I've run across some questions at work(and some massive ignorance and misinformation) about this, so here goes.
And as always, these are opinions and appear on no Tablets of Stone...
This is one big subject to tackle. We're talking about from turkey to woodcock, wild prairie ringnecks to bob white.Range comes into play,of course and so does how tough the critter is.
For starters...
I recommend 8s ONLY for small easily killed birds taken at close range like quail and woodcock. Even then 7 1/2s may be the better choice.I use 8 1/2s for trap, but clay pigeons do not suffer after a bad hit where most of the pattern is elsewhere and the shot have inadequate penetration to get all the way into the vitals.
7 1/2s are the minimum shot to use on other living things, and even then range has to be close.I don't advocate using 7 1/2s much over 30 yards,even with a tight choke. Energy may be sufficient at close range, but little pellets shed energy fast.
All that said, a trap load of 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2s may be the load I've used most often in the uplands. The hard pellets and first class components means round pellets that keep more energy and go further, hitting harder.
In effect, a trap load will shoot about like a cheapo field load will do with one more increment of choke. IE, a trap load through a nominal IC choke will pattern similar to a field load through a Modified. Of course, the trap load's shot hit a little harder further out.
Once past 7 1/2, the same thing applies to premium hunting loads vs cheapos. Loads with hard, and maybe buffered shot charges shoot tighter than the $3.99 specials down at Wally's. I've still got the remnants of a couple cases of Rem Long Range Express 1 1/4 oz 6s, bought way back when with hard shot and buffering. These pattern tighter than some "Turkey" loads, and have furnished me with lots of game dinners. In a chokeless 870 bbl, they gave good hits on ringnecks out to 30 yards. I've also taken plenty of pheasants over close working dogs with trap loads,using 7 1/2s for the first shot and 6s for backup in the magazine.
5s and 4s have their adherents for bigger birds like pheasants and Western grouse, and spooky late season ringnecks often need more choke and bigger pellets.For these, use your best judgement and if you err, do so on the side of caution.
Choke choice can get you into more arguments than religion or politics. But there's more to it than IC, Mod or Full.
If I were using a chokeless shotgun and given the choice between having it set up for tubes or having the forcing cone done, I'd pick the cone.
Why? Because while it doesn't make the pattern tighter per se, the lower amount of deformation makes the pattern denser, mimicking tighter. And pellets in the target determine effect,not pellets in the load.
If one has a chokeless shotgun, doing the cone and using top quality, tight patterning loads will give you patterns similar to soso loads and a Modified choke. EXCEPT, the rounder pellets in the fringe will be more effective by having more energy. Round pellets fight air resistance better than unround ones.
But most shotguns have some degree of choke, and often more here is less effective. We still use the same degrees of choke that worked well with 1920 ammo. Believe me, the greatest invention in the 20th Century for shotgunners was the plastic shot cup/wad.This made shotguns that shot the old stuff about like Modified should be were turned into Full choke turkey shoot winners.
Modern trap loads are so tight shooting that many older trap guns are now hideously overchoked. Someone fast on the bird can run 25 with relative ease from the 16 yard line with a tight IC or loose Modified.
If I were told I could only hunt the uplands with one choke, but use any ammo I wished, I'd go with an Improved Cylinder. Ammo choice could take patterns from Skeet style to Modified, thus giving me good killing patterns from 20 yards out to 35.
And for those of us with cherished older guns with lots of choke, the reverse applies, within limits. Soft shot, as often found in "Generic" field loads can give one a better close range pattern. This works best at close range and smaller birds.
And something that ties in here is the fact that most of us are not all that great at estimating range. Pace off your next ten successful shots on birds and see what that works out to.You might want o shoot a few patterns at that range to see if your choice of ammo and choke is optimum.
Or, go by this rule. If you see the bird and KNOW that it's in range, it probably is. If you THINK it MIGHT be in range,it probably isn't. You may come in with fewer birds, but your conscience won't be taking a beating.
HTH, sing out if there's questions or comments.
And as always, these are opinions and appear on no Tablets of Stone...
This is one big subject to tackle. We're talking about from turkey to woodcock, wild prairie ringnecks to bob white.Range comes into play,of course and so does how tough the critter is.
For starters...
I recommend 8s ONLY for small easily killed birds taken at close range like quail and woodcock. Even then 7 1/2s may be the better choice.I use 8 1/2s for trap, but clay pigeons do not suffer after a bad hit where most of the pattern is elsewhere and the shot have inadequate penetration to get all the way into the vitals.
7 1/2s are the minimum shot to use on other living things, and even then range has to be close.I don't advocate using 7 1/2s much over 30 yards,even with a tight choke. Energy may be sufficient at close range, but little pellets shed energy fast.
All that said, a trap load of 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2s may be the load I've used most often in the uplands. The hard pellets and first class components means round pellets that keep more energy and go further, hitting harder.
In effect, a trap load will shoot about like a cheapo field load will do with one more increment of choke. IE, a trap load through a nominal IC choke will pattern similar to a field load through a Modified. Of course, the trap load's shot hit a little harder further out.
Once past 7 1/2, the same thing applies to premium hunting loads vs cheapos. Loads with hard, and maybe buffered shot charges shoot tighter than the $3.99 specials down at Wally's. I've still got the remnants of a couple cases of Rem Long Range Express 1 1/4 oz 6s, bought way back when with hard shot and buffering. These pattern tighter than some "Turkey" loads, and have furnished me with lots of game dinners. In a chokeless 870 bbl, they gave good hits on ringnecks out to 30 yards. I've also taken plenty of pheasants over close working dogs with trap loads,using 7 1/2s for the first shot and 6s for backup in the magazine.
5s and 4s have their adherents for bigger birds like pheasants and Western grouse, and spooky late season ringnecks often need more choke and bigger pellets.For these, use your best judgement and if you err, do so on the side of caution.
Choke choice can get you into more arguments than religion or politics. But there's more to it than IC, Mod or Full.
If I were using a chokeless shotgun and given the choice between having it set up for tubes or having the forcing cone done, I'd pick the cone.
Why? Because while it doesn't make the pattern tighter per se, the lower amount of deformation makes the pattern denser, mimicking tighter. And pellets in the target determine effect,not pellets in the load.
If one has a chokeless shotgun, doing the cone and using top quality, tight patterning loads will give you patterns similar to soso loads and a Modified choke. EXCEPT, the rounder pellets in the fringe will be more effective by having more energy. Round pellets fight air resistance better than unround ones.
But most shotguns have some degree of choke, and often more here is less effective. We still use the same degrees of choke that worked well with 1920 ammo. Believe me, the greatest invention in the 20th Century for shotgunners was the plastic shot cup/wad.This made shotguns that shot the old stuff about like Modified should be were turned into Full choke turkey shoot winners.
Modern trap loads are so tight shooting that many older trap guns are now hideously overchoked. Someone fast on the bird can run 25 with relative ease from the 16 yard line with a tight IC or loose Modified.
If I were told I could only hunt the uplands with one choke, but use any ammo I wished, I'd go with an Improved Cylinder. Ammo choice could take patterns from Skeet style to Modified, thus giving me good killing patterns from 20 yards out to 35.
And for those of us with cherished older guns with lots of choke, the reverse applies, within limits. Soft shot, as often found in "Generic" field loads can give one a better close range pattern. This works best at close range and smaller birds.
And something that ties in here is the fact that most of us are not all that great at estimating range. Pace off your next ten successful shots on birds and see what that works out to.You might want o shoot a few patterns at that range to see if your choice of ammo and choke is optimum.
Or, go by this rule. If you see the bird and KNOW that it's in range, it probably is. If you THINK it MIGHT be in range,it probably isn't. You may come in with fewer birds, but your conscience won't be taking a beating.
HTH, sing out if there's questions or comments.