Let's talk about shotgun shells....

[huntinsonovagun]

What are you gonna be flinging at ducks this season? Is there one shell that's better than another? I've always gone with the cheapest, since I tend to miss more than I hit. What about patterning? Ya'll pattern you duck guns? And how about choke selection....let's hear it.....

[Shaun_300]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells....

Haven't duck hunted much yet this season, but when I have I've used the Federal Steel Shot, #4, 2 3/4". It's alright I guess, next time I go out I'm going to get some Remington's though. I use a full choke out of my 870 Wingmaster.

[huntn4bucks]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells....

I usually shoot Winchester Super-X Drylok #4s in 3". I don't necessarily pattern my duck gun but I shoot a few rounds of clay targets with the same choke/load combos that I hunt with...which is improved cylindar most of the time but I'll switch to a modified choke if the ducks are not coming in good.

[clayman]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells....

This year I've been using Kent Fasteel on ducks and Winchester Supremes on geese.. I've used them all from Estates to Federal's to Remingtons to Winchesters. Sale prices are by far the biggest factor in my shotgun shell purchasing. I've had good luck with everything i've shot without patterning.

I don't belittle the importance of patterning, but duck hunting is not like turkey hunting where you're trying to concentrate your pellets on the head of a stationary or slowly moving target.

More important than patterning, in my book, is lots of practice on moving targets, whether it be sporting clays or just having a friend throw clay pigeons for you at the gravel pit.

As far as chokes go, modified and improved cylinder are your best bets.

If you're shooting steel. you'll want to have nothing to do with full choke.

[Bow Hunter Derek]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells....

I'm pretty much a Hevi-Shot person on geese and late season ducks. I did use a bunch of Hevi-Steel this year on early geese and was impressed.

On early ducks that I shoot on close quarters swamps, I use steel #4's in 3". Gets the job done, but in late season and on big water, it is Hevi-Shot only.

As for chokes, it all depends on where I'm hunting and what I'm after. Either a modified or improved is generally what I use.

[DU_man_84]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells....

heavy shot aint worth the price, kent and federal just sucks along with estates and all that cheap stuff, only 2 types of shells have ever came out of my duck gun in 6 years of duck hunting have been winchester supremes and winchester dryloks, in 3 1/2 dueces and 3's for ducks with a full choke or modified depending on the shot situation, and 3 1/2 BB's for geese with a full choke out of my 870 supermag, the supremes and dryloks are the way to go, best shells on the market

[DU_man_84]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells.... *DELETED*

Post deleted by RTF

[Bow Hunter Derek]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells.... *DELETED*

Well OK then, there you have it. "6 years" of duck hunting and we have an expert. Hevi-Shot "aint worth the price" is an awful bold statement. Oh Supreme Duck Master, we bow to your wisdom.

$20 plus for 10 rounds might be hefty, but I can tell you that in my many years (much more than 6), I've never had a load even come close to the knockdown power of Hevi-Shot since the days of lead. (Oh yea, by the way, a few more than 6 years ago, you could actually use lead, but I'm sure YOU knew that.) Plain and simple, with Hevi-Shot there are virtually no cripples. The stuff works, as it should at that price.

Not saying that Drylocks won't kill birds, they will and I've used them many times. But please don't go and bash on loads like Hevi-Shot or Kent, or Federal, or any other brand until you can back it up with more than your "6 years" of experience.

It gets old reading these bashing type threads. Real nice user name too by the way, oh yea, that is brand bashing too.

[huntinsonovagun]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells.... *DELETED*

Thanks for the insight Derek. I'm still VERY new to duck hunting, and just trying to figure out if I should just go with the cheapest shells I can find, which has been what I have done in the past. I bet I've only bought 4 boxes of steel shot TOPS....not much duck hunting has been done by me.

I'll also admit....I'm not one to spend hours with my shotgun....I'll shot clay pigeons a couple times a year and do a little bird hunting, but I'm mainly a bowhunter, so that's what a do with the majority of my time.

Now, I really should hit the range with the 'ol 870, so I can hit as many ducks as I miss.... It's just hard to practice shooting clay targets by yourself... (Not as much fun, either) But I guarantee....if I spent more time practicing, I would have a LOT more fun hunting.

Keep your opinions coming!!

[Bow Hunter Derek]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells.... *DELETED*

There is absolutely nothing wrong with going out and buying several boxes of the cheaper shot shells that the Wal-marts sell. Heck I buy them for early duck season hunts around here that are in tight timber. It is fun to burn through the shells and does not break your wallet. The thing to remember about steel shot is that it takes speed to kill. If you are going to buy the lower end shells, spend an extra buck or two and get the fastest loads you can get. Of course all that speed does not matter if it won't pattern well out of your gun. Just like turkey hunting, every gun likes a type of shell better than the other.

It all comes down to personal preference.

I learned a few years ago when I started hunting over on Lake Erie in late December that it generally takes more than a low end steel shell to bring down late season ducks and geese that have much thicker down and are very decoy shy. At first my buddies and I cringed at spending the money for Hevi-Shot and the other high dollar non-toxic loads. But we found two things happening after we started using these rounds. First, we became more selective in our shooting ($2 every squeeze of the trigger will do that) and second, nearly all of these late season ducks and geese fell stone cold dead. The second is the result of being more selective in shooting and due to the superior performance of the shells.

I have absolutely no problem with the low end shells or anyone that uses them. What I do have a problem with is when someone comes onto a public forum such as this and says all other brands "suck" and this is the only brand to use. It's like the old Mathews vs. Hoyt debate. It is counter productive and will lead to nothing but frustration for the new waterfowl hunter (like yourself) who is just looking for useful advise.

I'm no waterfowl expert, but I've been at this game since the late 80's. I've had many days of pulling limits in the blind and many days that I've gotten skunked. I've learned a thing or two and continue to learn as I go. One of the best ways to learn is to have productive discussions online, not brand bashing discussions.

[clayman]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells.... *DELETED*

Well said Derek.

Especially your comment about "Being more selective with your shots."

Yes, Heavi-Shot and the other high-end loads can be very effective, but they are not the "magic bullets" that people make them out to be. Ballistically speaking, they are superior loads - no doubt about it. But all the ballistic advantage goes right out the door if the shooter can't hit what he's shooting at due to a variety of reasons - but most critical - a lack of practice time.

What I hear you say is that when you shot the cheaper loads, you didn't select your shots like you do with the more expensive stuff. The sentiment that I often hear is that, "with cheap loads, I can afford to miss more and take questionable shots." - - but at what cost? You talk about $2.00 a shot for the premium stuff, but when a guy shoots willy-nilly with the cheap stuff, how much does he spend before he makes a kill? I'd be willing to guess that the price per bird killed is pretty comparable.

It's funny how the perception of the value of the load makes a person become more selective with his shooting. If more people exercised the same amount of "selectivity" when they are shooting the "cheap" loads, they would waste less ammo and likely still take home as many birds.

What comes out of a shotgun is less of a factor than the ability and the discretion of whomever is standing behind it and pulling the trigger.

[huntn4bucks]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells.... *DELETED*

Just like you huntin'sonovagun, I've tried cheaper loads to try and conserve money but didn't get the results that I liked. Was it inferior shells...poor shooting...not the right load for my gun??? I really don't know. They just didn't seem to perform as well as other loads that were more expensive. Sure, I killed ducks with the cheaper loads but the Winchesters seemed to work the best for me.

Like Derek said, it really comes down to personal preference.

I guess the best thing to tell you is to buy what you can afford, take optimal shots, and you'll do fine.

[Tominator]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells....

I should go out and buy some of the hevi shot stuff. I hunt waterfowl so rarely, I bought 2 boxes steel a long time ago, and I still have 1.5 boxes.

Don't know if I'll waterfowl hunt this year, but I should.

[Bow Hunter Derek]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells....

Clayman, you are exactly right. And by my post, I was not advocating just going out and emptying the gun in careless shooting. The cost factor of many boxes of cheep shot wasted on poor shot selection and crippled birds can easily add up to the cost of Hevi or the other matrix type shells.

Shooting high dollar shells made me much more selective. For example, I like many beginning waterfowlers wanted to put birds on the ground (or water). I used to pass shoot at any duck or goose that was 40 yards or closer. Well, let me tell you, when you just emptied 3 rounds at $6.00 and "might" have gotten that diver that just screamed by at 100 mph, you re-think your position on putting birds on the ground. Not only did cost factor in, but also maturing as a hunter. We found that we enjoyed hunting birds that were "in our faces" and fully committed. I can't remember the last time I pass shot at a bird.

So the type of shooting has changed to a higher percentage shot. But still the fact remains that late season birds often take a superior shell over a box of $8 steel from Wal-mart. I take a lot of early mornings away from my kids and wife, as well as my other investments in my hunting equipment. The last thing I want to do is to sit out on a cold December morning for four hours with 2 ducks in hand and another 4 cripples that got lost because of a cheap shot shell, I've been there, done that. I'd rather drop more money in performance shells and have 4 birds in hand and no cripples that get away.

Part of the fun of duck hunting is squeezing the trigger and putting birds on the ground. The only way a new comer is going to learn is to spend time in the field and take the shots. They'll learn in short order what type of shots are for them and what are not. In doing so, I think buying some cheaper ammo is a good choice. Then they can make the choice that fits their ultimate hunting style long term.

Waterfowl hunting is an evolving experience. I don't think you can ever stop learning. I feel like a rookie on a lot of mornings out there and I am obsessed with learning something new on each outing. The birds change, the conditions change, regulations change, and the technology we hunt with changes. No one should claim to know it all or be an expert. We all just need to be willing to offer constructive advise to each other and share ideas.

I was hard on our young friend, the Moldy Tree Hater, but what he offered was not advise, it was counter productive.

[gitcha_some]

Re: Let\'s talk about shotgun shells....

man some of yall shoot some small sizes at those ducks and geese....u sure u aint shootin lead??? haha

anyways i shoot primarily the winchester drylok shells...like them alot more than any other kind of steel, course if i had the money id just shoot hevishot lol

3 inch # 2's and sometimes BB for ducks

3 inch BBB or T shot for the geese....

i dont like to wingshoot birds and cripple them (like my uncle says, shoot the head, and only the head haha) so i shoot big shot sizes