Favorite Ammo???

My advice to you is what the other guys stated. 1-1/4 oz #5 or #6

Years ago I made a rookie mistake shooting my 16Ga 1-1/8oz #6 shot. I knocked the wild SD Roosters down but some were cripples that we could not find. Those birds are tough. I switch to 1-1/4 oz 4's in December. Hope that helps.
 
Hockeybob, I have killed 95% of my roosters with the 16 gauge and 1 1/8 #6. Always excellent results as long as I did my part. I also prefered to use mod choke instead of I/C for a little more pattern density. Interesting our results are so varied.
 
Every person on here, myself included, has an idea (or misconception) about what the perfect load is for any given hunting scenario.

A "game load" of 1 1/4 oz #5, is a good compromise for all-season, all-situation pheasant hunting. That's my idea (or misconception) anyway, and that's what I shoot all season long for pheasants...:thumbsup: But there is surely someone just as experienced as me who would swear up and down that #6 is the only way to go, or #4.:cheers:

Personal preference, I would stay away from weird shaped shot. The only advantage I have found is that it is more interesting to pick out the little cubes or saturns when you clean your birds. But my personal opinion is that the performance of the shells is equal to (at best), or worse than round balls.
 
So am I the only one that shoots a full choke? That is what I have shot all my life. I have never thought I needed to change. I guess you get used to what you shoot.
 
Rooster Roaster said:
Just remember, this is the internet where we're all experts. :cheers:;)
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Yeah, that's a great point! :) I'm the kind of guy that knows when I post something like this that I will get a lot of varied answers. All this info at least gives me a starting point so I can go out and start. Not matter what(and I believe somebody else may have said this in the thread) it'll be a matter of preference. Once I get out and start shooting birds and use different shot size and weight and all that I'm sure I"ll settle on something that I prefer, which it's possible may not be anything and of you suggest here. I suppose I could always settle with deer slugs and just hope I have good aim! haha! All joking aside though, I do appreciate everybody's input! I will be sure to take it all into consideration when I buy my first box of shells this fall!
 
haymaker said:
So am I the only one that shoots a full choke? That is what I have shot all my life. I have never thought I needed to change. I guess you get used to what you shoot.
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Shooting an O/U with screw-in chokes, my first shot when pheasant hunting is usually IC, but if it's a calm opening day, it might be skeet. My second shot will be one choke notch tighter: Skeet + IC or IC + Mod.
 
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I like Winchester Super Pheasants in a #5
I don't normally take that long of shots 10-30 yards so I shoot Cylinder for the 1st and IC for the 2nd.
 
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haymaker said:
So am I the only one that shoots a full choke? That is what I have shot all my life. I have never thought I needed to change. I guess you get used to what you shoot.
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You may not be the only one, but you are one of very few left that shoot a full choke. Today's loads pattern so much tighter than the loads of 50-60 years ago (when everyone shot a full choke) that a full is no longer needed. Shooting that full with today's loads might be like shooting Xtra, Xtra Full.

I've used nothing but IC for pheasants for nearly 40 years. And with IC I don't have to worry when I hit public land where non-tox is required.
 
Dakotazeb said:
You may not be the only one, but you are one of very few left that shoot a full choke. Today's loads pattern so much tighter than the loads of 50-60 years ago (when everyone shot a full choke) that a full is no longer needed. Shooting that full with today's loads might be like shooting Xtra, Xtra Full.

I've used nothing but IC for pheasants for nearly 40 years. And with IC I don't have to worry when I hit public land where non-tox is required.
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So have you just given me an excuse when I miss? I don't hunt public so that is not an issue. So what has changed so that it shoots that much tighter?
 
haymaker said:
So have you just given me an excuse when I miss? I don't hunt public so that is not an issue. So what has changed so that it shoots that much tighter?
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Harder shot and better wads.
 
Dakotazeb said:
I've used nothing but IC for pheasants for nearly 40 years. And with IC I don't have to worry when I hit public land where non-tox is required.
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X2, well, not the 40 years part... But closing in on 20 years with IC...:D

Keeping it simple is good. That's why I just stick to the one shot size (for pheasant) and one choke. No need to overthink everything and fiddle with every detail.

I think the OP has the right idea. Just find a reasonable starting point, and form your own opinion based on your experiences. That's the smart way to go.:thumbsup:
 
Toad said:
X2, well, not the 40 years part... But closing in on 20 years with IC...:D

Keeping it simple is good. That's why I just stick to the one shot size (for pheasant) and one choke. No need to overthink everything and fiddle with every detail.

Right with you here Toad. Used IC for 20 plus yrs shooting #5's. Simple is best!
I would buy several different loads and see what works best in your specific gun. I know that my 11-87 patterns different that my Benelli with the same choke and load.
I do like the Remington copper plated Nitro Pheasant loads. They are some thigh breaking loads:thumbsup: I hate runners:D
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How good you shoot and can identify birds will have some effect on your choice. For instance, one "newbie" I worked with was new to shotgunnig and bird hunting, and it took him several seasons to (1) not be startled when a bird gets up, (2) identify if rooster or hen, and (3) is the bird in range? As such, he needed heavy loads of #4 shot and a modified choke.

Years later, and now that he has become a seasoned veteran, he used the tried and true 12 Ga standard 1 1/4 oz. of #6 shot at 1330 fps from either Fed/Rem/Win, and an I/C choke for most of his hunting. In the late season, he will switch to either Fed Wing-Shok HV 1 1/4 oz, Fiocchi Golden Pheasant HV 1 3/8 oz, or Rem Nitro HV 1 1/4 oz. #4 or 5 and a modified choke.

I start out with a Citori 20 (Win HV 1 oz #6), then a few hunts with a Citori 16 (RIO 1 1/8 #6), and then finish up with a Maxus 12 (Rem Nitro 1 1/4 oz #4). Unless the conditions are unusually bad, I stick with an I/C choke which works for me.
 
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