shot sizes for different quarry

Anto...

using 12g shotgun-
cartrige size for-
rabbit- 30-40 yds
crow- 30-40 yds
pheasant-
duck-
pidgeon- 30-40yds thanks
Anto....

Dusty87

Anto... wrote: »

using 12g shotgun-
cartrige size for-
rabbit- 30-40 yds
crow- 30-40 yds
pheasant-
duck-
pidgeon- 30-40yds thanks
Anto....

Similiar threads have been started before. You'll get lots of different answers.
This is my prefence,
Rabbits = No 5 or odd time no 6, At 30 yards, 6 will do it for me.
Crow = i use no 6 rc sipe. They're hardy
Pigeeon = 7 1/2, or n0 6 sipes if they're far out.
Pheasant = 7 1/2 top barrel, 6 sipe bottom barrel.
Just what i use. Personnal choice i think

FOXHUNTER1

And here's my vote
using 12g shotgun-
cartrige size for-
rabbit- 30-40 yds = 34gr no 4
crow- 30-40 yds = 32gr no 6 or 7
pheasant- = 32gr no 5 & 36 gr 7 in top just in case:D
duck- = 36gr no 4 & mini mag in top
pidgeon- 30-40yds = 28gr 7/12 or 32gr 6

Anto...

FOXHUNTER1 wrote: »

And here's my vote
using 12g shotgun-
cartrige size for-
rabbit- 30-40 yds = 34gr no 4
crow- 30-40 yds = 32gr no 6 or 7
pheasant- = 32gr no 5 & 36 gr 7 in top just in case:D
duck- = 36gr no 4 & mini mag in top
pidgeon- 30-40yds = 28gr 7/12 or 32gr 6

thanks for replying lads.
foxhunter- i tought pidgeons were very strong birds, stronger than the few mentioned above, am i right?

pajero2005

I notice some of ye use different loads in top and bottom barrel.

Is it just down to preference on which barrel you shoot first or is there a science behind it? I'm kinda new to shotguns:o

J.R.

pajero2005 wrote: »

I notice some of ye use different loads in top and bottom barrel.

Is it just down to preference on which barrel you shoot first or is there a science behind it? I'm kinda new to shotguns:o

In a double barrel (over / under or side /side) one barrel is usually choked tighter than the other......in o/u it used to be the top barrel & in S/S it was the left barrel. This can be changed now due to a barrel selector on the safety and most guns have interchangeable chokes.

When rough shooting with an O/U one may have a quarter choke in the bottom barrel & three quarter choke in the top barrel with the gun set to fire the bottom barrel first. A heavier, hard hitting cartridge would be placed in the top barrel (second shot) e.g. 32gram no. 7 in bottom barrel & 34gram no. 5 in top barrel when shooting pheasants.

The thinking is that when you fire the first shot......if you miss...the bird will be gone farther out so will need a heavier, harder hitting cartridge with a tighter choke to knock it at that extra distance.

Hope this make sense!

pajero2005

J.R. wrote: »

In a double barrel (over / under or side /side) one barrel is usually choked tighter than the other......in o/u it used to be the top barrel & in S/S it was the left barrel. This can be changed now due to a barrel selector on the safety and most guns have interchangeable chokes.

When rough shooting with an O/U one may have a quarter choke in the bottom barrel & three quarter choke in the top barrel with the gun set to fire the bottom barrel first. A heavier, hard hitting cartridge would be placed in the top barrel (second shot) e.g. 32gram no. 7 in bottom barrel & 34gram no. 5 in top barrel when shooting pheasants.

The thinking is that when you fire the first shot......if you miss...the bird will be gone farther out so will need a heavier, harder hitting cartridge with a tighter choke to knock it at that extra distance.

Hope this make sense!

Thanks J.R.


It makes plenty sense now.



I was confused because I'm shooting with a gun than has no chokes so I didn't understand. It all becomes clearer now:D:D

Bring on the pigeons!!

cavan shooter

32g No. 6 for all game in a half choke semi.

Dont need second barrell since I got older/wiser

AAA for foxes

7.5-- 28g for clays

No confusion, keep it simple

Tackleberrywho

pajero2005 wrote: »

Thanks J.R.


It makes plenty sense now.



I was confused because I'm shooting with a gun than has no chokes so I didn't understand. It all becomes clearer now:D All shot guns have chokes, yours seem to be fixed from the information you suply. If you have no trigger select the first barrel is open choke and the second is a tighter choke for further distance( a trigger select is where normally if the safety can move from side to side as opposed to up and down you can select which barrel shoots first).
Bring on the pigeons!!

I find Remington No.6 good, but I have a semi which means I only have one spread pattern as only one barrel.
you have 2 barrels so I would put the highest number in the fist barrel and a lower number in the second.

Bigger spread on higher number so you have more chance of hitting.
the second lower number has bigger shoot but less usually so will go further but not as easy hit target as has less pellets.

J.R.

pajero2005 wrote: »

I was confused because I'm shooting with a gun than has no chokes so I didn't understand.

I doubt if your gun has no chokes. It's probably been fiited with fixed chokes in the factory.....does not have interchangeable chokes.

Usually one of the barrels will have a tighter choke than the other....for your second shot. If it's a S/S it's usually the left barrel that has the tighter choke. If it has two triggers it will be the barrel for the second trigger that has the tighter choke.

You can do a rough test yourself.

With gun empty push your small finger down the barrel at the top where the chokes are and mark how far down it goes.....do the same with the other barrel. There should be a slight difference.....it will go farther down one barrel than the other. The barrel your finger goes the farthest down is a more open choke (usually 1/4) and the other where your finger didn't go down as far is a tighter choke ( maybe 3/4) for the second shot.

If you want to find out exactly what chokes are fitted a firearms dealer will have a choke gauge to measure it. For a rough idea check another gun in which you know there's 1/4 choke fitted...push your finger down....if it goes down the same distance as yours then you know it's 1/4. If not it's just a game of elimination testing different chokes to find the ones the same as yours.

A double barrel with different chokes - and a heavier shot in the tighter barrel - is a very versatile gun. If a bird happens to rise farther out you can get a shot off with the 'second' barrel giving you a chance of knocking it.....as it would have been out of range for the first shot with lighter load. I use a semi-auto now and this is the one thing I miss about the O/U I used to use.

pajero2005

Thanks for all the info lads. Very helpful indeed.:cool:

I'll have a look and see if I can figure out which barrel has a tighter choke and go with the heavier load in that. Although I'll get my eye in on clays before going for anything else:D

FOXHUNTER1

Anto... wrote: »

thanks for replying lads.
foxhunter- i tought pidgeons were very strong birds, stronger than the few mentioned above, am i right?

They are harder to hit thats for sure but generally if you get a few pellets in em they will come down.
The majority of lads would use 7 1/2 trap cartridges because of the price but a 32gr 6 would be a better choice but nearly twice the price.
If you can decoy them in close enough the 7 1/2 should do the job.