#7 1\2 or #8 shot

870 wingmaster · March 6, 2006, 02:07 PM

What would be the better shot size to use on a squiral with a 20 inch cyl bore barrel inside 40 yards with a 12 guage? Or should I get heavier shot like #4,5 or 6?

Twycross · March 6, 2006, 02:48 PM

Inside 40 yards? With a cylinder bore? I would go with a #4 or #5 and try to keep the range as short as possible. 40 yards is a long way for an unchoked gun.

Death from Afar · March 6, 2006, 02:50 PM

Mate, you will have huge gaps in your pattern with an unchoked gun at that range. If you want to kill small critters without achoke you must use big shot, and even then its hit or miss.

Dave McC · March 7, 2006, 09:36 PM

I've taken squirrels up to 30 yards with heavy loads of 4s, 5s, or 6s out of cylinder bores.

I've used barrels from Cylinder to Full. I prefer Full. If that's not an option, use premium loads of hard shot and at least 6s in size.

HTH....

shureshot0471 · March 8, 2006, 12:00 AM

#5 or #6 is the best #8 would be too hard

rhgunguy · March 10, 2006, 11:00 PM

Not much difference between 8 and 7.5. .005 inces in diameter IIRC. And mabey a hundred extra pellets. I like #5 for squirrel.

tube_ee · March 11, 2006, 02:29 AM

While your 40 yard range is probably unrealistic with a cylinder bore, I have killed rabbits with a 12 gauge #8 dove load. I was upland hunting at my local shotgun-only state wildlife area, and the bunnies were out and about, and in season, so I took a shot at about 25 yards (IC choke.) Peter Cottontail flopped over, kicked around in a circle twice, and died. Bunny #2 was crossing the trail about 20 yards in front. He never made it to the other side.

If I was going small-game huntig with my shotgun, I'd probably use a #6 pheasant load, but the #8s were what I had, and they did the job. Oddly, I've actually gone back to 7 1/2 for my upland loads, they seem to kill more reliably than the #8s, at least for me. Last season, I used the 8s for the first time, and I had to twist more birds than I have in the past with the slightly larger shot. I'm thinking that shooting at a stationary rabbit allowed more pellets on target than a 45 mph dove.

--Shannon

maas · March 11, 2006, 05:00 AM

id used a 22-250 at around 400 yards oh shotguns i leave my extra full choke in at all times so id use 71/2's

OneInTheChamber · March 11, 2006, 03:42 PM

From your screen name (870 wingmaster), i'd assume your shooting an 870; so just go and buy a full or mod choke. They aren't more than $10-15 and will give you better patterns for your intended targets.

March 6, 2006, 02:07 PM	#1
870 wingmaster Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2006 Posts: 143	#7 1\2 or #8 shot What would be the better shot size to use on a squiral with a 20 inch cyl bore barrel inside 40 yards with a 12 guage? Or should I get heavier shot like #4,5 or 6?

March 6, 2006, 02:50 PM	#3
Death from Afar Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2004 Location: Living the dream in Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND Posts: 1,635	Mate, you will have huge gaps in your pattern with an unchoked gun at that range. If you want to kill small critters without achoke you must use big shot, and even then its hit or miss. __________________ "Beware of the Man with one gun...he probably isnt into guns enough to be safe with it".

March 11, 2006, 03:42 PM	#9
OneInTheChamber Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2005 Posts: 789	From your screen name (870 wingmaster), i'd assume your shooting an 870; so just go and buy a full or mod choke. They aren't more than $10-15 and will give you better patterns for your intended targets. __________________ Insert witty, comical, and/or significant quote here.

March 6, 2006, 02:48 PM	#2
Twycross Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 1,187	Inside 40 yards? With a cylinder bore? I would go with a #4 or #5 and try to keep the range as short as possible. 40 yards is a long way for an unchoked gun. __________________ The test of character is not 'hanging in' when you expect light at the end of the tunnel, but performance of duty, and persistence of example when you know no light is coming. - Vice Admiral James Stockdale, USN (ret.)

March 7, 2006, 09:36 PM	#4
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	I've taken squirrels up to 30 yards with heavy loads of 4s, 5s, or 6s out of cylinder bores. I've used barrels from Cylinder to Full. I prefer Full. If that's not an option, use premium loads of hard shot and at least 6s in size. HTH....

March 8, 2006, 12:00 AM	#5
shureshot0471 Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2005 Location: In the sticks of East Texas Posts: 185	#5 or #6 is the best #8 would be too hard __________________ "Prefection is not attainable,but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence." -Vince Lombardi "Gun control is putting that second bullet through the same hole the first one made." - Ted Nugent

March 10, 2006, 11:00 PM	#6
rhgunguy Junior member Join Date: March 7, 2006 Posts: 1,057	Not much difference between 8 and 7.5. .005 inces in diameter IIRC. And mabey a hundred extra pellets. I like #5 for squirrel.

March 11, 2006, 02:29 AM	#7
tube_ee Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2004 Posts: 492	While your 40 yard range is probably unrealistic with a cylinder bore, I have killed rabbits with a 12 gauge #8 dove load. I was upland hunting at my local shotgun-only state wildlife area, and the bunnies were out and about, and in season, so I took a shot at about 25 yards (IC choke.) Peter Cottontail flopped over, kicked around in a circle twice, and died. Bunny #2 was crossing the trail about 20 yards in front. He never made it to the other side. If I was going small-game huntig with my shotgun, I'd probably use a #6 pheasant load, but the #8s were what I had, and they did the job. Oddly, I've actually gone back to 7 1/2 for my upland loads, they seem to kill more reliably than the #8s, at least for me. Last season, I used the 8s for the first time, and I had to twist more birds than I have in the past with the slightly larger shot. I'm thinking that shooting at a stationary rabbit allowed more pellets on target than a 45 mph dove. --Shannon

March 11, 2006, 05:00 AM	#8
maas Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2005 Location: The state of Jefferson Posts: 897	id used a 22-250 at around 400 yards oh shotguns i leave my extra full choke in at all times so id use 71/2's __________________ I don't try to offend....some times i get lucky! There's always one thing that makes Republicans look good on election day...........Democrats!