I agree with h20fowlr. I usually shoot the Ultra shock federal 3.5 - 1 1/2 once BBB 1500 for geese. I strongly believe the Heavy Metal to hit harder. I go out and use both at some pretty long ranges, but only so far up that I am going to take down the geese for sure if my pattern hits them. I get more good kill shots with the Heavy Metal and more cripple take downs with the Federal shot. Both are good goose shells, but I think the Heavy Metal reaches a little farther. I don't shoot that many of those loads. I know when to not shoot. I use the federal ultra shock 3inch #3's for ducks and don't take too many shots to get my birds. I just hate shooting and missing and spend a lot of time analyzing the speed and distance of the birds and really study how birds react after the first person shoots. I will give up shooting when everyone else fires just to learn sometimes. I try to learn from my misses and to understand what I did wrong. I take a little over 100 geese a year and I really feel I can give a good evaluation of the long range shots. Every year I go out and put up helium balloons at various distances out and up to work on what are good range shots. This really helps me. The other thing my son insists on is being under the geese. We get far less cripples if we shoot directly under the geese than on an angle, unless the angle shot is really well within range. I don't know what you guys do, but that's how I work at being a good responsible hunter and knowing my limitations.
