Lead #5 or #6 and why?

REN

REN

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just wondered what folks shot in lead and why? i always shot 6's in lead for no other reason then more pellets in the shell. Just thought it would be a good conversation with opinions and all.
 
I know 6's carry enough energy to kill out to 40 just trying to see what the benefits of 5s would be minus a bigger ball down range. I understand it would have more energy but how much more would it even carry or make a difference.
 
Prefer 5s just cause I've killed more with em, but will shoot 6s too if I have them. Killed at 45 & 50 yds and 3 birds in 1 shot at 20 yd all with #5s so I guess that's why I like the 5s.
 
When I started hunting all you could get in turkey loads were 6s or 4s, then they started loading 5s in turkey shells and it was the best of both worlds...down range energy and more dense patterns.
 
I also never really shot 5s because they just never patterned all that well from my setups. I have a TON of magblends to last me a long time, i have a box of 6's in the new winchesters but i am contemplating getting a box of 5s as well to try just not sure what the real benefit of 5 vs 6 in lead would be realistically down range. I am a 40 and under guy so I would think more pellets would be the way to go.
 
I prefer #5's, but have nothing against #6's. To me, where they really start to show up is on those longer shots around 35 to 40. Just a little bigger pellet, more energy, and at those distances just visibly seem to hit harder. At most avg. shots, say between 20 to 30, I don't think it makes a hill of beans difference. I always try to choke my guns to pattern 5's first, but usually find that the same choke shoots 6's really well too. I got a box of #5 and #6 longbeards in 3.5" sitting on the table, and 5 and 6 in 3" on backorder so soon we'll see what happens with those.
 
I've managed 140s and low 150s with lead #5, that is a solid 45 yd load with a cushion so I prefer 5s
 
If 40 yards is your max, then I would go with which ever shell give you the best uniformed coverage in a 20 inch circle. This will give you a little wiggle room for those not so perfect shot opportunities. If #5's will do it, then no doubt that's what I would shoot.
 
If I was a strict 40 and under guy I would use whichever gave me the best pattern with the most pellets and smallest holes in the pattern. I would figure more times than not this would be the 6's.
 
I always used 5's because I read where Winchester did some testing and at 35 yards #6's started to lose there punch where as the #5 still had the power at 40 yards. Regardless the #5's patterned well and knocked over a lot of birds for me.
 
I started using 6's simply because of more pellets. When I bought my last gun I tried 5 & 6. The 6's did a lot better so that's what I went with to try in the Longbeard ammo.
 
I've always used 6's They always patterned better out of my benellis and jellyheads Might not have as much energy as a 5 or a 4 but they've always got the job done for me
 
When I used lead I always liked 5 because it was a little more pellets than 4s and a little more energy than 6s. 6s always had the best pattern but 5s where well good enough. So I went with 5s for a little more energy.
I hate 4s, never have had good patterns with them.
 

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