Fox Collectors

Has anyone used the 12ga Polywad Vintagers on wild pheasants? They seem pretty light at 7/8 oz.

Sorry if this isn't the answer you were looking for , but I use RST Pheasant loads 1 1/4 oz #5 shot http://www.rstshells.com/store/p/142-12 ... d-Box.aspx, in all my 12 gauges with 2 3/4" chambers including my damascus Remington 1894 & L C Smith Pigeon grade. Also, RST has several loads in the 2 1/2" shell.

FoxintheHenHouse

Thanks; I'm very familiar with RST's. I use them in my A grade 16; when I got the A grade 20 I decided to give the Vintagers a try but frankly I haven't had much of a chance to shoot it yet. Now I have a 12 on the way; I don't have the gun yet but I expect it to have short chambers, so I'll want some 2-1/2-ers. I could just go with RST's but wondered if anyone had any experience with the Vintagers in 12ga.

I shoot the Vintager and Double-wide shells (unfortunately the later only in size 8 shot) as well as RSTs. We don't have lots of pheasants in North Missouri, but I've brought them down with these lighter loads...but that's only pointed birds at closer ranges. When I am shooting tight chokes they come down hard (duh, right?). Not the best answer to your question, but there are enough variables it's not an easy answer. I will say that on the days I go to places where there are more pheasants, I carry a heavier gun...and a heavier load. Even after decades of shooting "at" pheasants, I still marvel at how tough they are. Out of respect, I use the heavier loads.

Fox, what are the chamber lengths on your Smith and Remy?

Fin2Feather wrote:Fox, what are the chamber lengths on your Smith and Remy?

Both guns have 2 3/4" chambers. I feel that if chambers are at least 2 5/8", shooting 2 3/4" shells would be O.K.

Not wild Pheasant but state released on game lands in Penn and they worked fine. I use both They work as well as RST

The 5's will be fine. If you go to a full 1oz then you can even use 6's with no problem.