Information About Bird-Hunting Cartridges

Bird-hunting cartridges are manufactured with different shot sizes and shot weights depending on the size of the target species. Ozkursan's Special (Exclusive) Series includes cartridges designed separately for quail, woodcock, turtledove, partridge and duck. This page compares the real catalog figures for these loads.

A separate cartridge is produced for each species because bird size, flight speed and typical shooting distance differ; these differences are reflected in shot size, shot weight and wad selection.

What Determines Shot Size?

As shot size number increases, pellet diameter decreases; smaller, faster birds call for finer, more numerous pellets (a higher shot number), while larger birds call for coarser, fewer pellets (a lower shot number). The same logic also influences wad selection.

For a small, agile bird such as quail, fine shot in size 9-10 is preferred, while a larger, sturdier bird such as duck calls for coarser shot, such as size 4.

Species Shot Chart (Ozkursan Special Series)

Note: some technical references list the partridge shot size as 5 rather than 6; buyers should confirm the exact figure with Ozkursan before ordering.

Dispersante Woodcock: An Alternative Line

Alongside the Special Series, a Dispersante Woodcock cartridge — 33 g shot weight, size 8-9 shot, 400 m/s / 600 bar — is manufactured under a separate Dispersante Series line, showing that two different manufacturing approaches are cataloged for the same species.

Steel Shot Alternative (COM Steel Shot)

For wetland hunting where steel shot is required instead of lead, Ozkursan's COM Steel Shot line offers separate products for duck (size 4/5/6, 440 m/s, 550 bar), quail (size 9, 440 m/s, 560 bar) and turtledove (size 7/8, 440 m/s, 560 bar).

Because steel shot has lower density than lead, the same effect is usually achieved with a higher muzzle velocity — which is why the 440 m/s figures in this table are higher than the 420 m/s figures in the lead-shot Special Series.

Why Wad Type Varies

BIOR wads are used in quail and woodcock cartridges, while POWER wads are used for turtledove, partridge and duck cartridges. Wad material affects how the shot charge travels through the barrel and the pattern spread at the muzzle — covered in more detail on the Anatomy of a Cartridge page.

Choosing the Right Cartridge

Bird-hunting cartridge selection depends on the target species, shooting distance and local regulation. For the general classification of shot cartridges, see Ammunition Types and Their Characteristics; for the full hunting cartridge range, see the Hunting & Shooting Ammunition category.

For the relationship between muzzle velocity and pressure, see the comparison table on Muzzle Velocity and Pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which shot size is used for quail hunting?

The Ozkursan Quail Special product is manufactured with size 9-10 shot, the finest shot size in the catalog's bird-hunting range.

Is steel shot required for duck hunting?

This depends on local hunting regulations. Ozkursan catalogs both lead-shot (Ozkursan Duck Special) and steel-shot (COM Duck Special) options.

Why does the same species have more than one product?

As with woodcock, a species can be covered by both a Special Series and a Dispersante Series product, giving hunters a choice between different wad and shot-weight combinations.