If you are new to shotgun shooting, or just need a refresher, the following information will help you determine how much shot to use in your shotgun. The amount of shot you use will depend on the game you are hunting and the size of the pellets.
For upland game birds like quail or grouse, #6 or #7 1/2 lead shot is typically used. For turkey hunting, #4 lead or copper-plated lead shot is recommended. And for waterfowl hunting, steel shot must be used because it does not sink like lead shot and is less harmful to the environment.
The size of the pellets also matters when determining how much to use. For example, if you are using #6 lead shot for upland game birds, you will need more pellets than if you were using #4 lead shot for turkey hunting because the smaller pellets have more surface area and therefore travel faster and hit harder.
As a general rule of thumb, plan on using about 1 ounce (28 grams) ofshot per bird when using lead shotshells OR 1 1/2 ounces (42 grams)of steel shotshells. This should give you a good starting point for figuring out how much to use in your shotgun.