best cartridges for pheasant and pigeons

bazza888

what make cartridge and shot size are best for pheasant shooting and for pigeons?also what chokes are best to use?

cavan shooter

personal preference has a lot to do with it..

I use 32 g no. 6 and half choke in the Beretta 391

steyrman2

32 grm no7 bottom barrel 34 grm no 6 top barrel choked 1/4 and 1/2 i like rc shells covers a multitude of sins

jap gt

i use 32g 7, i find it the best all rounder, i shot 2 duck last sunday aswell as a pheasant, and 2 pheasant and a woodcock yesterday all with 7s

kieran1141

i use eley 7- 32g supergame and 6- 32g remmington in the top barrel with 2 half ported chokes, works for me......

The Big Fella

cavan shooter wrote: »

personal preference has a lot to do with it..

I use 32 g no. 6 and half choke in the Beretta 391

The no. 6 is the best all round rough shooting cartridge as cavan shooter say;)

bazza888

i got the new shotty my first i understand why chokes are used but the shotty came with 5,theres 2 in it all ready,im not sure how to identify which choke is which as theres nothing written on them just grooves along the outer edges. any preferences for certain manufacturers of cartridges?

steyrman2

bazza888 wrote: »

i got the new shotty my first i understand why chokes are used but the shotty came with 5,theres 2 in it all ready,im not sure how to identify which choke is which as theres nothing written on them just grooves along the outer edges. any preferences for certain manufacturers of cartridges?

hi i have a browning with chokes in it the more groves in it the more open
1 choke with 1 notch in it full choke
2 choke with 2 notchs 3/4 choke
3 choke with 3 notchs 1/2 choke
4 choke with 4 notchs imp choke
5 choke with 5 notchs skeet choke
hope it helps

MarkD.

kieran1141 wrote: »

i use eley 7- 32g supergame and 6- 32g remmington in the top barrel with 2 half ported chokes, works for me......

Might sound like a ridiculous question but when you have two number 7's both 32g does the brand i.e; Eley/Remington make a difference

kieran1141

MarkD. wrote: »

Might sound like a ridiculous question but when you have two number 7's both 32g does the brand i.e; Eley/Remington make a difference

no sounds like a fair question, i find myself think that remington are a lot harder hitting than eley but think it is what suites your gun, i find that remington 5's or 6's for ducks, but find eley 7's 32g great for pheasants, if i fire a remmie 6- 32g at a pheasant i would have to make sure he's a long way away. and thats just my go on it and iam 32 years with my own guns, used to use all saga's and winchester but cant get them anymore here.

bazza888

how can i tell chaber i size i was told 2.5inch but ithink it might be 3inch

steyrman2

bazza888 wrote: »

how can i tell chaber i size i was told 2.5inch but ithink it might be 3inch

make and model would be a big help

Chopperdog 2

bazza888 wrote: »

how can i tell chaber i size i was told 2.5inch but ithink it might be 3inch

It is generally stamped on the barrels, the location may differ from makes.

It may well be stamped in mm; 65mm = 2.50 inch
70mm = 2.75 inch

bazza888

zabala xl90 hubertus,ill give dealer a ring hes a sound guy was very helpfull with everything!its not on barrels unless its stamped somewhere you see when you take the shotgun apart.

jap gt

take off the fore end it should be on the barrels

greenpeter

MarkD. wrote: »

Might sound like a ridiculous question but when you have two number 7's both 32g does the brand i.e; Eley/Remington make a difference

Would use nothing else on game only Remington,
they have great stopping power don't know why.

A 32g 7 in the first barrel
a 32g 6 in the second.

bazza888

ill have alook at the foreend as soon as i can,got the license with 250 cartridges on it so ill have go buy some soon !

bazza888

the different sizes of cartridge aswell whats the diffrence ie between 21/2in 23/4in and 3in is it just the ammount of shot they hold increases

Chopperdog 2

bazza888 wrote: »

the different sizes of cartridge aswell whats the diffrence ie between 21/2in 23/4in and 3in is it just the ammount of shot they hold increases

Sort of, more importantly, the length of shell fired is dictated by the chamber length of the gun.

You may fire a shorter shell than your chamber length but never a longer one (even though it appears to fit into the gun).

fodda

The universal game cartridge always was and is No5 as it is certain to take care of all game except large ones like geese.

If you are going to buy 250 you would be best to buy a universal shot size.

Ducks always required a heavier shot of about No2 to No5 and any shot above No 6 was only ever for clays......sporting/ddtl or skeet.

If you use too light a shot then you have a higher chance of wounding, in fact some birds may be hit and show no sign (few feathers loss) only to die later.

blackstairsboy

I agree with you about making sure whatever cartridge you use kills the game cleanly. However I would have considered no 5 too heavy for all game. I would not fancy trying to kill teal with a no 2 either. Anyway whatever works for you and your comfortable with it. I use no 6 and no 7 for most of my shooting. Eley supergame 32 gram loads. Sixes for pheasants and duck but I then switch to sevens when December comes in for woodcock and snipe as I am most likely to get a shot at these species. I do use eley supergame 32 gram fives when wildfowling on the shore but never any size bigger. My sxs is choked 1/4 and 1/2 and my o/u 1/2 and 3/4 and both guns do the job on all game.

fodda

I understand what you are saying but shot sizes in lead have been set down for 200 years or so? ever since shooting with shotguns for game came about.

I agree some shot may be too large for smaller species of game but most game fall into the categories of the shot sizes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_shell

cavan shooter

greenpeter wrote: »

Would use nothing else on game only Remington,
they have great stopping power don't know why.

A 32g 7 in the first barrel
a 32g 6 in the second.

if I remember rightly I read somewhere that American shot sizes are slightly bigger than standard UK and there is a difference again in European. Remington 6 are more like a UK 5.

cavan shooter

fodda wrote: »

I understand what you are saying but shot sizes in lead have been set down for 200 years or so? ever since shooting with shotguns for game came about.

I agree some shot may be too large for smaller species of game but most game fall into the categories of the shot sizes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_shell

When i first started shooting my ward robe had boxes of 4,5,6, 71/2 etc I nearly had a cartridge belt for each outing

I would ask my Father what shell he would use for Pigeon and he would answer 4, The same question for Duck and the answer was 4, Pheasant 4, everything was 4.

I would like to say that he worked that one out based on ballistics etc but he informed me that the grocer/pub/hardware only ever sold boxes of Eley 4s' during the late 40's, 50's, 60's when he did most of his shooting. BTW he only told me that in the last 10 years:(

Anyway back on track shot size no.6 and 71/2 for clays, AAA for fox all through a half choke is your only man, I will admit that I do cheat and on occasion would buy 34g No.6. And all my game shells are fibre wad

fodda

cavan shooter wrote: »

When i first started shooting my ward robe had boxes of 4,5,6, 71/2 etc I nearly had a cartridge belt for each outing

I would ask my Father what shell he would use for Pigeon and he would answer 4, The same question for Duck and the answer was 4, Pheasant 4, everything was 4.

I would like to say that he worked that one out based on ballistics etc but he informed me that the grocer/pub/hardware only ever sold boxes of Eley 4s' during the late 40's, 50's, 60's when he did most of his shooting. BTW he only told me that in the last 10 years:(

Anyway back on track shot size no.6 and 71/2 for clays, AAA for fox all through a half choke is your only man, I will admit that I do cheat and on occasion would buy 34g No.6. And all my game shells are fibre wad

Then you may be as old as me:eek: and you remember that only clay shells of 7, 8 and 9's had plastic wads and all game shells had fibre wads.

cavan shooter

http://www.roguehangar.com/hunt/shotgun/loads.htm

Found this website which might be useful for someone starting and those of use that arent too set in our ways.....:D

blackstairsboy

Sure its up to yourself in the end really. You have to have confidence in your cartridge and if you feel more confident with a certain brand/size/weight then thats the right choice for you.;)
By the way what cartridges do you lads use for foxes these days. I always used bb that were 36 gram does anyone know if you can get a lighter load of maybe 32 or 34 gram?

cavan shooter

blackstairsboy wrote: »

Sure its up to yourself in the end really. You have to have confidence in your cartridge and if you feel more confident with a certain brand/size/weight then thats the right choice for you.;)
By the way what cartridges do you lads use for foxes these days. I always used bb that were 36 gram does anyone know if you can get a lighter load of maybe 32 or 34 gram?

AAA

I bought two boxes easy 8 years ago, I still have a box and a half:o

They it hard though

terminator2

34g no7s choked 1/2 and 3/4 remmington your only man will do for phesants woodcock ,snipe ,and the odd duck that you get close enough to

MarkD.

Would ye recommend no6 34g for crows? and what choke set up in an o/u?

fodda

If i remember right most game guns were choked half and quarter or three quarter and quarter before multichokes came out and this really only enabled a sporting gun to be used for clays and also the other way around.

If you want to know what choke size to use for game then have a look at the expensive hand mades and see what choke they are set to.

MarkD.

fodda wrote: »

If i remember right most game guns were choked half and quarter or three quarter and quarter before multichokes came out and this really only enabled a sporting gun to be used for clays and also the other way around.

If you want to know what choke size to use for game then have a look at the expensive hand mades and see what choke they are set to.

The gun in question has multi chokes, Im just wondering whats the best choke set up for no6 34g cartridges for crow shooting

bazza888

what shot for a fox?do many of you lads go after them with the shotty?

FOXHUNTER1

bazza888 wrote: »

what shot for a fox?do many of you lads go after them with the shotty?

Alfamax BB or AAA

bazza888

are they handy got?what sort of price would they be foxhunter

FOXHUNTER1

bazza888 wrote: »

are they handy got?what sort of price would they be foxhunter

They should be easy enough to get Ardee sports are the distributers if you ring them they will put you in contact with the local stockist.
They are €14 to €15 a box but a box will do you for a long time.

bazza888

ye very true,one or two in the belt be handy

blackstairsboy

What weigt do the alphamax bbs come in. The reason I ask is because I would really be reluctant to fire any more than 36 gram through my guns. I know a fella with an under and over that has shot loose due to the heavy loads he uses. Can anyone reccomend a bb cartridge of 34 gram or 36 gram.

amadain

Do you guys sell your phesants ???

If so, what restaurants in KERRY will have them on the menu ???

cavan shooter

blackstairsboy wrote: »

What weigt do the alphamax bbs come in. The reason I ask is because I would really be reluctant to fire any more than 36 gram through my guns. I know a fella with an under and over that has shot loose due to the heavy loads he uses. Can anyone reccomend a bb cartridge of 34 gram or 36 gram.

The short answer it depends on the proofs,I routinly shoot 34/36g through my Beretta and through the old Baikal I had.

With AAA and which I shoot at foxes I would be more worried about causing too tight a constriction through too tight of chokes as according to what I read
a. You blow your pattern
b. I would be scared of damaging the barrel.

I stick to 1/2 choke which is recommended

FOXHUNTER1

blackstairsboy wrote: »

What weigt do the alphamax bbs come in. The reason I ask is because I would really be reluctant to fire any more than 36 gram through my guns. I know a fella with an under and over that has shot loose due to the heavy loads he uses. Can anyone reccomend a bb cartridge of 34 gram or 36 gram.

Both the BB and AAA in alfamax are 36gr

bazza888

checked my shotty found a marking saying 12/76,i presume this means 12gauge 76mm chamber,can i fire 76mm 46g cartridges through it?

Hunterjohnb

MarkD. wrote: »

The gun in question has multi chokes, Im just wondering whats the best choke set up for no6 34g cartridges for crow shooting

Hello MarkD,if you stick with 1/4 and 3/4 chokes you should get on ok.

ferrete

where about is the beretta proofed and were will it tell you max load it will take etc an max grams as dealer told me it takes 3.5'' shells which is right but says it takes up to 64gram loads which i am unsure to trust in risk of damaging the gun and if fireing these shells what choke is recommended

Anto...

ferrete wrote: »

where about is the beretta proofed and were will it tell you max load it will take etc an max grams as dealer told me it takes 3.5'' shells which is right but says it takes up to 64gram loads which i am unsure to trust in risk of damaging the gun and if fireing these shells what choke is recommended

a 64 g load would blow your shoulder off!!:rolleyes: love to try one of those some day... but what would you shoot at with those in ireland?? they would certainly mangle a fox out to 60yds!:D