Has anyone considered #7 steel for dove? I've heard that you'll have less crippled bird when using steel. Has anyone else heard this? Or b.s.? I got a case of Rio 7.5 for $70. I was considering trying the Winchester fast steel $30 for 100 rounds and see what happens. Thoughts

I have been shooting federal steel game and target the past few years and really like them.

Do you feel like they knock the birds down better than lead?

I've used it in the past for teal/dove combo hunt and it works well. #6 have also been used and they don't do as much damage as you would think. Actually a pretty good dove load

Ok thanks I'm gonna give em a go

I dove hunt and snipe hunt with upland and target style 7 steel loads often. Use it sometimes for close decoying Teal as well. Got a case of #7 steel going with me to CO and KS for some Dove/Snipe/Teal/Rail hunts in September.

I have not done any pattern testing, but having shot several boxes of all three brands on several hunts last few years and comparing how well they performed on game. My preference in order is Fiocchi Target loads, Federal Upland/Game steel loads. My last choice if I had no choice would be Kent Target or Velocity or whatever they call it now. I prefer at least 1280/1300 fps loads in 1 1/16 to 1 1/8 which can be found in the Fiocchi and Federal. Honestly if I could get them for the same price, I would rather hunt with those Fiocchi and Federal steel loads than the low velocity promotional dove #8 lead dove loads that hit the shelves around this time of year.

I think the only upland/target Kents I could find were either under 1oz or below 1300 fps and left me with too many cripped birds when I was using it. Not talking about the Kent Waterfowl 6 and 7 steel loads which are gong to be over 1400 fps, more kick, more expensive, and IMO more shell than you need for the kind of shooting we do with Dove and Snipe. But great for Teal and small ducks of course.

I'm gonna keep my eye out for some. The gander mountain where I live doesn't have a very good selection of steel

I have used both 7 and 6. I prefer the 6. It doesn't destroy the bird but you don't have to break as many necks. 6 steel has more pellets the 7 lead.

Yes. The year I switched I only bought two boxes to "try out." After I shot those I went back to the standard remington heavy dove loads and had a noticeable increase in cripples.

Awesome thanks for the feedback

I use the #7 steel in some of the public areas that don't allow lead (for dove) and when I am dove/teal combo hunting. They work ok on deking teal, but you need #6's for the follow up shots on Teal. I bought some 3" #6 Winchester blindsides to use as my 2nd and 3rd shots for Teal this year. They will also work for 2nd and 3rd shot on Dove.

I tried the #7's during duck season for one hunt, they just didn't work. I had to follow up the first shot with them every time. Not enough knock down power at 25 yards to consistently knock down Mallards.

This and other discussions like this are paving the way (reasearch) for the states to make steel dove loads mandatory. I used to haqte steel. Once I got educated it no longer bothers me. I don't mind and won't mind it being mandatory in a few years.

I hunt with 980 fps lead. Steel will be to fast and too loud through the metrogun. I have to stay below 1000 fps. Im just leading the bird 1 ft more comoared to a 1200 fps load. Good training when it comes down to duckseason. I hope they never ban lead, or i am screwed with all my metroguns.

No

http://shotshell.drundel.com/steel.htm
This is one of many good write ups about the lead vs steel debate.

I bought a box of #6 steel to try out. Might be a stupid question but is it harder on my dove gun to run so much steel though it?

How old of a gun? My A5 has special chokes for steel shot vs lead. I also don't shoot anything larger than 2shot out of it either

shooting steel is somewhat harder on guns. it is much harder than lead, but the shot is contained in plastic

It's a new gun. I dont want to tear the barrels up if I can keep from it. Worse case scenario I'll use my duck gun. Which I have more fun shooting anyways

That's an interesting write up. 300 vs 400 pellets in #7, with steel having 100 more. I like the idea of more pellets for sure. I might have to find some and try them out.

For comparisons purpose, I will state this. When I was a kid we used #7.5 lead (2 3/4" shell) for decoying ducks and #5 lead for pass shooting. I would always put two of the 7.5's in and last shot would be #5. My #7.5 lead reloads (very close to texas heavy loads, just a small bit faster) had better knock down power than the cheap #4 steel today (like Experts and Kents). We use to just lay down the geese out to 40/50 yards with our #5 lead.

If it helps the long term health of the waterfowl, I am all for using steel. I just don't know why we have to use steel while hunting the cut corn fields for geese.