Skip to main content Skip to footer content
FREE SHIPPING WITH ORDERS OVER $149  
View Details
For firearm related information, please visit www.remarms.com.

navigation

Remington Remington Remington
Search suggestions
Remington
Check Order Status Remington Ammo Store Locator Remington
Remington
Remington 0
Remington 0
Back
  • Login / Check Order Status
  • Rifle
    • Core-Lokt
    • Core-Lokt Copper
    • Core-Lokt Tipped
    • Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun
    • High Performance Rifle
    • Managed Recoil
    • Premier AccuTip
    • Premier Accutip-V
    • Premier CuT
    • Premier Long Range
    • Premier Match
    • Premier Scirocco
    • Subsonic Rifle
    • Ultimate Defense
    • UMC Rifle
    • Shop By Caliber
      • 360 Buckhammer
      • 7mm Rem Magnum
      • 7mm-08 Rem
      • 223 Rem
      • 6.5 Creedmoor
      • 270 Win
      • 300 Win Magnum
      • 300 Win Short Magnum
      • 30-06 Springfield
      • 308 Win
      • 375 H&H Magnum
      • 243 Win
      • 300 Blackout
      • 30-30 Win
      • 45-70 Government
      • 450 Bushmaster
      • Shop All Calibers
    Premier AccuTip-V
    hunter in camo holding a rifle

    In varmint calibers, AccuTip-V combines superb flight characteristics and match-grade accuracy with a design optimized for explosive on-game results.

    Shop Now
  • Handgun
    • Core-Lokt Handgun
    • Golden Saber Bonded
    • Golden Saber Defense Compact
    • Golden Saber Defense
    • High Terminal Performance
    • Performance WheelGun
    • Remington Range
    • Remington Range Clean
    • Subsonic Handgun
    • Ultimate Defense Handgun
    • UMC Handgun
    • Shop By Caliber
      • 30 Super Carry
      • 32 H&R Magnum
      • 357 Magnum
      • 380 Auto
      • 45 Auto
      • 9mm Luger
      • 9mm Luger +P
      • 10mm Auto
      • 44 Rem Magnum
      • 38 Special
      • 40 S&W
      • Shop All Calibers
    30 Super Carry
    HTP packaging and pistol on a table

    More than just an all-new cartridge, the compact design represents an entirely new class of ammunition engineered for absolute performance by every measure.

    Shop Now
  • Shotshell
    • AccuTip Sabot Slug
    • Duck Club Steel
    • Express Buckshot
    • Express Extra Long Range
    • Game Load
    • Gun Club
    • Heavy Dove Load
    • Hypersonic Steel
    • Low Decibel
    • Nitro 27
    • Nitro Magnum
    • Nitro Pheasant
    • Nitro Pigeon
    • Nitro-Steel
    • Nitro-Steel Duplex
    • Nitro Turkey
    • Peters Paper
    • Pheasant Load
    • Premier Bismuth
    • Premier Magnum Turkey
    • Premier Nitro Sporting Clays
    • Premier Royal Flush
    • Premier STS
    • Premier TSS
    • Slugger Rifled Slug
    • Sportsman Hi-Speed Steel
    • Ultimate Defense Shotshell
    • Wingmaster HD
    • Shop By Gauge
      • 10 Gauge
      • 12 Gauge
      • 16 Gauge
      • 20 Gauge
      • 28 Gauge
      • 410 Bore
      • Shop All
    Nitro Steel Duplex
    Nitro Steel Duplex box on a cement wall with dried fall folliage

    Remington Nitro Steel Duplex is loaded with two sizes of steel shot, providing ultimate performance at close ranges in the timber or out further in a field.

    Shop Now
  • Rimfire
    • 22 Cyclone
    • 22 Golden Bullet
    • 22 Golden Hunter
    • 22 Short
    • 22 Target
    • 22 Thunderbolt
    • 22 Viper
    • 22 Yellow Jacket
    • C-Bee 22
    • Magnum Rimfire
    • Subsonic Rimfire
    • Ranch Hand
    • Standard V
    • Shop By Caliber
      • 22 LR
      • 22 Short
      • 17 HMR
      • 22 WMR
      • Shop All Calibers
    Ranch Hand
    Ranch Hand packaging sitting around a cowboy hat and lever action rifle

    Featuring our new and improved rimfire technology, each round offers Premier high performance in your gun and on target.

    Shop Now
  • Muzzleloading
  • Handloading
    • Bagged Shot
    • Brass
    • Bullets
    • Primers
    • Wads
  • Gun Care
    • Chemicals
    • Cleaning Accessories
    • Cleaning Kits
    • Cloths
    • Safety & Storage
    • Rods & Cables
    • Mats
    Rem Oil
    Rem Oil bottle on a table

    The same great lubricant since 1913, the advanced formula cleans, lubricates and protects your valuable firearms so they'll keep running smoothly and looking like new.

    Shop Now
  • Merchandise
    • Apparel
    • Gear
    • Lifestyle
    • Cutlery
    • Gun Cases & Bags
    • Clearance
    • Remington Licensed Products
    Gun Cases & Bags
    person carrying a Remington Gun Case

    Developed with shooters of every experience level in mind, these in-house designed bags were built for convenience, protection, and accessibility.

    Shop Now
  • Remington Country
    • New Products
    • Discontinued Products
    • Big Green Blog
    • How To
    • About Remington
    • Inside the Remington Factory
    • Events
    • Remington Gun Club
    • Shoot To Cure
    • Ambassadors
    • Podcast
    • Social Community
    • Remington Firearms
  • Rebates
  • Ammo Store Locator
  • Support
Search suggestions
  1. Home
  2. Big Green Blog
  3. Hunting
  4. Upland
  5. Guide to Choosing Pheasant Loads for Your Next Hunt
Oct 1, 2025

Guide to Choosing Pheasant Loads for Your Next Hunt

Share on Social Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
Remington Contributor

Nothing gets your heart going quite like the cackle and the flurry of feathers from a big, flushing rooster. Every upland bird hunter knows the opportunity to make a harvest comes and goes fast. Banking your trust in your gear, especially your upland loads, is crucial when the time comes. Knowing the ins and outs of your gear can be the difference between a downed bird or a bird flying away unscathed. With pheasant season right around the corner, now’s the time to make sure your upland ammo matches your shotgun and is suitable for the environment you’ll be hunting in. 

This guide breaks down the key factors to consider: gauge, shot size, shot weight, velocity, and effective range so that you can head out with confidence and the right Remington pheasant loads in your vest. 

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Pheasant Ammo

Gauge Selection: Best 12-Gauge, 16-Gauge, and 20-Gauge Pheasant Loads 

12-Gauge Pheasant Loads: The workhorse and most popular shell of the upland hunting world. 12-gauge shells handle heavier payloads with ease and offer the hunter increased long-range knockdown power through greater retained energy in your shot. 

16-Gauge Pheasant Loads: The ol’ Sweet 16. Once the king of upland guns (arguably still), the sweet 16 is undoubtedly making a comeback. It strikes a lovely balance of pattern density and manageable recoil. Click here to learn more about the 16-gauge and its legacy. 

20-Gauge Pheasant Loads: Light, fast, and easy to carry all day. That is what the 20 gauge embodies. Perfect for youth hunters and those who value quick handling and softer recoil, without compromising effectiveness if the right load is selected. 

hunter holding pheasant with dog nearby

What’s the Best Shot Size for Pheasant Hunting? 

Choosing the best shot size for pheasant comes down to average range and bird behavior. Here’s a brief, broken-down list of how the most common options perform in the field: 

#4 Shot: The largest pellets you’ll find in a hunter's vest. #4’s carry significantly more energy over range due to their larger size, and they are effective at long-range shots or open country where birds may get up and gone in a flash. 

#5 Shot: The balanced and most common choice among hunters. #5’s strike a perfect balance between energy retention and still throwing an effective pattern up close. These are a great choice in most pheasant hunting conditions. 

#6 Shot: Smaller pellets with dense patterns. #6’s work excellent in thick cover or when birds flush close. 

hunters and dog in a frozen field

Why Shot Weight Matters for Pheasant Loads 

Shot weight (or payload) is measured in ounces and describes how many pellets are loaded in the hull of your shotshell. 

Lighter Loads (1 oz): Are typically easier on the shoulder, making follow-ups more accurate. A 1-oz Pheasant loads is most effective at shorter ranges or at longer ranges with a heavy metal. 

Heavier/magnum Loads (1 1/4 oz or more): Deliver denser patterns and stronger knockdown power. Magnum loads shine in the late season when nervous birds flush farther and fly faster. 

Product Spotlight: Remington Pheasant Loads are suitable for all of these occasions, with a wide array of payload options available. 

Velocity: The Role of Speed in Pheasant Ammo 

Velocity directly impacts pellet energy and how quick your pattern gets on game. 

High Velocity Pheasant Loads: Harder hits at long range, but with sharper recoil. 

Standard Velocity Pheasant Loads: Smooth shooting and reliable patterns, especially when most shots are inside 35 yards. 

Distance and Range Performance with Pheasant Shotgun Shells 

The range you expect to shoot often determines the best pheasant shotgun shells to carry. 

Short-Range (under 30 yards): Smaller shot sizes (#6, and even #7.5) paired with larger loads put more pellets in your pattern. Ideal for quick shots in thick cover. 

Best Remington Pheasant Loads for Every Hunt 

Remington offers two upland-specific shotshell lines designed with pheasant hunters in mind: 

Express Extra Long Range: A trusted classic, versatile, and affordable. Offered in multiple gauges and shot sizes, these shells are iconic for their performance in the upland field.      

Express Extra Long Range packaging

Remington Premier Royal Flush: Built with the highest velocities and premier Copper-Lok shot, these pheasant loads are ideal for longer ranges and big tough birds. This is the top choice when you need extra punch in open country or late-season conditions.    

Premier Royal Flush packaging

Both products uphold Remington’s commitment to quality and consistency. Ensuring hunters have confidence in their pheasant hunting shotshells every time they enter the field is Remington’s goal. 

Conclusion 

Every pheasant hunt is different, but selecting the correct shotgun ammo ensures you have the advantage, allowing you to fill limits and be effective. So next time you're in the market for a new upland gun, don’t just think about the gun itself. Consider what kind of upload loads you’ll put through it. Consider shell length, shot size, payload weight, velocity, and average range in mind.  

hunter shooting shotgun

Whether you rely on the proven performance of Remington Pheasant Loads and Express Extra Long Range, or the modern performance of Premier Royal Flush, you’ll be carrying pheasant loads engineered to deliver results when that big rooster jumps up.  

Buy Now
Buy Now
Buy Now

Explore Remington’s full line of pheasant loads and find the perfect shotgun ammo for your next hunt. 

Sign Up For Our Newsletter
  • facebook
  • youtube
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • tiktok
Remington Country Logo
Member of CSG Ammo+
Company
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • News
  • Remington Gun Club
  • How-To
International
  • Distributors
  • Deutsche
  • English
  • Español
  • Francais
  • Italian
Partners
  • Advocacy
  • Conservation
  • Education
Resources
  • Catalog
  • Law Enforcement
  • Industrial
  • Where To Buy
  • Ballistic AE App
  • Remington Firearms Website
Support
  • AccuTip Recall
  • Orders
  • Contact Us
  • Customer and Sales Support
  • FAQ
  • Safety Information
  • Warranty
  • Site Map
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
  • facebook
  • youtube
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • tiktok
Remington Country Logo
Member of CSG Ammo+
© Remington Ammunition. All Rights Reserved
  • Privacy Policy
  • Supply Chain Disclosure
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Info
  • Accessibility