16 February 2006, 13:20
shootawayA strong shell needed for cold weather ptarmigan
I don't reload for shotguns.Might in the future.I always bring my shotgun during caribou hunting and want a fast and hard hitting factory shell.Any of you knowledgeable shotshell reloaders have a factory shell to recommend?In what size shot.I am counting on you on this one since I have sadly almost abandoned my shotgun days.It all started with shotgun.Shotgunning will remain the mother of my hunting days.
16 February 2006, 19:29
DutchYou'll want a factory shell with a relatively fast, double based powder, and a hot primer. I'd start with Federal or Fiocchi (hottest primers in the bunch), and go from there. I'd avoid most of the Euro's, since they use single based powders, more often than not.
I'd look for something like 1 1/8th of 6's at 1200 fps (I actually prefer 7's, but they are harder to find that ptarmigan's teeth...) Anything faster than that is just a waste of recoil and muzzleblast. HTH, Dutch.
17 February 2006, 00:56
MajorCaliberI would just buy a hi-brass 3 3/4 1 1/4 load of 6's, Re, Fed, Win all will work fine.
17 February 2006, 03:06
MThuntrI have used 2 3/5" Fiocchi #5's for cold weather pheasants and they performed awesomely. The shells are blaze orange, but I can't remember if there is anything special about them.