Remington 12 gauge birdshot choices for Australian dove hunting

Comparing Remington’s 12 Gauge Birdshot Loads for Dove Hunting is less about finding a magic shell than matching shot size, payload and firearm to the birds and ground you actually shoot. Remington’s birdshot range gives dove hunters several sensible starting points, but the carton is only part of the decision.

Down here, the language is familiar to many: a bird is “on the wing,” the outing is “the dove season,” and the gun is a 12 bore. Victorian shooters talk about the Vic’s split seasons, bag limits and shooting grounds around Melbourne, while NSW hunters follow different rules in places such as the Riverina. State boundaries can change what is lawful within a short drive.

Most Australian 12-bore shotguns are built around 2¾-inch shells, although 20 bore is also common. Within Remington’s birdshot choices, #7.5, #8 and lighter shot offer different balances of pattern, energy and recoil. Payload adds another variable, especially for 1⅛-ounce loads, so the safest comparison begins with the gun in your hand.

Australian conditions can punish a load that sounds impressive on paper. Heavy birdshot can punish the shoulder instead, especially across a long morning in the wet. Treat online listings as product information, then confirm what your local licensed gun shop can stock. A checkout routed through a United States Federal Firearms License dealer is not automatically an Australian purchasing or importing route.

What Australian dove hunting asks of a load

Where a lawful open season applies, dove hunters may pursue common or collared doves and other permitted pigeon species. The relevant variable is not simply “big bird” versus “small bird”. It is the distance at which birds leave the timber, the height of the flight and whether the shot is taken as a crossing bird or a bird climbing away.

Open country near the Victorian mallee can reward a load with useful energy and a controlled pattern. Dense cover beside the Murray-Darling basin can reward pellet distribution at close range, where a tight pattern might leave pellets in one spot. Wet grass, hard wind and low light make an all-round load easier to carry than a specialist that only shines in ideal conditions.

How shot size changes the balance

Remington’s common 12-gauge birdshot choices include 1-ounce #7.5, 1-ounce #8 and lighter-load #8 or #9 offerings. On the same payload, #7.5 pellets are slightly smaller than #8 pellets, so there are fewer pieces in the shell. Each is heavier, which helps carry energy and generally supports a tighter pattern at working distances.

#8 is the practical middle ground for many Australian dove shoots. It retains useful energy without the recoil of a heavier high-payload load, and its pellet count can give a forgiving pattern when the gun is not perfectly aligned. #9 creates still more pieces in a light payload, useful in close cover, but the reduced energy means it gives up some reach.

The right comparison is therefore situational. Use #7.5 when birds are being taken at longer range or are robust, make #8 the all-round choice, and consider #9 when most shots are close and light. Avoid changing shot size and payload at the same time; otherwise recoil and pattern changes become hard to understand.

Standard and high-payload birdshot

A standard 1-ounce load is easier to manage and widely stocked, making it a sensible first choice for regular outings. A 1⅛-ounce birdshot load places more material in the barrel, adding recoil, muzzle blast and felt punch. In return, it can deliver more energy and a different pattern, which may matter against birds that are difficult to top.

Remington markets these as distinct choices rather than interchangeable versions of the same shell. Check the actual payload on each box, and remember that velocity figures describe the load, not the result in your particular barrel. Some Australian jurisdictions also restrict magnum-calibre ammunition, so local rules take precedence over a catalogue description.

Keeping the rest of the field kit in proportion

Many Australian trips cover more than one quarry, and a solid 12 bore remains the right starting point for doves. Keep the decision narrow: the birdshot load must suit the shotgun, the gun must be legal for the hunt, and the ammunition must be approved for the location. Adding a second calibre should not distract from those basics.

For hunters also considering a rifle for pigs or other game, this guide to piston-driven rifle systems explains the operating principle and the practical reasons some shooters prefer them. A rifle is a separate tool with its own ammunition and handling rules; it does not make the 12-gauge birdshot comparison any more complicated.

Reading the label beyond muzzle velocity

Velocity attracts attention, yet it is not a standalone measure of effectiveness. Shot size, payload, wad, barrel length and the bird’s distance all influence the result. Two loads separated by a few metres per second can behave quite differently if their shot sizes or patterns are not the same.

Compare like with like. A 1-ounce #8 shell should be compared with another 1-ounce #8 shell, not with a 1⅛-ounce #7.5 load. A safe pattern test on an established Australian shooting range is more informative than trying several unfamiliar shells on live birds.

A field-ready selection checklist

Start with the gun rather than the logo. Confirm its chamber length, the shell lengths it is approved for, and the payload you can control comfortably. A 3-inch shell must never be fired from a gun not marked for it, even when both cartridges carry a 12-gauge designation.

Use this shortlist when narrowing the field:

• Choose #7.5 for more energy and useful range; choose #8 as the balanced all-rounder.
• Use #9 mainly for close, fast birds when lighter recoil matters more than downrange energy.
• Keep the first outing simple by using one shell, then make controlled comparisons at a safe range.
• Check state rules on bag limits, magnum shot, lead ammunition and local lead-free requirements.

Paper comparisons are useful, but a pattern at 30 to 40 metres and a few controlled shots will show more than the paper. Ask the range officer for a suitable bay, follow every safety direction and record where the pattern sits before making a bulk purchase.

Plan the purchase and the next outing

Use the store’s current catalogue at Remington Firearms Store to compare the birdshot descriptions currently listed, then confirm matching shells with an authorised Australian gun dealer. The store’s U.S.-based fulfilment—firearms through a chosen FFL dealer and direct shipping for eligible ammunition and magazines—should not be confused with local availability, import permission or instant Australian delivery.

Make a small first purchase, test it at a suitable range and use the result to choose your main dove load. When the weather turns or the birds change their routine, keep a lighter, close-range option in the bag. Book a daylight range session, settle the pattern and order the ammunition you trust for your next season.