The Best Duck Load?

[HuntnCoug]

I normally shoot the cheap stuff, faststeel 1oz 1/8 2s. Recently I have been trying the Blackclouds in 2 and 4 shot, they seem to do pretty well. I would appreciate any other recomendations.

[baltz526]

the fast steel 3" 1 1/8oz of #2's, the heavy steel 3" 1 1/8oz #2's. or reload

[H2Ofuzz]

Dont wast your money buy Kent faststeel at Bi mart $10.98 a box and they kill them just as dead if you hit them.

[merrile]

Honestly, I have better luck with Estate Loads. They aren't as cheap but pretty good. I did rip the chest open on a goose last saturday with a number 2 load of kent all purpose.

[Bait Bucket]

Best load depends on which shotgun I'm using.

[H2Ofuzz]

I have never shot the Kent All purpose how do you like them.

[DogZilla15]

Kent Fast-Steel doesn't shoot worth a darn out of my Browning Invector-Plus barrel.

[steelheadslayer]

Dogzilla,
I have the exact opposite results. The Fasteels out of my Invector plus barrels with factory modified flat out rocks ducks and geese regardless of the load. I have added a Kicks High Flyer mod tube to the gun and it also has excellent results.

As far as duck loads, I've hammered em with 3" 4's, 3's and 2's. It depends on the time of year and the shots I'm presented. My best all around load has been 3" 3's, either Kent Fasteel or Federal Speed Shok steel.

[tjgorge]

winchester used to make a low base #2 load I loved. the #1 thing is to shoot at decoying Ducks and Geese. It doesnt take much in the way of loads if everyone would let birds decoy.

[sidewinder]

I really like the #2 or 4 heavy steel, but I mostly shoot the win experts. My new SBE 2 does'nt seem to like them, and thats a bummer because I have a s*&%$ load I want to shoot up. I'm sure the kid will have no problem taking care of that for me.

[Nw dukn]

Kent fast-steel #2 or #3's

[merrile]

It was pretty good. I pretty much suck at shooting anways!

Originally Posted by H2Ofuzz

I have never shot the Kent All purpose how do you like them.

[nevermiss]

The last few years I've had very good luck with 3" #4 steel, usually Hevi Steel. Not for geese, mind you, but ducks. I shoot this out of an I/C barrel, and it kills like champions.

[DogZilla15]

Steelheadslayer:

Yea, I want to do some pattern work because I seem to be the only one who really dislikes the stuff.

[jnicholson]

I tried two boxes of 3 1/2" #3 Kent Fast Steel last week in the snow and ice. It worked real well on geese and Mallards. It knocked down my biggest ever honker at 30 yards dead. There definately was a lot more whallup coming out of the SX3 than my standard 2 3/4" and 3" loads. I like feeling the gun in my shoulder a little bit. They cycled well too.

John and Bucky

[daleysmith45]

I just got a Benelli Nova for christmas, now i can shoot 3 1/2 in too!

[steelheadslayer]

Originally Posted by DogZilla15

Steelheadslayer:

Yea, I want to do some pattern work because I seem to be the only one who really dislikes the stuff.

The surprising thing is I've, God forbid, never patterned my gun. I just have better luck with some shells over others. I find a shell my gun likes and try and stick with it. Like I said, I haven't ever had issues with Kents, but I do know many that have bad results with em. Kinda hard to figure why when one guy has good luck with a shell and others bad out of the same gun.

jnicholson,
How you liking the SX3? This is my second season and I juts cleaned it for the first time this season. Thsi year it has gotten lots of use. I knew getting a pup this year would get me out more.

[jnicholson]

jnicholson,
How you liking the SX3? This is my second season and I juts cleaned it for the first time this season. Thsi year it has gotten lots of use. I knew getting a pup this year would get me out more.

This is my first full season. I love it. Last weekend was the first time I had any problems. There were a couple times there was so much snow and ice in the gun the third 3 1/2" shell would not cycle completely in. I had to nudge it in and knock the ice out. Can't really complain about that. At one point it was completely submerged and continued to shoot with out problems in 20 degree weather.

I clean mine everytime though. If it's a coast shoot I rinse it thouroughly and wipe dry and use the air compressor to blow dry. Then I pull cleaner Hoppe's Elite through the barrell a couple times with the bore snake and spray the action and brush any rust spots. Then I blow it dry with the compresor again. After that I spray the whole gun with oil and blow and towell the excess off again. Ocassionally,I take it completely down completely and do the same. Any salt water and you've got to take the time.

For local hunts I don't do the initial rinse. Everything is in place in my garage so the process is fairly quick.

John

[007SPRIG]

Home rolled. 1 1/4oz #5 extra hard lead, 31.5 grains of Herco, Remington Power Piston wad, Winchester AA hull, Federal 209 primers. It was quite the punishing load.

[wapiteaser]

Originally Posted by 007SPRIG

Home rolled. 1 1/4oz #5 extra hard lead, 31.5 grains of Herco, Remington Power Piston wad, Winchester AA hull, Federal 209 primers. It was quite the punishing load.

[nevermiss]

I also have a 3 1/2" 12 gauge, but have never used/needed those extralong shells for any bird hunting. I do not hunt geese much, so that could be the difference.

[billc_sbio]

Originally Posted by DogZilla15

Kent Fast-Steel doesn't shoot worth a darn out of my Browning Invector-Plus barrel.

Just a thought...

It might be the Choke Tube/s

My shotgun with the factory RemChoke Tubes shoots entirely differently than it does using Carlson Extended Steel Shot Tubes.

For me the Carlson's work so much BETTER, it seems like it's a different gun!

You might try something like that?

[billc_sbio]

Originally Posted by 007SPRIG

Home rolled. 1 1/4oz #5 extra hard lead, 31.5 grains of Herco, Remington Power Piston wad, Winchester AA hull, Federal 209 primers. It was quite the punishing load.

W-W AA 12 Hulls (the old CF style)

W-W 209 Primers

1-3/8 oz. Hi-Antimony Lead #5s

Rem SP-12 cups

36.0g Blue Dot.

= Ded Duks!

[billc_sbio]

Originally Posted by daleysmith45

I just got a Benelli Nova for christmas, now i can shoot 3 1/2 in too!

For Geese using BIG pellets, FINE!

For eveything else...FORGET IT!

Waste of $$$, will kick you HARDER than it does what you're shooting at.

You'll develop a flinch and won't hit a thing!

Just sayin...

[HuntnCoug]

Estate makes a 3" 1oz and a 1/4 load that is really cheap, they seem like they hit a lot harder then the faststeel. Does 1 1/8 vs 1 1/4 make that big of a difference?

[billc_sbio]

Originally Posted by HuntnCoug

Estate makes a 3" 1oz and a 1/4 load that is really cheap, they seem like they hit a lot harder then the faststeel. Does 1 1/8 vs 1 1/4 make that big of a difference?

"Hitting" energy is something that can usually be observed on BOTH ends!

Usually, with Steel, they can pump up the velocity IF they drop back on the pellet weight a bit. (Ususally it's 1/8 oz.)

Those faster pellets have more energy PER Pellet. (But there's fewer of them)

IF they can somehow up the speed on a heavier load, you'll definitely feel the difference!

[arkansasbasser]

Gettem down over the dekes and you can shoot 2 3/4 shells.

[Wingman Or.]

"The best load" is the one the person shooting it is most confident with. One thing to always keep in mind is there is not to many waterfowl loads out there that are not lethal on ducks inside 30 yards. After that it comes down to pattern & retained energy. The best way to kill more ducks is to shoot them hovering over the decoys.

[namu mac]

Originally Posted by 007SPRIG

Home rolled. 1 1/4oz #5 extra hard lead, 31.5 grains of Herco, Remington Power Piston wad, Winchester AA hull, Federal 209 primers. It was quite the punishing load.

I remember those loads. Those were the good old days,except we used to put all that into a Federal paper hull instead of the AA.

[lentz]

I usually shoot Kent Faststeel 3" #2. I bought a box of Winchester Xpert 3" #3 and i really like them. I use them on the small river at short distances and they have been knocking them over pretty good.

[SImudBogger]

Originally Posted by lentz

I usually shoot Kent Faststeel 3" #2. I bought a box of Winchester Xpert 3" #3 and i really like them. I use them on the small river at short distances and they have been knocking them over pretty good.

My gun shoots both of those loads really well. The winchster #3's are the best for me

[duckasleep]

whatevers cheapest and shoot em twice

[duckkillerclyde]

hevi shot 2 is my choice but with the cheapest you can find you don't feel so bad takin chances. you never know untill you try. i have heard that T is for teal. try that. lol

[Sailhuntfish]

I shoot the Kent Faststeel.
Very important to pattern your gun. I learned the hard way. The spendy stuff doesn't alway shoot the best; the converse applies as well.

C

[jokester]

Originally Posted by Wingman Or.

"The best load" is the one the person shooting it is most confident with. One thing to always keep in mind is there is not to many waterfowl loads out there that are not lethal on ducks inside 30 yards. After that it comes down to pattern & retained energy. The best way to kill more ducks is to shoot them hovering over the decoys.

Couldn't have said it better myself...

I shoot 3" 1 1/4oz Estate Steel #4's for 3 reasons: it's cheap, I am confident with it, and I shoot ducks inside 40 yards. You can ask the guys I hunt with...I don't even pick up the gun if the shot is over 40 yds. I like 'em close. If you get 'em over the dekes, shooting becomes that much easier

-jokester

[salmonslayer204]

Biggest you can get. 3 1/2" T shot in Kent or federal. Just blast 'em! Extra full steel choke too! That way if geese come over you can get them too.

GO COUGS!!!

[Timber]

1 1/8th oz home cooked three's at fifteen hundred fps.

[sidewinder]

Win xpert #2 or #4's over the decoys.

[JD Danberg]

Kent faststeel #2 and BB are my favorite. You can still get it done with the cheap stuff.