[n00b]

I was just wondering what you experienced shooters out there shoot for skeet/trap/clays and for dove hunting...If ya'll want to put what you use for quail, phesant, etc. that's cool too!

 

[Ulysses]

One ounce loads at about 1180 fps is enough for any of the clay target game you mentioned. It is also enough for dove and quail. It will also do well for pheasant if shots are limited to about 35 yards. However, in a 12 gauge, I'd rather have 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 ounce for pheasant in case I want to take a 40 yard shot at the south end of a northbound bird. 8)

 

[greyghost]

20 gauge pheasant load:Cheddite hull 1 ounce copper plated #6's Cheddite 209 primer 20.5 grains Longshot WAA 20 wad 1275 fps 10,900 psi
28 gauge dove load:Cheddite hull 3/4 ounce #7 1/2 magnum shot Cheddite 209 primer 16.6 grains Longshot Rem.PT28 wad 1300fps 11,100 psi

 

[jlptexashunter]

12 gauge - 1 1/8oz, 1200fps of Winchester or Remington middle or high end loads with appropriate shot size for game.

20 gauge - 1oz of same with appropriate shot size.

 

[Burnt Powder]

For busting rocks I opt for 1200 fps and mostly 1 1/8 oz #8 loads. I load a lot of Rex #1 with WIndjammer or AA or claybuster or RP wads. I sometimes use Unique or 700x depending on what I get a good deal on for powder. I load some 7 1/2s and 8 1/2s and 9s too! I like 7 1/2s for quail and the longer shots with Sporting Clays.

Field loads for pheasants is simple! I use Herco and 1 1/4 oz of #5s. The 3 3/4 dram load. Since Blue dot was introduced you don't see as many loads in 3 3/4 dram equivelent loads with Herco, but I still load mine the same way as I did 30 years ago. Might still have some I loaded 30 years ago to shoot up?? Not many pheasants arround here anymore! I have been gravitating towards the small guages past several years and I like 1 oz loads in 20 ga and 3/4 oz loads in 28 ga. I have a couple 8# jugs of Solo 1250 that works beautifuly in both. For .410 I like IMR 4227 with 11/16 oz of shot. I prefer #5s for everything larger than quail, and 7 1/2s or 8s for quail. I use the same load for clays as the quail load. 1200 fps with some running only arround 1145. I'm going to try a few of the 1500 fps 1 1/8 oz loads with Longshot this year if I see anything to shoot at?? I have a couple boxes loaded, ready to go. I tried Longshot in both 20 and 28 ga and wasn't all that much enamored with it relative to my loads of Solo 1250. They really hit like the hammer of Thor in the 12 ga loads though! You can really FEEL the difference too!

Heck, if we don't get any more pheasants arround here pretty soon, I may not even go pheasant hunting again so it won't make any difference what loads I use.

BP

 

[Guest]

BP,
You still have more pheasants down there than up here, that is why I typically make a trip down there every year. I agree that an ounce and a quarter of 5s are great pheasant medicine but I find I'm using an 1 1/8 oz load of 6s for the first shot more often in either my 12 ga or 16 ga. This is my favorite chicken load and works well on pheasants. The velocity is generally in the mid 1200 fps range which keeps the recoil down in a lightish field gun. For targets, quail, and doves I use the same loads, an ounce of 8 or 7 1/2 shot at 1220 fps. I was planning to make it to the One Box Hunt this year but had to withdraw. I hope I get invited again next year or my bride to be will have an unhappy hubby on her hands.

 

[Guest]

My new favorite is as follows:
2 3/4" remington sts hull
34.0 grains of long shot
remington R12L wad
1 1/8 oz or 7.5 or 8 shot
shoots around 1540 fps which is very nice for long clays and handicap trap.