My pet quail load is 3/4oz of #7 shot in my 20ga and 16ga. I have little experience on Bob Whites but decades on western quail in AZ. This load reduced my lost birds considerably as the desert quail, if not killed in the air, will tend to bounce and run off with their last bit of life. Also used it on Hungarian Partridge and a couple Ruffed Grouse in Idaho (they aren't the same wily bird there as the eastern variety). Far too many cripples with 8 and 9 shot especially - possibly a function of typical range being longer than Bob Whites. 7 1/2 shot is as small as I will use on game.