Waterfowl Shells - who makes good stuff - Page 2

globemaster3 · November 29, 2008, 12:57 AM

I just wish the cost of the better performing non-tox like hevi-shot would come down in cost!

SmithMP · November 29, 2008, 01:07 AM

how much does a box run?

Dave McC · November 29, 2008, 09:27 AM

With Hevishot be prepared for sticker shock. The stuff runs a few bucks per round.

The last guy who complained to me about the price was toting a SBEII, list price around $1500, IIRC. He could have an 870 and a truckload of Hevi loads for that.

300magman · November 29, 2008, 10:36 AM

Premium shot from Hevi-Shot or Federals premium line can run from 4-7 dollars PER SHELL. I just looked it up on Midway USA.

What about this new Hevi-Steel stuff, I wonder how it works. Its made by the same people that make Hevi-Shot and it claims to be 20% denser than regular steel and carry 44% more long range energy...plus it comes out the barrel at 1550fps. And it sells in boxes of 25 for the same price or less as the premium heavy stuff does in boxes of 10.

I wouldn't know what size shot to fire is the only thing. With steel its #2 for ducks and BBB for geese. With Heavy stuff its #4 ducks and #2 lead. I was thinking this stuff is somewhere in between so maybe BB for geese and 3 for ducks but those sizes aren't offered (its only available in B, 2, 4, 6)

Would B be big enough for geese, and would 4 be big enough for ducks...2 would seem heavy for ducks if its that much more lethal than steel)

globemaster3 · November 29, 2008, 05:07 PM

With no experience on this new stuff, I agree with your thoughts for starting. Take a couple boxes out and try it. If those sizes don't work, try something new. I've gotta admit, hitting a teal with steel #2s really was a brutal proposition! Mallards, pinners, widgeon, canvasbacks, it seemed ok. With the smaller birds, the breast is only a little bit bigger than a .50 piece, so #2s really did a number on them if you got any through the breast.

Stick_man · December 3, 2008, 01:06 AM

Over the past 20+ years of hunting ducks with steel shot, probably 95% or more of my shells have been 2.75" shells. I think I have only purchased one box of Hevi-Steel, one box of Black Cloud, and all the rest have been plain-Jane steel. Always been too cheap to go for the premium stuff.

Most of my shooting is done over decoys, so my ranges are usually less than 35 yards. The first half of the season, I usually shoot 4's for ducks and 1's for geese. When I do my part, the shells will do their part. For late season mallards or pinnies, I go with 1's or 2's and for geese I go with 3" BB's. As for velocities, I have actually had better success with shells in the 1350fps range than with the 1550's, but that may have been a factor of the chokes not patterning the loads very well. I have been shooting factory IC choke out of a Browning BPS, but just bought a new Carlson's extended Mod choke that I am hoping will pattern the faster loads a little better.

Best thing you can do is pattern your gun. Some guns like the faster, bigger size shot, while other guns don't pattern the bigger shot as well. I noticed a big difference between the 3" 2's and the 3" BBs. Also noticed a big difference in patterns with different velocities.

globemaster3 · December 3, 2008, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Best thing you can do is pattern your gun. Some guns like the faster, bigger size shot, while other guns don't pattern the bigger shot as well. I noticed a big difference between the 3" 2's and the 3" BBs. Also noticed a big difference in patterns with different velocities.

Excellent thought! After all, what good is any shot if it doesn't pattern in your shotgun. I've never patterned for waterfowl, but I've never had a problem so its never occured to me.

dakotashooter2 · December 5, 2008, 04:20 PM

300magman.... what are you using as a choke? If you are not using an extended one check into it. I have struggled with 1 shot kills for years I absolutely hated steel but the cost of other stuff was just too much. My waterfowl hunting was pretty limited the last 20 years due to my love of bow hunting which got sidetracked the last couple of years due to injury. I switched from 12 ga to 20ga (O/Us). Last year the 20ga served me as well as the 12 but I still had 1 shot kill problems. I purchased two extended chokes this year and gained at least 10 yards in range and had only 2 cripples all season using federal and Remington #2s. I never had a decent full choke pattern with steel so I shot modified and improved for years. The extended chokes (Carlson) put the full choke back in my arsenal. I will note that most of the birds were over decoys but several large Canada geese were dropped stone dead out to 40 yards. Some pretty good claims are being made of some of the more expensive chokes but these work fine for my purposes.

On another note I have been working away from BBs for waterfowl. Lighter, faster loads of #2s seem to be as, if not more effective on birds inside 40 yards.

gustav129 · December 5, 2008, 04:34 PM

I use the Kent Fasteel #2 in 3 1/2". Boxes usually run about $17 per 25 at Cabela's.

November 29, 2008, 01:07 AM	#27
SmithMP Member Join Date: November 28, 2008 Location: Indiana USA Posts: 23	how much does a box run? __________________ M&P 9, M&P 40, M&P 45, M&P 15A .223, Smith & Wesson 32 Cal, Colt JR 25 Cal, Remington 870 TRESPASSERS WILL BE ASKED HOW THEY WANT IT

November 29, 2008, 12:57 AM	#26
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	I just wish the cost of the better performing non-tox like hevi-shot would come down in cost!

November 29, 2008, 09:27 AM	#28
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	With Hevishot be prepared for sticker shock. The stuff runs a few bucks per round. The last guy who complained to me about the price was toting a SBEII, list price around $1500, IIRC. He could have an 870 and a truckload of Hevi loads for that.

November 29, 2008, 10:36 AM	#29
300magman Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2008 Posts: 714	Premium shot from Hevi-Shot or Federals premium line can run from 4-7 dollars PER SHELL. I just looked it up on Midway USA. What about this new Hevi-Steel stuff, I wonder how it works. Its made by the same people that make Hevi-Shot and it claims to be 20% denser than regular steel and carry 44% more long range energy...plus it comes out the barrel at 1550fps. And it sells in boxes of 25 for the same price or less as the premium heavy stuff does in boxes of 10. I wouldn't know what size shot to fire is the only thing. With steel its #2 for ducks and BBB for geese. With Heavy stuff its #4 ducks and #2 lead. I was thinking this stuff is somewhere in between so maybe BB for geese and 3 for ducks but those sizes aren't offered (its only available in B, 2, 4, 6) Would B be big enough for geese, and would 4 be big enough for ducks...2 would seem heavy for ducks if its that much more lethal than steel)

November 29, 2008, 05:07 PM	#30
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	With no experience on this new stuff, I agree with your thoughts for starting. Take a couple boxes out and try it. If those sizes don't work, try something new. I've gotta admit, hitting a teal with steel #2s really was a brutal proposition! Mallards, pinners, widgeon, canvasbacks, it seemed ok. With the smaller birds, the breast is only a little bit bigger than a .50 piece, so #2s really did a number on them if you got any through the breast.

December 3, 2008, 01:06 AM	#31
Stick_man Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 241	Over the past 20+ years of hunting ducks with steel shot, probably 95% or more of my shells have been 2.75" shells. I think I have only purchased one box of Hevi-Steel, one box of Black Cloud, and all the rest have been plain-Jane steel. Always been too cheap to go for the premium stuff. Most of my shooting is done over decoys, so my ranges are usually less than 35 yards. The first half of the season, I usually shoot 4's for ducks and 1's for geese. When I do my part, the shells will do their part. For late season mallards or pinnies, I go with 1's or 2's and for geese I go with 3" BB's. As for velocities, I have actually had better success with shells in the 1350fps range than with the 1550's, but that may have been a factor of the chokes not patterning the loads very well. I have been shooting factory IC choke out of a Browning BPS, but just bought a new Carlson's extended Mod choke that I am hoping will pattern the faster loads a little better. Best thing you can do is pattern your gun. Some guns like the faster, bigger size shot, while other guns don't pattern the bigger shot as well. I noticed a big difference between the 3" 2's and the 3" BBs. Also noticed a big difference in patterns with different velocities.

December 5, 2008, 04:20 PM	#33
dakotashooter2 Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2005 Posts: 498	300magman.... what are you using as a choke? If you are not using an extended one check into it. I have struggled with 1 shot kills for years I absolutely hated steel but the cost of other stuff was just too much. My waterfowl hunting was pretty limited the last 20 years due to my love of bow hunting which got sidetracked the last couple of years due to injury. I switched from 12 ga to 20ga (O/Us). Last year the 20ga served me as well as the 12 but I still had 1 shot kill problems. I purchased two extended chokes this year and gained at least 10 yards in range and had only 2 cripples all season using federal and Remington #2s. I never had a decent full choke pattern with steel so I shot modified and improved for years. The extended chokes (Carlson) put the full choke back in my arsenal. I will note that most of the birds were over decoys but several large Canada geese were dropped stone dead out to 40 yards. Some pretty good claims are being made of some of the more expensive chokes but these work fine for my purposes. On another note I have been working away from BBs for waterfowl. Lighter, faster loads of #2s seem to be as, if not more effective on birds inside 40 yards.

December 5, 2008, 04:34 PM	#34
gustav129 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 140	I use the Kent Fasteel #2 in 3 1/2". Boxes usually run about $17 per 25 at Cabela's.