“Biggest” pheasant load

[Teaman1]

Where do you guys draw the line for pheasant loads?
3” #3 lead or BB steel or #5 TSS?
At what point do you think a load is just overkill?
Also, what is your preferred late season load? I was on a hunt recently with excessive wind and some high flying birds, so just curious on other people’s opinions.

I usually like 2 3/4” 4 shot (Winchester 1450fps) year round, just to keep it simple.

 

[Dos XX]

#5 Boss is what I have been using for several years. # 5 Golden Pheasants work too. I guess I'm a #5 guy.

 

[Macintosh]

If you cant stone it with an ounce and a quarter of lead 5’s or maybe 4’s at 45 yards, its not because the shell is too small. Some shells might lengthen effective range, at the expense of being too tight and dense where most shots happen. Some birds will be out of range regardless of what you're shooting. The line for me—I figure I pick the ahell and choke for where 80% of my shots happen, and anything that is out of range of that combo isnt worth chasing.

 

[chemist]

#5 or #6 for lead, but if I come across a free bag of shot I am not above loading up #4 lead.

People talk about #6 wounding birds, and it will outside its effective range. That said, people wound far more birds because they shoot outside their effective range and hit with the edge of the pattern than they do by shooting too small of shot. I have never had a problem with #6 out of an open choke inside 30 yards.

 

[Dukhtr3]

I shoot 3" #2 all season. I shoot mainly ducks and hate mixed boxes of shells. Definitely don't want to shoot them at 10 yard with them though. I can't hit the broad side of a barn with lead.

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[Teaman1]

I don’t know what everyone was shooting that day, but saw a couple shots that were borderline unbelievable. I understand that those types of shots are more luck than anything. Just got me wondering what shells people prefer, strictly for conversation. The average guy around here grabs the cheapest 4-6 shot they can find and goes hunting.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Where do you guys draw the line for pheasant loads?
3” #3 lead or BB steel or #5 TSS?
At what point do you think a load is just overkill?
Also, what is your preferred late season load? I was on a hunt recently with excessive wind and some high flying birds, so just curious on other people’s opinions.

I usually like 2 3/4” 4 shot (Winchester 1450fps) year round, just to keep it simple.

#5 TTS is a waste of bird and money. I use 8/9 in 28ga all season

 

[Kurts86]

Apex loads 7 1/2 and 8 TSS in their upland loads if you are looking for the edge of what’s possible in factory ammo.

 

[RockAndSage]

For pheasant, #4 or #5 lead has been a really good sweet spot. With TSS though, I definitely would not go above #7, and would probably go with #8s. For geese, turkey, and larger ducks, you're looking at 7s and 8s. It is an absolute hammer, including at extended ranges.

As to whether or not TSS is worth it, is relative to what my bag limit is, and how hard I have to work to get a shot. Totally worth it for me on sage hen, as the bag limit's 2 for the whole season, and I'm looking at at least 2 hours on the road each way, and hours on foot, just for one or two opportunities to shoot. For geese, absolutely worth it, as I might only get 1 opportunity every 2 or 3 hunts for a shot at some. For ducks, it's right on the edge - I'm lucky to get 2 or 3 opportunities per hunt to shoot, and might go through 4-9 rounds, so it depends on how many hunts I plan on getting in over a few weeks. If I were going after pheasant, and was only going on 1 hunt, yes, worth it. But regularly hunting every weekend, with lots of shot opportunities, probably not. Quail, chukar, dove? No, it would not be worth it.

 

[Pescetism]

Heaviest is 3" bismuth #4 if ducks are possible. Not opposed to #2 steel but during several parts of the season we're restricted to shot no larger than #4. Otherwise, 1 1/4 oz lead #7.5 is plenty heavy for most of our shots.

 

[Nicaburns]

It depends on when in the season… early season they tend to flush closer so we run lighter shot. A few weeks in we shift to 5 or 6 if they are flushing further out

 

[jmez]

1 1/4, 2 3/4 inch 6 shot all year. I shoot a lot of pheasants, have never felt I needed more. We've shot limits of late season SD birds last two weekends in 20+ winds with those loads.


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[Milestone522]

I shoot the same shell set up all season in my O/U on pheasant. First shot is 2 3/4 Golden Pheasant #6 thru an Improved Cylinder, and second shot is 2 3/4 Prarie Storm in #6 with a full choke. That way I cover close, and if I miss or clip them, the second takes them at a longer range. Has worked well for years.

 

[Wrench]

I just started muzzleloader shotgun hunting this year. I'm shooting a 12ga and had 25lbs of #8 shot to use up. I patterned the gun at 40 yards and was impressed by the pellet count.

So far I've stoned a couple rootys at the 40-45yd mark with the #8 lead loads. I need to weigh them but it's about 1.25oz with 80grs powder.

I'm interested in #9 tss next year to hammer everything.

 

[redtop65]

I shoot 20 ga 1oz 5s or 6s all over the prairie and WI
I used to use 12ga late season when I had a Springer for wild flushes. Now only 20ga 1oz

 

[z987k]

1 1/4, 2 3/4 inch 6 shot all year. I shoot a lot of pheasants, have never felt I needed more. We've shot limits of late season SD birds last two weekends in 20+ winds with those loads.


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I use 7/8 2 3/4 20ga #6 steel for all of our upland all year. Just the choke changes.

 

[Mosby]

In my 12 gauge, I normally use #5 lead, #4 Bismuth and #2 or #3 shot steel. In my A5 16 gauge, I normally shoot #6 lead or #5 shot Bismuth.
Out of my 20 gauge, I shoot #6. I have a lot of 2 3/4 shells and nothing bigger than 3" shells. If I miss, it isn't the shells or the gun....it's me.

 

[dtrkyman]

5 and 6 lead for me, though I haven't been on a pheasant hunt in a while, however I killed a semi load with those sizes, .410 and 20ga.

If it was a non tox area I guess I would buy some Bismuth, seems like a waste of money shooting TSS, TSS 5s would be better for coyotes!

 

[Live_weighT34]

Back in my bird hunting days I was always a big fan of high brass 2 3/4” Winchester super X #6 for pheasants & grouse. if I was in a place where I had to use non toxic Kent Fasteel 3” #4 was the move and I never felt like it was too much.

 

[Macintosh]

I don’t know what everyone was shooting that day, but saw a couple shots that were borderline unbelievable. I understand that those types of shots are more luck than anything. Just got me wondering what shells people prefer, strictly for conversation. The average guy around here grabs the cheapest 4-6 shot they can find and goes hunting.

Its amazing what even puny shells in a pretty open choke will do when perfectly centered. The majority of any shot pattern near the fringe of its effective range, is just that—fringe. That means MOST birds are not centered. Which is why it’s impressive when one accidentally flys into the middle of the shot string…