reloading for dove?

[birdhunter21]

 I have a question Is 1and 1/8  too much for dove?  is 8 shot ok or would 7 1/2 shot b better?  Should i stay around 1200 ft per second or should i load it to about 1400?  thanks  alot 

[dukkillr]

1)  No
2a) Yes
2b) No
3)  Doesn't matter

[Graybeard]

I pretty much agree with that response but it's not exactly that simple.

Lotsa folks are quite successful on doves with the standard 20 gauge load of 7/8 oz and even with the 28 gauge and only 3/4 oz or .410 with 11/16 oz. It really depends on how they are flying and how closely you can get them to come to you.

If shots are from 20-40 yards consistently the 20 or 28 is adequate with IC/Mod chokes really and so would an ounce load in the 12 ga. But the 1-1/8 oz load is never a bad choice regardless of distance.

I've used #8 more than any other shot size on dove and it does well. If they are flying high or far I do kinda like the extra thump of #7-1/2 and it too is never a bad choice but not necessarily any better. I do stick to those two sizes tho.

Velocity really matters mostly in recoil not effectiveness on game. The very longest shots on doves I've ever seen made by anyone was by a fellow named Andy Turner. He's from a local somewhat wealthy family and inherited the family farm of about 1000 acres. Being rather affluent he got to shoot a lot and he and his friends who also owned farms shot pretty much daily the first couple weeks of season moving from farm to farm. I got an invite one year to his shendig at his farm and he took two cases (back when a case was 500 rounds) of factory trap loads with 3 dram equivilent and #$7-1/2 shot. He used his Winchester Model 12 trap gun with 30" full choke he might have fired a million times and dropped doves so high I could barely see them. I have no clue how many doves he killed that day but it was for sure over 200. I've never seen so many doves as came into that field that day and some of his buddies and he killed them in truly huge numbers without regard to the limit.

[RaySendero]

My favorite 12 gauge load is 1 oz of magnum hard #7 1/2s at about 1,250 fps.

My experience is that 7 1/2s bring down more dove.  7 1/2s will break wing bones where 8s won't!

[Graybeard]

Don't think I can agree with that. I've broken way too many dove wings with #8 shot to buy into that argument. Heck my cousin used to insist on #8 for crow hunting while I preferred #7-1/2. I've seen him break many a crow wing with them even. Your mileage may vary but here in Bama #8 does break dove and crow wings both.

[birdhunter21]

thanks everyone  I might have to load  a few hundred shells lol 

[454Puma]

birdhunter21
   My load for doves is either 7/8oz 20ga, 1 1/8 oz 12 Ga and 1 1/8 oz 16 Ga -7 1/2 shot! It hits harder then 8's and definately kills better-as I proved again to myself this weekend! I was using some old 8's in my 16 ga A5 had two get-up after being shot with 8's -stop using them an went to my reloads of 7.5's and no more got away! The first day I used nothing but my reloads in 7.5 and they all dropped stone dead!

[james]

I've probably bagged more doves with 8s. but 7 1/2s make fewer shot holes and that means fewer feathers and lead to pick out.  No more than I have shot recently, it has not been cost effective to reload so I buy my ammo. 

[JBlk]

I haven't shot doves in several years, but when we did we reloaded 23 grains of greendot with 1 1/8 of #8s.The round was top of the line.I also killed allot of decoying ducks and giant canadian geese with this load.