I have been using Black Cloud this year and their have been several times when I have no idea how I missed. Well, this weekend I was shooting a wounded duck on the water to keep him for getting in the grass on the other side of the tank. On 2 of the 3 shots there was no spread. The shot looked like a slug coming out of the gun, only two splashes the wad and the non separated shot. Thinking it was a fluke I tested 5 more shells after the shoot and 3 of the five did the same thing.

Has anyone else noticed this with Black Cloud?

I am hoping it is a fluke but just wanted some others thoughts...

Wow

Maybe the shells got wet and the shot rusted together.

These came right out of a new case that morning. So they were in the case box and then in the shell box until the morning of the hunt...

It's that silly wad design, doesn't always separate. I've seen pictures of people with geese they can stick their hand through. That's when they do actually hit something with the slug.

I think there are times the wad does not separate till several yards down range. I have had a couple of ducks covered up by the muzzle and it was a miss,and I had a duck that flew right over the top that had "A HOLE" all the way through. Sometimes the wad malfunctions would be the best guess.

Taylor had a bad box of them, and he sent them back and they gave Taylor a free case

Shot them exclusively this AM , most folded birds I've ever had.

Not good shells .

Nathan, i shot black cloud nr 2 out of a 20 gauge all weekend.
I knocked out plenty of ducks like there was no tomorrow. I love that load, i prefer them over hypersonic (kicks too hard) and blind site. They could be a lil dirty on a semi, but thats ok.

To go back to your question, i had exactly the same issue trying to finish up a swimming canvasback, it took me 5 shots. It is absolutely normal when you shoot over water, your target is smaller, and it give you an illusion their is something wrong with the pattern, but its just an illusion.

I just forgot to carry some 7 1/2 shot steel to finish them swimmers, since i dod not buy that load in a 20 gauge.

To finish them swimmers within 50 yards, you should always carry some 71/2 steel load. Its good for snipe too.

ah yes!!!!!!!!!!!!! This would be the cause of all those teal I missed early in the season :}

Try nr 6 on teal

Nathan,

What choke are you shooting? There are some chokes that say not to shot black clouds through due to the wad design.

Are using using a choke tube that is made for black cloud?

I talked to the Federal Ammo guy and he said pattern master is the only one you can't shoot them through. Any others are ok. He also said a choke doesn't have as much effect on the pattern since the shot stays in the wad through the entire barrel. He told me get an IC and shoot that all year for best results (with BC of course)

Just another overrated gimmick

Say what you will but I've bought into it. Had a problem winging mallards last year been stone killing them and pintails this year.

I'd definately keep that set up handy that you currently have. It would be really good when they are kind of shy and hanging on the outer edge of gun range......

Remington, over decoy choke, which translates to IC.

I have the Carlson Black Cloud Mid Range in my Browning and cannot say if I have seen the issue with that choke or not.

Me and Zane were both using black cloud(BB) on our goose hunt,with no trouble

I noticed the exact same thing this weekend. I just figured it was a fluke. I normally don't buy blackclouds but other than experts and heavimetal it was all that academy had before I went hunting.I am shooting out of a modified choke. I noticed something didn't seem right after the first one and a couple shots later I saw just one big splash like someone threw a rock out over the water about 50 yards in front of me.

I did buy the high velocity maybe that's why I'm not having the problem

We were having alot of misses with the BC, modified chokes. I thought that weird pellet design was causing the pattern to be too big.

60% of the pellets have a raised ring around them. Thought it would cause alot of tumbling and cause spead to be to inconsistant (wider). Did not know there was a possible slug effect.

Switched to steel and birds fell. We had the same prob with swimmers with #2 3 in steel. saw one swimmer take 3 shots at 25 yds. right in middle of pattern. Made me wonder how any of them get knocked out of the sky. Looks like some 7 1/2's need to go in box for experiment.

I just stick with my Kent #3 and 4's. Never any trouble And they kill birds dead as hell. And not to mention they're about half the price of black cloud, blindside and all those expensive loads