Up front, I'm not a big proponent of #9 shot, for much of anything that I use a shotgun for. I read recently that one 7 1/2 pellet has the same energy at 35 yards as two 9s. I've reloaded 9s in the past for doves and wild quail and have been disappointed with the number of solid hits that knock out feathers but fail to bring the bird down. I quit reloading 9s years ago for anything. I will point out that I am not a skeet shooter, but do think that 9s would be fine for the ranges at which skeet targets are shot.

I hunt early release quail (August release) regularly with a buddy who uses 9s exclusively. He seems to kill quail well with his, using a one ounce load in his 20. I use one ounce of 7 1/2s or 8s in my quail gun. I have eaten many quail he and I have killed and have found that, invariably, if I bite into a pellet in a quail breast it is a 9. It is my belief that 8s, and even moreso 7 1/2s, pass through the breast much more consistently than 9s, thus explaining my findings.

Others' findings and opinions would be appreciated.

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