Field Guide / Shot Sizes & Chokes
#7½ Shot
Also called: 7 1/2, number 7½
The all-around light size: the standard for trap and skeet, and a favorite for doves, quail, grouse, and rabbits.
- Type
- Shot Sizes
- Pellet diameter
- About 0.095 inch (2.4 mm)
- Pellets per ounce (lead)
- About 350
- Typical range
- Up to about 35 yards
- Used for
- Clays, Upland birds, Small game
What it is good for
- Trap and skeet targets.
- Doves, quail, woodcock, and grouse over dogs.
- Rabbits and other small game at moderate range.
Where it falls short
- Light for pheasants late in the season, when birds flush wild.
- Not suitable for waterfowl or turkey.
- A narrow margin for error at long range, since pellets lose energy quickly.
Tips
- A good all-purpose load for new upland hunters.
- Check that your shells are legal and approved for where you hunt.
Works well with
- #6 Shot: a step up for pheasants and bigger birds.
- Modified Choke: a common choke for moderate-range birds.
Field notes
Number 7½ is one of the most common sizes on the shelf. It hits the balance between pellet count and energy for light-bodied birds.
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.