Hunting House » Deer Hunting » Shotgun shells revisited
Shotgun shells revisited
Question:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Last year before dove season, I inquired about what 12 ga shotshell to use >for dove hunting in my Remington 870. I got quite a few responses with most >folks recommending Remington Heavy Dove loads and a few folks recommending >the Winchester AA loads. >I ended up using Remington Heavy Dove #6 but I also switched from a modified >choke to a full choke. Probably not the best combo, but I did make some >better long distance shots and only used two boxes of shells to get my >limit, instead of three *blush* like the previous year (using Winchester >Super Speed #7.5 promo field loads). >Well, last night I started to gear up again, pulled the full choke out and >put the modified back in and now I’m down to shopping for shells again. >I’m looking at using the Winchester AA target loads, but I didn’t know there >were so many. There’s a Super Pigeon Copperplated Load, there’s a low recoil >load, there’s a Super Handicap heavy load, a Light Handicap heavy load, a >standard heavy load, a standard light load, an extra light load, an >international load ???, a sporting clays load, a super sporting clays load, >and of course a steel target load. >The Super Pigeon load looks pretty good, but I’m not sure I want to shoot >$12/box shotgun shells for dove just on principle. >The Super Handicap heavy load and the Super Sporting Clays look pretty good >and they seem to be priced more reasonably. Has anyone used any of these >loads (for hunting or skeet) and have a preference for one or the other? Or >maybe a different AA load? I want to stick with #7.5 shot this year. >I know the real answer lies in getting my butt out to the skeet range or a >little creative practice with a BB gun, but until then, I need all the help >I can get.
Whatdaya got a 20 bird limit? 
I gave up using my 870 for doves. I guess it depends where you are shooting but for us it was jump shooting in close quarters. I hit 10x better with an el’cheapo short single shot H&R full choke using target or field load 7.5’s or even 8’s. The 870 is now relegated to pheasant over dogs or duck hunting where the shots are long and the added weight and length of the 870 are an asset rather than a liability. Same situation for partridge and woodcock. Damn things are fast and erratic. The 870 was way too slow to move around on those 15 yd snap shots while tangled in vines and brush up to your elbows. Dove on the grill for lunch. Yum! Takes me back to my days in Tucson. Sure did bag a ton of dove and quail down there in the 80’s. Nothing like that here in New England. But then the duck and deer hunting was a little slow in the southern Az. desert Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
I use # 8’s for the first season and either 7’s or 7 1/2’s for the next two. NC has three dove seasons. I use the cheapest shells Bass Pro or WalMart has ($30/case) and feed them through a Rem 11-87 SP w/o complaints or problems. mjb Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Last year before dove season, I inquired about what 12 ga shotshell to use >for dove hunting in my Remington 870. I got quite a few responses with most >folks recommending Remington Heavy Dove loads and a few folks recommending >the Winchester AA loads. >I ended up using Remington Heavy Dove #6 but I also switched from a modified >choke to a full choke. Probably not the best combo, but I did make some >better long distance shots and only used two boxes of shells to get my >limit, instead of three *blush* like the previous year (using Winchester >Super Speed #7.5 promo field loads). >Well, last night I started to gear up again, pulled the full choke out and >put the modified back in and now I’m down to shopping for shells again. >I’m looking at using the Winchester AA target loads, but I didn’t know there >were so many. There’s a Super Pigeon Copperplated Load, there’s a low recoil >load, there’s a Super Handicap heavy load, a Light Handicap heavy load, a >standard heavy load, a standard light load, an extra light load, an >international load ???, a sporting clays load, a super sporting clays load, >and of course a steel target load. >The Super Pigeon load looks pretty good, but I’m not sure I want to shoot >$12/box shotgun shells for dove just on principle. >The Super Handicap heavy load and the Super Sporting Clays look pretty good >and they seem to be priced more reasonably. Has anyone used any of these >loads (for hunting or skeet) and have a preference for one or the other? Or >maybe a different AA load? I want to stick with #7.5 shot this year. >I know the real answer lies in getting my butt out to the skeet range or a >little creative practice with a BB gun, but until then, I need all the help >I can get.
Whatdaya got a 20 bird limit? I gave up using my 870 for doves. I guess it depends where you are shooting but for us it was jump shooting in close quarters. I hit 10x better with an el’cheapo short single shot H&R full choke using target or field load 7.5’s or even 8’s. The 870 is now relegated to pheasant over dogs or duck hunting where the shots are long and the added weight and length of the 870 are an asset rather than a liability. Same situation for partridge and woodcock. Damn things are fast and erratic. The 870 was way too slow to move around on those 15 yd snap shots while tangled in vines and brush up to your elbows. Dove on the grill for lunch. Yum! Takes me back to my days in Tucson. Sure did bag a ton of dove and quail down there in the 80’s. Nothing like that here in New England. But then the duck and deer hunting was a little slow in the southern Az. desert Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
> I’m looking at using the Winchester AA target loads, but I didn’t know there > were so many.
In yesterday’s Wally World ad I see they are selling 100 round boxes of Federal "multi-purpose" or Winchester "universal" 1-1/8 oz. #7.5 and #8 shot for $14.88. That’s the equivalent of $3.72 a box. These are the promotional rounds that they consider advertising for their higher priced ammo. Either of them will shoot pretty good. Making a shot shell that will spit 1-1/8 oz. of shot in an even pattern with a short shot string is not rocket science. Big 5 has Fiocchi 1-1/8 oz. #7.5 and #8 on sale for $3.49 a box. I picked up two cases of the Fiocchi #8 for busting clay, and may cruise Walton’s Wilderness for a box or two of quail loads. My double with Modified and I/C barrels holds a uniform enough pattern with 7.5 shot at 35 yards that it will be a really lucky bird that flies through it. Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Last year before dove season, I inquired about what 12 ga shotshell to use > for dove hunting in my Remington 870. I got quite a few responses with most > folks recommending Remington Heavy Dove loads and a few folks recommending > the Winchester AA loads. > I ended up using Remington Heavy Dove #6 but I also switched from a modified > choke to a full choke. Probably not the best combo, but I did make some > better long distance shots and only used two boxes of shells to get my > limit, instead of three *blush* like the previous year (using Winchester > Super Speed #7.5 promo field loads). > Well, last night I started to gear up again, pulled the full choke out and > put the modified back in and now I’m down to shopping for shells again.
> The Super Handicap heavy load and the Super Sporting Clays look pretty good > and they seem to be priced more reasonably. Has anyone used any of these > loads (for hunting or skeet) and have a preference for one or the other? Or > maybe a different AA load? I want to stick with #7.5 shot this year.
Doves don’t really take a 3.5" load of steel BB’s. 7.5’s are a good choice. What you need to do is pattern your gun. Since doves are so small, you need an even pattern. Try several of the lower priced brands to see if your gun will handle them. If one does what you need, use it. 6’s are both overkill for doves and make for a more open pattern. You want lots of shot in there. Some guys even use 8’s, but personally, I think they lose velocity too fast for longer shots. Dick Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
SNIP > The Super Pigeon load looks pretty good, but I’m not sure I want to shoot > $12/box shotgun shells for dove just on principle. > The Super Handicap heavy load and the Super Sporting Clays look pretty good > and they seem to be priced more reasonably. Has anyone used any of these > loads (for hunting or skeet) and have a preference for one or the other? Or > maybe a different AA load? I want to stick with #7.5 shot this year. > I know the real answer lies in getting my butt out to the skeet range or a > little creative practice with a BB gun, but until then, I need all the help > I can get.
Just use standard #71/2 target loads. I would use modified choke for best overall results. Forget the long shots. Close in shots with full choke almost guarantees a miss. Shooting a few boxes at the skeet range, using the same loads, will tune you up for passing shots, which most dove shots are anyway. Good luck. RW Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
I only hunted doves a few times but my 71/2 shot trap reloads worked fine with my 1100 full choke. Frank Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
Last year before dove season, I inquired about what 12 ga shotshell to use for dove hunting in my Remington 870. I got quite a few responses with most folks recommending Remington Heavy Dove loads and a few folks recommending the Winchester AA loads. I ended up using Remington Heavy Dove #6 but I also switched from a modified choke to a full choke. Probably not the best combo, but I did make some better long distance shots and only used two boxes of shells to get my limit, instead of three *blush* like the previous year (using Winchester Super Speed #7.5 promo field loads). Well, last night I started to gear up again, pulled the full choke out and put the modified back in and now I’m down to shopping for shells again. I’m looking at using the Winchester AA target loads, but I didn’t know there were so many. There’s a Super Pigeon Copperplated Load, there’s a low recoil load, there’s a Super Handicap heavy load, a Light Handicap heavy load, a standard heavy load, a standard light load, an extra light load, an international load ???, a sporting clays load, a super sporting clays load, and of course a steel target load. The Super Pigeon load looks pretty good, but I’m not sure I want to shoot $12/box shotgun shells for dove just on principle. The Super Handicap heavy load and the Super Sporting Clays look pretty good and they seem to be priced more reasonably. Has anyone used any of these loads (for hunting or skeet) and have a preference for one or the other? Or maybe a different AA load? I want to stick with #7.5 shot this year. I know the real answer lies in getting my butt out to the skeet range or a little creative practice with a BB gun, but until then, I need all the help I can get. Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/