Crow Busters Forum

davejohnson2 · Veteran Member

anyone use these shells?

8fishermen · Guru

Those shells will kill a crow much farther that MOST people (self included) will ever be able to shoot. 1 1/4 of 6's in a figure 8 wad pushed at 1330 fps is a lot of shell. I have shot them in 6's for squirrels and crows, 7 1/2, 8, and 9's for rabbit, dove, and crows.

I started shooting 9's at doves last year. The cut corn field was too big and too few people to cover it. Me and my kids would walk the rows and jump shoot the doves like quail. I made several shots with 9's over 45 yards. They are devastating.

When rabbit hunting, I shoot 8's or 9's and a open cyl. choke. Talk about throwing a blanket at 'em. Smokes 'em.

6's will reach the top of even the tallest tree in the delta. Great for red and black squirrels when they are topped out in a oak over a 100 feet tall.

There are two drawbacks, cost and recoil. If you are only shooting a few boxes, not to bad, but I would not want to be on a flyway shoot with them.

Just for kicks, I show you a pic of few taken with 6's.

davejohnson2 · Veteran Member

man nicely done! what do you do with those black ones? bet you could sell em for 20-30 bucks a piece on taxidermy.net.

okay, think i am contemplating on either using my full choke or modified, im not sure what, what do you shoot for em?

8fishermen · Guru

davejohnson2 wrote:

man nicely done! what do you do with those black ones? bet you could sell em for 20-30 bucks a piece on taxidermy.net.

okay, think i am contemplating on either using my full choke or modified, im not sure what, what do you shoot for em?

Black ones are just a color variation of the reds. We eat them.

I shoot a Imp. Mod. that patterns them at around 73+% at 40 yards in a 30" circle. Technically, that is tighter that a full. A full is 70% according to the book. I suggest patterning a few and see what happens.

I don't shoot many of them anymore except for squirrel as the heavy trap load are nearly as good on crows and half the cost. 11/8 oz at 1300 fps $7.50 per box. Express is $12.00 if on a clearance sale at end of season, $15.00 - $16.00 per box regular cost.

Mike27 · Senior Member

dave,
It's not necessary to shoot that big at a crow. If you like them that's O. K. A standard load will work fine and a lot cheaper.

davejohnson2 · Veteran Member

ok, yea there reall wasnt that much of a selection when we went to get shells. there were these for $11, or small target loads for $6. wsnt sure if the target loads would get em, esp since the shots are usually farther since we dont have dekes to use yet.

Mainehunt · Guru

8fishermen wrote:
I don't shoot many of them anymore except for squirrel as the heavy trap load are nearly as good on crows and half the cost. 11/8 oz at 1300 fps $7.50 per box. Express is $12.00 if on a clearance sale at end of season, $15.00 - $16.00 per box regular cost.

Same here, I agree.

Kev
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Mike27 · Senior Member

dave,

1 1/8 load, 3 drams of powder, 1200 f.p.s. If that was the target load, they will be fine and leave you money for the mortgage. smile

Big Honkers · Guru

agreed. Cha-Ching!

its ok if you like 6's, but I would just find them in a cheaper game/trap load shell.

davejohnson2 · Veteran Member

huh maybe ill have to give the trap loads a try, how far do you guys kill with em?

Big Honkers · Guru

I hate to list ranges in terms of yardage because it is so subjective in the field but you'll be able to kill 'em within "normal" gunning ranges.

8fishermen · Guru

davejohnson2 wrote:

huh maybe ill have to give the trap loads a try, how far do you guys kill with em?

I sometimes mark a long bird that I know fell close to where he was shot then after the hunt I pace it off to see how far they really were. last weekend I picked up to birds that fell very close to the point of impact. They were between 50 and 55 yards with Winchester AA 7 1/2's.

Bob · Guru

Hey, they have those black squirrels in northeast Kansas!

Years back I met a very nice fella in a goose pit in Argentina back in 1993. I invited him on a crow hunt with me and two years later we put it together.

He arrived with express loads just like the ones you posted. He lasted a day and a half before he could not shoot anymore from the recoil! We shot 289 the first afternoon and out of the 300 odd shot the next day he only shot 50 to 75 of them and had to put his gun up!

We went to Wal Mart and got him some trap loads and he was able to hunt for the next few days with me.

He came out the following season and had both a 12 gauge "with trap loads" and a 28 gauge with 3/4 of an ounce of 7 1/2's. He shot up all his 28 gauge ammo in 3 days and killed over 500 crows with that little popper. He used the 12 bore for the next 3 days and his shoulder was fine.

Bob A.