3 1/2" shot shells, anyone?

Thanks guys for all the great recommendations! I'll definitely try to pattern out my shotgun first before season starts. Next Saturday there's going to be the DU 100 Targets Sporting Clay Shoot event in Saskatoon. I'm going to join that. It's going to be like taking a crush course on shotgun shooting. It's going to be very exciting and fun. As for shotshells, a clerk from Cabelas recommend to use Hevi-Metal 3" BB for geese, he's a local duck and geese hunting guide for many years, he swears on Hevi-Metal. Instead of using 2 or 3 shots or more for a bird with other brands, he could get a bird with every single Hevi-Metal. That's pretty impressive. I bought 3 boxes, will give them a try this season.
 
Hevi-metal is quite good. Because "Hevi-shot" is quite expensive they also load ammo with 1/2 hevi-shot and 1/2 steel shot. This is sold as Hevi-metal.
 
Prairie Hunter said:
Thanks guys for all the great recommendations! I'll definitely try to pattern out my shotgun first before season starts. Next Saturday there's going to be the DU 100 Targets Sporting Clay Shoot event in Saskatoon. I'm going to join that. It's going to be like taking a crush course on shotgun shooting. It's going to be very exciting and fun. As for shotshells, a clerk from Cabelas recommend to use Hevi-Metal 3" BB for geese, he's a local duck and geese hunting guide for many years, he swears on Hevi-Metal. Instead of using 2 or 3 shots or more for a bird with other brands, he could get a bird with every single Hevi-Metal. That's pretty impressive. I bought 3 boxes, will give them a try this season.
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I do not like any of the Environmetal products, they use cheap buzz words and make advertising claims that are so miss leading they border on false advertising. I know guys that swear by their products, but after observing issues like shot sticking to wads as well as the company continuing to try and market what is simple steel as a high end premium load and some how superior simply because of a flax seed buffer or some such non sense. Their loads are simply too inconsistent and I refuse to support them.
I will order HW-13 shot from the USA and load my own shells that exceed their performance or save my money and get all the performance I need Kent and use the rest of my savings for new gear or the occasional box of Non-toxic shot for my old model 12's and webley double guns to join me in the blind with.
 
krchov said:
I shot Winchester xpert 3 inch number 2's kills as many as heavy metal and 1/3 of the price
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If you found a load that shoots good in your shotgun, that's just great. That's the whole purpose of patterning your shotgun. I just tried a box of "Score" brand shotshells. They are Canadian made at Carberry Manitoba. I bought a box of 3 1/2 inch 12 ga for under $15 a box. They pattern as well as the 1625 fps Winchester ammo (in MY Shotgun) at about $ 5 /box less money. That's like buy 3 and get 4. For anyone who likes to " Buy Canadian" might be worth trying a box.
 
Prairie Hunter said:
I'm using Beretta Xtrema 2 for waterfowls. I didn't get many geese last year. My 3" shot shells seems didn't do much harm on the hunkers. Planning to do more geese hunt this year. I'm going to buy a Patternmaster choke for my Xtrema, and planning to try out some 3 1/2". Hopefully, my shoulder can handle it. Which brand of 3 1/2" did you have the most success and would recommend for geese?
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Not to be rude but it sounds to me like you had best learn how to # 1, judge distance and #2 learn to shoot.. Get out and pattern your gun before wasting $ on aftermarket chokes and 3.5" ammo. I shoot nothing but 2 3/4" steel 2's at geese and have no issue folding them clean inside effective range. You need to learn to put the bird in the centre of the pattern at the most effective range for your shotshell/choke combination. Failing that it would not matter if you loaded a howitzer with bird shot, if you do not have the downrange energy and pattern requirements for consistent kills you are simply going to lose out.

I bought a 20ga from Stubblejumper a few weeks back.......I plan to hunt geese with it this season a time or two. It is a 2 3/4" chambering only and I'll be shooting Federal Speed Shok 7/8oz #2's. I can guarantee there won't be an issue killing geese with it.
 
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he swears on Hevi-Metal. Instead of using 2 or 3 shots or more for a bird with other brands, he could get a bird with every single Hevi-Metal. That's pretty impressive.
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If you are killing a bird with every shot, you know when to shoot, and how to shoot. If you don't know when and how to shoot, Heavi-Metal isn't going to make up for that.
 
2 3/4 and 3" are all I ever use and shot my fair share of ducks and geese. Don't bother with 3 1/2". No real advantage and costs too much to shoot IMO.
 
Prairie Hunter said:
Thanks guys for all the great recommendations! I'll definitely try to pattern out my shotgun first before season starts. Next Saturday there's going to be the DU 100 Targets Sporting Clay Shoot event in Saskatoon. I'm going to join that. It's going to be like taking a crush course on shotgun shooting. It's going to be very exciting and fun. As for shotshells, a clerk from Cabelas recommend to use Hevi-Metal 3" BB for geese, he's a local duck and geese hunting guide for many years, he swears on Hevi-Metal. Instead of using 2 or 3 shots or more for a bird with other brands, he could get a bird with every single Hevi-Metal. That's pretty impressive. I bought 3 boxes, will give them a try this season.
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Thats because he was missing the bird....
 
First off we have good luck on birds. In our group everything from 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 are shot. Pattern your gun with different ammo & different chokes. When hunting we put a sentry decoy at 40 yds. on each wing of our spread. Only shoot inside of that. Best guide line is "feet down & shoot them in the face". Good luck Aj
 
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