I am a keen fan of size 6 shot for general shooting small game but after reading some comments on here about size 5 shot I got some to try.
That was ages ago but today I got around to trying some on pheasant and did ok.
Actually when I measured them they actually are a 51/2 but thats ok.
The interesting thing today was how my dog sent a cock up and across the front of me at 25ish yards left to right, my left barrel basically missed the bird but there was a reaction.
The bird shook and turned away instantly but with power in it's wings, now here's the thing. At 30+yds I fired the right barrel at a bird going away which is something I usually shy away from but I was convinced he was hit from the first anyway.
From the second shot there was a most definite reaction and the bird lost power quickly and came down the other side of a hedge and then ran.
After reloading I let the dog work the whole area and eventually made the retrieve from under a holly hedge with a live but weak bird. When the bird was handed to me blood was in it's bill so somewhere a pellet had made middle!
It will be interesting when I clean the bird to see whats gone where and the damage but I won't forget the birds reaction to the second shot. It was one of being hit hard which is something I am not use to using smaller shot.
It was good to watch the dog work too :grin:
So there ya go, just thought I'd tell ya :thumbsup:
Britsmoothy.
That was ages ago but today I got around to trying some on pheasant and did ok.
Actually when I measured them they actually are a 51/2 but thats ok.
The interesting thing today was how my dog sent a cock up and across the front of me at 25ish yards left to right, my left barrel basically missed the bird but there was a reaction.
The bird shook and turned away instantly but with power in it's wings, now here's the thing. At 30+yds I fired the right barrel at a bird going away which is something I usually shy away from but I was convinced he was hit from the first anyway.
From the second shot there was a most definite reaction and the bird lost power quickly and came down the other side of a hedge and then ran.
After reloading I let the dog work the whole area and eventually made the retrieve from under a holly hedge with a live but weak bird. When the bird was handed to me blood was in it's bill so somewhere a pellet had made middle!
It will be interesting when I clean the bird to see whats gone where and the damage but I won't forget the birds reaction to the second shot. It was one of being hit hard which is something I am not use to using smaller shot.
It was good to watch the dog work too :grin:
So there ya go, just thought I'd tell ya :thumbsup:
Britsmoothy.