IN THEORY AND PRACTICE 
21 
As a gun, even a full-choke, cannot nearly do what I have 
described as a necessity if No. 4 shot is used, its pattern is too 
scattered to kill a pheasant at 40 yds. overhead, except by 
the merest chance. The conclusion I come to when I hear of 
pheasants being killed at a height of 40 yds. with No. 3 or 
No. 4 shot is — that the birds are nearer 35 than 40 yds. 
Allowing a correct aim, what we require is a pattern that 
will hit our high bird with a good many pellets, so that some 
of them may have a chance of entering its vital parts, which 
parts, taken collectively, do not represent a surface of larger 
area than a small playing-card. 
An ounce of No. 7 has plenty of penetration and pattern 
to kill at 30 yds. high and more, but might sometimes spoil a 
pheasant at a usual range, which is nearer 25 yds. than 30.1 If 
the cartridge is properly loaded. No. 7 lies very compactly, which 
has not a little to do with the force with which shot is projected 
from a gun. It is, I believe, far the most effective size for 
ordinary high pheasants, and I put down such birds as 30 yds. 
above ground, which is a good deal higher than most trees 
you are likely to see in a day's outing. 
Even for birds of exceptional heights, or from 38 to near 
40 yds., I should pin my faith to i oz. of No. 7 and 34 grs. 
E.G., or the equivalent in any other good nitro powder. 
The striking velocity of No. 7 at 40 yds. is 629 ft. per 
sec, and that of No. 6 is 649 — a difference of no account what- 
ever from a killing point of view. The number of pellets in 
an ounce of No. 7 is 340, and there are 270 in an ounce of 
No. 6. The extra seventy pellets in No. 7, above No. 6, 
* There are, however, only thirty-six more pellets in an ounce of No. 7 than there 
are in oz. of No. 6. The latter charge was commonly used a few years ago, 
though it was not then said to plaster a bird, at a fairly close range, with too many 
pellets ! 
