5 shot

If you were going to buy one shot size for the whole season, then 5 shot would be perfect. good compromise between pattern density and downrange energy to handle most if not all shots your likely to take.

That said I am not shy about using a stout load of 4's later in the year when the birds are wary or when the wind is howling.
 
Not a real scientific reason but I always shoot 5s. The biggest reason is they pattern well in my shotgun.
 
I haven't had much luck with 5's. I don't like what I see when I look at my pattern on paper. I've found with larger loads, I don't make as many kill shots. I tend to cripple more birds with 4s than I do with 6s or 7.5s. I've been hounded about using too small a shot until someone actually sees me kill rooster after rooster with my high-brass 7 1/2s. This works well for close range (25 yards or so) shots on pointed birds. You won't find many people that support this philosophy, but it works for me IN THE EARLY PART OF THE SEASON. It only takes one pellet in the head/vitals for a kill shot.
 
Every gun patterns differently so what works for one may not for another. But in general terms I do believe that #5 shot lead is the "happy medium". I use to start the season in SD with #6 and then switch to #4's later in the season. Several years ago I made the switch to #5's and use them all season long. Just bought a case of Federal PF 12 ga. 1 1/4 oz. of #5 at 1,500 fps at Walmart for $129.

When I go down in gauge to a 16 or 20 I usually go to the next size smaller shot in order to get a higher pellet count.

I know alot of guys like kansasbrittany have great luck with 7.5's but they put too many pellets in the bird and makes cleaning more difficult for my liking. But that's just me. Use what works for you. :)
 
No. 5 Is My Choice

I use no. 5 on pheasant. I carry 8s too for quail. I can break the gun and swap out the 5s for 8s in a few seconds and then go after the rest of the quail after the initial flush.
 
5 shot is good for me in the late season. In the early season I use 6's,......Bob
 
I have been hunting SD for the past 14 years and the family I hunt with has been hunting for over 50 years. They reload all of their ammo and it is always #5 shot. I will also use 6's and 4's, but the vast majority of the shells I shoot are 5's that are loaded to mimic the factory Super-X load..
 
Usually I try to have 6 shot as my round in the chamber. It is my comprise for pheasant and quail. After that I shot 4 or 5 shot. I can't say I see much difference. I've only shot 2 pheasants with 7.5 shot and I had alot of cleaning to do afterwards. If I'm only after pheasents I only shot 4 or 5 shot.
 
First post on this forum and I'm fairly new to hunting wild pheasant but I will post my experience anyway.

I've shot a lot of released birds here in Arkansas(the only kind of pheasant we have) with light mod chokes in my little 16sxs and 7.5 shot behind pointing dogs. Kills them like a hammer.

I've two seasons on SW Kansas birds and the first year I used Fiocchi NP no 5shot with great success at any reasonable range. Last year I switched to the same load with no.6 shot and could not tell any real difference on the big birds. As a plus the 6's gave me a little more pattern density for the quail we encountered. This Kansas hunting was done the second week of the season.

Later in the season with wilder birds I can see where the larger shot might be a help, but in MY gun with I'TS patterns I will take the 6's for a greater percentage on hits in the head/neck for a quick kill at reasonable ranges.

My 2cents,

Bob
 
First post on this forum and I'm fairly new to hunting wild pheasant but I will post my experience anyway.

I've shot a lot of released birds here in Arkansas(the only kind of pheasant we have) with light mod chokes in my little 16sxs and 7.5 shot behind pointing dogs. Kills them like a hammer.

I've two seasons on SW Kansas birds and the first year I used Fiocchi NP no 5shot with great success at any reasonable range. Last year I switched to the same load with no.6 shot and could not tell any real difference on the big birds. As a plus the 6's gave me a little more pattern density for the quail we encountered. This Kansas hunting was done the second week of the season.

Later in the season with wilder birds I can see where the larger shot might be a help, but in MY gun with I'TS patterns I will take the 6's for a greater percentage on hits in the head/neck for a quick kill at reasonable ranges.

My 2cents,

Bob

And a good 2 cents at that! Thanks for sharing!
 
#5 shot

What gauge will this be shot out OF?? WIND,TYPE OF BIRD,RANGE OF SHOT, all need 2 b taken in 2 account when picking shot size. As was stated b4 #5 is best all around but #4 r gr8 when saeson is in full swing or wind kicks up out west!
 
What gauge will this be shot out OF?? WIND,TYPE OF BIRD,RANGE OF SHOT, all need 2 b taken in 2 account when picking shot size. As was stated b4 #5 is best all around but #4 r gr8 when saeson is in full swing or wind kicks up out west!

All good points, but wind??? The difference in wind drift between 4s and 6s is about 1.1 inches at 40yards with around 15mph wind.
 
wind

I have been blessed 2 hunting out west 4 ducks/peasants 4 over 13yrs now,,a 15mph wind is consider still out there. not sure what the wind drift would be at 30-45mph? but i have hunted in that? also would not fps of pellet make a differnce on drift? In the end i mainly use #4 if i am shooting at birds butt as they fly away i need all the help i can get (i am not a good shot) lol. Let me know what u think??
 
Wind...:rolleyes:...you guys need to hunt pheasant in the TX Panhandle. I have never thought about shot drifting one way or the other; just that the bird is up and has a 40 mph tailwind tells me to lead the $#!+ out of him and pull the trigger. Ooops...off topic; 4, 5, 6, 7.5's - they all kill when you hit the darn birds but I like 6 shot. No reason why other than after hunting years with my dad and shooting 7.5's, one day he switched to 6's so I switched (he was buying). He is now at 70+ so I reckon if he switches to 5's, I'll swithch...as long he still buys :D.
 
The difference in wind drift between 4s and 6s is about 1.1 inches at 40yards with around 15mph wind.

1.1 inches at 40 yds. Guys, we are shooting shotguns here, not rifles. I don't think if you have a good pattern that at 40 yds. 1.1 inches of drift is going to make any difference. Nor will the size of shot, be it #4, #5 or #6. How the gun patterns and the ability of the shooter are much bigger variables than 1.1 inch of drift. Sorry, but we are really starting to split hairs here.

Everyone has their preference in shot size. Hey, use what works for you. This is almost like debating which is the better pickup, Chevy or Ford.
 
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