Grouse/patridge shot size

arcaner said:
I recently been hunting patridge/grouse (but I call them perdrix), anyway, I wanted to know what you other hunter use for shot size ?

I currently use #4 steel shot, I have 2 question ?

- Does the steel is more dangerous to have a ricochet than lead ?
- Should I have #5 or 6 if I change to lead ? (I want to keep a good range)

Note: My score is currently 2 bird with the #4 steel shot, all passthrought and no meat wasted.
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Why are you using steel? :confused:

I use a #7.5, 24 gram target load for grouse, sometimes 1 ounce #6 as well.
 
#6 for sharptails at long range, #7.5 almost all the other time I'm in bush. Occassionally #8 if that's the box of target shells I grabbed that day.
 
Like Claybuster asked, "Why steel shot?" Anything bigger than #6 is a poor choice.

And Perdixs are Grey Partridge not the Ruffed Grouse that you hunt
 
arcaner said:
I recently been hunting patridge/grouse (but I call them perdrix), anyway, I wanted to know what you other hunter use for shot size ?

I currently use #4 steel shot, I have 2 question ?

- Does the steel is more dangerous to have a ricochet than lead ?
- Should I have #5 or 6 if I change to lead ? (I want to keep a good range)

Note: My score is currently 2 bird with the #4 steel shot, all passthrought and no meat wasted.
Click to expand...


.410 with whatever comes out of the ammo box first. Usually 6's or 7 1/2's. All head shots, no strays, no injuries.
 
I like an ounce of 6's for all my upland hunting, 20 gauge or 12 doesn't matter, in the areas I hunt I am just as likely to flush a phesant or woodcock as a grouse also carried the same load for fall turkeys. If I am hunting in a swamp I sometimes carry 1 1/8 steel ounce 6's in case I run into woodducks.
 
I use #6 in my 16ga, need to pick up some slugs too though, just yesterday I was walking a trail with a couple of grouse in my hand and came up within 20yds of a whitetail.

I used to use 7 1/2 in my 12 ga, it works well also.

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albertaal said:
trap loads for me in 7 1/2s or high speed winchester 1 ounce loads with 6 shot.

4 shot is way too much.[/QUOTE]

I respectfully disagree. My choice is always #4 if i can find them. Sometimes #6 if that's all that is around. On the ground or in the air, larger shot has always proven very useful to me. To each their own i suppose.

Dorian
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I had multiple boxes of #8 left over from busting clays so I used that this year. Wasn't too bad but if you were too close it would tear apart a grouse and if you were too far you were lucky to get the grouse or have to deal with a wounded bird. Generally it was try to get somewhat close and aim more for the head :p

Most of the time I was hoping for a flying bird :D
 
I like to use #4, mostly because I shoot both ruffies and sharptail and I find larger size shot causes less damage to the meat than multiple smaller shot when birds are hit when flying.
 
I like #5 lead shot in 1- 3/8 oz loads out of a 12 ga.
The open bore allows decent patterns up to 30 yds. Grouse fall honorably with even one hit from a #5.

Rabbits and pheasant are also on the menu when I go for grouse, so the heavier shot size is good for poking through tree branches, and stuble brush to knock down a rabbit or bird.

Dont get me wrong, 7-1/2 is great for grouse and woodcock. Its the other critters you see that need more killing.

Youll know what I mean when you hunt enough of them...:cool:
 
Dorian Gray said:
albertaal said:
trap loads for me in 7 1/2s or high speed winchester 1 ounce loads with 6 shot.

4 shot is way too much.[/QUOTE]

I respectfully disagree. My choice is always #4 if i can find them. Sometimes #6 if that's all that is around. On the ground or in the air, larger shot has always proven very useful to me. To each their own i suppose.

Dorian
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Dorian,

If you are hunting with your grandpa's full choked Cooey, then coarse shot would be a good choice, especially when you are swatting them. Open chokes with a load of 6 or 7 1/2 shot is the better option.
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