Rammer

You shooting #6s does more damage to the bird than a larger payload of larger shot. I clean around 2000 birds a year that are shot off my property and I've seen what every combination of loads do to the birds.

I reccomend the real heavy stuff when there is about a foot or more of snow on the ground, the wind is blowing 30mph and the birds get up at the other end of the field when you step out of your pickup in the crunchy snow. Hunting is tough, and when a shot presents itself you WANT a dead bird.

Yes, I also shoot geese with that Kent Faststeel load. When you head shoot the roosters it don't matter what they are hit with

Nord QC Bouman

I shoot Browning 12G with Full choke and Express Long Range High Brass # 6. My young ones started with improved but moved up to full as they got faster and more accurate on the pull. Hunt for a bit with full - if you are missing them, change your choke to modified.

SPIKEHORN11

I use a modified choke with 6's in the early season and 4's late season.

James B

I like a modified and No. 5 & 6 shot.

Rebel Hog

Ok, I have a question. Rammer must know what he is talking about! Why do the Ammo manufactures also recommend #2's and BB's for Pheasant? It must be a seasonal thing!

Rammer

Rebel -

I believe this was more of an older day steel shot thing. Back when the fastest steel load you could find was 1200fps (if you were lucky). Now that they came out with this super-velocity steel shot, I don't think it is as big of an issue. I know for a fact that old, slow steel had a hard time killing anything (didn't pattern well, and we could actually hear pellets bounce off of high flying geese). The ammo makers always have had the reccomendation of #4 shot (lead)for pheasants, and back in the day the equivelant (powerwise/knockdown) was #2 or BB Steel.

My old man shoots almost all his pheasants with 3" 4 shot steel around 1425fps or so. He doesn't have any problems killing birds, its either a clean miss or a dead pheasant. The only reason I was shooting those 2s last year is because I bought 2 cases of 'em and I needed to burn 'em up.

Nord QC Bouman

Dont have to dress them.....

onebadf250

Dad gum, I wasn't expecting all the responses. Looks like I'll be needing to purchase another choke or two. I know I won't be shooting 3" shells though. I don't need my cheek being smacked around all day. I shoot alot of dove here in the SE each year and have found that an I/C choke andhigh brass #7 or 8's do the job on the first shot.Low brassand all plastic shells areonly good onorange birds, I want some knock down. We won't be hunting over any water so I think Lead shot will be ok to use. Looks like there is a consensus on the #4's or #6's. I'll have to agree on the 3" #4's and 2's, I have taken a many a turkey with that kind of load. May be over doing it just a little. I'm all for having a little more than necessary though. I use to do alot of skeet shooting and besides my turkey gun all my other shotguns have 28" to 32" barrels. I like my 28" guns especially since I'll be carrying them around all day. Hence why I'm taking the baikal o/u and browning gold.

Thanks for all the good advice. What kind of ammo do you guys like to use? Winchester, Federal, Fiocci, Estate??Anyone use something special? This will be a one time deal for meand all its costing me is my plane ticket, license, and food, I'mhaving to skip myIL deer hunt due to a conflict in scheduling so this is my big trip for the year and I don't mind spending a little extra on something that will make my hunt go better.I heard Estate ammo was purchased by Federal. Guess we can say good bye to the $2.79 skeet loads! I personally like to use Federal for most of my dove hunting and have switched over to Remington 3 and 3 1/2's Nitro's #4'sfor my turkey hunting.

HighDesertWolf

actually the higher brass helps prevent hull failure under the higher pressures of the heavier loads. An all plastic hull?? never seen it..... unless you mean low brass shells where then the heaviest loads available would be a heavy field which is 3 1/4 dram equiv. with a 1 1/8 oz of shot usually in #6 through #8's which is plenty for most pheasnat situations but later in the season its nice to have some extra pellets in the string for those longer shots.

trailer

I’ve used and reloaded with all plastic hulls in the past. I don’t remember what make they were but they gave me problems with my Beretta and ended up tossing them...