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I usually reload my shotgun shells but right now you can just about buy shotgun shells cheaper than you can reload them. So this year I have been shooting estate shells. Estate shotgun shells have been running around $32.50-$35.00 a case (10 boxes). Lead shot has been extremely high priced $21.00-$25.00 for 25lbs. so I haven't been reloading 12 guage. The gun shop I buy from said that China is buying up a lot of our raw materials including lead which has been driving the lead prices up. I just bought another 8 cases of Estate 12 guage 1 oz. 7.5 shot for skeet and 16-22 yard trap and 2 cases of handicap 12 guage 1 1/8 7.5 shot for shooting trap greater than 22 yards. If you are shooting less than 22 yards in trap and your not breaking the targets with 1 oz loads of 7.5 or 8 shot than your not on them. I would recommend shooting a modified choke for trap less than 22 yards and tightening the choke up for longer than 22 yards. For pheasants I usually shoot 1 1/8 oz - 1 1/4 oz 7.5 shot. I'm usually hunting over a pair of brittany spaniels so most of the shots are less than thiry yards. If your average shots are over thirty yards you could load up 1 1/4 oz 5 or 6 shot. Having said that, I personally will shoot 1 1/4 oz 7.5 shot late season because I tend to have less cripples due to denser shot patterns. Why? Because your more likely to get a neck/head shot verses just breaking a wing. I prefer to walk up to a bird flopping on the ground than to try to run down a wing shot bird. I would recommend you take your pheasant loads and pattern them at 30 and 40 yards to determine what loads and choke work best in your gun. I also like 7.5 shot because if a covey of quail or partridge get up you have the denser pattern needed to hit them. As far as specific shotgun loads I would recommend following a reloading book for specific powder weights with the various loads. I have been using Unique powder for my 20 guage 7/8 oz skeet loads with AA hulls, AA wads and winchester primers. My 12 guage loads use red dot powder, claybuster wads, AA hulls and winchester primers. Hope this helps.