question about pheasants

[870 expressmag]

i am using an O/U 12ga with mod and full choke......using federal low brass #6.....why when we get such a good hit on the birds we have to hunt for them on the ground to..i mean the dog is chasing them and so are we until we can finally grab them and ring there nicks.....we hit em good to..but yet they stay alive most of the time....not using big enough shot or am i just not hitting them good enough?  when we clean em they seem to be hit pretty good....i don;t know i am pretty new to pheasants but it sucks chasing them through the weeds after you shoot em..and having them come alive in the back of your vest

[Drilling Man]

  Personally, i wouldn't use low brass shells on ring necks but i do like 6's....

  DM

[870 expressmag]

is it because the low brass have less punch to em?  less powder or something??

[Graybeard]

Personally I think it's cuz you're not hitting them nearly as well as you seem to think you are. Open up those chokes to IC and MOD and I'm betting you'll see more dead birds and fewer wounded ones. When you saw low brass what shot charge are you using? One ounce? If so that might be the problem. If 1-1/8 or 1-1/4 oz that should be adequate but you gotta realize there aren't a lot of shot in an ounce of #6s so using 1-1/4 oz sure makes sense.

How many shot are you finding in the birds when you clean them? Where? Unless the shot hits the brain, spine or heart/lungs they aren't gonna die from just 2-3 shot even #6s.

[870 expressmag]

well we are using 1 1/8oz of #6.....we are finding a few in the breast but mainly in the rear end and wings.....and my gun is fixed choke so i can't change em but i am getting most of the birds with the front trigger which is the lower barrel and has the MOD choke in it....maybe we just gotta try hitting em a little better....darn things fly so fast...but a summers worth of clay shooting helped my bird count immencely!

[Graybeard]

Any gunsmith worthy of the name can turn that Full choke barrel into an IC for a few bucks.

[Drilling Man]

  Around here, an open choke is great opening day, but by the end of the second day you will be wishing for at least a mod choke.  Once the stupid birds are shot, what's left are birds you won't get close shots at again.

  I don't use mag loads, but i do prefer ammo that's high velocity, AKA "high brass".

  DM

[Dave H20 Fowl]

Chances are you just aren't hitting them that well.  Technically, it doesn't matter whether or not a shotshell is high or low brass, equal loads can be found in both varieties.  But, low brass is usually the cheapest stuff you can buy, with less shot and lower dram equivelents.  Buy some higher grade shotshells and see if that helps.  It certainly won't hurt.  Also, you might be able to get screw in choke tubes installed on your gun, or try a gun with more open chokes.
Best of luck.

[870 expressmag]

my mistake the shells are federal blue box...low brass....2 3/4" max dram equiv. only 1oz of shot of #6......i reloaded some with 1 1/8oz and we will see how that works out for me tonight

[backstrap]

i dont like to use low brass i use hige brass 4 or 6 shot 1 1/4 ounce  it does a # on them cant shot them real close or u will not have any thing left but there will not be any more chaseing wounded  birds around

[jpsmith1]

When I hunt, I carry a pumpgun with 2 low brass #8s and a high brass #6.  This fired through an IC choke has served me well for several years.  I've had a few living when they hit the ground, but not often.  Shotgunning, as we all know, is more of a numbers game than a power game.  Heave a pile of shot into the air and you improve your chances. 

Pheasant don't really fly that fast compared to grouse.  Maybe you are shooting too soon, before your pattern has a chance to 'open up'.  Also, depending on the bird's direction of flight, you may be checking your swing leading to shooting a butt full of shot rather than up front where it does the most damage.  I'd certainly look into choke tubes.  I had my 870 bored out for choke tubes and my success went through the roof when I finally god ahold of a IC choke.  The old modified was too tight for most of my shooting.