7 1/2s or 8s for doves?

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VolDoug

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Just curious what everyone's preference is for doves.

Also, which choke do you use?

I normally use 7 1/2s with a modified choke.
 
Neither...6's
I have better knock downs and less lost birds using 6's than anything else. With 8's and 7-7.5 I've had so many hits that flew away and died later or flew limply into cover causing me to loose the bird. I had one get hit and fall, when I went to pick it up it flew again and I busted it again...it got up again and I busted it a third time. When it got up again I told it good luck picking all that shot out! :Grin: After shooting this bird three times and it still flew away I knew I had to do somehting different. So, three years ago I changed to 6's...no problems since. :smile:
 
I like 7.5's in the heavy dove load. I shoot a 20 and I think it helps on range and I get less cripples.
 
#6 most of the time with a .640 choke,for the low flying days,mod or imp with 7.5's i can reach way up there with the 6's & i just found 6 boxes i had left from last year,pu 100rds of 7.5 the other day so i will have enuff for about 10 more years of dove hunting if the #s dont get no better :) mike243
 
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High-brass No. 9s...are a lot of fun.
If you can find 'em...or you reload 'em.
I think Winchester manufactures an off-the-shelf "hot" load with 9 shot...but most likely you would have to order it, or as mentioned, load 'em yourself. (Also a great load for quail...especially later in season (been hunted before) when they are apt to flush well ahead of the dog.)

But like most folks, most of the time I typically buy whatever is sold in bulk at a discount, doesn't take a lot to knock down an opening-day dove. You just gotta hit it, somewhere other than the tail. lol

good luck...post some photos of you hunt.
 
Taylor said:
High-brass No. 9s...are a lot of fun.
If you can find 'em...or you reload 'em.
I think Winchester manufactures an off-the-shelf "hot" load with 9 shot...but most likely you would have to order it, or as mentioned, load 'em yourself. (Also a great load for quail...especially later in season (been hunted before) when they are apt to flush well ahead of the dog.)

But like most folks, most of the time I typically buy whatever is sold in bulk at a discount, doesn't take a lot to knock down an opening-day dove. You just gotta hit it, somewhere other than the tail. lol

good luck...post some photos of you hunt.
Click to expand...

hope to have another "3 generation" photo Monday
 
chaneylake said:
9's, 8 1/2's and 8's

lite modified choke, modified, improved modified, lite full, and full
Click to expand...

And from the looks of your fields, you're probably having to use five different guns at the same time for protection :D !
 
I think what we are seeing is the difference in preferrence, but also the difference in types of fields you hunt. When I was younger and on private fields I killed a lot of them with 8's a 20 ga and IC choke. I also killed some with 9's. Now most of my shots are fathers and on a cross or faster birds and I shoot 7.5 with a mod. 12 ga. If you are on a good field where people take responsible shots and let the birds get in the field and dont move to much you can kill them with anything.

On some of these public fields sometimes you need 3.5's to kill them where guys are shooting at them.
 
If I am forced to buy cheap shells I will normally use 7.5 or even 6 shot.
When I got the good ones 8 or 9 will work great.
 

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