Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1535590
28 PULLUSA MAGAZINE SPRING 2025 THE FIELD C OAC H K ELV IE'S C ORNER "SHOT" SIZE MATTERS WHICH SHOT SIZE FITS YOUR EQUIPMENT AND PERSONAL SHOOTING STYLE? by JASON KELVIE illustrations by TOM RICHMOND The debate over which shot size to use for 16-yard trap has been a staple of conversations around gun clubs for years. Everyone from Olympians to All-Amer- icans to the casual shooters at your local club have debated whether or not 7.5 shot is better than 8, or 8.5, or 9 shot, or vice-versa. All shooters want to get it 'right,' but trying to figure it out can be daunting. Is there really only one size that fits all? WHAT IS 'SHOT?' 'Shot' refers to the pellets in a shotgun shell. Various types of shotguns shells can have different sizes of shot. The smaller the shot size number—7.5, 8, or 9—the larger the diameter of each pellet in the shell. Because of the difference in shot diameter, shotgun shells with a smaller shot size will have fewer pellets in the shell. A shotgun shell with 8 shot will have more pellets than a shell with 7.5 shot. JAS O N K E LV I E / U S AC T L C OAC H ED U CAT I O N A N D S U P P O R T M A N AG ER Did you just realize that you have more chances to hit the targ et with 8 shot because it has more pellets? Be careful! It's not quite that simple. CHOOSING YOUR SIZE There's no question that either 7.5 or 8 shot will work for 16-yard trap just fine. The real question is which size best fits your personal shooting style, and how that shot patterns out of your shotgun. If you are a quick shot who prefers to break the targets before they get very far out, I would recommend 8 shot. At such close range, the increased number of pellets will give you a better chance at breaking the target versus the 7.5 shot.