What small game can I hunt with Win. AA target loads?

Until the Angels Fall

Until the Angels Fall

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I recently was given 20 boxes (500 rounds) of Winchester AA light target loads......its 1 1/8OZ. 7 1/2 shot if anyone didn't know. Is this steel or lead shot? What (if) small game and birds can I hunt with this? I am new to hunting in general and want to take up upland and small game hunting to start off so I hope I scored big with all the free shotshells.

Thanks, UTAF
 
7-1/2 is a little small for most game, and if you are close enough to kill a animal with that shot you will probably be picking shot out out of your teeth for a week.
 
AA's are nice trap/skeet shells so save all your empties. If you dont reload shotshells you can at least sell the hulls. They are lead shot so any type of waterfowl is out of the question, I would use them on rabbits, squirrels, starlings, pigeons or any other scavenger bird you would like to blast. If you dont hunt any of the above you have 20 rounds of trap or skeet to shoot.
 
I use to use reloaded magnum 7.5s for geese, shoot them close and in the neck. 7.5 are good for game birds on the wing. I prefer 4 or 6 for rabbits as they usually require more brush busting and penetration.

PS. 7.5 are good for rabbits if you aim for the head or chest. Don't shoot them in the rear our you'll be spitting out shot.
 
I use 7 1/2s for all my upland game hunting, grouse, sharptails, rabbits(not jacks), and are my favorite for pheasants unless they are very wild and flush early. I grew up using them for ducks when lead shot was okay for waterfowl and the idiots in government got involved. That's $200 worth of excellent shotshells you got there, enjoy!
 
For upland game birds on the wing, it can all be done with your loads in the early season, and #6's in the later season.
As mentioned by others, 7-1/2's are ideal for shooting pests like pigeons and starlings, perfect for clay targets, excellent for crows, and serviceable for squirrels or cottontail rabbits, but a bit small for snowshoe hare.
Have fun!
 
I have shot Hungarian Partridge, Spruce and Ruffed grouse with 1 1/8 Oz. target loads with no hassle, works very well.
Choke selection is about as important as shot size.
 
blasted_saber said:
Grouse. I use target loads almost exclusively on them, through an improved choke. Almost never have to pick shot out either.
Click to expand...

Same here. I load up an extra box or two of my skeet loads before grouse season and off I go.1oz of 7.5's

I push em' through a mod.

On the yearly trip up to the Timmins area however, the grouse get the .410. Don't seem to be as spooked up there!
 
7-1/2's will work for all the clay target games, Trap, Skeet, Sporting & 5-Stand as well as
for back-40 recrerational hand thrown clay birds.

I've used AA's in 7-1/2 for both ruffed & spruce grouase, woodcock, snipe, hungarian partridge, chukars, quail and both mourning and white-winged doves, as well as crows and barn pigeons.

1 oz. of 8's or 9's is a little more comfortable for the small birds and a faster, heavier load of 6's may tends to work better on pheasants and crows, but 7-1/2 Trap loads suffice as a pretty good all-purpose upland load.

When lead was the norm for waterfowling, a 1-1/4 oz. handloads of 7-1/2's in AA cases with WW540 powder was a favourite for shooting decoying ducks and layout shooting. Verry effective inside 30 yards.
 
#7 1/2 AA target loads are an excellent combination for upland game in most of Ontario.

It's a great load for grouse and woodcock, and should do fine on cottontails. The target loads pattern better than most cheap lead promotional loads on account of the antimony content in the lead, better quality controls and components.

It's verboten for watefowl, not the best for snowshoes (#4-6 would be better, though anything flushed from close should drop) and would be too light for jackrabbits or sharptails, but should work best on most of what you'll encounter in our woodlots. In a double gun, 7 1/2s in the more open choke and #6s in the tighter barrel would make a good combination.
 
beretta boy said:
7-1/2's will work for all the clay target games, Trap, Skeet, Sporting & 5-Stand as well as
for back-40 recrerational hand thrown clay birds.

I've used AA's in 7-1/2 for both ruffed & spruce grouase, woodcock, snipe, hungarian partridge, chukars, quail and both mourning and white-winged doves, as well as crows and barn pigeons.

1 oz. of 8's or 9's is a little more comfortable for the small birds and a faster, heavier load of 6's may tends to work better on pheasants and crows, but 7-1/2 Trap loads suffice as a pretty good all-purpose upland load.

When lead was the norm for waterfowling, a 1-1/4 oz. handloads of 7-1/2's in AA cases with WW540 powder was a favourite for shooting decoying ducks and layout shooting. Verry effective inside 30 yards.
Click to expand...

1 1/4 oz of 7 1/2's will kill mallards graveyard dead at 40 yards! I know this from personal experience. This is the most versatile shot size and the standard for patterning choke constriction. Of coarse steel shot has ruined all this.
 
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