Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Struggles with nontoxic shot

I reload Steel shot and have done a bunch of pattern testing. I do not shoot any steel shot smaller than #3. and use this basic rule for Steel shot. 3 shot sizes up and 200fps faster than a lead load used for the same birds. In the lead days if I shot #6 today I shoot #3. If the old lead load was 1250fps today I shoot a 1450fps load. If I am looking for a 12ga 2 3/4" #4 lead load replacement. I shoot a 3" 12ga 1 1/4oz load of #1 steel. On days when I am really serious about waterfowl hunting and Geese and Ducks are likely< I shoot the 10ga with 1500fps plus loads of #1-B-BBB depending on the birds that are flying. Which is the most effective way I have found to get results like the old days. 1450-1550fps steel in #2 is a very good compromise for the guy shooting factory ammo for Ducks then the same loads in BB for geese. Modified screw in chokes are a place to start with both.

#3 steel is about the best all-around size for ducks and pheasants both, with a load that goes at least 1400.

Roger's sells Federal "red box" loads that are very good for the money; otherwise we like Kent Fasteel for the value.

I never understood the gigantic shot sizes everyone seems to use for geese. If you’re shooting geese in the decoys you have a 14” head and neck right out there in the open waiting to be broken, it doesn’t take buckshot to do that. Pass shooting would be different as the ranges would tend to be further and the angles worse in most instances I guess. Ducks over decoys or jumped from ponds have never given me problems either though I do like a big payload for pass shooting them, just not with huge shot.

If you’re not shooting birds in the front half you’re going to have cripples regardless of shot material when you’re talking ducks, geese, and pheasants. Get a gun that fits and practice enough to get your lead down and you’ll see less cripples period.

Agreed. I use the same loads for decoyed geese as for ducks and they just fold up and die.

Tom Rosters original CONSEP work called for a pattern with better than 110 hits evenly distributed in a 30 inch circle of steel shot size #3 or bigger for Mallard size ducks at 40 yards or less. This was to ensure at least 3 hits in the vital areas of the bird in that circle.
Back in the 90's I spent a lot of time looking at paper pattens and found a reload of 1 oz of #3 steel at 1450 to 1500 fps with a choke that did just that.
Ducks fall with that load, stone cold.

If its closer over decoys, or the birds are smaller, like teal or woodies a smaller shot size is preferred.

More shot only leads to extra recoil with a load already on the higher side due to the speed. Get a buddy to film you shooting your duck load in slow mo. Does your cheek stay on the comb at the shot and the follow through?

Roster also showed that range estimation for most guys is not accurate. A day on a sporting clays range with a laser range finder playing guess the distance is very helpful.
Pass shooting outside of 30 yards is a skill that needs to be learned and maintained. Its not easy but the good ones can double that distance and still be amazing. They use skill that most casual hunters of waterfowl haven't developed. Its a rare shooting range that lets you use the bigger steel shot at clay targets due to shot fall distance, but practicing with your duck load is never a bad idea.
The birds deserve your best shot. For most guys, that is not a shell with huge recoil and a massive payload they can't put on the target consistently. A bigger roman candle has rarely been the cure for a lack of practice. But the marketing department love them.

Lots of good advice. I think some of the after market chokes help a lot. I have also had good luck with the duplex shot loads like 4s and 2s for ducks and 1s and BBB for geese.
I think that finding your personal range is the most critical aspect in making whatever load work. If that range is 30 yards stick to it and you will have less disappointments with winged birds. In some situations steel kills better than lead as there is almost no deformation of the shot and it just goes through a goose like it was greased up. I was using 3.5" steel T shot and the sky rained blood and I had three falling simultaneously one of which hit a fellow hunter so hard he quit hunting that day. A big goose falling from 60 yards up can really smack you.