pheasant loads

**sig22940** · March 12th, 2011, 11:19 PM

Went to cabela's today to pick up some shells for a pheasant shoot I'm going to in april. I typically use remington nitro pheasant but I heard good things about Fiocchi golden pheasant so I wanted to give it a try. They had the 3" 1 5/8oz #6 golden pheasant ext on sale so I picked up a few boxes. Has anyone ever tried these? Should I expect a lot more recoil. From what I hear the pheasant shoot has a lot of action and I was told to bring 4-5 boxes. I'm wondering if I should just go pick up some 2 3/4 to save my shoulder. There will be some rounds of sporting clays during the shoot as well. I'm hope these don't have the same recoil as the 3" mags I use for turkey...if so it could be a punishing event. thanks

**knight0334** · March 12th, 2011, 11:56 PM

3" shells are totally excessive unless you have a bird get further away before shooting it. My 28ga with 2-3/4" shells is plenty enough for pheasant. The only times you might need 3" shells for any birds are turkey, ducks, and geese at longer ranges.

All I use is standard 2-3/4" shells with #4 or #6 depending on the area and know factors like distances around me where birds will pop up and brush.

**wrencher** · March 13th, 2011, 12:41 AM

3" shells are too much for pheasants, I always use 2-3/4" 7-1/2 shot.

**sleeper78** · March 13th, 2011, 12:59 AM

The only time I've heard of 3" shells being needed for pheasants was in the mid-west during the late season when the birds sometimes flush at 40 yards and go from there. I killed one this year in November with 2 3/4 shells filled with 1 1/8th oz of 6 shot at 1245 fps. Most years I just use heavy game loads. I used to use Remington Express Long Range with 1 1/4oz of 5 shot at 1350fps but I consider that overkill anymore. I still have a bunch of boxes of those shells. I use them when I'm fox hunting, for pest control around the house and oddball stuff like that.

**kel ruger man** · March 13th, 2011, 07:52 AM

i use winchester X 6 shot. never have a problem.

**yukon375** · March 13th, 2011, 08:33 AM

i like 5 shot for pheasant.

Originally Posted by sig22940

Went to cabela's today to pick up some shells for a pheasant shoot I'm going to in april. I typically use remington nitro pheasant but I heard good things about Fiocchi golden pheasant so I wanted to give it a try. They had the 3" 1 5/8oz #6 golden pheasant ext on sale so I picked up a few boxes. Has anyone ever tried these? Should I expect a lot more recoil. From what I hear the pheasant shoot has a lot of action and I was told to bring 4-5 boxes. I'm wondering if I should just go pick up some 2 3/4 to save my shoulder. There will be some rounds of sporting clays during the shoot as well. I'm hope these don't have the same recoil as the 3" mags I use for turkey...if so it could be a punishing event. thanks

**A-5** · March 13th, 2011, 08:57 AM

In 20g I use the 3" but for those docile Pheasants, I also agree for the bird flushing at 40 yards plus, the 3" is a good thing to turn to. Always have them available just in case the educated ones are flushing farther away. But in a controlled hunt like the one you will be on those birds are getting over the dizzy bug and are waiting for the boot in the, Well, you know where. As for close flying birds 6, or 7 1/2 shot would work fine.