Home Forums Birds & Dogs Waterfowl What is your standard duck shotgun/load ?

I shoot an old Model 12 Win 12 ga. with a Hastings VR barrel and mod screw-in choke. Faststeel 2-3/4" 1-1/16 oz. #3 if only shooting ducks, and the same loads in 2's or 1's if as usual we are field shooting over decoys for mixed ducks and snows, specs, and Canadas and even cranes.

#4 Black Cloud in 12 BPS with a Mod Choke. Have tried some of the others but for some reason this is the stuff my gun likes.
Occ I'll shoot Hevi Shot, it patterns just as well as BC but price wise......I save the HS for really special hunts.

I don't have a "standard" load....a lot depends on where/what I'm hunting, and what shotgun I'm hunting it with.
My main gun is a Remington 870 express, and if the quarry is ducks over decoys, then my "standard" load is 1 oz of #3 steel at 1450-1500fps (handload). I've dropped a lot of ducks with this load since I've started using it, and I use it probably 85-90% of the time.
If I am using my older shotguns (Mossberg 500, Remington 1100) or my Remington O/U, then I'm usually shooting 1 1/8-1 1/4oz of #5 bismuth (ducks) or 1 3/8-1 1/2oz of #2-BB bismuth handloads (geese).
If I'm hunting geese exclusively, I'll use either factory Federal tungsten iron (3") or handloads of 1 3/8oz #2 hevishot handloads.
In my 16 gauge shotguns (Remington model 11, Ithica M37), then it's 1 oz t0 1 1/8 oz bismuth #5 or #6 shot (handloads).

in my 20 I've used either Federal Premium 2 3/4" 4's or Fassteel3" #2's. If I'm using hand loads I like a 2 3/4" Cheddite hull, a BPI-TC20 wad and 22 grains of Longshot behind a 1oz load of Nice Shot
In my Westley Richards it's 85-90 grains of FFG and 1oz of Nice Shot, which is my favourite waterfowl load.
I also use 7/8oz of lead and 30 grains of H110 in my 28 gauge .
Cat

Lefthand Benelli and Kent Steel #3 or #4.

CastnBlast, I had forgotten about those Hastings barrels for Model 12s. Going to keep my eye out for one of those. Love using that rig as much as I can.

No love for Estates??

That's all I use unless I have some randoms that get brought along.

#3 - 3"
#2 -2-3/4 or 3"

IC - Benelli M1S90

hevi shot long range and boss shot shells 20 gauge 3” 1.25 #4

An Auto 5 Mag 12 Stalker and any fast steel load of 1s to 4s does everything to any range I need. Sometimes my Sweet 16 with 3s/4s, and a BGH 20ga with 3/4 steel or #4 bismuth. Other than being lighter, most newer shotguns only offer me drawbacks....for all around waterfowling. Any old auto 5 has outperformed every iteration of spaghetti gun I’ve owned, used, or been near....for the last 40 years. Not likely to change now.

Model 37, 12 ga., fixed modified, 2-3/4" #2 or 3 Fasteel.

Been shooting my M2 with 3" Fiocchi High Velocity (Warlocks) 1 1/5oz #1s for everything. We shoot a mixed bag of puddlers, divers and Canada geese. I hate guessing or swapping shells. That load patterns great for me and works like a champ for everything.

Benelli M1 Super 90 28" barrel, 3" 1-1/8 #2's Kills ducks and geese just fine.

Benelli M2 20 Ga 3” 1oz Kent bismuth 3’s and 4’s IM choke this year. Mostly 3’s and 4’s steel in a modified or IC choke prior to this year.

SBE 1 LH and Pure Gold Mod choke. Winchester Xperts 1 1/8 oz #3's. Worked for many many years........

Benelli Super Vinci with blindside 3" shells, #3 shot.

Hey!!!! See someone has tacked on another year...You are catching up

Happy B-Day!!!!

16 gauge model 97 with 1 ounce nice shot when puddle jumping.

Yeah the big 5 0! Thanks buddy

happy birthday MCH hope you have a lot more of them