Thread: Best Cartridge for Quail.

Hamish Stevens has short bit in latest fish n game mag about this very thing...he doing ok with the steel target loads and is a honest enough chap to say if they were crap.

I like the 16 ga with 6 shot for quail.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Hamish Stevens has short bit in latest fish n game mag about this very thing...he doing ok with the steel target loads and is a honest enough chap to say if they were crap.

Steel shot seems to be hobby horse of yours?? I would try it (if I could find it) at a retailer in my 20g or my 28g although I have serious concerns about ricochets if being used in a river bed.
(same reasons as its banned on NZCTA ranges).

If it were a serious option then its worth a try but as yet I have not seen steel loads for other than 12ga so your point is moot.
I personally do not believe the hype that steel is more environmentally friendly than lead they both have issues

I do not use a 12g for anything apart from mud pies and prefer 20s and 28g for their point-ability and lighter weight when carried a lot and shot a little.

not a hobby horse at all...just saying it as I see it......if you have a good dig you will see Ive given heaps of guys help with what to use in .410 aswell,we used one for years so worked out what does n doesnt work.
sure Ive loaded steel .12ga loads up with my old school whackamole lee loader......did this to get our son to progress from the wee .410 up to the .12ga WITHOUT having the crap knocked out of him 7/8th oz or 1 oz loads do this very well.....these new lighter/clay type steel loads are whats been missing from our gunbelts since steel was introduced for two purposes
#1 for headshooting woundies (not that we get faark all anymore)
#2 for young folk to use for in close pond type shooting,greater number of smaller pellets with open chokes = far better chance of making a clean kill or at least getting birds down.

oh and mikee while we are at it look back to ORIGONAL POST and tell me the 35grm loads OP mentions are .28ga..........
he asks what might be better and is using a .12ga.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

oh and mikee while we are at it look back to ORIGONAL POST and tell me the 35grm loads OP mentions are .28ga..........
he asks what might be better and is using a .12ga.

Thanks @Micky Duck. I was after something in steel to shoot through 12ga when out shooting ducks in the river bed. I will be closer than 200m to water, and will also be actively after ducks at the same time. I've a couple of quail possies that are in between duck pond/ backwaters. I'll track down some and try them out

I'd drop down to a sub gauge double barreled shotgun and shoot 1oz loads of #7.5 to get a bit more distance for somewhat similar spread.

Personally I have never felt a noticeable difference in my hit ratio between #9s and #7.5 when shooting skeet, statistically yes there is more spray, but lets face it if your shooting is good the difference between the two is marginal.

Originally Posted by johnd

For a number of years I was running 5's for pheasant and then 8's for quail.
Swapping them in and out as I tried to predict what was around the corner.
A good ( successful ) mate told me to use 6's and quit pissing about. Doesnt matter what gauge, 6's will knock down any upland game ( unless its a Peacock )

Might be different in areas where you dont see many pheasants, but knowing what i know now i would probably shoot 6's even if no roosters about.

That's all I use on pheasant and partridge in the uk, 6s 36gram. Seems to work there's 270 odd pellets in that load.
Now quail if you use 7.5 say 28gram there's nearly 400 pellets.
I've used my clay cartage's on pigeons on really busy days. Worked a treat even on 40 yard birds. Hit just as many and my shoulder was happy too

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

oh and mikee while we are at it look back to ORIGONAL POST and tell me the 35grm loads OP mentions are .28ga..........
he asks what might be better and is using a .12ga.

I have no issue except everyone tells me to use steel shot but I cannot buy any for love nor money locally, nor do I expect this to change any time soon.

I use an 3/4oz of 7's (trap loads) for quail (and pheasants) in both my guns

with a pointy dog shots at game are usually not that far. i would imagine same size will work in a 12ga if you can get them

Originally Posted by Petros_mk

I'd drop down to a sub gauge double barreled shotgun and shoot 1oz loads of #7.5 to get a bit more distance for somewhat similar spread.

Personally I have never felt a noticeable difference in my hit ratio between #9s and #7.5 when shooting skeet, statistically yes there is more spray, but lets face it if your shooting is good the difference between the two is marginal.

distance has never been a problem on the Rakaia. spread at short to medium range has and is the reason for 9,s for me.
I would reckon I get 3 quail with nines for every one I get with 7.5,s.
not scientific but just my observation in shitty crap where the come out at you feet or a tree twenty feet above you.

Originally Posted by gsp follower

distance has never been a problem on the Rakaia. spread at short to medium range has and is the reason for 9,s for me.
I would reckon I get 3 quail with nines for every one I get with 7.5,s.
not scientific but just my observation in shitty crap where the come out at you feet or a tree twenty feet above you.

speaking of which are you keeping your peepers on the mob of quai lby the parrie wash point??that mob that scared the bejasus outtame when i went walkabout on round the mounds last time.

Originally Posted by gsp follower

distance has never been a problem on the Rakaia. spread at short to medium range has and is the reason for 9,s for me.
I would reckon I get 3 quail with nines for every one I get with 7.5,s.
not scientific but just my observation in shitty crap where the come out at you feet or a tree twenty feet above you.

Don't disagree with you, its a matter of trial and error to find the best match for the hunter in the given environment. All the quail I've come across is in pine forest so I prefer that little bit of distance for the open country.

Originally Posted by Petros_mk

I'd drop down to a sub gauge double barreled shotgun and shoot 1oz loads of #7.5 to get a bit more distance for somewhat similar spread.

Personally I have never felt a noticeable difference in my hit ratio between #9s and #7.5 when shooting skeet, statistically yes there is more spray, but lets face it if your shooting is good the difference between the two is marginal.

that's because you always miss

Originally Posted by upnorth uplander

that's because you always miss

Not always, occasionally I hit the odd bird that you and Pointer miss.
Case in point - refer to the photo below.

that block changed as soon as the big pines behind u got cut dwn