6. What pattern and shot size is required for each quarry species?

Using the above percentage patterns and ballistics, the suitability of a given barrel and shot charge can be compared to the minimum patterns required for given quarry species at typical shooting distances. If, for example, a 1 oz charge delivers too few shot then one must step up the shot charge (or reduce the distance at which shots are taken). The minimum patterns required on a 30 inch patterning plate at 40 yards to be reasonably confident of a clean kill of the various quarry species is given below. The numbers in column 3 are the number of pellets that must strike a 30 inch target to ensure that sufficient pellets strike our quarry to kill it cleanly.

Table 15: Minimum patterns required for given quarry species

7. Velocities and forward allowance

One shooting technique is to aim ahead of the bird, giving it forward allowance so the shot and bird will arrive at the same point in space at the same time. In effect, you aim off ahead of the bird, and fire. Eley standard game cartridges have a nominal observed velocity of 1070 f/s (325 m/s). Eley ‘high velocity’ game cartridges have a nominal velocity of 1120 f/s (340 m/s). The difference in forward allowance between the two is negligible. (So what is the point you might ask, especially as the high velocity cartridge may deliver inferior patterns?) The forward allowance for a bird crossing at 40 mph (65 kmh) using #6 shot is given below.

Table 16: Forward allowance for Eley cartridges (source Eley)

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