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Q:
What is the best shot, gauge and shotgun for duck hunting?
Question by fisherman14. Uploaded on February 20, 2010
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Answers (9)
#6 Hevishot, Benelli Vinci.
Wow! Huge question there. For pass shooting, I like to use #1 or #2's. Over dekes I prefer #3 steel. I like the 12 gauge for versatility and ammo choices. I usually use 3" shells for ducks, 3 1/2 for geese sometimes.
Lots of good gun choices out there. My favorite pump gun is a Remington 870, but the Benelli's are great too. I have an older S&W 1000 Super 12 Waterfowler that I like to use as well. Any good 12 gauge that fits you and has removable choke tubes is fine. I would stay away from the adjustable chokes as they tend to rust and freeze up. JMHO of course.
"idduckhntr" can also give you some good pointers if he reads this post.
The shot that kills the duck, the gauge that you like best, and the gun that you shoot well.
Guess I could've developed the thoughts a little better. Of course everybody can do what they want to do. I have been hunting ducks for 50+ years.
I wouldn't advise anyone to use steel shot. The lethality is way down from lead.
I have only ever hunted with one person who could regularly put them on the ground with steel. He was a professional guide who shot hundreds of ducks a year.
He got them on the ground, but none of them died.
The ones I have shot with lead, bismuth, and hevi-shot died immediately.
It compares favorably to lead except that the penetration is superior.
It will go out a long way. But I do not advise this.
Also, the shot that you lose when firing lead are not lost with hevi-shot because there is no deformation due to compression.
Spend the extra money on Hevi-shot.
It will cost less per bird, and fewer get away wounded to be of use to nobody.
That is as non-rambling as I can get it, and is absolutely irrefutable.
Based entirely upon my own experience.
But I have not completed the thought...
Based upon decades of experience, I have discarded 12 gauge shotguns infavor of the 20.
I recently purchased a 20 gauge Benelli Nova Youth Model.
For the fast handling.
No good way to cut a plastic stock and make it look good.
For a good shooter, there is no difference between shooting 1 oz. and 1 1/4 oz loads.
But I would strongly recommend the Vinci for a beginner, as the recoil is about like a 20 gauge.
And you do get three shots without any special coordination skills..
And it is a Cadillac compared to anything else.
Why stay in the stone age?
Why punish yourself with an inferior shotgun?
Let the Neanderthals pressure each other into making idiotic choices.
When the ducks pitch in and you stand up, the only one responsible for the choices leading up to that point is YOU.
12 guage BB Winchester Hi velocity 870. Dear blackdawgz i wouldnt spend $1300 on a shotgun that 1) looks ugly 2) i dont need 3) doesnt do any better than a regular shotgun. A shotgun is a shotgun if it shoots shells there ya go. And everyone i have every seen duck hunt can kill a duck with steel.
AA Gauge!
4 inch bore, 219.6 oz or 96080 grains of shot!
Blackdogs
I thought you said earlier that you had to sell all your guns. More contradiction? Off your meds?
A 12gauge running 3in #2s at 1550 0r 1600 will kill any duck or goose out to 50yrds you want if you do your part. I have also used #3s with grat results.
Post an Answer
12 guage BB Winchester Hi velocity 870. Dear blackdawgz i wouldnt spend $1300 on a shotgun that 1) looks ugly 2) i dont need 3) doesnt do any better than a regular shotgun. A shotgun is a shotgun if it shoots shells there ya go. And everyone i have every seen duck hunt can kill a duck with steel.
#6 Hevishot, Benelli Vinci.
Wow! Huge question there. For pass shooting, I like to use #1 or #2's. Over dekes I prefer #3 steel. I like the 12 gauge for versatility and ammo choices. I usually use 3" shells for ducks, 3 1/2 for geese sometimes.
Lots of good gun choices out there. My favorite pump gun is a Remington 870, but the Benelli's are great too. I have an older S&W 1000 Super 12 Waterfowler that I like to use as well. Any good 12 gauge that fits you and has removable choke tubes is fine. I would stay away from the adjustable chokes as they tend to rust and freeze up. JMHO of course.
"idduckhntr" can also give you some good pointers if he reads this post.
The shot that kills the duck, the gauge that you like best, and the gun that you shoot well.
But I have not completed the thought...
Based upon decades of experience, I have discarded 12 gauge shotguns infavor of the 20.
I recently purchased a 20 gauge Benelli Nova Youth Model.
For the fast handling.
No good way to cut a plastic stock and make it look good.
For a good shooter, there is no difference between shooting 1 oz. and 1 1/4 oz loads.
Guess I could've developed the thoughts a little better. Of course everybody can do what they want to do. I have been hunting ducks for 50+ years.
I wouldn't advise anyone to use steel shot. The lethality is way down from lead.
I have only ever hunted with one person who could regularly put them on the ground with steel. He was a professional guide who shot hundreds of ducks a year.
He got them on the ground, but none of them died.
The ones I have shot with lead, bismuth, and hevi-shot died immediately.
It compares favorably to lead except that the penetration is superior.
It will go out a long way. But I do not advise this.
Also, the shot that you lose when firing lead are not lost with hevi-shot because there is no deformation due to compression.
Spend the extra money on Hevi-shot.
It will cost less per bird, and fewer get away wounded to be of use to nobody.
That is as non-rambling as I can get it, and is absolutely irrefutable.
Based entirely upon my own experience.
But I would strongly recommend the Vinci for a beginner, as the recoil is about like a 20 gauge.
And you do get three shots without any special coordination skills..
And it is a Cadillac compared to anything else.
Why stay in the stone age?
Why punish yourself with an inferior shotgun?
Let the Neanderthals pressure each other into making idiotic choices.
When the ducks pitch in and you stand up, the only one responsible for the choices leading up to that point is YOU.
AA Gauge!
4 inch bore, 219.6 oz or 96080 grains of shot!
A 12gauge running 3in #2s at 1550 0r 1600 will kill any duck or goose out to 50yrds you want if you do your part. I have also used #3s with grat results.
Blackdogs
I thought you said earlier that you had to sell all your guns. More contradiction? Off your meds?
Post an Answer