I've organized a quail hunt with a few friends at a preserve I've been to a few times. Weather permitting, late October will be the hunt.
Since this is my really first serious quail hunt, I've got a question about shot size and choke.

My plan was to use either my O/U 20ga, or a SxS 16...either shooting a 1oz load, #8 shot. While the 20 is a screw choke gun, the 16 is not. the 16 is IC-M
20, well I was going to shoot open-I/C .

Only other gun option would be a 12, loaded with dove loads, in an 8 or 7.5. chokes, skeet/skeet

Am I correct in choke and shot load, and don't need extra fillings in my teeth, nor do I birdburgers instead of bird.

Thanks in advance.

It has been a long time since I've had a "huntable" population of quail here. This year looks bad too. Of the three mentioned, I would use the 20 or 16 over the 12 with the loads you specified.

I "vote" the 16 if you can hit with it. 20 is next. 12 is out!

Cheezywan

Any of them will work Chris. The small shot and open chokes work well. If your working with the IC and M choke will work, but give them a little breathing room or you will really fluff them when you shoot with it.

When I was a young guy you had to shoot a bunch of them to make a meal. Used to ground sluice them, but that was in the 60's and much frowned upon besides being illegal now. I just smash the breasts with a big cleaver and use a milk egg wash and dip them in cracker crumbs and deep fry them, whooee is that good.

Assuming you are hunting bobwhite quail over dogs and they are pen raised, released birds, then you are on the mark with the 20 or 16. I would opt for the one that you like and can handle the best. Shot sizes and chokes are fine. I'd even consider #9's but certainly no more than #8. Wild birds, maybe 7 1/2 but not on pen-raised.

You could get by with a 12, 1oz #8 at 1200fps or less would be about same as hvy 20 ga load but I too would go with the 16 or 20. I used to hunt wild quail with an L C Smith LW 12, IC/M. Later I went to the 20 and hunt released birds with a Ruger RL, fixed chokes IC/M... wish I had more open choke than Modified. One long time quail hunter that I knew, now gone to the promised land, used an A-5 light 20 with skeet barrel and Winchester High-Brass #9. He was the best quail shot I ever saw.

With pen raised birds, don't shoot to fast or you'll have burger.

You'll have a great time! A quail hunt with good friends is a grand way to spend a half-day or more.

Sorry, should have mentioned that;

the birds are pen raised, but free ranging, allowed out every day, and they return at night...[well, some do].
Cheezy,
while I am a fan of the 16, it really was my first choice. My other choice, if I have the time to get the barrel to Briley and back, is an 1148 Rem in 16....fun gun, but it is choked full.....and not the first choice for this type of hunt. My plan is to have it thin wall choked by Briley, and go skeet choke for the bobs....IF it gets back in time.

Then I thought it might be a real challenge with a pump 16 too.....

I've never been around pen raised birds before. I can't recomend a load for that. When the population is up, will sometimes bust a covey while pheasant hunting. I did ok with a heavy 16 gauge load of #6 on the wild ones.

You have a dandy selection of firearms for the purpose.

Cheezywan

Open choke, sounds like you'll be close. All the quail I've shot over a dog started out close, although they leave in a hurry!

I always used 8s in a 12 ga., and found that when shooting the occasional rabbit (to prevent the dog from taking off), they still did the job for that as well.

A 28 ga. SxS is ideal, but lacking that I would go 20 ga., with IC/M chokes, and 3/4 ounce of #8 shot. Should be gracious plenty for preserve birds. Enjoy your outing. You are going after the premier upland game bird in the land in my opinion.

A 28 ga. SxS is ideal, but lacking that I would go 20 ga., with IC/M chokes, and 3/4 ounce of #8 shot. Should be gracious plenty for preserve birds. Enjoy your outing. You are going after the premier upland game bird in the land in my opinion.

I agree. Using a small gauge for quail projects an image of "Class" or "Expertise" to the other hunters.