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16'er
PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 6:51 am  Reply with quote
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https://palmettostatearmory.com/federal-16ga-2-75-1oz-6-game-shok-game-load-shotshells-25rds-h160-6.html
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Wolfchief
PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 7:01 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 782
Location: Indiana

"Magic shells and Chokes" not withstanding, in the last 30 years I've killed roosters with every gauge from .410 to 12, and every choke from IC to full. They are incredibly hardy--as you would be too, were you fighting for your life. They remind me of a rainbow trout in that they NEVER stop fighting to try to get away. I'm fairly sure some of you have had the experience, as have I, of busting the bird so hard the feathers were everywhere and you expect to find him DEAD RIGHT THERE---and then you are in disbelief when you walk to the spot and--no bird. And your dog can't always locate him among all that scent either. And most of us have had the experience of the bird spurring and clawing you as you try to remove it from your dog's jaws.

This type of hunting, where often we shoot in very heavy cover with a better chance than ever of the quarry escaping unless we kill it stone dead, demands that we use relatively high quality shells to cut losses from cripples to a minimum. And yes, the advice to hit 'em in the front end is correct; the bird carries an incredible amount of lead if you hit him in the rear. To escape that empty shameful feeling we get (or should get) when we see a bird drop a leg, but continue out of sight, using the best ammo we can find is the sensible thing to do.

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Savage16
PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 7:34 am  Reply with quote
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John Singer wrote:
This is not rocket surgery.

Any 20, 16 or 12 gauge shotgun with an improved cylinder or modified choke using an ounce or more of 4, 5, or 6 lead shot at a muzzle velocity of 1200 or more fps will kill any well pointed pheasant that is in range (<40 yards) when the gun goes off.

If you want or need to use nontoxic shot use 4, 5, or 6 bismuth, or 2, 3, 4 steel.

If you shoot at pheasants at ranges greater than 40 yards, expect to miss many and expect it to be difficult to recover birds that are hit but not killed.


Jeez John, Why did you have to go and simplify this for us? What are we going to agonize over now?? Laughing The corn in corn out gave me a good laugh too.

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double vision
PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 7:40 am  Reply with quote
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The best ammo is rarely the most powerful ammo.
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Purple16
PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 12:37 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 19 Jan 2019
Posts: 283
Location: Idaho & South Dakota

John Singer wrote:
Purple16 wrote:

I shoot(RST, Gamebore, Holland & Holland and my low pressure 16ga reloads) 1oz of 5's or 6's going 1200fps. Almost all my shots are 40yds or less. I kill 85-90% of the birds I shoot at. Hit them solid or in the front half you will have them in the bag provided you have a good retriever with you.


It is always better to shoot a pheasant at the end where the corn goes in than the end where the corn comes out.

On a serious note, I contend that many hit and lost pheasants are shot through one wing. Being that we evolved as predators, our eyes naturally focus on the fastest moving objects in our field of vision. Your gun should go to where your eyes focus. With a flushing pheasant, that would be the wings. It takes some experience to focus on the bird's head and ignore the wings.


I actually concentrate on the head and often his eye. I shoot lots of clays so got used to focusing on the front edge of the target. Clays really helps with wing shooting.

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wildlew
PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 1:29 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Posts: 74
Location: las vegas NV

All I remember anyone using was six shot and we dropped rosters at all ranges. Dave Hill (pro golfer) once had fours for his 20ga if it got windy. Sixes will do the job at reasonable ranges if we do ours.
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last dollar
PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 3:07 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Jul 2008
Posts: 765
Location: Great State of Kansas

Within the last hour, I killed two wild Kansas Roosters with the "Wee Jeff". Loads were RST 1oz #5's....I never shoot anything else....Ranges were "within"
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John Singer
PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 6:28 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Sep 2014
Posts: 398
Location: Rochester, MN

Purple16 wrote:
I actually concentrate on the head and often his eye. I shoot lots of clays so got used to focusing on the front edge of the target. Clays really helps with wing shooting.


That is how it is done best.

I took up pheasant hunting again a few years back after a several year hiatus.

It took me a while to focus on the head and ignore the wings.

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John Singer
PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 6:45 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Sep 2014
Posts: 398
Location: Rochester, MN

last dollar wrote:
Within the last hour, I killed two wild Kansas Roosters with the "Wee Jeff". Loads were RST 1oz #5's....I never shoot anything else....Ranges were "within"


Like!

I have a copy of The Shotgun Book by Jack O'Connor. Chapter 16 is devoted to "Guns and Loads for Pheasants".

The last paragraph reads, in part:

"Far fewer wounded birds would escape if pheasant hunters never shot at birds over 45 yards and seldom over 40 yards. It has been my experience that at 40 yards a pheasant can be killed nicely with a quarter-choke (improved cylinder) 12 or modified 16 or 20, but at over 45 yards it is difficult to kill a pheasant with any load or boring."

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Deadeye8
PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2019 8:39 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 23 Apr 2019
Posts: 14
Location: Albertville, MN

Dave Erickson wrote:
Deadeye8 wrote:
Savage16 wrote:
You didn't say which load you used; both the 1 oz and 1 1/8 oz are in blue boxes.Federal also offers the stiffest 1 1/8 oz load I know of , their premium Pheasants forever load still 1 /18 oz but at 1425fps and copper plated shot. I think they come in 4,5,and 6's.


it was the 1-1/8 load of 6' s the Blue box not there Premium stuff... I picked up some Fiochi #5 and a box of the Federal Premiums in #5 to try next time...


I've killed a lot of MN roosters with those Federal 1 1/8 oz. 6's in my Rem. 11. They used to be called High Power and a pretty stiff load at 1300 fps, and for some reason these days they are looked at as not quite enough. Get a stouter load and the range increases, maybe, and the bird losses continue.

The best load is a well-practiced shooter who knows his limitations and also owns a good dog.

Not trying to be preachy, just how it is. Smile


Thanks we didnt lose any my dog did her job I'm used to dump trucking them with my 12 gauge... I did pick up a box of Fiocchi Golden pheasant #5 and some Federal Premiums #5's to try next outing. The weather Saturday was brutal with long flushes and some tough shots just trying to understand If I need to upsize my shot to compensate for the 12 vs, 16 gauge thing but you all seem to say 5's and 6's so stay the course and be more deliberate with my shot...

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Newtonian_Guy
PostPosted: Wed Dec 25, 2019 4:41 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 23 Dec 2018
Posts: 55
Location: The Great Rustbelt, otherwise known as Northeastern Ohio

#5 shot in 1 to 1 1/8 oz. seems to be the best for 16 ga. loads.

Surprisingly, my 870 Wingmaster in 12 ga. loves 5s at 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 oz.

#4 shot is more troublesome but can scratch-down a long flier if I have done my sighting right in a 12 bore. Not so much the 16. They don't seem to like #4s as well.

So I use #6 in the improved modified and #5 in the full. Works like a champ. In my Zavasta SxS 16 Ga. I was never one for the more expensive guns. I could not afford them. So I found guns that would FIT and shoot decently.

Antonio Zoli Field Grade O/U 12 Ga. 5s and 4s.

Franchi Falconet O/U 12 Ga. 5s and 6s.

Remington 870 Wingmaster 12Ga. 3.5lb. trigger, slicked action, cross-cut recoil pad. 6s, 5s and then 4s.

Thompson Contender Pistol 8in. 45LC / 410 for road sitters or runners. 6s.

S&W Model 41 for cripples or runners. 22LR.

I normally carry three to four weapons with me. Two hunting, third to reduce to bag, and my everyday carry. EDC can be anything from 380 ACP, 357 Mag., 9MM, or 45 ACP.

I don't worry about predators of the four or two legged type. Haven't had to draw on a two-legged since 1999.

Tried to state he and his buddies shot the pheasant that I clearly shot AFTER they blew their tubes out after. 16 has a much muted and sharper bark than a 12.

Once they saw I was not going to roll-over and give them the bird, I drew the 45ACP and pointed it at the ground in front of them. They got all nice and friendly-like. Grabbed the bird, while watching my back, and never went back to that public hunting area.



Twisted Evil

I now go to farms or preserves because of the pressure. I hate having to pay for my birds, but at least I know they are there and I don't have some idiot trying to claim my kill. I go during the week so I have no other hunters in the area. Very nice. But artificial. The problem with game farms.

But I live in the Northeast where you have no choice.

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RangerG
PostPosted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:13 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 10 Sep 2017
Posts: 24
Location: Saskatchewan

I reload 1 oz loads of #5 at 1275 fps. For the first 2/3 of the season I use Imp Cyl and Mod chokes in my Citori.
In the last 1/3 of the season I switch to copper plated #5's the only shell difference. I will tighten chokes to Mod and Full.
If I do my job, the shells will do theirs.

Those that are afflicted with "magnamitis" may find the new Federal Prairie Storm 16 gauge shells up their alley. You'll need a newer gun to shoot them because they will be quite stout!
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RangerG
PostPosted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:16 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 10 Sep 2017
Posts: 24
Location: Saskatchewan

I reload 1 oz loads of #5 at 1275 fps. For the first 2/3 of the season I use Imp Cyl and Mod chokes in my Citori.
In the last 1/3 of the season I switch to copper plated #5's the only shell difference. I will tighten chokes to Mod and Full.
If I do my job, the shells will do theirs.

Those that are afflicted with "magnamitis" may find the new Federal Prairie Storm 16 gauge shells up their alley. You'll need a newer gun to shoot them because they will be quite stout!
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UncleDanFan
PostPosted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:13 pm  Reply with quote
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Aaahhh, the yearly "what is the best load/shot size to use for pheasants?" thread. Good stuff.

A lot of issues attributed to load/shot size have nothing to do with either. Proper gun fit is crucial, or you'll be fringing birds and thinking it's the shells. I had a gun that shot 8" low and didn't realize it until I patterned it. Missed a lot of birds and thought I needed stronger ammo. An ounce of 6's will drop any game bird that flies 40 yds or less.

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Savage16
PostPosted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 10:11 am  Reply with quote
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Yesterday at Phez fest, saw Federal is coming out with new ammo in the Prairie storm line in both 28 gauge and 16gauge.

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