[Gordon]

I went duck hunting recently. We shot quite a bit to limit out. I shot 2 boxes +. My friend with a Benelli super black Eagle shot a box or so more.I was shooting an 1100 Remington and another guy a Beretta Urika and another M2 Benelli. We all shot Kent "Fast Steel" 3" #3 1 1/8 oz. at 1560 fps- a hot load (we bought a case)!
The guys with the Benelli's were worn out and complaining about recoil.They weren't doing well either. The Urika guy said "they do kick" but was tolerable. I didn't think the loads were bad, felt like a standard buck shot load in a 8 pound gun to me. I think we confirmed the Benelli's kick and nastily too!:uhoh:

[627PCFan]

Watch out for gun shy ducks in central kali now-

Thats a lot of shells for one outing-

[MCgunner]

I've never shot 2 boxes for a limit of 12 DOVES, much less 5 ducks (don't know your limit, there). ROFL! After 2 boxes of fasteel, my shoulder'd be hurtin', too!

Did you bother to pattern this stuff? What choke were you using with it? Pattering is everything with steel shot and it generally takes less choke, either IC or mod, for tight "full choke" patterns. Often, over deeks in the early season, I shoot IC, but will switch to mod late season as the ducks get decoy shy. You had the right ammo, but I suspect you weren't patterning it worth a toot. I normally shoot around 15 or less for a five bird duck limit if they're decoying fine and they usually do. I pass on 'em if they're over 40 yards and try to get 'em in closer on a second pass, but occasionally late season I get desperate, but 2 boxes???? It's all in how you hunt, though. If you're pass shooting and they're out there at 60 yards, you might have done good, actually.

[Oldnamvet]

I guess I didn't know the 1100 would handle 3" shells.:confused:

[MCgunner]

Don't they make a 3" 1100 now? I'm not up on it, either. Older ones didn't, why the 11-87 came out.

[ArmedBear]

I have a 3" 1100 made in 1971. 1100 receivers marked "Magnum" will handle 3" lead or steel, with the right barrel on them. That's not why the 11-87 came out. It came out to offer automatic gas port adjustment and no barrel changes.

I have no idea whether the newest 1100s have "Magnum" receivers or not, since Remington has recast the 1100 as their competition-oriented semiauto line, but even the 2 3/4" receivers will handle 3" steel with a 3" chamber barrel, just not 3" lead.

[MCgunner]

Yeah, there was a post about that a while back, I think. Thanks, ArmedBear....

[JohnBT]

They're all 2.75" now, but I've known a handful of guys who shoot 3" shells in the non-magnum models. I try not to stand too close to them if I get stuck in the same blind or boat with them. ;) Certain brands of shells are too long to eject, but others seem to eject nearly every time.

John

[Gordon]

Was a 2 day hunt with 4 guys in two bunkers. A good year actually, 5 ducks each for each 2 days . Lots of ducks coming to deeks, but flairing pretty far out , maybe 40 yards. Never patterned those particular loads. My old Remington 1100 is a Magnum 3" with a 28" Rem Choke barrel, I was using improved cylinder choke (but brought a mod one too) Every one else was using a mod choke. The guy with the Urika out shot me- he is alot better. I don't like to be a game hog , now well into my 60's I give the younger guys first chance.
I usually shoot my Browning 10ga for waterfowl,with my own loads which I have patterned, but every body ribbed me about the 'cannon' and it was over a big decoy field, so I went along with the crowd. My point was the Benelli's beat the doo dad out of the shooters, who shot the most shells also.:rolleyes:

[ArmedBear]

Flaring can really challenge the depth perception. Birds can easily flare off just outside the effective range of the gun.:)

We shot a few flats at pigeons in this guy's feed lot. It was a lot of fun, and we killed a lot of them, but not 1000 of them that's for sure.

[redneck2]

We shot quite a bit to limit out. I shot 2 boxes +
With all due respect, if you shot 50+ rounds to take 5 birds, you might want to re-think what you're doing.

I get verbally pounded by some of the guys here because I like Hevi-Shot instead of steel. I guarantee you it won't take me 10 shells per bird. If your average is much more than 3 rounds for 2 birds, that would be a lot IMO. Last time I dove hunted I averaged 1 3/4 round per bird.

Might want to think about spending some time at the sporting clays range.

[wildfowl]

If I were to guess (which is what I am doing here) most of the birds you shot at were too far for what you had. It is tough to judge distances on moving birds. Lots tougher than say a deer because it is moving on different planes (vertical, horizontal, etc.)

I would also guess that the birds you shot did not fall stone dead. Some of the rounds spent were done chasing cripples. That means too the birds were more than likely too far. If you are saying the birds were flaring at 40 yards, that is too far for the loads and choke combos you stated if you were hunting in my blind. Please don't take offense to this, it is just something that comes with experience.

Also considering the Benelli guns are short recoil operated and lighter, they will kick more and more noticably with higher volume shooting. Most duck hunters I go with fire less than 10-15 shells a hunt. You won't notice recoil with that.

[1KPerDay]

Incidentally, do any of you know if the non-rem-choked Rem 1100 Magnum (full choked 28" ribbed bbl) will handle steel shot?

[hockeybum]

umh, my dad has a benelli super black eagle 2 and the thing has NO kick, but i guess i fell that way after shooting a 30 year old pump 20 gauge for like 3 years ;)

i shoot an 11-87 and has more kick than the benelli but i like the gun better

btw, the longest duck kill ive seen is my dad with the benelli, shot a duck at 100 yards :what: with 3 1/2 inch Kent shell, and the thing dropped dead!!!!! :eek:

[langenc]

"Was a 2 day hunt with 4 guys in two bunkers. A good year actually, 5 ducks each for each 2 days . Lots of ducks coming to deeks, but flairing pretty far out , maybe 40 yards"

Yeh or 60 yards. Get your head down and dont show your shiny face. Wait and in 3 sec they will be at 30 yards and your percentage will go waaaay up.

Someplaces it is called 'sky busting' and the number of shells is limited and that ends most of it.

[sm]

Gordon,

I betcha the brass was not tall enough on them shells for you folks to have a better shot-to-hit ratio.

I mean we all know higher brass shoots further!
Then again if'n these things kicked, them hi-brass woulda been like mules ...

*smart aleck*

*kidding*