Field Guide / Shot Sizes & Chokes
#6 Shot
Also called: number 6, No. 6
A mid-size pellet for pheasants, grouse, rabbits, and squirrels, with a good balance of pellet count and energy.
- Type
- Shot Sizes
- Pellet diameter
- About 0.11 inch (2.8 mm)
- Pellets per ounce (lead)
- About 225
- Typical range
- Up to about 40 yards
- Used for
- Upland birds, Small game, Turkey
What it is good for
- Pheasants and grouse.
- Rabbits and squirrels.
- Some turkey loads, especially with dense nonlead shot.
Where it falls short
- Light for geese and large ducks.
- In steel, it is small for ducks except at close range.
- Too small for most turkey shots with ordinary lead.
Tips
- Steel shot is lighter than lead, so hunters often go up one or two sizes with steel to get similar knockdown.
- For turkey, check the load's patterning at your intended distance.
Works well with
- #5 Shot: a bit larger and heavier, a common turkey and pheasant size.
- Improved Cylinder Choke: often used with this size for flushing birds.
Field notes
Number 6 shot is a good choice for pheasants and rabbits, where pellets need enough energy to reach vital areas but also need to land in good numbers.
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.