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Joined: 13 Oct 2015 Posts: 160 Location: SE Ks

Just curious. I've used 1 1/8 oz-5 in my 16 ga Dickinson Estate SxS for years on Wild pheasants, but have started wondering about trying 1 1/4 later in the season. For those who have patterned both at 40 yards, do you see much difference? I've got several different wads, decent amount of Longshot, small amounts of 800x and Blue Dot. Is it worth working up new loads?

Short answer: It depends.

I now use a heavier (~1-1/4 oz) load when I use larger shot to get the pattern density I want without changing chokes, especially with a combo load like 5’s over 7-1/2’s. The type of shot, the velocity and the wad all make a difference. Chilled shot spreads better but has more flyers, nickel plated tends to stay centered. Larger than 6 and I tighten chokes to keep the pattern dense at a longer distance. How dense depends on the bird size. I’ll use 1 oz at distance with tighter chokes and a larger shot size, provided I’m shooting well.

So if you are looking to shoot longer distances with the same killing force then yes, it can be worth it. But only patterning will tell you for a given load. I’m not sure I would use 1-1/4 oz in a nimble sxs though. Hard on the gun and you, and there is a tendency with most folks to shoot high with heavier loads, as the muzzle will tip up unless you’ve added some angle to the recoil pad….and your form is good.

Joined: 13 Oct 2015 Posts: 160 Location: SE Ks

Well, just found some time and loaded up 1 1/4-5s with 23.5 Longshot, Fed 209A, Tyvek Tight Seal , Rem SP-16. Loaded another with the Z-16 Wad, looking around I found both loads in different manuals though powder weight was up to 24. Anyway, Modified tube in the SxS at 40 yards was very loose patterns,nothing I'd consider hunting with. This gun and all it's tubes usually pattern tightly. I've got loads of 1 1/8 using the old Cheddite 1632 wad that the same tube patterns in the lower full choke range. Still have around a thousand of these wads and nearly a full flat of loads using them. Guess that will answer the question.

Some options: try to find a buffered load, reduce the powder charge to get a slower speed (helps to keep the pattern intact), use nickel plated shot.

Or just use a tighter choke for those loads.

Joined: 03 Sep 2014 Posts: 407 Location: Rochester, MN

Is there a pheasant that you can kill with 1 1/4 oz of #5 lead that cannot be killed with 1 1/8 oz of the same shot?

Joined: 21 May 2024 Posts: 89 Location: Eastern Tennessee

The only 1-1/4 oz I use are #6 in buffered, slower FPS loads I use for Turkey.

Like you, I have always used 1-1/8 oz #5 usually around 1240 for wild pheasants, however, that’s my later season load. Early, I’m only using 1 oz at 1220.

This is all over well trained pointers.

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3252 Location: NCWa

Not answering your question, BUT I a 20 ga I much prefer shooting 1 1/8 oz 2 3/4" loads to the 1 1/4 oz 3" loads.

Joined: 13 Oct 2015 Posts: 160 Location: SE Ks

Thanks guys, I'll just stick with the Cheddite 1632 wad loads for later in the season. I've got several flats of loads with SP-16, SG-16, Z-16 stored that need used up. The boys have a couple trips to South Dakota planned, at age 72 I wonder how many more years I'll be able to keep up. That's why I workout so hard and average 5 miles a day, 5 days a week hiking.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 2062 Location: Central ND

I have 1 1/4 oz. #5 shot, buffered loads that I use to back up the first shot during the late season for pheasants. The first shot is 1 1/8 oz. #6 shot, un-buffered.

Yes the 1 1/4 oz. loads pattern better than the 1 1/8 oz. loads, but they are buffered and they are supposed to pattern better .

I am not so sure that I am any more effective with them then when I used to use the standard 1 1/8 oz. loads of 6's, as I never had trouble killing birds with the lighter loads. I have only used the 1 1/4 oz. buffered loads for the second shot last season, probably killed 5 birds with them. I thought I needed them and now I am not so sure. I'll probably use up the box and not load more.

Curious question ❓

How many ounces does the shot weigh that actually comes in contact with a pheasant at any given range ?

Just picked up a Charlin 12 bore that needed a lot of TLC , the 1/2 oz #9's at HIGH velocity is still not the bottom , it doesn't hurt the wood on an old gun but it is certainly fills the limit with no detached retina to boot.

Dentist are expensive these days , Opthalmologist are extremely expensive these days , a permanent FLINCH IS PRICELESS.

Regards, Nick

Joined: 16 Jul 2015 Posts: 2174 Location: Hudson,Wy

40 yards? Honestly, with proper choke-that is 1 oz. territory, easily.

All things being equal, the 1 1/4 oz. load, with its longer shot column, will deform more shot and produce more fliers...to the point of not gaining any pattern performance and possibly even losing performance due to excessive stringing and fliers, at ranges where it would actually matter: 50 yards and beyond. Only with a stationary target or one at minimal angle does the stringing loss not matter.

I wouldn't bother with the 1 1/4 oz. loading, especially if it isn't buffered. I do a lot of extended range shooting in the field and if the heavier load gave me better performance past 50 yards, I would use it. At this point, I've even quit loading 1 1/8 oz. charges in unbuffered loads.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 2062 Location: Central ND

Nick,

Not everyone is recoil sensitive and a dead pheasant, grouse, hun, etc. is a dead pheasant, grouse, hun, etc.

The load, gun, choke does not change what a shotgun is capable of, the shooter does that. Considering your shooting prowess, I am very sure you know that. Shot swarm placement is king when it comes to killing a bird, hit a bird in the butt with that load of #9's and the outcome is the same as with #4's. Feathers floating down and the bird flying away.