>>63939885NTA, you're exactly right, any shell would benefit from higher density shot.
That said, I don't agree the 10ga is obsolete at all. It patterns better than a 12ga with larger volumes of shot. An 8ga would be better still, but sadly we can't use those for hunting waterfowl because of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Fact is that shot patterns work best when the shot column is roughly "square" in shape, or about as long as it is in diameter. That's about 1-1/8 or 1-1/4oz in a 12ga, for example. Load a lot more than than that in a 12ga, especially if it's lower density steel shot, and the patterns start to get denser in the center. Vice-versa is also true, a very light load like 1/2 oz in a 12ga results in donut shaped patterns with a lot of holes in the center. Ideally, the gauge of the gun should be picked based on the amount of shot you want to fire. If you're shooting 5/8 or 3/4oz loads at small birds at close range then a 28ga is ideal. If you're shooting 2-1/2oz loads at high-flying geese then you'd really want an 8ga, a 10 will be passable, 12 will suck.
