does not need so great a density (num- 
ber of pellets to a given area) to have 
equal killing value; provided of course 
the pattern is sufficiently dense to hit 
the game hunted. But as a basis of 
argument, we will assume that a pat- 
tern density of 150 pellets to the 24” 
circle is required to be a first-class small 
game killing load. This is a good solid 
basis to argue from, because all shot- 
gun authorities seem to agree that this 
pattern density at 40 yards is all that 
is needed for small game shooting, and 
we have proved the perfection of this 
pattern density again and again in field 
shooting. 
SHOTGUN “pattern” may be de- 
fined as the largest circle at any 
given distance within which the pellets 
are sufficiently thick to kill the game 
hunted, nearly every time, anywhere 
within that circle. 
The “killing circle’ may be defined 
as the largest circle, at any given range, 
within which the pellets are so thick 
that the game hunted would be killed 
practically every time anywhere within 
that circle. 
With any gun boring from cylinder 
to full choke, the thickest pellets are at 
the center of the pattern, and conse- 
quently a bird may be killed several 
yards farther when caught with the 
center of the pattern than when caught 
at the outer edge. Therefore the ew- 
treme range of a load is farther than 
the required pattern circle density 
would indicate. Since birds cannot al- 
ways be hit with the center of the 
charge, the pattern indicates the aver- 
age range of the gun and load. 
When beginning this study, the 
writer knew practically nothing about 
the 410 bore, except that he knew from 
a little experimenting some years ago 
that it would kill to 25 yards; so prelim- 
inary targeting was begun at this range 
and gradually increased to 40 yards, 
all distances being measured. The larg- 
est sized shot giving 150 pellets, den- 
sity of pattern in a 24” circle at 40 
yards was found to be No. 10 chilled, 
with 335 pellets to the charge, but un- 
fortunately No. 10 pellets are so small 
and light that nearly all their velocity 
is gone at 40 yards and will not kill 
satisfactorily any game birds at this 
range unless possibly reed birds, about 
the shooting of which the writer knows 
nothing. So the 410 bore cannot be 
considered as suitable for shooting any 
game as far as 40 yards. 
HE shooting of these guns indicates 
that the normal pattern spread of 
the average good full choked 410 bore 
gun is 20” at 30 yards from the muzzle 
of the gun. In even numbers a 20” 
circle contains 314 square inches. As 
528 
we have shown above, we need one pel- 
let to each 3 square inches to give a 
first-class. killing density for small 
game: therefore we need a pattern den- 
sity of 104 pellets to the 20” circle to 
meet this requirement. 
Studying the patterns recorded, we 
see that No. 7% chilled, with the best 
loads, hardly meets this requirement 
at 30 yards. On the other hand it will 
be observed that No. 8 chilled meets 
this requirement with the poorest aver- 
age pattern, for the three guns, with 
the Remington cartridge; while the 
poorest average Western pattern for 
the three guns is 120 pellets. There- 
fore, the pattern range with No. 8 
chilled is a little over 30 yards, and 
since the pellets have a high velocity 
at this range, 8s should kill ducks and 
snipe with equal certainty. These pat- 
tern deducions have been borne out by 
actual field shooting, as we shall relate 
later. 
Unfortunately we could not get any 
No. 9 chilled shot loads at the time 
these patterns were fired, so we have no 
pattern records of this size, but the en- 
terprising U. S. Cartridge Company 
loaded a case of No. 9 chilled for us in 
their 2-inch all brass cartridges, and 
we used these cartridges for snipe 
shooting and some quail shooting dur- 
ing November and December of 1924. 
This size pellet has plenty of velocity 
and pellet weight to kill small game well 
to 35 yards, and tender birds like snipe 
are killed well to 40 yards. On account 
of the increased number of pellets (230 
to charge), sufficient pattern density to 
kill small game well is held to 35 yards, 
and we have found by actual field shoot- 
ing that this is correct. 
HUS we see that 8s and 9s chilled 
are the proper sized pellets for 
small game shooting with this gauge 
gun. Judging by the performance of 
the three guns tested, No. 7% shot is 
not suited to the 410 bore, and is of 
little value for any kind of shooting 
except possibly rabbits. The pattern 
density is too thin for small game shoot- 
ing, and actual experience shows that 
it is nothing like as deadly on ducks 
as No. 6 chilled—even for small ducks 
like teal. 
For duck shooting, a pattern density 
of 150 No. 6 shot to the 30 inch circle 
is required to give a good duck killing 
pattern. Figured out this gives a pat- 
tern density of one pellet to each 4.71 
square inches. By a little more arith- 
metic, it is found that an 18” circle re- 
quires 54 pellets to equal 150 pellets to 
the 30” circle. Turning to the series of 
patterns made with No. 6 shot, we find 
that the three guns give average pat- 
terns of about 50 pellets to the 18” 
circle at 35 yards—four pellets only 
short of what might be termed a pe 
fect duck killing load, high velocity an 
a smashing blow at this range. Fro 
practical shooting, we find that th 
largest ducks collapse when fairly hi 
at this distance. 
HE range of the gun is not in 
creased by the use of 5s and 4s b 
cause the patterns are too thin, but bi 
ducks are killed nicely to 35 yards. Just 
as 7%s decrease the range, as com- 
pared with 8s, in small game shooting, 
on account of a too thin pattern, so 5s 
and 4s decrease the range as a duck 
gun, but it is surprising how large 
ducks can be scratched down at com- 
paratively long ranges with these 
heavy pellets. 





Some years ago when writing the 
gauge article for this treatise on the 
Small Gauge Shotgun, we wrote: “If 
the truth were known we believe that 
with equally well bored guns and equal 
ammunition, the narrower the bore the 
narrower the pattern.” Now that we 
have studied the 12-20-28-32 and 
gauges both individually and compar- 
atively, we find that it is absolutely 
true that in equally well bored guns 
and with equally good ammunition 
there is a gradual narrowing of the 
shot spread from the 12 to the 36 gauge 
in both killing circle and total spread 
of the entire charge. This gradual nar- 
rowing of pattern is very slight, but 
shows plainly between the 12 gauge 
and 36 gauge. 4 


a 
The 410 bore on Game 
j 
Doves: Our hunting season opens 
with dove shooting on September 1st, 
but it was not till late in September 
that we did any shooting and doves 
happened to be very scarce that fall. 
Further, we could get nothing smaller 
than 7% chilled shot. This pellet size, 
as we have seen, is not adapted to small 
game shooting. We had Winchester 
and Remington 2%” paper cartridges 
and the U. S. 2” all brass cartridges in 
this size: all loaded with about 125 
pellets to the charge. 7 
E found that U. S. brass car: 
tridges gave the best results anc 
fifty doves were shot in four afternoor 
shoots. Thirty yards and under, thi: 
load was quite satisfactory, but beyon¢ 
this range the load was not satisfac 
tory. The pattern tests of this siz 
shot will be presented in another m4 
‘and you can there see how perfectl} 
pattern tests and actual field experienc! 
coincide. | 
In the summer .of 1924, the write’ 
finally induced the Western Cartridg) 
Company to load a case of No. 8 chillec 
(Continued on page 373) 
