Duck Load question

[BamaMinuteman]

Hi fellow hunters,

I am going to be going to Arkansas over Christmas to duck hunt. I am unsure of what shells I should buy? What is considered to be the best bank for your buck duck load? And where would be the cheapest place to buy about 20 boxes (whether it would be a website or sporting goods retail store)?

 

[chas08]

Check out Macks Prairie Wings out of Stuttgart Ark. http://www.mackspw.com/
I buy most of my waterfowl ammo there thesedays. If I'm going to shoot steel, I like #2 or #3 in either 2 3/4 in. or 3in. depending on the gun I'm using.

 

[gatorjames85]

#4's for teal and close range shooting, #2's in 3in for general purpose. I like the higher speed stuff; I am using Remington Sportsman's Steel with 1 1/8 oz. of #2's. A lot of people rave about the Kent Fasteel as well. I personally don't think it's worth paying for the next step up in price unless you can afford it, but if you do the Winchester Drylocks and Remington Nitro's are good choices. I have found Cabela's to have good deals on ammo by the case.

 

[juk]

Rogerssportinggoods.com Had the best prices I found anywhere. I got a case of 3" Fiocchi #3 shot for 105 shipped. They were good to talk to on the phone too.

 

[schlockinz]

2's or 4's in 3" depending on how you're gun patterns.

My personal preference is a 4 in 3" with a modified choke for most seasons, but we mainly shoot gadwalls on the prairie, the mallards don't always make it, but when they do, some 2s might be better (later season birds always seem bigger and harder to kill, plus they're decoy shy, which results in longer shots).

I've used some 3.5" loads in the past, they're fine if you're getting the birds to drop in and not doing any pass shooting, otherwise the recoil makes it hard to get follow up shots.

 

[MCgunner]

I shoot 1 1/16 ounce 3 steel in 2 3/4" Winchester Xpert. 3" Xpert has a habit of sticking in the chamber of my Mossberg, but 2 3/4" feeds and extracts fine and it's cheaper and it works just fine and I can shoot it in my 2 3/4" only Winchester 1400 auto which likes the stuff, too. Alternative, I'll shoot 2 shot,but I shoot the 1550 fps stuff exclusively now days. Speed kills. I choke modified, tosses a nice, tight pattern. I could shoot IC over deeks, but I am good enough with the gun to hit a 20 yard bird with a full choke pattern and those damned teal get me so tied up sometimes I couldn't hit 'em with cylinder bore. ROFL! IC would probably work best for you, though, over deeks. You need to pattern the gun, though, before your trip. Every gun's different. Some will toss a full pattern with a IC choke.

 

[MCgunner]

BTW, good luck on your hunt and please take a camera and post pictures. I don't see enough duck hunting on this board. Everyone thinks whitetail is fun to hunt.... Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

 

[schlockinz]

If I had a picture of my boon and crocket mallard, I'd throw it up, or even the cy curtis pin tail that I have somewhere.

 

[gatorjames85]

Keep in mind that with steel shot, you should go one choke size wider than you would with lead because steel patterns tighter.

 

[chas08]

Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

Shhhh...MC...The marshes are crowded enough already.

To the Op...Best wishes on your hunt. I've always wanted to do a flooded timber hunt in Arkansas.