Best Waterfowl Ammo

[WidgeonWacker]

What is the best all around waterfowl ammo?

[willametteriveroutlaw]

Kent FastSteel

[Boatdog]

Great Thread!!!!

I've been wondering the same thing in the last couple of weeks.
Unfortunately, the top shelf stuff sure is expensive for 10 shots!
What is an above average, affordable shell for Ducks? :whazzup: [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

I've been buying REM Nitro Steel 3" Mag #2 and REM Sportsman Hi Speed 3" Steel #2.

[img]graemlins/lurk.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/lurk.gif[/img]

[Flatfish]

Steel, 3s or 2s. 4s on little ducks.

1400fps plus.

Lead the duck.

Mark and the whatever is close, patterns well, and is on end of season closeout sale price dog.

[willametteriveroutlaw]

I get fast steel on sale @ bimart for ~8.00 a box and @ 1500fps knocks the crap out of em (even @ distance).

[Erich_870]

All I have to say is that I love the smell of Remingtons, mmmm. I'm not a shell expert, but I have grown up with Remingtons and they just smell like home :smile:

[Boatdog]

OK, so all of you that voted 'OTHER', would you please be so kind as to help me (I'm a rookie) [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img] and let me know what you are using? [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

Thanks a duck....er much...

Team Cast and Blast will be shooting Friday!

[FishOrDie]

I am a fan of the Kent Fasteel, I have had good results using the stuff. It is still steel so it won't reach out and touch much, I am not comfortable shooting steel over 60 yds or so, but within that range it is deadly. I Use BB for Geese and 3 or 4 when firing at ducks. If I go somewhere with both (which is fairly common) I run #2.
Other brands I have tried with pretty good success are:
Remington, Federal, and with ducks the cheap PMC stuff worked if you shot within 50yds.


That is my synopsis of what I have experienced.


my $.02

[SLEDDER]

Kent fast steel, or Hevi shot

[Fish Hawg]

I have shot Remington over 5 years and never had one problem. Also the shell bag has fell in the water several times . Never had a Dud....Ross

[Fishfaced]

Be careful about getting Kent wet. I had three missfires today. I had it in a dry box in the blind and I was down to the bottom the box. They had been in there all season. Not as smart of an idea as I thought it was. Other than that Kent Faststeel 3" #4 have done ok by me.

[ICHTHYDEMON]

My vote is for Hevi-shot. I hadn't tried it until this year,and let me tell ya' that stuff is AWESOME! The only down side is the cost. If you buy it from the HS website,you can sign up for their discount pricing,and then its not AS bad,but it still hurts. I look at it this way.If I can afford a new boat,and truck and all the latest gear,I can pony up the cost of some HS.

[KingFisher85]

I have not shot the hevi shot or any of that other high dollar stuff but Kent or Federal all the way.
Never been one to like the remington shot. Its a shame when you can tell one load is weaker then the other and both shells came out of the same box. But don't get me wrong, I'm still gonna buy a box of the Remington Hevi-Shot cause at $15-20 bucks a box, it better be good.
Bet the hevi-shot 3 1/2in BB would work on turkeys....

[ 01-14-2004, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: KingFisher85 ]

[shawn2010]

I wouldn't use BB on turkeys use(#4,#5). I also wouldn't use hevi shot when lead is much cheaper.

[nitrobass]

I pretty much think Kent is atrocious....at least in my guns. It patterns awful. Speed does kill with steel but pattern density is what breaks wings..

[Critr Gitr]

Ducks
3" Kent Fasteel 1 1/8 oz #2/#4
3" Winchester Dry-Lock (1550fps) 1 1/8 oz #2/#4

Geese (tough ducks)
3 1/2" Kent Fasteel 1 3/8oz #2s
3 1/2" Winchester Xpert Hi-VEL 1 3/8oz #2s (1550fps)
OR
3 1/2" Federal reload 1 3/8 oz #1s 43g STEEL powder

All these loads are moving @ over 1500fps - SPEED KILLS ......... :smile:

[KingFisher85]

Thanks shawn2010
I've never turkey hunted before but want to.

[snit]

I classify the "best" as the most affordable "bang for my buck". This to me is the cheapest, yet still dependable STEEL on the market. I've been shootin' steel since '88, and I shoot quite a few ducks a year too (over 200 mallards a year on average, except for the last 2 years). We really went through a learning curve in the early years, as the R&D was still in it's infantincy, so I've tried them all (stel that is), and I decided you had to go bigger, much bigger and faster in your shotshell selection.

In the mid 90's I settled on Estate or PMC 2 3/4", 1 1/4oz of BB's. I was buying it by the 1/2 pallet from Kesselrings for about$55.00/case. The last time I bought was in '02 and I paid $65.00/case for 15 cases, as I waited until hunting season started, but that's still cheap shootin at $6.50/box. Don't let the BB's fool ya, there's still plenty available per shell, the "shock factor" is amazing, and it just flat-out stands the birds on their beaks!!!! Very few cripples, and when shooting an improved cylinder choke (really about .015 constriction), I still comfortably dump ducks at 50 yards if I do my part.

I hunt big water, with lots of deeks and good dogs, so we loose very few cripples as it is, but with the larger shot (and fast shels for more energy) you don't have very many follow up shots, thus "more bang for your buck" again. I've never felt the need to try the "super" shells, ie anything other than steel, but I've seen it perform well too, but not good enough for me to change. Hope this helps, now we just need some ducks around these parts :smile: !

[Steeliehunter]

Fedral Tungsten Iron 2's for geese and 4's or 6's in Tungsten Polymer.

[James in Idaho]

Kent Faststeel in # 3's, 2 3/4, 1 1/16 oz load. Geese, ducks, and pheasants. $7.99 a box. My O/U doesn't have 3" chambers, and is fixed chokes at somewhere between imp and mod on top (had the full bored out), and mod on the bottom. I'm almost starting to think lead shoots "funny" now.

[MN Guy]

Hevi Shot #6 for ducks over decoys

[skahorse]

For $10 a box, i like the Federal Speed Shok (Blue box). Sizes BB - 4, depending on what you are shooting, and what ranges. I've shot a little of the Kent Fasteel, No. 2 and seem to have decent results. Can't complain about $5.99 a box when on sale!

--Skahorse

[id. painter]

Pattern your gun with the different brands and loads you may shoot . You will find the right load . It isnt price,,,, its all in the pattern.
id. painter

[Dr Strangelove]

My choices for waterfowl are in order of preference:
Hevishot #4-6, 2.75-3"
Kent Tungsten Matrix #3-5, 2.75-3"
Kent Fasteel BB-#4, 3-3.5"
Ranges of shot and length depend on 12 vs 20ga, ducks vs geese, and whatever I have.

[Gun Rod Bow]

Kent Fasteel 3" 1 1/8 oz #2 for ducks and BB for geese. I've been very impressed with it this year.

I have some Hevi shot but it is noticably slower and I have better results not switching back and forth on speeds. When you hit with Hevi Shot it really whaps 'em, but I find myself shooting behind on first shot and having to see more lead with it.

I shoot a Browning Gold witch is .740 bores and their "full" choke (which is actually about .025 constriction) has a nice tight pattern.

I've had some big geese at 50-60 yds and "stoned 'em" with body shoots and very good penetration. BTW I shot Remington Nitro Steel 3" 1 1/8 oz BB's last year and find very similar performance to Kent, but Kent is way cheeper.

[ 01-15-2004, 09:25 PM: Message edited by: Gun Rod Bow ]