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What size shot do you prefer?
#8712922
10/19/22 08:18 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 5,660
erathar
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
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OP
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 5,660 |
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8712931
10/19/22 08:33 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,874
LarryCopper
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,874 |
For steel shot on ducks, 3" #3. Enough punch to kill big ducks at 35-40 yards but on the flip side won't destroy teal at 15.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8712957
10/19/22 09:16 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788
wal1809
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788 |
#4 because it makes a better pattern than the larger shot.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8712959
10/19/22 09:19 PM
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Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 13
Downeaster
Light Foot
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Light Foot
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 13 |
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8712961
10/19/22 09:21 PM
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Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 58
Ag Hoff 90
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 58 |
2, 3 or 4 has always worked well for me.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: wal1809]
#8712963
10/19/22 09:24 PM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,688
SherpaPhil
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,688 |
#4 because it makes a better pattern than the larger shot. This
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8712992
10/19/22 09:47 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,541
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,541 |
4 steel 6 w/bismuth 8/9 with tss
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8713050
10/19/22 11:17 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 925
DUKFVR
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 925 |
Steel 2 for everything. With a mod or tighter choke will kill as far as I need to. #5,4 bismuth in sub gauges. Both give good patterns for ducks and kill anything I should be shooting at.
Last edited by DUKFVR; 10/19/22 11:19 PM.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8713129
10/20/22 01:06 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 371
eyedoc
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 371 |
BOSS #5 works on teal thru cranes, can order for 12,16, and my daughters 20g , really makes it easy
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: LarryCopper]
#8713162
10/20/22 01:44 AM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,511
Guy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,511 |
For steel shot on ducks, 3" #3. Enough punch to kill big ducks at 35-40 yards but on the flip side won't destroy teal at 15. This, but I lean more to the “not distort” side and go to #4. I fold Canadas with #4. I do like the 1 and 1/8 load vs 1/4 load, I like the speed vs pellets… I did pattern my gun 15 years ago with many shells and loads…from there just evolved to what I like.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8713177
10/20/22 01:53 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,226
jnd59
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,226 |
I prefer a shot that gives me a buzz in four or five drinks...
I shoot 3s and 4 but I don't see a lot of gooses.
No matter how high a duck flies a hammer still breaks a window.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8713427
10/20/22 02:36 PM
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Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 226
flashman252
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 226 |
2's for everything. I kill geese and ducks all season with just 2's. What I have come to find is that 2's are easily detectable in ground up meat when I am making sausage/sausage sticks. Also when I put it through the jerky gun I find them pretty easily as well. The little hand held metal detector picks up on that size shot as well when I do the final scan in the sausage with 2's. I bit a BB one time in sausage that caused jaw pain for a week. Now I am really careful with finding the pellets in meat. Used to hunt with 3's and 4's and then BB for geese. When I figured out 2's pattern really well out to 30 yards, I killed geese no problem. No more worrying about shot size, grab boxes and roll. Never shoot much past 30 yards anymore. If they aren't decoying, they aint getting shot. I've killed thousands upon thousands of migratory birds over my 20 years of hunting them. If they aren't in the kill hole, they are really awesome to just watch and let on by.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8713440
10/20/22 02:47 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,118
BarneyWho
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,118 |
#3 for steel in 12 or 20ga, #9 TSS in 28ga, and #10 or #9.5 in tss in .410ga
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8714446
10/21/22 09:21 PM
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Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 91
Bois D'arc
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 91 |
2 shot with an IC or mod chock has given me the most consistent results. Every gun will pattern differently. Its trial and error to find what your gun likes..... and knowing that the nut behind the stock makes more difference than shot size.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8719461
10/27/22 02:34 PM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,210
Smokey Bear
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,210 |
# 2 steel @ 1400 fps is what I use. Big ducks, little ducks, and geese. The cheap stuff. Estate, Rio, or Winchester expert is what I buy.
Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8719493
10/27/22 03:17 PM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,033
pertnear
"Demolition Man"
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"Demolition Man"
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,033 |
I like to hunt doves with a Rem 1100 in .410 ga. Shells are as scarce as hen's teeth right now, but my preference is 3" shells with #6 shot. Even though less pellets in a load than the more traditional #7-1/2 or #8, I found a lot more quick kills & less chasing cripples with 6's.
The North has double last names. The South has double first names.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8728068
11/07/22 02:59 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 271
Bluesea112
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 271 |
#2 for ducks and geese. You need something heavier than #4 for clean kills. #4 was a good size in lead. With steel you have to go up two shot sizes to get the same energy from the pellet that you got from lead.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8728961
11/08/22 04:09 AM
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,869
Cow_doc.308
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,869 |
I've shot 3" number 4's for years. This year I bought some of the Boss 3" 3/5 bismuth. Results to be determined.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: Cow_doc.308]
#8728997
11/08/22 05:52 AM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 10,641
Greg
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 10,641 |
I've shot 3" number 4's for years. This year I bought some of the Boss 3" 3/5 bismuth. Results to be determined. I’ll be interested in hearing how it goes. Seems like a great shell and what I would buy if I was in the market. I still have some of the original heavy shot 3” #6’s and they are great on teal or big ducks that are cupped and committed. I also have some in #4’s and it works well when they are hanging up. Hevi-shot gets confusing though. The original stuff was real heavy and wasn’t round. Then it changed where you had to buy the goose loads to get the “true” hevi-shot. Not even sure if you can get the good stuff anymore??? John, do you know if they still make it? I know you did a lot of research on hevi-shot densities and always know your stuff.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8729148
11/08/22 03:00 PM
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 115
Delta Duckman
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 115 |
For the September teal season I shot #7 steel at them and it worked great. For the big duck season we don't shoot any geese here so I shoot 3" 1 1/4 #4's. Federal Speed Shock - 1450 FPS. Works well for duck hunting.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8730507
11/09/22 09:10 PM
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Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 153
OTL91
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 153 |
#5 or #6 when shooting puddle ducks in south Texas. #3 or #4 if I am shooting late season mallards. I try to take my first shot when the ducks are at 10-15 yards though
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: BOBO the Clown]
#8731931
11/11/22 02:14 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,038
Greekangler
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,038 |
4 steel 6 w/bismuth 8/9 with tss This and 3/5 w Boss great value for high end shell. I would also add 6s heavy shot for 12 or 20ga
Take a kid Huntin
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: OTL91]
#8731936
11/11/22 02:17 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,038
Greekangler
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,038 |
#5 or #6 when shooting puddle ducks in south Texas. #3 or #4 if I am shooting late season mallards. I try to take my first shot when the ducks are at 10-15 yards though Unless your running traffic, if your shooting ducks over Dekes in ideal wind/ sun conditions- or new fresh birds- your hide or spread needs work
Take a kid Huntin
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8732007
11/11/22 03:38 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,874
LarryCopper
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,874 |
Question for the bismuth shooters. Hevishot Hevi-Hammer is 85% steel behind 15% bismuth. An online retailer has their Upland version, which is #5 shot, for a steep discount right now. Any opinions on if this load would suffice for dux? Seems like if it's designed for ditch chickens it would.
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Re: What size shot do you prefer?
[Re: erathar]
#8732163
11/11/22 06:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,469
bassfishinglawyer
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,469 |
What - #5 Why - I don't miss with it Caveat: I occasionally stretch the truth
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