Shot 8.5s from 2015 thru 2022. Finally got tired of fliers in the breasts or even the legs. Did a ton of experimenting on the range and 8s had less fliers in my set up and just a few less pellets in the 10" at 50 yards. The 8s definitely held tighter between 40 and 50 with less stray pellets. I'm not worried about 350 pellets in a circle at 40 yards. I'd much rather have a larger pellet with more energy to punch on through the breast, be more easy to find in the breast, and not have to worry about those tiny fliers elsewhere we may end up biting into.

Cliffs: I think more folks should give 8s or 8.5s a try, especially if shooting heavier payloads/12ga