12 gauge 1 oz loads with bigger shot for short range small game?

Els-

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Have a few bags of #4 left over, and some other #5 and #6.

Was wondering if anyones tried larger shot size for short range farm work (within 20 yards) lots of crows, rabbits, rats, etc running around here.

I know with #7.5 / #8 Im loading 17.5 gr red dot/gun club hulls/federal 209/ cb1100-12/1 oz shot which puts them around 1200fps.

I do have charge bars all the way up to 2oz but just trying to use up the 3-4 bags of 1 oz wads.
 
Do it all the time for ditch swatting chickens.........just duplicating a 20ga using 1 oz loads. You can even do 7/8 oz with specific wads.
 
For grouse and snowshoe hares, my favourite load is 1 oz of #4. Maybe I’ve missed a bird but many of them fall out of the sky with very little meat damage if any. I don’t like using 7.5 or 8. I like eating my birds and snowshoe hares seem to run away. Not from 4’s. This is from my little sxs 20 gauge.
 
Seems like a good project to me. For a long time farmers kept a .410 for such duty. And anything you can do with a 28 ga or .410 you can do at least as well with a light load from a 12 or 20. Even with large shot, the pattern from any choke at 20 yards will cleanly kill a rabbit or rat. Have fun!
 
I have an older can of Win 452AA -22.4gr/old style Win AA hull/Win 209 primer/WAA12SL pink wad /1oz payload @ 1250 fps + [12 gauge 2 3/4"]
 
mbogo3- These are the old federal 209's. I know the 209a's burn hotter, but usable in the same load data and produce lower pressures.

I fired a few with no issue, will pattern in the next bit and upload a picture.
 
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