, it makes me think the Lyman version may work well too.

Guest

Jag, try the Z16 wad to tighten patterns.