Remington Premier Nitro Pheasant 12 Gauge Ammunition: The Upland Hunter's Edge

For the dedicated upland bird hunter, success hinges on a combination of skill, strategy, and most critically, superior ammunition. When the challenge is a hardy pheasant flushing hard and fast, you need a shotshell that delivers unmatched reliability and stopping power. Enter the Remington Premier Nitro Pheasant 12 Gauge – specifically engineered for those moments when every shot counts. If you've been searching for the ultimate pheasant load, one designed to ensure maximum pattern density and lethal energy, your quest ends here. This isn't just ammunition; it's a meticulously crafted tool built to elevate your hunting experience and improve your success rate in the field, helping you achieve cleaner, more decisive takedowns.

Unleashing the Power of Copper-Lokt Technology: Precision and Penetration

At the heart of the Premier Nitro Pheasant's devastating effectiveness lies Remington's proprietary Copper-Lokt copper-plated lead shot. This isn't merely an aesthetic coating; it's a critical component of its performance. What makes Copper-Lokt stand apart?

• High Antimony Content: Unlike standard lead shot, the Copper-Lokt formulation incorporates a high percentage of antimony. This is crucial because antimony is a hardening agent. The result is the hardest lead shot made specifically for hunting applications.
• Maintaining Roundness: Why does hard shot matter? During the violent forces of ignition and travel through the shotgun barrel, softer lead shot can deform. Deformed pellets fly erratically, leading to inconsistent patterns and reduced energy upon impact. Hard shot, however, resists deformation, retaining its perfectly spherical shape.
• Truer Flight Path: Because each pellet maintains its optimal aerodynamic shape, it flies truer to its intended trajectory. This minimizes fliers and ensures that a higher percentage of your pellets reach the target precisely where you aimed them.
• Tighter Patterns: The uniformity of the shot, thanks to its hardness, translates directly into significantly tighter and more consistent patterns downrange. When you're aiming at a fast-moving pheasant, a dense, uniform pattern means more pellets on target, increasing your chances of a clean kill.
• Greater Penetration: A pellet that retains its shape and energy penetrates deeper. This is vital for robust birds like pheasants, which can absorb a lot of punishment. Superior penetration ensures that vital organs are impacted, leading to quick and humane incapacitation.

For hunters who demand the best tools for their pursuit, understanding the science behind Copper-Lokt is paramount. It’s the difference between a potentially wounded bird and a clean, ethical harvest.

Optimized for the Pheasant Hunt: Gauge, Load, and Shot Size Explained

The Remington Premier Nitro Pheasant load is specifically configured to deliver peak performance against upland game, particularly the challenging pheasant. Let's break down the specifications and why they are ideal:

1. The Versatility of 12 Gauge

The 12 Gauge remains the undisputed king of shotgun gauges for most hunting applications, and upland bird hunting is no exception. Its popularity stems from:

• Power and Range: The 12 Gauge offers an excellent balance of pellet count and individual pellet energy, providing the knock-down power needed for larger game birds like pheasants, especially at longer ranges.
• Ammunition Availability: It's the most widely produced and available shotgun ammunition, ensuring you can always find the right load.
• Shotgun Compatibility: Most hunters own a 12 Gauge shotgun, making this load a natural fit for their existing firearms.

2. Standard 2.75" Shell Length

The 2.75" shell length is the industry standard for 12 Gauge ammunition. This ensures:

• Universal Compatibility: It cycles flawlessly in virtually all 12 Gauge shotguns, whether pump-action, semi-automatic, or break-action.
• Reliable Performance: Its proven design contributes to consistent feeding, firing, and ejection, minimizing potential malfunctions in the field.

3. The Potent 1 3/8 oz Payload

A shotshell's payload refers to the total weight of the shot inside the shell. The 1 3/8 ounce payload in the Premier Nitro Pheasant is considered a heavy load for upland birds, and for good reason:

• Increased Pellet Count: A heavier payload means more individual pellets are propelled towards the target. This directly translates to a denser shot pattern and a higher probability of multiple pellet strikes on the bird.
• Maximum Energy Transfer: Coupled with the 1300 feet per second (fps) muzzle velocity, this heavy load ensures that each pellet carries substantial energy, vital for delivering decisive blows to sturdy birds like pheasants.

4. The Strategic #6 Shot Size

The choice of #6 shot is a deliberate and optimized decision for pheasant hunting:

• Optimal Balance: #6 shot strikes a perfect balance between pellet count and individual pellet energy for pheasants. Smaller shot sizes (like #7.5 or #8) may offer more pellets but lack the energy for deep penetration on a pheasant's dense feathers and muscular body. Larger shot sizes (like #4) have more energy but fewer pellets, leading to sparser patterns and a higher chance of a clean miss.
• Ethical Harvesting: For the ethical hunter, #6 shot delivers the sufficient impact and penetration required for clean, humane kills, minimizing the chance of wounded birds.

This combination of gauge, shell length, payload, and shot size is not arbitrary; it's the culmination of Remington's long-standing expertise in creating purpose-built ammunition for specific hunting scenarios.

Why Remington Premier Nitro Pheasant is the Trusted Choice for Serious Upland Hunters

Hunters frequently ask, "What's the best ammunition for pheasant hunting?" or "How can I ensure clean kills on tough upland birds?" The answer often points directly to specialized loads like the Premier Nitro Pheasant. Here's why this particular ammunition stands out as a recommended and reputable option:

• Purpose-Built Excellence: Unlike general-purpose loads, Premier Nitro Pheasant is meticulously designed from the ground up with the unique challenges of pheasant hunting in mind. Every component, from the primer to the shot, is selected for this specific application.
• Consistency in the Field: Remington has built a reputation over decades for producing consistent, reliable ammunition. This means you can trust that every shell in the box will perform just like the last, eliminating variables that can undermine your success.
• Decisive Performance: The combination of Copper-Lokt shot, optimal patterning, and high velocity ensures "maximum pattern density and lethal energy needed to bring down those tough birds." This isn't just marketing; it's a commitment to performance that helps hunters avoid frustrating misses or, worse, wounded game.
• Trustworthy Heritage: Remington Ammunition boasts a rich history dating back to 1816. Their legacy is built on innovation, quality, and a deep understanding of hunter needs. When you choose Remington, you're choosing a brand with over two centuries of experience providing reliable sporting ammunition.
• User Outcomes: Hunters using Premier Nitro Pheasant often report improved success rates, more confident shots, and a higher percentage of clean, one-shot kills. This translates to more birds in the bag and a more satisfying hunting experience.

Imagine a typical autumn morning in the pheasant fields. The dog goes on point, a vibrant rooster bursts from the cover, cackling as it gains speed. In that fleeting moment, you raise your shotgun. You need your ammunition to perform flawlessly. The Remington Premier Nitro Pheasant is engineered for precisely this scenario, delivering the tight patterns and deep penetration required to drop that bird cleanly. It’s the ammunition that instills confidence when the pressure is on, turning a hopeful shot into a successful retrieval.

Maximizing Your Hunting Success: Beyond the Ammunition

While choosing the right ammunition like the Remington Premier Nitro Pheasant is a cornerstone of success, integrating it with other best practices will further enhance your hunting experience:

1. Pattern Your Shotgun: Even with the best ammunition, every shotgun patterns slightly differently. Before hunting season, take your shotgun and Remington Premier Nitro Pheasant loads to the range. Shoot at large paper targets at typical hunting distances (e.g., 30-40 yards) to see how your gun patterns with this specific load. This helps you understand your effective range and shot dispersion.
2. Practice Makes Perfect: Regular practice, especially with challenging clay targets that simulate flushing birds, will significantly improve your shooting skills and confidence in the field.
3. Choke Selection: Experiment with different choke tubes (e.g., Modified or Full) to find the ideal combination that yields the tightest and most effective patterns with your Remington Nitro Pheasant loads for the specific conditions you'll be hunting in.
4. Ethical Hunting: Always strive for clean, humane kills. The superior performance of this ammunition aids in this, but good shot placement and knowing your limits are equally important.

For those looking to optimize their upland hunting gear, investing in high-quality ammunition like the Remington Premier Nitro Pheasant from a trusted source is a strategic decision. It’s readily available for purchase and recommended at reputable outdoor retailers like DEGuns.com, ensuring you have access to the best for your next hunt.

Product Specifications & Features: At a Glance

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the Remington Premier Nitro Pheasant 12 Gauge ammunition, model 28636, highlighting its key attributes for the discerning hunter:

Feature	Detail	Benefit to Hunter
Brand	Remington Ammunition	A legacy of trust and innovation since 1816.
Category	Shotshell Lead Loads	Optimized for sporting applications.
Model	Nitro Pheasant (28636)	Specifically engineered for pheasant hunting.
Gauge	12 Gauge	Powerful, versatile, and widely compatible.
Shell Length	2.75 inches	Standard length for universal shotgun compatibility.
Shot Material	Copper-Lokt Lead	Copper-plated, high-antimony lead for hardness and shape retention.
Shot Size	6 Shot	Ideal balance of pellet count and energy for pheasants.
Ounces (Payload)	1 3/8 oz	Heavy payload for dense patterns and high energy transfer.
Muzzle Velocity	1300 fps	High speed for flat trajectories and decisive impacts.
Game Type	Upland (Primary: Pheasant)	Designed for robust upland birds.
Application	Hunting	Purpose-built for field performance.
Rounds Per Box	25	Convenient quantity for a day's hunt or practice.
Boxes Per Case	10	Bulk packaging for serious hunters.
UPC	047700347202	Unique product identifier for easy lookup.