Hunting Washington Forum
Other Hunting => Waterfowl => Topic started by: kevinp16 on December 14, 2011, 07:04:42 AM
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Looking for some advice on the proper shot size and brand used. I've been using 3 1/2 BB size and I'm starting to think it's not strong enough to drop birds. Any advice would be great.
Thanks
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WHAT ? :yike: I use #2 shot 3" mag and it drops sheet right now !! You have to be really on with your leads if your using BB because you do not have that much shot to play with as you do if you were using 2 shot ...plus if your using steel shot you need to let birds get with in 30 yrds or better yet 25 yrds.... :tup: :twocents:
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I use 2's . Maybe try letting them get closer... :chuckle:
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That's was my first thought after reading the post - maybe he's shooting at them when they're out of range? Maybe let 'em get closer? I mostly use #3 shot, 3" but have used #2's and also smaller length to good results. 2's and 3's are really gonna chew up your smaller birds at close range tho'....
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I guess I assumed we're talking ducks here? I'd go 2's or bigger for geese...
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Definitely #2 in 3" Hi velocity steel or heavy shot shells. Great for ducks and Geese w/in 35 to 40yrds w/IC or improved mod choke. What choke are you using? A buddy of mine shoots BB and he is a great shot. He uses either IC or Mod choke. FYI, you shouldn't use more than a Mod w/steel shot (unless you have one of them spendy choke tubes made especially for steel shot). Pattern your gun w/the BBs and see how many pellets you are working with at 30 and 40yrds (i.e., not many). Good idea to pattern it anyway, even if you choose anotehr shot size.
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2's for ducks, BB for lessers, BBB for canadians...all 3 1/2" :twocents:
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3" #2's. Getting a rangefinder is a good investment for duck hunting. Set the farthest decoy at 40yds and don't shoot at anything past it.
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3" 3's or 4's
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I assume everyone is talking about "steel" You always want to go bigger when using steel, I used to go with 4's when using lead but now use 2's in steel for geese,ducks, and pheasants.
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I use 2 3/4 inch #3 or #4 steel for ducks and pheasant. I don't shoot much past 35 yards though.
Are you hunting ducks or geese? 3 1/2 BB is a pretty hefty load... How far out are they? What choke are you using?
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If 3.5" BB's aren't getting it done, maybe they are too far out or you need to switch to a 10 ga. :twocents: :o
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Jump shooting I use 2 3/4" 3's and 4's for decoying i'll use 3" #2's for ducks and 3" bb's for geese.
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2's normally for me.
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3" #4 shot Federal UltraShok steel for mallards and 3" #2 HeviShot for Canadas.
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I have used dang near everything to see what I like and I have had the most luck with 3" #4 shot. I do have an extended range after market choke so that changes it a bit but I still like that combo the best.
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3" #4 shot Federal UltraShok steel for mallards and 3" #2 HeviShot for Canadas.
For most all ducks go with the Hevi-Metal, 3-inch #2 shot with a factory full choke. I shoot a 12ga. 870 with its factory full choke and the Hevi-Metal combo. I have no problem with birds out to 40 yards and the Hevi-Metal will knock down a goose quite well too! :tup:
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Kent steel #2 for me.
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Kent faststeel 3 in, 1 1/8 , #1 shot
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3" #2 or #3 for ducks
3" BB for geese
wait wait wait, cupped & commited, take em.
I think you need to pattern and either let them get closer or change ammo. See what "your" gun prefers :twocents:
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#2's work great on geese
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Thanks for all the input. Currently my setup is 870 super mag with stock mod choke. I would guess were're shooting them at 24-45 yards out.
I had one green head come in about 40 yards and i unloaded all 3 shells on him and he flew away, only dropping a few feathers in our blind as he flew over. I think I'm going to try #2 shot next time and see how that goes.
I swear I have good aim.. Haa
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Thanks for all the input. Currently my setup is 870 super mag with stock mod choke. I would guess were're shooting them at 24-45 yards out.
I had one green head come in about 40 yards and i unloaded all 3 shells on him and he flew away, only dropping a few feathers in our blind as he flew over. I think I'm going to try #2 shot next time and see how that goes.
I swear I have good aim.. Haa
:chuckle: That is plenty of gun and shell for 24 - 45 yards. I doubt it is the shells fault. .. :)
Good luck.....yeah, #2's should be great at that range........and you shouldn't need 3.5" at that range either.
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Thanks for all the input. Currently my setup is 870 super mag with stock mod choke. I would guess were're shooting them at 24-45 yards out.
I had one green head come in about 40 yards and i unloaded all 3 shells on him and he flew away, only dropping a few feathers in our blind as he flew over. I think I'm going to try #2 shot next time and see how that goes.
I swear I have good aim.. Haa
:chuckle: That is plenty of gun and shell for 24 - 45 yards. I doubt it is the shells fault. .. :)
Good luck.....yeah, #2's should be great at that range........and you shouldn't need 3.5" at that range either.
:yeah: 3" #2's
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Like everything else it's shot placement that counts. Maybe those 3 1/2s are kicking the snot out of you and messing up your shots. I'd try a lighter load and see how that works. All it takes is a couple pellets in the right spot and you'll do the trick, no need to blast 'em with a cannon...
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Doesn't matter what you shot you use, if you hit them in the ass they can keep on going.
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A 3" BB load has about 90 pellets, a 3" #3 load has about 200. Better chance of hitting the bird and plenty of knock down power at the ranges you're talking.
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#5 Tungsten Matrix out of an old side by side. Works just like lead and is excellent over decoys. I hate steel. Steel requires big shot to get hard hits, which means 3" or longer shells to get good pattern density, which means a heavy magnum gun and lots of recoil, and then when you do get shoot a bird with it, the meat has huge holes in it like it was shot with a .22. Not a great combination.
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Extra chunky for me :chuckle: BB, BBB, or T ... kills em dead or immobilizes them. if Im hunting pheasants I will go down to small shot Like number 2. :dunno:works for me, I loose few birds and fewer teeth with the larger shot sizes.
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i like 3 inch number 3s or 4 shot. hit birds and killed them dead at 40 yards many times. but definetly dont like using bb on ducks, tears them up at any range within 35 yards !
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Expert 3" #2's and shoot them in the lips
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federal premium 'red box' 3" 1 1/4 ounce #3
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3.5" 1-3/8oz #2s ducks and geese. Been shooting this since I left my wood duck holes in the south where all you needed was a baseball bat and butterfly net to kill your limit.
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30-06
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30-06
now that takes practice :yike: bolt action :dunno:
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00
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duck :dunno:
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:chuckle:
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3.5 #2s
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Whatever I get a smoking deal with. BB-#4, but like shooting BB-#2 shot. Typically 3", but from time to time, pick up a case or two of the 3-1/2" I have about 6 cases of steel in the duck room currently.
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ducks over decoys i swear by 3" 4 shot, geese that are decoying well 3" 2 shot i also shoot an after market full choke. when i started shooting the full choke i noticed that the smaller shot sizes work way better than large ones. personally i would say stay away from the 3 1/2" unless you are pass shooting geese it costs too much and you can kill just as many birds with 3".
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3" 3's Hevi-Metal.. only way to go.
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2 3/4 #4 sheap cheet
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i shoot 3'' for everything and use bb for ducks and geese and #3 for ducks . i really like the black clouds i use but i have a Carlson black cloud choke for my gun too. a great combination. i hear the hevi shot are good too and seems the price is coming down a bit on those. my buddies like the kents.
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I've used 3" #2's and #3's. I got a good deal on a couple cases of Federal 3" #3's last years so its been all #3's this season. I run a terror choke and not only am I not seeing very many cripples to swat but I was noticing the other day while cleaning birds, seems like I'm not recovering any shot from the meat, its all been clean pass throughs. Very happy with the Federal 3" #3's.
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3" #2 hypersonics would like to find some 3"#4 hypersonics!!!!!! :tup:
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3 inch number 2s is what i use for everything
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#2's, #3's, and #4's for ducks in whatever is the cheapest. I shoot, the duck falls, and the process starts all over again.
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I usually get at least one duck outta a box of shells :chuckle: :chuckle:
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3" 3's or 4's
Thats what I am using. Have been back and forth on what brand. Hevi-metal 3" #2 did well for me... Black Cloud 3" BB didn't seem to have enough shot on the ducks. I got a box of Black Cloud Snow Goose that I am gonna use tomorrow, the 1645 FPS sparked my interest so I bought them to try them out.
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i bought a box of the snow goose black cloud. works great on ducks also does a great job on pheasants when they are out there a ways.
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3" 3's or 4's
Thats what I am using. Have been back and forth on what brand. Hevi-metal 3" #2 did well for me... Black Cloud 3" BB didn't seem to have enough shot on the ducks. I got a box of Black Cloud Snow Goose that I am gonna use tomorrow, the 1645 FPS sparked my interest so I bought them to try them out.
I just like the blue box federals, but kents and estates are good too.
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I reload my own ammo. 3" #2. When I was using factory loads (winchester hv), I crippled a pintail and it swam into thick deep no man's land (or water brush stuff). The next day I shot a mallard and feathers went everywhere but the duck painfully flew off. I checked the pattern of the shells and they were terrible. I tried Kents and they were ok. I never tried anything to expensive because they were to expensive. Know I am reloading good shells for cheaper then all of the other stuff. The hardest part is starting but it is a good thing to look into :tup: