A. Reiter

Have anyone here seen the ballistical research of Bob Forker , or the Oehler Ballistic Explorer PC sofwtware ? It said that the minimum energy of the lead pellets of a shotshell necessary to kill and average male pheasant (2,8 lbs) with just one pellet is 1,5 lb-ft, but in pratical tests, he also discovered that to have a larger possibility to hit the target ( pheasant ) it got to have at least 5 pellets in a circle of 6 inches in diameter. Some results in diferent pellets sizes, to determine in which distance the pellet will be in 1,5 lb-ft energy, but remenber that before the pellet reach the distance wich energy = 1,5 lb-ft , before that distance the energy was even higher : #7 = 32 yds #5 = 65 yds #3 = 100 yds #1 = 135 yds #00 = close to 480 yds The size of the pellets ( 7,5, etc.. ) may not be the same here in Brasil and there, but they are very close. The most dificult thing in long shot is actually choose the right pellet size to the right bird. Like an duck flying is almost the same in size as the pheasant, but I think that we need a little more energy to get a clean death shot in a duck than in a pheasant, so I would say that a #3 or #4 for ducks is nice. In a pigeon I guess the energy of the pellets could be a little less, but they are a lot smaller, wich makes harder to hit them, so a smaller pellet, like #5 is nice for long shots. Like the Chessie Dog said, we don´t want to cripple birds, but like the research of Forker said, is perfectly possible to get clean deaths at longs shots, even if just one pellet hit the targets. If something wasn´t understandable about the english, please let me know. [ 07-06-2004, 10:14 PM: Message edited by: A. Reiter ]

Hello guys... When I was patterning my shotguns I took some long shots, like 50 e 60 yds. Using a larger lead shot like #3 , with 2 3/4" shells, 30" barrel and full choke, they went to target. Here we don´t have Heavy Shot or steel, just lead. During hunts I´ve taken some long shots like that too, but in doves. The only thing bad in these really long shots is hitting the target.. Most of the shots gets late in the birds. Sorry about the bad english.