Many years ago I smacked a ruffle up in a tree with the first shell I grabbed out of my pocket. It was unfortunate that first shell was an 1 1/4 ounce slug. A head two wings and two legs was all that was left of that unlucky bird.
If you are ground swatting grouse, use #7-1/2, and shoot high, and you won't put many pellets in the breast. I don't understand people trying to center the pattern on a stationary bird. For sharptails and roosters, I prefer #6. I like the Fiocchi Golden Pheasant for wingshooting, as the nickel plated shot penetrates better, and doesn't drag feathers into the meat. For ground swatting grouse, target loads work fine.
Many years ago I smacked a ruffle up in a tree with the first shell I grabbed out of my pocket. It was unfortunate that first shell was an 1 1/4 ounce slug. A head two wings and two legs was all that was left of that unlucky bird.
I exploded a bird with my 30-30 once. Tried to clip the head hit low on the body.
Feathers and chunks of meat was all I found.
Also seen a buddy shoot the head off a grouse with a slug. We came up on a group of birds and he was popping them. Grabbing ammo off the stock holder. He didn’t miss any. But loading up his shell holder after a slug had been shot. One bird had the head clean gone.