What load do you use?

[Choclab]

Just seeing what loads you use to kill ducks and geese with. I shoot Hevisteel 3" #4's at ducks and Hevisteel B at Geese. Snockers em' dead. I love the stuff

[boneaddict]

I haven't used any of the heavy stuff yet.  I was shooting tungsten IRON 3 1/2" at geese and the occasional duck, and then just steel 3.5" at ducks.  I think they were #2 shot.  I'd have to go look.  Those tungsten Irons pack a wallop by the end of the day.

[sisu]

I was toying with the idea of getting back into shotgun reloading...Ballistic Products out of Minnesota has all the materials and written information on loading bismuth. Just looking right now but worth thinking about if you do a lot of water fowl and upland hunting where non-toxic is required.

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/

[boneaddict]

I used to reload my shotshells, but quit after the non-toxic revolution.  I was intimidated by all the buffers and so forth.  I had trouble enough getting the performance I was used to getting even out of factory loads.  I imagine they have most of the kinks worked out now.  NOW I'm just waiting for them to screw with modern rifle loads with the whole lead and copper thing.  That will really upset me.  I bet more condors die from lead poisioning the direct way, than from eating carcasses with lead bullets still in them.

[SequimHunter01]

I shoot Kent Fast Steel 3", 1 1/8oz. (for the speed @ 1560fps), 2-shot for ducks.
I shoot Kent Fast Steel 3", 1 1/8oz. (ditto), BB and BBB for geese.
Occasionally, (depending on the day's type of shooting, i.e.-in the dekes or not), I'll shoot 4-shot, (same load) for ducks.

[HaydenHunter]

Choclab,

I tried a couple of boxes of 3" Hevi-Steel 6 to begin the season last year on ducks and really liked it.  I also shot Hevi-Steel 2 and I have some leftover B from the previous season.

For geese, I got a deal on some Federal Tungsten Iron.  When that is gone I will probably go back to the Hevi-Steel B.  All of the Hevi Steel I have was bought in years past.  I saw that prices on those loads really shot up last year .

I would be interested in splitting a case of Hevi Steel 6 if anyone wants to go in on it.  I don't use enough duck loads to warrant buying a case. 

I have also shot a lot of Kent Fasteel 1-3/8 oz. 3.5 inch 2 and BB over the years.  I shoot an original model SBE.

[jackelope]

when i shoot steel(not very often, not too much of a waterfowler) it's kent fasteel.

[General Disarray]

Estate 3" 1-1/4oz #4's or 6's.  I started using 6's a couple of years ago and there's not a better load for ducks in tight on the decoys.  I usually back a pair of 6's with a #4 for a little extra on the way out or that necessary water swat.

[Choclab]

You using the #6's on Mallards? How close are you shooting? I have always used #4's with good luck. Somwtimes our shots get a little long. I try to get them to committ everytime, but it doesn't always happen. What do you use on Geese??

[General Disarray]

not sure if they just pattern well out of my gun or what, but those 6's kill them deader than any 2's I've ever seen. 

Mostly shots inside of 30 yards.  On the decoys feet down.  They're not effective at all past about 40.

Geese I favor bb's or 2's in a 3-1/2"

[boneaddict]

I used to use mostly 5's and 4's back in the days of lead with a occasional 6, but not in any recent days.  Funny that we have gone from 2 3/4 6's to todays 3 1/2 loads.

[General Disarray]

I laugh at the guys who feel the need to shoot 3-1/2" 2's or bb's at ducks over decoys.  Think it's a coincidence that there tend to be more 3-1/2" empties than 2-3/4 or 3" combined? I would say they're shooting 2 to 3 times the number of shells since they think they can drop any bird from any distance....

[Choclab]

I wouldn't laugh to hard. 3 1/2's shot out of an over-bored 12 gauge will pattern waaaay better than any standard 3" will. The large bore works exceptionally well because of the almost lack of forcing cone, and it gets to take advantage of 10ga bore and choke dimentions. Plus shooting 3 1/2" shells out of an over-bored gun will reduce felt recoil because of the lack of forcing cone. Thats compared to a gun that shoots 3 1/2's that isn't over-bored....of course. You are right about people who think they can shoot 60 yards with a 3 1/2. You do gain some distance though....but not 60 yards...lol. I will be shooting 3 1/2 #4's for ducks and 3 1/2 #2's and B for geese out of a Beretta X2 this season. The Beretta is over-bored.

[jackelope]

i wouldn't laugh too hard either. gives everybody a better chance at killing the bird rather than just crippling it. more shot=more humane kills. i think the reason you see more empties is because more people shoot them.
but this is a long discussion that could last longer than the ford vs chevy vs dodge discussion.
i think most shotguns now except for the super-cheepo's are over-bored or back-bored. all brownings are too.

[General Disarray]

I'd bet there's more pellets in a 3" 4 or 6 than a 3-1/2" 2.  Besides a lot of those 3-1/2's are only 1-3/8 oz, I don't think that 1/8 of an ounce is making a huge difference.  If a 3-1/2 patterns better out of your gun then I applaud you for doing your homework, but I doubt the majority goes to the lengths of patterning, they just feel a 3-1/2 gives them a better chance of scraping birds that are at best marginally in range.