One size for mallards and canadas

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

RSVP2RIP

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
791
Location
NE Illinois
I know that there is no panacea, but I've been hunting in northern Illinois for waterfowl for just a couple years. We get a real mixed bag of mallards and canadas. Hunting over decoys in a flooded piece of grain field. Assuming 50 yard max shots, my thoughts were 1 1/2oz buffered #1 steel, 3.5" 12 gauge. I've previously used 3" HeaviSteel factory BBB (incidentally the box says 1 1/4 oz, weighs a little over 1 1/16oz with all that flax seed garbage in the bottom of the wad) I'm not really racking up that good a score on the ducks. I know two shells would be best, but any thoughts on one size fits all? I'm finding that especially in the case of the Hevi-brands, there seems to be considerable latitude in stretching the truth. This is why I'm handloading my shotshells now. I'm going to be shooting a Breda Grizzly with factory chokes.
 
I had good luck with #BB. Not too big for mallards, not too small for canadas.
In fact, my standard load out was usually a #2 in the chamber, and magazine with 2 #BB. This allowed a denser first shot load, followed by a larger pellet for longer reach.
Over decoys, #2 will bring down a Canada, but you'll likely need to follow up with a larger load.
Last time I hunted geese, I used some #2 Heavy Shot. It's more expensive but you'll need to use fewer of them.
I found BB to work better than the larger size steel because a T or F have so few pellets.
 
I'm in the same boat as GooseGestapo. 3" magnums with 1 1/8 oz of BB and #2 at 1550FPS.
 
RSVP2RIP said:
I know that there is no panacea, but I've been hunting in northern Illinois for waterfowl for just a couple years. We get a real mixed bag of mallards and canadas. Hunting over decoys in a flooded piece of grain field. Assuming 50 yard max shots, my thoughts were 1 1/2oz buffered #1 steel, 3.5" 12 gauge. I've previously used 3" HeaviSteel factory BBB (incidentally the box says 1 1/4 oz, weighs a little over 1 1/16oz with all that flax seed garbage in the bottom of the wad) I'm not really racking up that good a score on the ducks. I know two shells would be best, but any thoughts on one size fits all? I'm finding that especially in the case of the Hevi-brands, there seems to be considerable latitude in stretching the truth. This is why I'm handloading my shotshells now. I'm going to be shooting a Breda Grizzly with factory chokes.
Click to expand...

At 50 yards, the load you're talking about making has already run out of the energy required for a quick clean kill. You'll get too many cripples trying to reach out to 50 yards with it or any other steel load for that matter.

We use steel #BB in 3" or 3 1/2" inside of 40 yards for the same mixed bag of Mallards and Canada's here in MI that you're hunting in your area. If it's not 40 yards or closer we just won't shoot, it's not worth taking the chance on crippling a bird.

Use something heavier than steel if you want to try and reach out 50 yards.
 
I have used Bismuth 2.75" #4 in my Benelli and my Remington 870 Wingmaster. I've killed lots of geese and ducks over the years, most going down hard without a wiggle. I don't take long shots that I'm uncertain about.
 
3" BB worked for me, but I was disgusted at the shorter effective range of steel and quit waterfowl hunting shortly after it was required. Before steel shot, I used handloaded 2 3/4" shells with #5 Lubaloy for both ducks and geese, as well as pheasant. They were HOT loads!
 
I shoot 10 ga. for waterfowl (and turkey) and use 1 1/2 .oz of steel BBs. 50 yards is pushing it, it is death shorter than that. I do keep a 3" 12ga with #2 fast steel loads in it for certain close in ponds and as a back up for sprig
.
 
I hunt with 2 3/4 inch Kent's Tungsten Matrix, 1 1/4 oz., 3 shot and never had a problem. The last Canadian I hit it looked like I hit it with a German 88mm anti-tank gun. Expensive shells however. I gave up on steel.
 
Gordon said:
I shoot 10 ga. for waterfowl (and turkey) and use 1 1/2 .oz of steel BBs. 50 yards is pushing it, it is death shorter than that. I do keep a 3" 12ga with #2 fast steel loads in it for certain close in ponds and as a back up for sprig
.
Click to expand...

Same here. Switched to 10 ga about 15 years ago for all waterfowl. Browning Gold. #2 shot usually but where I hunt geese are rare.

(sometimes the ducks are rare too)
 
Last edited:
ENTROPY I also used 2 3/4 12 gauge 1 3/8 ounce of copper plated #5 shot over Blue Dot for 1300 fps. It was my duck, goose and pheasant load the same as you until steel was mandated. In South Dakota there are areas that require non-tox shot . The last 2 years I used a Remington 20 gauge LW 2 3/4 inch with Winchester Drylok #4 shot. I shot 1 pheasant that my son next to me hesitated long enough for me to down it with the #4 shot. He was shooting a Benelli with 3 inch Black Cloud #2 shot , and he is not one to hesitate on a doable shot. He thought it was too far out for a shot. In areas that allow lead, I shoot 1 ounce of #5's in my 20 gauge. All of the other 4 guys I hunt with shoot the Black Cloud 3 inch #2 's in their Benelli's for pheasant . I think they are over gunned, except for the longer shots. I do keep my shots around 35 yards or less, but do shoot a little longer if I feel I can make the shot. On nasty days I do use a Remington 1100 12 gauge 2 3/4 inch because my 20 gauge is so nice looking and want to keep it that way.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top