2/3/4 steel at decent velocity will kill any duck that 98% of folks have any business shooting at….,in a 2-3/4” or 3”, 12/16/20ga.
Unlike rifles, patterns mean far more than pellet size/shell length, when coming to the pill in the vitals component. I’ve found I’m no better or worse, using any combo just mentioned, when choked/patterned properly, and I do my part.
#2s will also kill geese just fine to 40 yards and more. It’s all the guides provide when I go to Saskatchewan. The geese get piled up.
For 90% of my hunting, I prefer 3s or even 4s, and I often pick 1s over 2s, just because they seem to pattern better in my 12s….not because the size is any benefit. 3.5” ruins a LOT of good duck holes. JMO
