I'm shooting mostly 410 these days, even at wild pheasant. I use either Federal 11/16 oz game loads or Winchester Super X for 410.
But in looking in my gun drawers and cabinets, you'll find Fiocci Golden Pheasant in 20 and 28 ga, Eley in 20 ga, Remington Nitro Pheasant in 20 ga, and random brands in 12 ga (which get little use these past few years)
Pheasant Loads
- roaniecowpony
- Rank: 5X Champion
- Posts: 817
- Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:05 am
- Location: westcoast
- roaniecowpony
- Rank: 5X Champion
- Posts: 817
- Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:05 am
- Location: westcoast
Re: Pheasant Loads
Just my experience on pheasant in cold or long shots, but shot size and pattern density at the distance of the target are what I pay attention to. ...And I'm shooting mostly 410, sometimes 28ga, and every so often, 20 ga. With the 410 it's always a balancing act of larger shot size for penetration vs smaller for pattern density and choke tossed in for more confusion. The same holds true for all gauges, it just gets more pronounced as the gauge/payload gets smaller. I just haven't had good luck with shot size smaller than American #6 (Euro shot is about one size smaller 5 = 6 etc.) at distances I've encountered over my Lab. Frankly, I prefer #5 in most gauges I shoot for SD or KS roosters. I've found a lot of 7 1/2 shot in birds I've cleaned that didn't penetrate well. So, I use #6 and larger on pheasant.
Re: Pheasant Loads
That is typically what I shoot. You never know when a flock of mallards will be sitting in that pond in the middle of the crp field.cjhills wrote:2 steel in whatever brand is handy. don't have to change when hunting water fowl areas. Don't fill the prairies full of lead. Cj
Kevin
- roaniecowpony
- Rank: 5X Champion
- Posts: 817
- Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:05 am
- Location: westcoast
Re: Pheasant Loads
Now that Tom Knapp is dead, those guys that find 40-50 yard shots easy, should be dominating the competition and exhibition circuits.
Re: Pheasant Loads
12 ga. 1 1/4 oz. #5 shot reloads at 1250 fps. or 1 1/8 oz. #6 shot reloads at 1250 fps. 20 ga. 1 oz #5 Remington Pheasant loads.