# Stupid question about pheasant ammo



## hondodawg (Mar 13, 2013)

Will this ammo have enough knockdown for pen raised pheasants on a club hunt? Or stick with the heavy load hi brass 6 shot? I’ve never hunted pheasants.










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

It should work. You are looking at a slightly slower FPS load than a high brass pheasant load. Most pheasant loads are around 1330-1350FPS which means that the shot isnt going to hit as hard, but you'd prob be ok since its #6 shot.

If possible, Id still suggest getting a pheasant load for the added punch but I think this would do in a pinch.


----------



## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

That’ll do just fine!


----------



## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

I would hunt with those shells all day long for wild bullet proof South Dakota roosters anytime and I would drop the snot out of em!

I've hunted wild roosters in about every midwestern state and I use a 20 gauge, 1 ounce, #6 going a whopping 1165 fps and it kills roosters hands down. Like rifle shooting, its all about shot placement. Ya get in front of the bird and put your pattern in the front half and that bird is dead. Ya shoot a ditch chicken in the back half with the most badass #5 1-1/4 load going 1350 fps and its going to be wounded and get away.

Here is another little secret since so few bird hunters actually pattern their shotguns. Typically a lead load will pattern better at around 1150 fps than it will pushing 1300+ fps. I just patterned a new shotgun two weeks ago. 2 different loads both shot from my bottom barrel on this fine over/under; boring old Winchester 1 ounce low brass 1165 fps vs High Velocity Fiocchi 1 ounce #6 going 1250 fps. Here are the results at 40 yards and a 30 inch circle (for whatever reason I labeled the Fiocchi ammo as Franchi because 'Italian' in my dumb brain)














. I have patterned probably around 50 shotguns in my life and have so many shotgun pattern in my phone you would shake your head so yeah--go kill some pen raised birds with that load!


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Hey Airborne,

I've patterned my shotguns but am curious if you follow the same format I do.

Normally I take a few different loads and pattern them. Then once I have a load Im happy with, I might try changing chokes (factory vs aftermarket) just to see if they look any better or worse. 

Ive noticed that one of my shotguns patterns lead better with the factory chokes, and patterns steel better with an aftermarket choke.

I see in the example above you changed loads, but didnt see mention of chokes so it had me curious if you do the same or not?


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I have used 2 3/4" #7's for pheasants. Not my first choice load, but they work.


----------



## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Question for these of you doing a lot of shotgun patterning: what do you make of claims from guys that they are $h!t dusting turkeys at 50+ yards. I'm highly skeptical, but I don't haven't done lots of patterning. The little bit I have done it looks like almost any choke/load combo is really losing it at around 40 yards.


----------



## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

Bax* said:


> Hey Airborne,
> 
> I've patterned my shotguns but am curious if you follow the same format I do.
> 
> ...


For sure--I have patterned a whole bunch with different chokes and various loads. My findings are that quality extended choke tubes tend to choke tighter and more evenly although some factory chokes are great like Browning and Benelli factory tend to shoot well out of the box. When I buy a new shotgun I immediately buy Carlson's Extended choke tubes for the gun. It's partly for better patterns but it's mostly for the protection that the extended choke tubes give the shotgun muzzle. Being a chukar hunter, I fall and eat dirt a fair amount and if I can protect the muzzle of my shotgun and throw as good as or better patterns then why not.

Another take away from patterns that I have learned is that I am looking for either a GO or NO GO and I am pretty forgiving in that regard because there can be some variation, even within the same box of shells or shot to shot. Like my pic above, sure the Fiocchi patterns a little wider but it will still kill birds all day long and I will hunt with the boxes I have--its a GO load. I actually put more merit towards the shotgun shooting to point of aim and also the shotgun fit to the shooter which is probably the most important. My shotgun fit test is where ya shoot 5 mounting shots at 16 yards with a tight choke, no aiming just pull up and shoot the bullseye. If all shots go to the same spot ya have a good shotgun mount. If they go dead center bullseye then ya have a gun that fits ya. I could write a book on this stuff--I even built a shotgun barrel bending jig--I get down the rabbit hole some!


----------



## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

colorcountrygunner said:


> Question for these of you doing a lot of shotgun patterning: what do you make of claims from guys that they are $h!t dusting turkeys at 50+ yards. I'm highly skeptical, but I don't haven't done lots of patterning. The little bit I have done it looks like almost any choke/load combo is really losing it at around 40 yards.


Yes! With the right choke and TSS shot you can kill turkeys out to 60 yards and beyond--it's kinda unreal if ya get the right combo plus with TSS you can kill with #9 shot. If I have time I will dig up some crazy turkey patterns I have shot. I'm talking 400 pellets in a 10" circle at 50 yards!


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Airborne said:


> Yes! With the right choke and TSS shot you can kill turkeys out to 60 yards and beyond--it's kinda unreal if ya get the right combo plus with TSS you can kill with #9 shot. If I have time I will dig up some crazy turkey patterns I have shot. I'm talking 400 pellets in a 10" circle at 50 yards!


I used #9 TSS on my swan last year. Amazing


----------



## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Back in the 80's I'd reload lead shells for Upland and Waterfowl. My load that dumped every "Ditch Chicken" I shot was a 1-1/8 load of #6 loaded with Unique in a AAA Hull. OH the good old days when wild roosters were plenty and flew hard and fast. 

We were always hunting over dogs, so, the shots were not long. I'd say no more than 40 yards at the max. You'll be just fine using what you have on pen raised birds.


----------



## jlofthouse16 (Oct 18, 2021)

That will certainly take down a pheasant ....... If you can shoot. Ya know, ya gotta hit it. Have fun!


----------



## MrShane (Jul 21, 2019)

The hardest thing about killing wild roosters is resisting the temptation to carry gun over shoulder when you are worn out.


----------



## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

colorcountrygunner said:


> Question for these of you doing a lot of shotgun patterning: what do you make of claims from guys that they are $h!t dusting turkeys at 50+ yards. I'm highly skeptical, but I don't haven't done lots of patterning. The little bit I have done it looks like almost any choke/load combo is really losing it at around 40 yards.


Xfull choke with hevishot magnum blend will kill birds at 60+. If it doesn’t knock the absolute pizz out of you to where you’ll shoot them more than once, the TSS loads will shoot 75+. It’s incredible how effective they are, but I’m not too excited to pull the trigger on those ever again. Hold on tight cuz holy balls 😬


----------



## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

I have never shot a rifle where I felt like the recoil was too disagreeable. Some 3 inch mag shotgun loads make my lower lip quiver though. I have never even fired a 3.5 inch mag and don't care if I ever do.


----------



## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

colorcountrygunner said:


> I have never shot a rifle where I felt like the recoil was too disagreeable. Some 3 inch mag shotgun loads make my lower lip quiver though. I have never even fired a 3.5 inch mag and don't care if I ever do.


Dude these things are in a league of their own. I have a light weight 300 win mag that didn’t have a brake on it when I first got it. I couldn’t hang on to the **** thing when it went off every time, and that gun doesn’t have shiz on these 3.5” TSS loads. Hardest kicking rounds I’ve ever shot. You know how everyone says you don’t feed recoil when you’re shooting at live targets? Well you definitely notice these, doesn’t matter what you’re shooting at. They are awesome, but not worth the abuse


----------



## jlofthouse16 (Oct 18, 2021)

Well trade in for something you can handle better.


----------

