Orion For Pheasant

[Lerk]

So I picked up a 12ga Weatherby Orion shotgun a few months ago and love it, I used the excuse I wanted it for pheasant hunting (to justify it to myself ) so I had better make that happen. And as I only have 2 weeks until the season I better get it into gear.

So to start, I've technicaly never "patterned" a shotgun on paper, I've used clay pidgeon dust and downed birds as the indicator in the past with the 870 (also had the practice of grabbing whatever game load was in the cabinet, so a little education on shell selection is needed to). So I have some basic questions.

What size and type of shot for pheasant are preferred (also may be used on any other small upland birds) and at what yardage would you pattern at for pheasant's? What kind of spread should I be looking for at that range.

I do have a fair selection of chokes already and will be getting more as I need them. Currently I have 1 Full, 2 Imp Cyl, 1 Mod, and 1 Skeet. What chokes would you throw in the top tube (first fire) and in the bottom (second fire) to get the suggested pattern above?

And after all of that, any specific brand of shells you might recommend to check out would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

What size and type of shot for pheasant are preferred (also may be used on any other small upland birds) and at what yardage would you pattern at for pheasant's?

Depends on whether you are hunting wild or planted birds, dogs or no dogs (and what kind of dog and how that dog is trained), where you are hunting them, if they are flushing far or holding tight, etc.

What chokes would you throw in the top tube (first fire) and in the bottom (second fire) to get the suggested pattern above?

For birds flushing away from you, you typically want the more open choke first, and then the tighter since ostensibly the second shot will be at a bird further out. I fire my bottom barrel first, so I have the more open choke there.

And after all of that, any specific brand of shells you might recommend to check out would be greatly appreciated.

I find decent plated shot patterns more consistently (and a bit tighter, usually). It's hard to go wrong with Fiocchi Golden Pheasant.

So, between the differences in wild and farm-raised birds, hunting in cornstalks and in alfalfa, with pointers and flushing dogs, calm birds on the opener and skittish ones later on, and so on and so forth, it's kind of hard to make a generic recommendation. That said, if someone told me I was going for pheasants with no other information, I'd take #5 shot running IC/Mod to start. I'd be ready to switch to Mod/Full if they turned out to be flushing further out. However, there are people who swear by everything from #2 to #7 1/2 and skeet chokes to full.

 

[Steve C]

For pheasants I've generally used 4 or 6 shot depending upon the type of hunting. Pheasants are a larger bird so the #4 or #6 heavier shot is called for. Smaller birds like quail or dove 7-1/2 or 8's work fine. Always have used a modified choke model 12 or Browning Sweet 16 when I could talk my dad out of it. If you are hunting over dogs where the birds will hold then a improved and modified choke set up would work well. If your hunting fence rows on plowed fields or later in the season when the birds have been hunted and got a bit more skittish the shots get further out and Mod over Full with 4's would probably be better.

 

[Lerk]

Sorry should've specified, mostly it'll be wild birds and no dogs. But in the past they ususally don't flush far until the end in the season, so they'll be closer shots for most part.

 

[oneounceload]

Fiocchi Golden Pheasant in number 5's will do the trick - chokes will be determined by distance, but IC/M or M/F are classic combinations. As mentioned above, most folks fire the bottom barrel first - the recoil is more in-line and supposedly means less muzzle rise for the second shot

 

[BADUNAME37]

Back when I lived in Penna. I used to have very good results with my 20 gauge with 3" magnums and 6 or 7.5 shot. My gun then was a fixed-choke in modified.

We were in potato fields and the furthest shot we might have gotten was perhaps 20 yards (60 feet). I was one of the ones actually on the field, with growth about 6' tall as I recall.

This would have been around 1969 or so. The good thing is, they typically made a lot of noise flying, so you could hear them coming and be ready to take it out as it flew over, between the rows.

 

[Lerk]

Fiocchi Golden Pheasant in number 5's will do the trick - chokes will be determined by distance, but IC/M or M/F are classic combinations. As mentioned above, most folks fire the bottom barrel first - the recoil is more in-line and supposedly means less muzzle rise for the second shot

That's an interesting thought about bottom barrel firing first, I'll have to test that out a bit and see if it's true for me.

And sounds like Fiocchi Golden's will be on the list to try. Probably heading to the LGS today to pick up a few boxes to try out.

 

[Kingcreek]

I'm also a big fan of the fiocci golden pheasant. The nickel plated #5 works great in my double with IC/MOD on wild birds. Been using them for years.

 

[Lerk]

Well picked up some shells last night and just finished running through them. Used the following:

Fiocchi Golden Pheasant 3" 1-3/4oz 5 Shot
Federal Prairie Storm 2-3/4" 1-1/4oz 5 Shot
Winchester Super-X Super Pheasant 2-3/4" 1-3/8oz 5 Shot
Federal Premium Wing-Shok 2-3/4" 1-1/4oz 4 Shot
Winchester Xpert Steel Shot 2-3/4" 1-1/8oz 2 Shot
Winchester Xpert Steel Shot 3" 1-1/4oz 4 Shot
Winchester Super-X Drylock Steel Shot 3" 1-3/8oz 4 Shot

Tested mainly with IC, Mod, and Full in the Orion. The Fiocchi, Prairie Storm, and the Win Super Pheasant all preformed great, but at longer distance the Fiocchi took the win. All of the steels shot the same and bad at that. Gotta find some new ones to try. The Fed Wing-Shok was alright but underperformance in comparison and for the price I would pick the others.

Also ran them through the 870. That thing will eat anything and loved them all, no definite difference except the Steels all shot the same and the leads all shot the same. So at least I have a way to get rid of the shells that the Orion didn't like.

 

[Pete D.]

orion

I have an Orion 20 gauge. I use #5 or #6 shot for both pheasant or ruffed grouse.
I fire the bottom barrel first for the reason noted by Oneounceload.
Some years ago, as a retirement present to myself, I attended a wingshooting school at the Orvis Sandanonna facility. That was where I heard about the bottom barrel first concept. Time has proven them correct about everything else that they told me; I expect that they were correct about that too.
Pete

 

[rcmodel]

I'll have to test that out a bit and see if it's true for me.

It's true for everyone.

The bottom barrel recoils more in line with the shoulder and there Will be less muzzle jump for getting the top barrel on target.

All of my pheasant hunting over the last 40 years has been done with dogs and a Browning 12 ga A5 choked Imp Cyl.
Or a Winchester 101 choked IC & Mod. (1 1/4 #5 shot.)

Or an Ithaca 20 ga double choked Skeet1 & Skeet2. (7/8 or 1 oz #5 or #6)

Never failed to limit out.

rc

 

[wlewisiii]

I like #6 and have a mod choke on my Ithaca 37. But I don't have a dog either so take it for what it's worth.

 

[Lerk]

Well looks like I won't be able to get out pheasant hunting this year. Had to get a surgery scheduled a few days before opener on my leg to get a rod removed, it'll lay me up for around 6+ weeks. Ah well always next year.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Sorry to hear about that! Well, you'll have plenty of time to find the load you like next summer.

 

[Lerk]

Well it does work to my advantage, now I have plenty of time to sit at my reloading presses making up new loads, and can finally start with shotgun loads too now.

 

[loose noose]

I prefer Remington hi-base #6 for Pheasant, and 7 1/2 for quail and partridge, I hunt with a Black Lab, and he stays fairly close. I have several shotguns, a Browning Gold Hunter, a Berretta White Wing O/U, and a Remington 1100, not to mention my Browning SXS with fixed chokes in 20 gauge (modified and full), a Winchester Model 12, with a fixed full choke. However, the first three I mentioned are the ones I hunt pheasant with, the Browning, and the Remington I prefer modified, but the Berretta I use the modified in the top barrel, and improved cylinder in the bottom. Also sorry to hear about your up coming surgery.