Black cloud

[lokidog]

I just fired a Black Cloud round for the first time yesterday, hammered a goose (out of the air no less  ) with #3 shot at 25-30 yards, not even a twitch.  My secound round was BBs and I had to finish that goose off with a second shot.  I'm using a Carlson's Ultra Crio Skeet .720 which has been giving me really tight patterns out of my Benelli Nova with my mish mash of mixed shotshell varieties.

One shot is not much of a sample though so I look forward to trying it more.    

[sakoshooter]

I just fired a Black Cloud round for the first time yesterday, hammered a goose (out of the air no less  ) with #3 shot at 25-30 yards, not even a twitch.  My secound round was BBs and I had to finish that goose off with a second shot.  I'm using a Carlson's Ultra Crio Skeet .720 which has been giving me really tight patterns out of my Benelli Nova with my mish mash of mixed shotshell varieties.

One shot is not much of a sample though so I look forward to trying it more.   

I shot a nice fat greater Canada day after Christmas at about 25 yds with a 2 3/4", 1oz  #7 steel load I keep handy for snipe and cripples. Head shot on the ground since it wouldn't fly. Surprised him with the canoe as we came around a corner. He hid in the tall grass instead of flying. He had plenty of time to take off as my gun was in a case and I had to find a shell in my wader pocket. At that kind of yardage, anything will work.

[fowl smacker]

I've hunted waterfowl for 17 years now, I've tried nearly every shell on the market.  The best bird dropping dead shell is heavy metal, a close second is black cloud (which is what I usually shoot).  I shoot an extrema 2 with the Carlson's BC long range choke and I rarely ever have cripples.  I am also an avid reloader and have tried tons of made up loads, you can't match the performance for the price on either heavy metal or black cloud, yes you could load a tungsten, but it's super spendy and doesn't save you any $.  Plain ol' steel SUCKS, yes Kent will kill ducks and geese fine to 30 yds, but you do get more cripples.  My two cents is that BC is worth every penny especially the deals Rogers has on a case.

[scottcrb]

I have a supernova and shoot 3" #2 and bb black clouds and use a Carlson black cloud mid range choke and have had great performance . Haven't shot much of the hevi shot stuff but the Kent is probably my second choice. Only problem with the black cloud stuff is the damage it can cause at closer ranges. Hits hard knocks em dead.

[Blacktail135]

 I shoot an old Remington 870 with a rusty factory I.C. choke. The gun get's tossed in the back of the old rusty truck bed after the hunt where it may stay for day's. Sometimes I may put a little bit of oil on the rail's. I shoot Federal red box 12 ga. 3" #4 steel. Quite often I have to let the duck's get away a little bit before I shoot. If your on the X spot, let your decoy's do their job, are brushed in good, be still, don't blow'em out with your Kazoo call and a decent shot all this other "Whompass Kill'em Mile High" stuff is not only a waste of money but, seeding a whole new generation of SHOOTERS instead of hunters.

[sakoshooter]

I shoot an old Remington 870 with a rusty factory I.C. choke. The gun get's tossed in the back of the old rusty truck bed after the hunt where it may stay for day's. Sometimes I may put a little bit of oil on the rail's. I shoot Federal red box 12 ga. 3" #4 steel. Quite often I have to let the duck's get away a little bit before I shoot. If your on the X spot, let your decoy's do their job, are brushed in good, be still, don't blow'em out with your Kazoo call and a decent shot all this other "Whompass Kill'em Mile High" stuff is not only a waste of money but, seeding a whole new generation of SHOOTERS instead of hunters.

Other than the loving care you put into your gun, I agree with you Blacktail on the rest of what you said. But I prefer #2's later in the season for those heavily feathered birds and those that hang out a bit.

[duckmen1]

I try not to shoot over 40 yards with a lot of my shots 20 to 30. Once in a while when I jump shoot I might be shooting out to 50 yards. The last group of mallards we shot at we dropped two about 50 yards with the Hevimetal bb. That stuff is awesome. But getting more expensive.
Hevi metal plus kicks choke equals awesome.

[JustinC15]

Ive tried the regular federal waterfowl loads, Kent, and Blackcloud. and i can say for sure, i've killed more ducks with Blackcloud than any other load. i wont buy anything else to kill ducks besides Blackcloud 3in 3's.

[martin1]

i just tried heavy metal the other day and im very impressed, not only does it pattern good with my sbe2 and code black goose pattern master works great on divers both passing and decoying..

[sakoshooter]

Great combo there Martin1 - A Patternmaster choke and Heavy Metal shells.

[PA BEN]

I shoot an old Remington 870 with a rusty factory I.C. choke. The gun get's tossed in the back of the old rusty truck bed after the hunt where it may stay for day's. Sometimes I may put a little bit of oil on the rail's. I shoot Federal red box 12 ga. 3" #4 steel. Quite often I have to let the duck's get away a little bit before I shoot. If your on the X spot, let your decoy's do their job, are brushed in good, be still, don't blow'em out with your Kazoo call and a decent shot all this other "Whompass Kill'em Mile High" stuff is not only a waste of money but, seeding a whole new generation of SHOOTERS instead of hunters.

2 times this season I hunting over decoys shooting Winchester and Remington 3", #4's I noticed I was missing a lot of birds and the ones I did get were all shot too hell. I shoot an Improved cylinder choke. I was thinking with 3" my shot was too fast (1550 FPS, 1-1/8 oz, steel) and not opening up soon enough between 20 and 35 yds. Yesterday when the ducks started showing up at this one hole we hunted over decoys I decided to use Federal 2 3/4" # 4's, (1375 FPS, 1-1/8 oz, steel). First round I shot a triple. All between 30 and 35 yds. Second round was a jump shoot, I had my hens so I needed drakes. I picked a drake at around 30 yds folded him, second drake folded him, third drake folded him. Last drake was over 35 yds. Before anyone asks I haven't patterned my new shotgun yet. Got it for my birthday in November. I'm beginning to think 3" is a little overrated just like 3 1/2" are. BTW, none of the birds were shot to hell. 

[sakoshooter]

I shoot an old Remington 870 with a rusty factory I.C. choke. The gun get's tossed in the back of the old rusty truck bed after the hunt where it may stay for day's. Sometimes I may put a little bit of oil on the rail's. I shoot Federal red box 12 ga. 3" #4 steel. Quite often I have to let the duck's get away a little bit before I shoot. If your on the X spot, let your decoy's do their job, are brushed in good, be still, don't blow'em out with your Kazoo call and a decent shot all this other "Whompass Kill'em Mile High" stuff is not only a waste of money but, seeding a whole new generation of SHOOTERS instead of hunters.

2 times this season I hunting over decoys shooting Winchester and Remington 3", #4's I noticed I was missing a lot of birds and the ones I did get were all shot too hell. I shoot an Improved cylinder choke. I was thinking with 3" my shot was too fast (1550 FPS, 1-1/8 oz, steel) and not opening up soon enough between 20 and 35 yds. Yesterday when the ducks started showing up at this one hole we hunted over decoys I decided to use Federal 2 3/4" # 4's, (1375 FPS, 1-1/8 oz, steel). First round I shot a triple. All between 30 and 35 yds. Second round was a jump shoot, I had my hens so I needed drakes. I picked a drake at around 30 yds folded him, second drake folded him, third drake folded him. Last drake was over 35 yds. Before anyone asks I haven't patterned my new shotgun yet. Got it for my birthday in November. I'm beginning to think 3" is a little overrated just like 3 1/2" are. BTW, none of the birds were shot to hell. 

Shell length doesn't necessarily buy you any more killing distance per se, but does add many more pellets to the pattern at any given range. That's why longer shots benefit from longer shells as a marginal hit with a light steel shot load might be an easy kill shot with a fuller pattern. The other recommendation would be to go with #2's for those longer shots on late season, heavily feathered birds.
Congrats on the triple. Nice shooting.