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Guest

Well, I'm finally going to get the new 16 out for some pheasant hunting. Will be chasing state-released birds in cover that is largely prairie grass with some pine rows, fence rows and a few rows of standing corn here and there. Forecast: Partly cloudy, high of 54, perhaps windy.

I think I'll start the walk with Winchester 1 oz. game loads in No. 6 in the bottom barrel (choked IC) and a Federal Game Shok 1 1/8 oz. of No. 6 in the top (choked Mod).

Those sound like decent choices?

Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 145 Location: minnesota

mgf:
fiocchi golden pheasant #5 and the new #4's (if you can find them) sound better in the mod choked barrel. Wink

if it's really windy, put the federals in the i.c. barrel and leave the win's at home.

it's your call.

Guest

87016ga......we're almost on the same page. I was about to suggest Golden Pheasant 6's and 5's.

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

The black Remington Heavy Game loads---1 1/8 oz. of #6, killed just about all my pheasants last year; used the 16 ga. Merkel, 16 ga. Citori Lightning in IC/Mod and the 16 ga. Winchester Model 12 full choke....

Here's a post from an old thread about favorite loads http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1109&start=0 :

Went back through several threads about shot size and loads for pheasants in the 'General Discussion' forum.
Everybody pretty much agreed ANY load will kill a pheasant if you can shoot them in the head, the problem is the late season and going away bird. AND everybody agreed you need to adust the load to the circumstances.
So here's a rough poll:
mod11rem- 1 1/8 4s
Dr 16g- 6s
16GG- 1 oz 6 to 1 1/8 5s
Larry Brown liked B&P 7s and 6s and Kent Upland
TJC- 1 1/8 Super-X and esp. Fiocchi GP in 6s
SquareLoad- 5s
Cedar 16-5s
brdhnt- GPs 6s
Longwalker- 1 1/8 5s
jparkers- 1 oz 6 to 1 3/8 4s
Wolfchief- 1oz 6
JC Morella- 1 oz 5s and 6s
NE- 1 oz 71/2 and 6
kb- 5s
Ron Overberg- Kent Matrix 5s when he has to use non-toxics
Fin-did you ever get to try out those Kents you bought?
Dave M-only shoots gold plated shot in his Parkers
Brad6260-still trying to figure out what the second trigger is for
hoashooter-doesn't need to carry shells. His lab catches the birds in the air, cleans them, starts a fire, prepares a field lunch, and then pukes up some unidentifiable animal carcass he ate in the last cat-tail slough.

My vote is the B&P F2 Classic 1 1/16 5s at 1280 for a 6 1/2# SxS. This load is right on the edge of recoil tolerance for a wimp like me however.

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

Jezz Rev, Aren't you full of it today. Did you get lucky this afternoon or something. Laughing

*Last edited by brdhnt on Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:37 am; edited 1 time in total*

For released birds, my choice would be 1 1/8th ounce of 7 1/2's in the open barrel backed by 1 1/8th ounce of 5's in the tight barrel. My preference is for Fiocchi Golden pheasant loads.

You probably don't need plated shot for pen raised birds, but it works so well and gives such good performance on wild birds that it will give you an extra amount of performance and confidence.

TMB
________
MONTANA DISPENSARY

Lots of good stuff on this old thread: http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=328&start=0
in which brdhnt DID SAY 5s AND NOT 6s

(One lousy typo Rolling Eyes

It's not like I accused him of shooting a FRENCH gun or something Wink

)

Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 145 Location: minnesota

shouldn't 16gg be chiming in with his 12ga, 1 1/4 magnum favorites. Laughing

Guest

Well, thanks for all the info, guys. Read all the posts and looked at those older threads. I'll run by the gun shop tomorrow and grab some 1 1/8 No. 5s. I know one store reasonably close by that likely will have them.

We're hunting on state ground, and No. 5 is the largest lead shot allowed.

As it stands, I'll probably put a handful of the 5s in the vest in case I want to switch to them for the top barrel, but I do believe I'll start out with the loads I originally asked about.

Not trying to be stubborn. Here's what I'm thinking:

Our setters have nearly always put us onto some quite makable shots, and I've taken quite a few state-released birds with a 1 oz (20 gauge) or 1 1/8 oz (12 gauge, first barrel) before. As such, unless the wind is really up and the birds are spooky, I'd like to see how the 1 oz. "square load" behaves out of the 16.

With this 16, which I got in the spring, I've been shooting skeet with 1 oz loads of No. 8 with IC in the first barrel (for first bird) and Cyl in the second barrel (for second bird) and have been getting really good breaks. So, unless they're flushing long, I'd like to see how the ounce of 6s behaves.

If they are on the spooky side, I'll put the 1 1/8 of 6s in the bottom and the 1 1/8 of 5s in the top. Or, if I don't find the 1 1/8 of 5s in time for Saturday morning and find they're flushing long, I'll throw the 1 1/8 of 6s in the bottom choked IC and the same load in the top choked IM.

You guys are the best. Will let you know how it goes ... unless I shoot like crap, in which case I'll of course be forced to lie! Smile

Guest

Winds were as bad as forecast ... so I wussed out and took the 12. Loaded 1 1/4 of #6 out of the bottom barrel (IC) and 1 1/4 of #5 out of the top (IM).

Pretty good day: 3 birds on 4 shells. Only shot I needed the top barrel was on the last bird. Rooster flushed wild to my left, and I had to turn and take him as a straightaway. I thought I hit him fairly well, but he didn't look to be going down terribly hard. Given the conditions & the cover, I wanted him planted.

Dying to get the new 16 out (forecast for next weekend looking good), but I can't complain about the 686 ultralight; it's been a workhorse.

The two Lews got good some pretty points. Winds were so strong that some of them came at a pretty good distance from the bird. Birds had the sneakers on, too, so we found it was best to walk in fast and hard on the point and get some pressure on the bird ASAP.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

Sounds like you had a good day.

I would have trusted the 16 though. Wink

Guest