Field Guide / Shot Sizes & Chokes
#5 Shot
Also called: number 5, No. 5
A popular size for turkeys and later-season pheasants, with more punch than the smaller sizes.
- Type
- Shot Sizes
- Pellet diameter
- About 0.12 inch (3.0 mm)
- Pellets per ounce (lead)
- About 170
- Typical range
- Up to about 40 yards
- Used for
- Upland birds, Turkey
What it is good for
- Turkey with lead or similar loads at close range.
- Pheasants, especially later in the season.
- Larger upland birds.
Where it falls short
- Fewer pellets per ounce, so patterns are less dense than smaller sizes.
- Light for geese.
- Check regulations on lead for your area.
Tips
- Pattern your gun on a turkey target at the distance you plan to shoot.
- Choose a tight choke and a dense load for turkeys.
Works well with
- #4 Shot: slightly larger, another common turkey size.
- Extra-Full Turkey Choke: a tight choke made for turkey loads.
Field notes
Number 5 is a middle choice that works for turkeys and wild pheasants. Heavier loads put enough pellets in the vital area at close range.
Related guides
Pellet counts, patterns, and ranges are typical figures, not guarantees. Pattern your own shotgun with your own loads at the distances you hunt, and follow the shotgun manual for which shells and chokes are safe. Nonlead shot rules and legal shot types differ by state and area; our state resources directory links to each state's official regulations.