Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: backwoods_boy on November 26, 2008, 04:30:44 PM

Title: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: backwoods_boy on November 26, 2008, 04:30:44 PM: bought a box of 7 shot by accident and going pheasant hunting tomorrow
am i ok with 7 shot
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: Timberstalker on November 26, 2008, 04:34:31 PM: They dont make 7 shot. But 71/2 will work (thats what you bought).

Might be a little light but it will work up close and personal.
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: Gutpile on November 26, 2008, 04:37:37 PM: It'll be fine, especially if you're hunting a release site.
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: backwoods_boy on November 26, 2008, 04:37:41 PM: Hummm im looking at the box and it says 7 shot steel 12 gauge 2 3/4
???
if i wanna make sure i knock em down i should get a 4 huh
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: Gutpile on November 26, 2008, 04:41:48 PM: Didn't know they made 7 steel. On a close shot it'd be ok but yes I'd get 4 shot. Let us know how you do.
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: backwoods_boy on November 26, 2008, 04:48:04 PM: will do...
yeah it says 7 shot i know weird huh
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: high country on November 26, 2008, 05:21:47 PM: 7 steel is gonna be good to about 30yds.
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: mossback91 on November 26, 2008, 05:25:31 PM: Went to wal mart for shells today......teribble choice!!!! all they had was 8 shot what kind of idiots are they!!
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: quacker whacker on November 26, 2008, 09:42:45 PM: Quote from: mossback91 on November 26, 2008, 05:25:31 PM
Went to wal mart for shells today......teribble choice!!!! all they had was 8 shot what kind of idiots are they!!

welcome to the wonderful world of wal mart's steel shot selection :P
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: hornhunter on November 27, 2008, 10:29:41 PM: YES! there is seven shot. If you ever hunt certain wildlife areas you are required to shoot steel. even if you are chaseing Quail or partrige. Sooo, infact my choice for quail and partrige in steel only wildlife areas would be #7. Ducks would be a stretch with seven shot though. #3 and #5 shot are my prefrances for ducks. my two cents......
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: UltraMag on November 27, 2008, 10:37:27 PM: #7 steel is terrible on duck and pheasant, you'll wound more than you cleanly kill unless they're inside 15-20yds.
#7 steel will not reliably penetrate all the way thru a quail lengthwise.Quail is the largest bird i'd hunt with #7 steel, doves are good with #7 steel.
Pheasant/duck..#4 steel is the smallest you should use, #5 steel works on close decoying ducks.#3's are best for pheasant/duck.
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: AlpineMuley on November 27, 2008, 11:15:37 PM: I start the season out with 6 shot. Later in the season I will load the gun with one 6, and two 4 shots. End of the season I will load 4, 4, 2. Don't think you only have to load the gun up with one size. :twocents: Goood luck.
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: RockChuck on November 28, 2008, 06:59:32 AM: I use size 6 for phesants, and have used size 7 1/2 in a pinch, but for close range.
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: backwoods_boy on November 28, 2008, 03:57:53 PM: yeah thanks guys using 4's
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: 270Shooter on November 28, 2008, 05:40:12 PM: 4's are a better choice. 7's were origainally made for snipe and quail in a non tox area i believe.
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: backwoods_boy on November 28, 2008, 07:42:46 PM: i knew 4's were much better i just couldnt make it to the store......so i borrowed some from buddy.
gonna use the 7's for skeet :-)
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: Intruder on December 01, 2008, 01:04:22 PM: 7s in LEAD are a really nice early season pheasant load. I've never seen them commercially loaded but you can buy 7 shot lead and for reloading. They pattern great out of my 20 gauge in SK, IC, and Lt. Mod. They cleanly kill roosters out to 25 yards.
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: Yummy and Tasty Animal on December 02, 2008, 03:51:33 PM: i shwacked two roosters with 7 1/2 lead at about 25 yards last month. i would have preferred to use 6 shot, but i have a ton of 7 1/2 and didn't want to go to the store to buy pheasant loads. if i was buying a load for both pheasants and ducks i would buy 4 shot steel. i heard a rule of thumb one time was "always buy steel 2 shot sizes up from the lead you would use (i.e. if you use 6 shot lead use 4 shot steel)".

i wouldn't trust 7 shot steel for anything bigger than a quail. i use 2 shot steel on ducks and they don't ask questions when they are hit ;)
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: rougheye on December 02, 2008, 04:05:03 PM: I use to use 7 1/2 for pheasant all the time , they work fine . Now i like 6 or 5 if i can find it just so there are less bbs in the meat .
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: whitey on December 05, 2008, 07:59:24 AM: Why wouldnt You just get a box of Pheasant loads?7 1/2?
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on December 05, 2008, 08:18:36 AM: Quote from: high country on November 26, 2008, 05:21:47 PM
7 steel is gonna be good to about 30yds.

+1

Keep them, though - one of the best swatter rounds available when you're chasing crippled ducks on the water.
Title: Re: can i use 7 shot for pheasant and ducks....?
Post by: Intruder on December 05, 2008, 01:20:42 PM: Quote from: DOUBLELUNG on December 05, 2008, 08:18:36 AM
Quote from: high country on November 26, 2008, 05:21:47 PM
7 steel is gonna be good to about 30yds.
+1
Keep them, though - one of the best swatter rounds available when you're chasing crippled ducks on the water.

I agree with the cripple part but I think 30 yards on a pheasant w/ steel 7s is pushing it a little. You're basically shooting the equivalent of 8 1/2 in lead. That seems a little on the light side to me for roosters. Great on quail though.