Ive never hunted waterfowl before and was just curious what shot size everyone shoots for duck and geese? also what choke tubes do you usually run? I was looking at that Blackcloud shot shells from all the reviews Ive read they seem to do the job. Also does anyone know of a brand of non-toxic shot shells that can be shot out of older fixed choke shotguns. Just wondering because I'm the only one of my friends that has a new gun that can shoot steel. I know that patterning the gun is important but just looking for some idea on what could work. I'm shooting a browning BPS 2 3/4 or 3" I would Prob opt for the 3"
waterfowl shot sizes
- Thread starter Gopher Slayer
- Start date
I shot 4 geese last week with some of the 2 3/4" #3's Federal Black Cloud......all I can say is WOW, first time using this stuff, I was a Kent Faststeel koolaid drinker before, but I think I might have found a new favorite!
Furthest goose was 30 yards, closest was 15.....all of them dropped stone dead.....the 15 yard goose was almost inedible......a lot of shot up breast meat.
I had an IC choke, out of my 870 Express
Furthest goose was 30 yards, closest was 15.....all of them dropped stone dead.....the 15 yard goose was almost inedible......a lot of shot up breast meat.
I had an IC choke, out of my 870 Express
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Kent's Fasteel 12 x 3 x 1-1/4 oz. 2's work well fro ducks, BB's for geese.
Federal's Black Cloud is devastating ... both birds and edible breast meat.
In the older guns I shoot, I far prefer 12 x 2-3/4 x 1-1/4 Kent Tungsten Matrix
(non-tox) ... 3's or 5's for ducks and their 12 x 2-3/4 x 1-3/8 ... 1's for geese.
Expensive, but from what I've found, better than lead !
Federal's Black Cloud is devastating ... both birds and edible breast meat.
In the older guns I shoot, I far prefer 12 x 2-3/4 x 1-1/4 Kent Tungsten Matrix
(non-tox) ... 3's or 5's for ducks and their 12 x 2-3/4 x 1-3/8 ... 1's for geese.
Expensive, but from what I've found, better than lead !
- Location
- Central Alberta
BBB Federal regular steel, BB Black Cloud for honks, #2 (pass shooting), #4 (decoying) for squacks. Modified choke. All 3''
Ducks over decoys i like to Kent Fasteel in number 3 shot. The Tungsten Matrix is a wonderful load, very expensive as has been mentioned. I have shot it in 20g, 16g and 12 gauge. Any of the shot sizes are very effective on geese, my favorite duck load is a 1 1/8th oz load of TM number 6 shot.
What gun are you thinking of using it in? FS
- Location
- Near Coldwater, Ont
12ga, 3" , 1-1/8oz BB steel @1550fps through a mod choke. My particular load patterns perfectly in my gun and brings geese down with authority. I don't specifically hunt ducks, but if they fly into a spread of goose decoys, they get the same load.
Jim
Jim
Turkeyslayer 1300
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Russell, Ontario
Kent Fasteel 1's for geese, they will chop them down out to 50 yards. I tryed BB's and 2's both worked alright but I get the pellet count of 2's and nearly the mass of BB's with 1's. For ducks I shoot a mix of 7.5 Hevi-shot and Kent Fasteel 3's. I don't hunt ducks very often but I'm on my second case of shells all shot at geese.
