What are your favorite shells and why? And I'm sure most of us wish we could still shoot lead.....
I need to buy a couple of cases and looking for what you guys have had the best success with.
Federal blue box for me, buy then from Rogers sporting goods, they ship for free. I did buy a case of Hevi-Metal this year when Environmetal was running a $50/case rebate.
Federal blue box or Estate steel for ducks.
Hevi metal or Hevi shot for Geese
Kent faststeel and federal blue box, like them equally well. For woodies and big ducks 3" #3s or 2 3/4 #4s if I'm shooting teal and woodies.
They pattern well in all of my guns, they are affordable and they do the job.
I'll have to get some of both and try them.
As others mentioned, Federal blue box and Kent Fasteel. These are my main loads which handle 90% of my needs. The other bit is long range work where I have found Winchester Supreme to be the best for me.
in 12 ga, 3" 1 1/4 oz loads is my preference with #2 for ducks and #BBB for geese. If big Honkers aren't on the menu, BB is the usuale goose load.
A friend of mine also reports very few ducks in Arkansas. This seems to happen every few years. They usually show up by the first week in January. We certainly need some cold weather in the upper mid-west.
Old Drylok's (been using from a case of BB's for years).
What I buy today: Kent Fasteel, Estate HV Mag steel, Federal blue box.
I've got a hunt set up with Antonio Jones the last part of January. Hopefully the ducks show up by then.
Others have mentioned supreme and dryloks. I too like them but the price keeps me buying the others.
Remington Nitro Steel, $70 a case after rebate, cheaper is better
I've been running Fiocchis lately. They burn clean and seem to pattern well out of my SBEII. Kent Fasteel pattern well too, especially out of a Patternmaster for me. Fed Blue box don't function well at all in my gun. I swore off Dry-Loks after I cut one open. I also found that BlackCloud tears up the birds too much for my liking. They are quite deadly however.
I like the Black Cloud shells. They pattern very well in my BPS. Found out the hard way though that you do have to let the bird get farther away than usual as they are deadly. The Close Range BC loads are better at shorter ranges.
Has anyone tried the Kent Teal Steel loads yet. I just picked up a couple boxes to try next season.
Troutfly, in my opinion the teal steel isn't that great. Locally it was priced higher than faststeel. Pick up some faststeel in your favorite shot charge loaded with 4's and you pretty well have it beat. Particularly here in Canada where there are no teal only seasons that I am aware of. I like 2 3/4" 1-1/8 ounce loads for 90% of my waterfowling, even geese.
I have seen more misfires from remington this year, in a single year than all other brands combined in all the years I've hunted.
Most of them have been from the Hypersonic shells, but I've seen a good share of them from the remington sportsman steel line
I've seen enough to not use remington period
I saw the same from hevi steel a few years ago. I had one in 5 to not fire. My buddy Taver had the same thing happen from a different lot. Over priced junk.
Hiv shot admitted to a bad run of all there stuff a few years ago and I believe refunded everyone that had the bad lots.
I haven't had any issues with hevi metal
I shoot a Browning Silver Hunter and I'll need to get a new choke. You guys seem pretty fond of patternmaster. Anything else I should look into?
I do like the PM but the Carlson 3 pack is a good buy.
Where do you guys buy your waterfowl gear? I'm on the hunt for some choke tubes and neoprene waders now. I've used cabelas and Rogers at this point.
Rogers, wing supply, cabelas, I buy calls and decoys through my self
Macks
Troutfly, in my opinion the teal steel isn't that great. Locally it was priced higher than faststeel. Pick up some faststeel in your favorite shot charge loaded with 4's and you pretty well have it beat. Particularly here in Canada where there are no teal only seasons that I am aware of. I like 2 3/4" 1-1/8 ounce loads for 90% of my waterfowling, even geese.
Thanks for the feedback.
I found it at Bass Pro in Calgary for under $20.00
Picked up a box of 5's and 6's to try.
I am not aware of any Teal only seasons here either.
Had read a bit about it and got curious enough to give it a try next year.
My sons both shoot the Faststeel and like the results.
My preferred load in Black Cloud is the 2 3/4 #4 shot.
For geese I use BC BB 3 inch though. I pick it up on sale as it isn't cheap ammo.
I have been really pleased with the Rio Bluesteel for the past couple of seasons.
They burn clean and pack a punch.
A little off topic. Tried Fed Speed-Shok #4 steel on a couple of farmed pheasant with my 20ga. Knocks 'em cold! I'd estimate the distance at 30 yds over a flusher. And they pattern well in my Wingmaster. Happy camper!
Hand loaded Hevi-Shot, #6 for ducks and #4 for geese.
I prefer the Federal Speed Shok, 3" #2s or 3s. They shoot great out of my Benelli M1 with Briley extended chokes.
I'm too cheap to shoot Hevishot or Hevisteel.
Well, strangely enough, though I don't have much opportunity for ducks and geese, I know what I'd use.
We have public lands here in Iowa where non-toxic is required even if just pheasant hunting. I came upon Kent Tungsten Matrix, which is somewhat spendy, but what isn't that's any good? it has a density just below lead's 11.34 g/cm3; IRRC, about 10.-something. It's also of enough polymer, that it's "soft" and safe for vintage guns and tighter chokes like lead is.
Their 12 ga. load scoots 1 1/4 oz out at 1525 fps and due to its density, it smacks birds like lead. Kent also offers this in about all the usual gauges.
In the Midwest I look to Mack's Praire Wings in Stuttgart, Arkansas for the stuff.
Well, strangely enough, though I don't have much opportunity for ducks and geese, I know what I'd use.
We have public lands here in Iowa where non-toxic is required even if just pheasant hunting. I came upon Kent Tungsten Matrix, which is somewhat spendy, but what isn't that's any good? it has a density just below lead's 11.34 g/cm3; IRRC, about 10.-something. It's also of enough polymer, that it's "soft" and safe for vintage guns and tighter chokes like lead is.
Their 12 ga. load scoots 1 1/4 oz out at 1525 fps and due to its density, it smacks birds like lead. Kent also offers this in about all the usual gauges.
In the Midwest I look to Mack's Praire Wings in Stuttgart, Arkansas for the stuff.
That looks like really good stuff, but I need 3 cases and my boss will kill me if I spend $1200 on shells.
Kent Faststeel 3" 1 1/4 oz #2's for ducks with my Benelli M2 and improved cyl. I've done as well with 2 3/4" 1 1/16 #2 handloads. For geese, I like Winchester Supreme BB's. and modified choke. If I can afford it, I really like Hevi Shot #2's for geese.
Kids found an old pic.
3" Bismuth 12 ga #2
Was my fave in the 1100 mag
![[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]](https://i.ibb.co/5ccSWFq/1614213947059-2.jpg)
We buy most of our ammo and gear at Mack’s Prarie Wings. The shell of choice among the group, and myself, is the 3” Winchester Blind Side, in #2s. The seem to work particularly well on ducks that are not decoying, and just passing through. We have been known to shoot Kents and Federal Black Clouds, both in #2s, from time to time.
Remington Nitro Steel or Federal blue or red box. I shoot a variety of shot sizes, in multiple shotguns.
HeviMetal 3" #2 followed by Black Cloud 3" #2
Winchester Drylocks have always worked well for me, but try a few brand with your gun to see which ones pattern the best. Good luck!
It looks like the price set point for a case of "cheap" steel duck loads is going to be around $200, stuff we were buying at $89-119/ case a few years ago.
Given that bump, boss and the other premium shells get more and more appealing, as their price isn't that far off.
I shot 2.5 cases at ducks this year (we had a great season) and am about to begin a 6 day trip for snow geese. I've loaded up the trailer with 8 cases, I hope I get to shoot half of them.
Most anything NOT EnviroMetal/Hevi, blindside, or that super speed nitro. Not really even a fan of black cloud. Give me a quality, conventional steel load, at sane pressure curves, and I’m happy. The Migra steel and BOSS bismuth shells have been very good and good value, comparatively. Kent and Fiocchi are two of my standard steel brands. Rio is good. I feel most are better than Federal and Winchester these days.
I have been noticing the BIG price increase in steel shot shells for this season. That and the fact that they are hard to come by.
Does anyone think the price will come back down or is this the new norm?
I have been noticing the BIG price increase in steel shot shells for this season. That and the fact that they are hard to come by.
Does anyone think the price will come back down or is this the new norm?
See above. It's the new norm. Makes buying the premium stuff easier when a case of regular federal steel speed shock is $200.
Boss 2 3/4” number 4 ducks
Boss 3” number 2 geese
I also like 2 3/4” or 3” number 6 hevi-x ducks
3” number 2 hevi-x geese
Rio Bluesteel patterns best out of my Element. 3's over decoys, 2's latter and BB's for the Canadas
Saw some steel shot on the shelves at Wal-Mart the other day. That is the first steel shot I have seen there since before the season. Now that the season is over, either it is just now showing up, or it is not being bought as fast as it comes through the door
Boss #5 for ducks
Boss #2 for geese.
The price of all Steel shotgun shells has gotten steep. Very hard to find a good deal on shells these days. Seems to be ok availability now. Don't wait until October to buy your ammo, or you will probably pleasantly disappointed. I like Kent, Federal, Fiocchi. All good.