Shot Size 4, 5, or 6?
#2
RE: Shot Size 4, 5, or 6?
I have always used #4 for the down range energy. I figure if its close I have plenty of pattern, if its further out there a good pattern won't help much if the lighter load has lost all its juice on the trip.
I took my last bird with a low-brass crappy duck load cause thats all the store in town had, but I was aware and knew that I wouldn't take any long shots.
Now I'm carrying a hybrid 4/6 load but I haven't had a chance to pattern them yet, but its gotta be better than what I was using.
I took my last bird with a low-brass crappy duck load cause thats all the store in town had, but I was aware and knew that I wouldn't take any long shots.
Now I'm carrying a hybrid 4/6 load but I haven't had a chance to pattern them yet, but its gotta be better than what I was using.
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location:
Posts: 215
RE: Shot Size 4, 5, or 6?
I've always used #5's..seems like a good compromise between the two... never had any complaints from the skulls of turkey..they usually drop in their tracks.. still use the old blue and gold Federal 3in 2 ounce loads.. brought about 20-10 packs real cheap and guess I'll continue to use them until my stash is out..nice shell !!
#4
Join Date: May 2003
Location:
Posts: 78
RE: Shot Size 4, 5, or 6?
3", 2oz Hevi 13's in #6. Have shot all sizes and brands and that's what has patterned the best. Right around the 200 mark at 40 yards in a 10" circle. Been hearing a lot of good things about the Nitro straight 7's and will pattern those soon as well as the 4x5x7's.
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pine Hill Alabama USA
Posts: 1,280
RE: Shot Size 4, 5, or 6?
With lead, shot size choiceis sort of a catch 22 deal. You want it to have enough energy to kill as far as it will hold a dense enough pattern. But there comes the dilemma. Lead 6's of a particular brand will almostalways hold a better patten farther out than5's or 4's of the same brandin a given gun. (There are rare exceptions but this is generally true.) Problem is that lead 6's start seriously running out of steam at 35 to 40 yards. Lead pellets in 4 or 5 size will maintain lethal energy a bit farther than that but generally the patterns with 4's or 5's start to seriously fall apart at 40 yards thus negating their better energy level. After all, if you can't be sure of landing a pellet in a lethal spot then it doesn't matter how much downrange energy it is still carrying.
This however is the beauty of denser than lead shot. I use Winchester supreme elite 6's. The denser than lead pellets just by their nature almost always out pattern lead shot in a given size and gun. Butbest of all, because of how much betterthis stuffpenetrates,it allows you to use the smaller shot like 6's which holds a lethal pattern farther than 4's or 5's of any type without fear of losing a bird. In fact with denser than lead number 6 shot started at a velocity of about 1200 fps or more you can shoot and kill turkeys as far as your particular set up will keep 100 pellets evenly dispursed in a 10 inch circle. That's right, I promise you the DTL 6's will killfarther thanyour gun can hold a tight enough killing pattern.
That said, I do not like the Heavy 13 factory loads because they have a muzzle velocity of only 1050 fps. The Win Elite extended range shellshave a muzzle velocity of 1250 and will bring the pain farther than anyone needs to be shooting at a turkey.
This however is the beauty of denser than lead shot. I use Winchester supreme elite 6's. The denser than lead pellets just by their nature almost always out pattern lead shot in a given size and gun. Butbest of all, because of how much betterthis stuffpenetrates,it allows you to use the smaller shot like 6's which holds a lethal pattern farther than 4's or 5's of any type without fear of losing a bird. In fact with denser than lead number 6 shot started at a velocity of about 1200 fps or more you can shoot and kill turkeys as far as your particular set up will keep 100 pellets evenly dispursed in a 10 inch circle. That's right, I promise you the DTL 6's will killfarther thanyour gun can hold a tight enough killing pattern.
That said, I do not like the Heavy 13 factory loads because they have a muzzle velocity of only 1050 fps. The Win Elite extended range shellshave a muzzle velocity of 1250 and will bring the pain farther than anyone needs to be shooting at a turkey.
#6
Join Date: May 2003
Location:
Posts: 78
RE: Shot Size 4, 5, or 6?
Todd, not to haggle but the Hevi loads I'm shooting are metered at 1090 fps. Thus my interest in the Nitro co. right now, as Hevi is just plain SLOWWWW. Hard to beat the pattern though. I've fired the supremes, but not the Elite XR, I'd like to see how they pattern out of the old 1300. How do these shells compare, pattern wise, with Hevi 13 out of your gun???
Excellents points made in your post!
Excellents points made in your post!
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pine Hill Alabama USA
Posts: 1,280
RE: Shot Size 4, 5, or 6?
How do these shells compare, pattern wise, with Hevi 13 out of your gun???
My 2 cents are this: wanna win a local still target shoot? Buy some heavy 13's. Wanna kill a turkey at any range your gun will hold a decent pattern? Buy some winchester elites.
Thus my interest in the Nitro co. right now,
#8
RE: Shot Size 4, 5, or 6?
I have had luck w/ both 4s and 5s.. 4s seem to hit a bit harder...
I have had great luck w/ Remington Magnum 3.5" # 5sin the past. Switched to the Winchester Supreme for 2 birds this year #4s and crushed them both...both pretty far shots too.
either will do.
I have had great luck w/ Remington Magnum 3.5" # 5sin the past. Switched to the Winchester Supreme for 2 birds this year #4s and crushed them both...both pretty far shots too.
either will do.
#9
RE: Shot Size 4, 5, or 6?
I too have killed many birds with #4 and #5 shot. I find in my SBE that #5 winchester supreme 3 1/2" patterns well and has lots of down range energy to put them down every time out to about 45-50yds.