Breaking Birds in Cold Weather

[Fall Guy]

I was up shooting birds today and was very surprised at the amount of hits/non-boken birds that I saw.

A guy two stations over, very good shot, his first two shots were direct hits, the birds dropped, an orange puff was clearly visible but the bird soared, unbroken, on its way. It happened a lot.

Everyone was shooting 7 1/2's.

Temp was about -4C.

Is clay that much harder as the temp drops?

 

[highgun]

I read an article recently that stated shot speed is reduced by 50 feet/sec at 60 yrds at 0c. ...compared to a HOT day. Also the shot spreads faster due the the density of the air. A study was done before the Mexico olympics because of the altitude of Mex city, and the heat. These two factors combined to change the charactoristics of shot flight greatly. Another good excuse to keep in your back pocket.

 

[beretta boy]

Scores typically drop a little in the winter ... IMHO it has more to do with the lack of "creature comfort", heavy clothing and susequent changes in "fit" from
shooting in lighter weight clothing.

Birds centered with a good 7-1/2 load will break just as well at -5 as +25.

Birds "dusted" at -5 are the same as those dusted at +25 .... "LOST" !

Bear down & center them !

 

[Ice-Pick]

Missed

Beretta boy is right, broken is broken, the guy missed. By the sound of what you,ve said, he shot over it, a couple of pellets might have grazed the top of the bird enough to kick some paint off.
In the winter the clothes mess up the fit of your shotgun and you have to re-adjust a little.

 

[Claybuster]

If you shoot over top and raise dust clouds it doesn't matter what time of year it is.

Clay targets can be hit solidly and still not break. I've seen holes appear in high overhead pairs or close teal targets and no visible chips appear. Lost target.

 

[Fall Guy]

I forgot all about this post with the nice weather and all.

I was discussing this with some guys on our range a while back and they were telling me it is quite common to see intact birds in the spring (after a 'soft' landing on the winter snow) have a few pellet holes in them.

 

[beretta boy]

Indeed, very common to see "unbroken" targets on the ground with pellet holes in them. The Sporting Clays "Rabbit" Targets are famous for this...
a hard thick target that will often not "break" with 3, 4 or 5 holes through it.

Bottom line remains - a target may not break IF NOT SOLIDLY HIT - they may show a hole or two or even "dust" without a visible piece. Hit 'em harder, they'll break ... Summer or Winter !

 

[Claybuster]

Indeed, very common to see "unbroken" targets on the ground with pellet holes in them. The Sporting Clays "Rabbit" Targets are famous for this...

I always use #7-1/2 for rabbits and #8 for most everything else. It probably doesn't matter all that much but having seen many unbroken rabbits with holes in them it gives me a psychological comfort to use larger shot.

 

[beretta boy]

I use 8's for "everything" too ...

until I see targets out at the 40 yard + range, (occassionaly rabbits, but more often long battues and high tower birds) - then I'll switch to
1-1/8oz. of 7-1/2's (... and really like those Federal paper Handicaps !)

 

[Claybuster]

I use 8's for "everything" too ...

until I see targets out at the 40 yard + range, (occassionaly rabbits, but more often long battues and high tower birds) - then I'll switch to
1-1/8oz. of 7-1/2's (... and really like those Federal paper Handicaps !)

I'll go with 7-1/2 for the longer shoots too. Federals are great but I've been having success on the long targets with 1 ounce Challenger 3-1/4 dram at 1,350. I'll sacrifice 1/8 ounce of shot shot in return for another 100 fps.

 

[beretta boy]

Challenger's work just fine, but are not always available up this way.

I've likewise been getting good results with the faster 28gr. Gamebore
"Blue Diamonds" ... they're advertised at 1,400 fps ... but who's to say.

Looking forward to trying some of the Kent Black Gold 28gr. stuff espoused by Sr. Husthwaite. It too has the B&P case system and is supposedly 1450.
Conjo !