Preferred/best pheasant shells?

MNhunter4ever

MNhunter4ever

Member
I know this has probably been discussed on here at some point, but just curious what everyone’s favorite pheasant shells would be? What is the best out there, in your opinion?
 
If I'm traveling out of state specifically for pheasants, I'm using 3" 1 5/8 oz 5 shot @ 1350 prairie storms. If I'm mixed upland hunting, 2 3/4 1 1/4 6 shot at 1220-1300. Although I've seen pheasants fall with 1 1/8 7.5 @ 1200.

I don't think magnum shells are necessary to kill pheasants but out of state license, fuel, motel, etc are too expensive to let a pressured public land bird on a windy day get out on me because of my shell choice.
 
Toxic? Non-toxic? Assuming the former, I shoot standard velocity lead loads of 1 1/4 oz of #5 shot, 2 3/4”, around 1200-1250 fps. Usually pay around $12/box if bot by the case. Lots of guys pay 2-3x that for shells that are faster, longer, have plated shot, etc, etc. I shoot lotsa birds each season, into late January….they work well throughout the season…for me. I’m talking 12 gauge…though I’ll shoot 16, 20, and 28 gauges as well…mostly I shoot a benelli ultralight auto…with an IC tube, I may switch to LM late season. If non-toxic, it depends on what I’ve got on hand…#3 steel shot is usually what I’ll use, but I have bismuth, too…I like hevi -metal #3 shot, 3” as well…
 
Off topic, was recently in Mich grouse hunting. Stopped at Jays sporting goods, great store, picked ip a box of Migra 12 gauge stacked loads. 4’s over 6’s. Know it’s been tried in the past but I believe the smaller was over the larger. Anyway, gimmicky yes, am I chomping the bit to put one a bird? Also yes.
 
I hunt WPAs 50% or more of the time, so I always shoot non-toxic. 12 ga Federal Black Cloud #4s are my go to, though an IC choke for most of the season. I haven't patterned them in a while but they were lights out last year on actual birds.
 
""3" 1 5/8 oz 5 shot....bet these birds are fun to clean and eat. Guessing your buddies tell you to only shoot your own birds, no party hunting for you! Took a guy out once, he had similar shells, just destroyed them. Last time for him.
 
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remy3424 said:
""3" 1 5/8 oz 5 shot....bet these birds are fun to clean and eat. Guessing you buddies tell you to only shoot your own birds, no party hunting for you! Took a guy out once, he had similar, just destroyed them. Last time for him.
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It is funny when I was a kid in the seventies I killed many birds with either six or 7.5 loads out of the 20 gauge with whatever choke was in the gun, usually modified. Dad bought whatever was cheap. Tried some prairie storm 12’s when they first came out and was not a fan. It is usually Fiocci golden pheasant #5’s for me. It probably depends somewhat on what kind of dog you’re running as flushing breeds often present longer shots
 
I’m not a tremendous shot on clays, but I try to get out in august/sept 4-6 times shooting sporting clays…helps. I encourage my pals to do this, most don’t…and kick themselve’s for misses and lost birds when they’re hunting. I shoot 150+ birds a season, starting with prairie birds in mid-September, ending in late-Jan in SD hunting pheasants…I get a lot of opportunities, and I get better on wild birds through all those opportunities…more than anything, it’s about observing dogs, reading the cover, watching what’s happening all over the field I’m in…anticipating when flushes may occur…having the gun in ready position…my hearing is quite good, that’s huge, IMO…the load I’m using matters, but 1 1/8 oz of shot, 1 3/8 oz of shot, 1 5/8 oz of shot, etc, isn’t important to me…1200 fps, 1500 fps, etc, same thing. I shoot a 6 lb gun that comes up quickly…shot size does matter to me…4 or 5 lead is my preference, the latter is my first choice. 6’s work, but I take enough shots past 35-40 yards, and also, straight aways, that I like bigger pellets with more energy. I shot 5 roosters in SD last fall with one of my 28 gauges…2 3/4” #5 lead, 1 oz, roughly 1200 fps…did a nice job…one lively cripple…recovered them all easily. That gun is M/F. I’m not a fan of bigger, better, faster, louder, spendier ammo…but I hunt with many guys who are fans. I will spend $ on certain non-toxic ammo for my sub-gauge double guns…bismuth, mainly. I think confidence is important, do what works for you.
 
Because I'm the only one in my party without a dog currently, I'll often post or be the guy off to the side. Many of my shots are farther than the other guys in the group for that reason. I shoot heavy fast copper plated lead 5's and 4's whenever possible. No worries about shot up birds or pellets in the meat. I have maybe 3-4 out of 40-50 birds a year that are "shot up." For non toxic, it might be bismuth 5's, might be steel 2's; just depends on the situation. Once I pick up a new dog and will be more likely to shoot birds off point, I'll probably drop down a shot size or two.
 
SPUR60 said:
Because I'm the only one in my party without a dog currently, I'll often post or be the guy off to the side. Many of my shots are farther than the other guys in the group for that reason. I shoot heavy fast copper plated lead 5's and 4's whenever possible. No worries about shot up birds or pellets in the meat. I have maybe 3-4 out of 40-50 birds a year that are "shot up." For non toxic, it might be bismuth 5's, might be steel 2's; just depends on the situation. Once I pick up a new dog and will be more likely to shoot birds off point, I'll probably drop down a shot size or two.
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You don't have a dog? Come on man.
 
remy3424 said:
""3" 1 5/8 oz 5 shot....bet these birds are fun to clean and eat. Guessing your buddies tell you to only shoot your own birds, no party hunting for you! Took a guy out once, he had similar shells, just destroyed them. Last time for him.
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I haven't noticed much difference on damage/wasted meat on pheasants. Although I've noticed less wounded/lost/crippled/runners. Although I don't recommend shooting quail with them. 1 1/4 of 6 shot lead is 281 pellets. 1 5/8 of 5 shot is 255 pellets. I don't
 
BRITTMAN said:
Prairie Storm is more marketing than anything else.
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I won't argue with that but I'll make a case for why I choose them.

1. Price. It's a wash. They are about the same as any other premium plated lead shell. Federal premium, fiocchi golden pheasant, winchester super pheasant diamond grade. All of them are $25-$35/box. If I shoot a couple boxes a year, it will cost me an extra $20/yearniver Federal heavy game loads 1 1/4 oz that are about $18/box.

2. The crew you hunt with you and the shots you take. Last year most of the pheasant hunting I did was with my wife(1st year), 13 year old son(1st year) and 17 year old daughter(4th year) and me handling 2 dogs. So, for the most part I took fringe/backup/finishing shots because I wanted them to get birds. The extra range came in handy a couple times. Although the 1 1/4 5s that my wife and son used dropped pheasants just fine.

3. Pattern and kill rate. For me they have just worked in benelli ultralight or montefeltro silver featherweight with factory IC choke
 
I'm planning on running federals new fiber wad bismuth this year. I know not everyone is in a position to spring for something that expensive as a "go to", but I don't plan to shoot hundreds of birds and try to do what I can to limit my impact on the land. Bismuth at least gives me the added benefit of not worrying about whether a particular location has non toxic requirements, the fiber wad I'm hoping will deliver similar performance while helping me not leave a bunch of plastic trash out there.
 
I use the Browning A5 (not Auto-5) Sweet 16 which is a bit less than 6 lbs. so an easy carry all day. I mostly use an IC choke but do carry a mod tube. My loads are Boss non-toxic #5's and #6's with 1 1/8 oz. shot. I seem to get every bird I deserve to with that set up. I'll be taking a Browning 12 gauge 725 as a back up this year, because we're going to Montana , and never having hunted there, not sure what birds or ranges we'll encounter. I have Prairie Storm lead for private ground and Boss and Black Cloud #3 steel for non toxic situations.
 
If I only had one 12-gauge lead load to use for pheasants, I would be shooting the old live pigeon load of 2 3/4-inch 1 1/4-ounce No. 5 lead at 1220 fps velocity.

Here are a few of my pattern numbers to give you an idea of how that load performs in my gun/chokes.

Patterning results from a 12-gauge Browning Citori with 28" Invector-plus barrels using Briley flush chokes (patterns average of five, 30" post-shot inscribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, and in-shell pellet count average of five).

12 GA 2 3/4" RELOAD (UNIQUE)
1 1/4 oz #5 lead (210 pellets) @ 1220 fps
30 YARDS – SK / pattern 145 (69%)
30 YARDS – IC / pattern 177 (84%)
40 YARDS – LM / pattern 155 (74%)
40 YARDS – M / pattern 155 (74%)
40 YARDS – IM / pattern 174 (83%)
50 YARDS – IM / pattern 125 (60%)

If I need to use a nontoxic load on pheasant, I prefer a 12-gauge 2 3/4-inch 1 1/8-ounce of No. 2 steel at 1350-1400 fps. Here are a few of my pattern numbers to give you an idea of how they perform in my gun and chokes!

Patterning results from a 12-gauge Browning Citori with 28" Invector-plus barrels using Briley flush chokes (patterns average of five, 30" post-shot scribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, and in-shell pellet count average of five).

12 GA 2 3/4" REMINGTON SPORTSMAN HI-SPEED STEEL LOAD
1 1/8 oz #2 steel (139 pellets) @ 1375 fps
30 YARDS – SK / pattern 116 (83%)
30 YARDS – IC / pattern 129 (93%)
40 YARDS – IC / pattern 111 (80%)
40 YARDS – LM / pattern 114 (82%)
40 YARDS – M / pattern 114 (82%)
50 YARDS – LF / pattern 100 (72%)
50 YARDS – F / pattern 106 (76%)

Hope this helps, good luck!
 
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