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Q:
OK, so I read Phil's article on shooting steel shot where Gil Ash showed there was not much difference made by the constriction of the choke with large size steel.
I have always been a tight choke, big shot kinda guy and have been cussing steel since it was mandated down here in 1990. This year, I tried something different. I stuck an IC tube in my 11/87 and am shooting Rio 1 1/8th ounce steel 3's @1500 fps. The results are that I'm killing as many ducks dead with this as I did with lead #4's and am shooting very well as a rule. Most shots are 45 yards and under, primarly at Mallards and Gadwalls, with the occasional odd duck mixed in.
It appears that the jury is in and the verdict is that O.Honker is right, speed kills and First Bubba was right, pattern density kills.
Just curious though, what have all you other waterfowl slayers winning combinations consist of?
Question by RES1956. Uploaded on January 23, 2012
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Answers (7)
RES,
I've been shooting a 1-1/4 ounce Kent Fasteel load of #4's that turns 1450 or so. My waterfowling is limited to Woodies, Teal and the ocassional Mallard in beaver ponds and jump shooting on creeks and rivers. I've made some long shots with the stuff. My long shots were metered through a modified tube and my beaverpond hunting is done with an improved. This load produces dense patterns and kills ducks dead.
I've also killed some Canada Geese with the load, shots were 30-40 yards. Dumped the geese clean.
I prefer #4's early season with an Improved choke on top and a Modified on bottom as the shots are mostly 30-40 yards and I want more pattern density. Then later in the season when the ducks get smarter and I have to take longer shots I will switch to #2's with a Modified on top and a Improved Modified on bottom. Your best bet is to get those head shots and most anything will do the trick!
#3 steel is an excellent load. I shoot an old Model 12 with a Herter's Vari-choke @ sub modified. I kill ducks and geese over decoys. I don't like to make Glock work too hard.
I am definitely using my IC and with good results. I've read before that modern shells run a tight enough pattern regardless of the if the choke tube.
For geese I am stuck on full choke, literally. At least for the time being. The Browning A-5 2.75" has modified and I have occassionally used it goose hunting with #1 shot and 1500 fps and it worked okay. Not sure how switching to improved is going to improve my density. Might give me a broader pattern but not sure if that's what I want with geese. They take such a pounding that I think it's best to hit em with as much as I can. If I was duck hunting, I'd definitely prefer to change up to a more open choke. That Browning would be the ticket then. I agree, #3 shot is a good load for ducks, if you can find it. Of course, BB is the standard for honkers.
Go with the facts..speed applied to a bigger, lighter round projectile adds to kick, and only is efficient out to a certain distance, then it slams on the breaks having more air resistance. The design of the wad cup is a huge factor in your tight choke concept..Carlson, I believe is, has the tube with the small flutes in it that stalls the wadcup, and the steel, or lead, exits in a tight pattern where an IC choke will produce the full choke pattern. The same thing occurs with Federal's Flightmaster wads in their Prairee Storm loads. The bad aspect is that it has been estimated that 3 million ducks and geese fly off each year and die because of skybusting, and thinking that steel can now be effective out to 55 yds and longer ranges.
Steel does not have the inertia characteristics of higher density lead. It has to be "driven" through the bird with more power, i.e. higher velocity. The idea is to get something close to the same distance and shock one formerly did with lead by adjusting other factors, particularly the velocity and size of shot. Fiddling around with minor adjustments to the size and density of the pattern may help increase the odds of hitting the bird, but if the pellets don't have the power and size to do sufficient damage when they get there, it's a moot point.
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RES,
I've been shooting a 1-1/4 ounce Kent Fasteel load of #4's that turns 1450 or so. My waterfowling is limited to Woodies, Teal and the ocassional Mallard in beaver ponds and jump shooting on creeks and rivers. I've made some long shots with the stuff. My long shots were metered through a modified tube and my beaverpond hunting is done with an improved. This load produces dense patterns and kills ducks dead.
I've also killed some Canada Geese with the load, shots were 30-40 yards. Dumped the geese clean.
I prefer #4's early season with an Improved choke on top and a Modified on bottom as the shots are mostly 30-40 yards and I want more pattern density. Then later in the season when the ducks get smarter and I have to take longer shots I will switch to #2's with a Modified on top and a Improved Modified on bottom. Your best bet is to get those head shots and most anything will do the trick!
#3 steel is an excellent load. I shoot an old Model 12 with a Herter's Vari-choke @ sub modified. I kill ducks and geese over decoys. I don't like to make Glock work too hard.
I am definitely using my IC and with good results. I've read before that modern shells run a tight enough pattern regardless of the if the choke tube.
For geese I am stuck on full choke, literally. At least for the time being. The Browning A-5 2.75" has modified and I have occassionally used it goose hunting with #1 shot and 1500 fps and it worked okay. Not sure how switching to improved is going to improve my density. Might give me a broader pattern but not sure if that's what I want with geese. They take such a pounding that I think it's best to hit em with as much as I can. If I was duck hunting, I'd definitely prefer to change up to a more open choke. That Browning would be the ticket then. I agree, #3 shot is a good load for ducks, if you can find it. Of course, BB is the standard for honkers.
Go with the facts..speed applied to a bigger, lighter round projectile adds to kick, and only is efficient out to a certain distance, then it slams on the breaks having more air resistance. The design of the wad cup is a huge factor in your tight choke concept..Carlson, I believe is, has the tube with the small flutes in it that stalls the wadcup, and the steel, or lead, exits in a tight pattern where an IC choke will produce the full choke pattern. The same thing occurs with Federal's Flightmaster wads in their Prairee Storm loads. The bad aspect is that it has been estimated that 3 million ducks and geese fly off each year and die because of skybusting, and thinking that steel can now be effective out to 55 yds and longer ranges.
Steel does not have the inertia characteristics of higher density lead. It has to be "driven" through the bird with more power, i.e. higher velocity. The idea is to get something close to the same distance and shock one formerly did with lead by adjusting other factors, particularly the velocity and size of shot. Fiddling around with minor adjustments to the size and density of the pattern may help increase the odds of hitting the bird, but if the pellets don't have the power and size to do sufficient damage when they get there, it's a moot point.
Post an Answer