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Ammo dilemma #5436493 11/22/14 05:08 AM
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Okay, so right before opening day I damaged my factory MOD choke and bought a Kick's High Flyer MOD to try and replace it. I also am conducting an experiment this year only using 3 1/2" shells to determine if they will add any benefit over other shells. Well, the first box I tried was Federal Ultra Shok 1 1/2oz #4's at 1500fps. Dismal results while hunting. Couldn't seem to hammer the birds that were 40yds and in. I dropped a couple, but missed twice as many that I KNOW I should have had. I moved over to Federal Speed Shok 1 3/8oz #2's at 1550fps, and it was even worse. I went to Academy for one more try at the big shells and got some Winchester Supreme Drylock 3 1/2" 1 9/16oz #3's at 1300fps (way slower) and killed a few with it, but still wasn't like normal. So that got me thinking, and since I haven't gotten to the range to pattern, I grabbed my teal loads which are Winchester Supreme Drylock 2 3/4" #4's at 1300fps and headed out for an evening hunt... well to make a long story short- three hunts with those little shells so far and I've stoned every duck I've pointed my gun at including two canvasbacks and a few mallards. Stone dead. Today I popped a Gadwall that flared off of us and I swear it was 40-45yds when I pulled the trigger. Boom! Dead as a door nail. I'm seriously thinking that Kick's choke and my Maxus barrel like the light loads going relatively slow... What would y'all do?

What should I do?
single choice
Votes accepted starting: 11/22/14 05:08 AM
You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5436544 11/22/14 06:05 AM
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I'd ditch the 3.5" loads, I don't remember you being that short.

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5436592 11/22/14 09:19 AM
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No need for 3 1/2'S, they do not give you anymore distance.

More importantly, why are you taking 40-45 yard shots, unless they are on the way out and you are cleaning up that is a shot that is going to cripple more times than kill.

I see people taking these shots all the time on birds they can not finish, if we can not finish them closer than that, we will not take that shot, more times than not it just results in crippled birds all over the lake.

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5436617 11/22/14 11:45 AM
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Erichugh22 Offline
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I shot 2 3/4 inch shells for the past 3 years, they kill birds just fine. No need for 3 1/2'S unless you're shooting geese

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5436626 11/22/14 11:59 AM
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You should stop over thinking this.

You've found a shell combo that works. When you can no longer find that shell, go buy a few different boxes of shells to pattern.


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Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5436627 11/22/14 12:01 PM
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My favorite is 3" #4. I'd shoot #5 or 6 before going to #2. Nothing wrong with 2 3/4 either. Never shot and will never shoot 3.5's. Way too expensive, don't have a gun that shoots them, and haven't seen even a slight benefit from them when friends of mine shoot them.

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: 8pointdrop] #5436649 11/22/14 12:37 PM
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Originally Posted By: 8pointdrop
My favorite is 3" #4. I'd shoot #5 or 6 before going to #2. Nothing wrong with 2 3/4 either. Never shot and will never shoot 3.5's. Way too expensive, don't have a gun that shoots them, and haven't seen even a slight benefit from them when friends of mine shoot them.


For ducks and the occasional goose, i agree a 3 inch #4 pellet is as good as it gets. Plenty of punch and witha good choke, excellent patterns.

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: Erichugh22] #5436651 11/22/14 12:41 PM
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Originally Posted By: Erichugh22
I shot 2 3/4 inch shells for the past 3 years, they kill birds just fine. No need for 3 1/2'S unless you're shooting geese


I too bought a case of 2 3\4 shells. Much cheaper and they perform very well.

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5436659 11/22/14 12:50 PM
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What is shocking to me is near half the commenters don't p a ttern their shotguns. I don't understand not doing it. I lump that thinking into this example. My truck might sputter and puke its way over a 100 mile trip. Well by God it did the job and I finished the 100 mile trip. Though it did the job it could have been tuned up and performed much better over the course of the trip. My question is why would you not want to spend some time shooting your shotgun. At worst case scenario you were blasting some rounds off.

I don't know everything about shotgunning. I have been shooting a long long time before I patterned a weapon. I learned a whole bunch when i started patterning my weapons. I now would never take a weapon to the field without fine tuning it on paper.

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: wal1809] #5436686 11/22/14 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted By: wal1809
What is shocking to me is near half the commenters don't p a ttern their shotguns. I don't understand not doing it. I lump that thinking into this example. My truck might sputter and puke its way over a 100 mile trip. Well by God it did the job and I finished the 100 mile trip. Though it did the job it could have been tuned up and performed much better over the course of the trip. My question is why would you not want to spend some time shooting your shotgun. At worst case scenario you were blasting some rounds off.

I don't know everything about shotgunning. I have been shooting a long long time before I patterned a weapon. I learned a whole bunch when i started patterning my weapons. I now would never take a weapon to the field without fine tuning it on paper.


I was a mechanic for years and I'm still basically a glorified mechanic, so you can bet my truck ain't sputtering without something getting taken apart and fixed/replaced. I don't pattern my gun.

I really don't understand what y'all do when saying you fine tuning a shotgun on a piece of paper. Do y'all have several different chokes and shell combination you can change? That's why patterning is worthless to me. I'm not buying several different chokes and shells. I shoot regular modified that comes in the gun and whatever cheap shells Wal-Mart has. Kill loads of duck and sandhill, no geese yet but if one wants to try flying past that modified and cheap #4's he's more than welcome to try.

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: mohunter] #5436687 11/22/14 01:11 PM
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Originally Posted By: mohunter
No need for 3 1/2'S, they do not give you anymore distance.

More importantly, why are you taking 40-45 yard shots, unless they are on the way out and you are cleaning up that is a shot that is going to cripple more times than kill.

I see people taking these shots all the time on birds they can not finish, if we can not finish them closer than that, we will not take that shot, more times than not it just results in crippled birds all over the lake.


I agree with you brother. Most folks shouldn't be attempting those. I had a very confident feeling that I'd drop that bird and I did just that.


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Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: wal1809] #5436694 11/22/14 01:19 PM
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Originally Posted By: wal1809
What is shocking to me is near half the commenters don't p a ttern their shotguns. I don't understand not doing it. I lump that thinking into this example. My truck might sputter and puke its way over a 100 mile trip. Well by God it did the job and I finished the 100 mile trip. Though it did the job it could have been tuned up and performed much better over the course of the trip. My question is why would you not want to spend some time shooting your shotgun. At worst case scenario you were blasting some rounds off.

I don't know everything about shotgunning. I have been shooting a long long time before I patterned a weapon. I learned a whole bunch when i started patterning my weapons. I now would never take a weapon to the field without fine tuning it on paper.


I know WAL. I don't have access to a place to go and pattern it for free- and paying $15 for an hour at the range doesn't appeal to me. I'll get to it eventually- probably during the split.


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Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: wal1809] #5436698 11/22/14 01:20 PM
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Originally Posted By: wal1809
Originally Posted By: Erichugh22
I shot 2 3/4 inch shells for the past 3 years, they kill birds just fine. No need for 3 1/2'S unless you're shooting geese


I too bought a case of 2 3\4 shells. Much cheaper and they perform very well.


I might be coming over to the dark side...


Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: Dave Speer] #5436699 11/22/14 01:21 PM
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Originally Posted By: Dave Speer
I'd ditch the 3.5" loads, I don't remember you being that short.


I just wanted to prove it...


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Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5436701 11/22/14 01:22 PM
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2 3/4 nr 4 kent is perfect for decoying birds within 30 yards with IC choke.
For higher birds, or windy days I use 3 inch bismuth nr 4 or heavy metals nr 3 in a patternmaster long range (not the extra long range) choke.

I avoid 3 1/2 except for snows and cranes


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Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5436751 11/22/14 02:08 PM
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By all means ditch what is inexpensive and works and find an inferior and more expensive option.

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: Ben Lilly] #5436762 11/22/14 02:14 PM
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Originally Posted By: Ben Lilly
By all means ditch what is inexpensive and works and find an inferior and more expensive option.


Yes, exactly.


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Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5436990 11/22/14 04:39 PM
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I would never shell out the cash on 3.5" shells for ducks.

I lucked into a good deal for a few cases of various 3" steel loads, so that's what I shoot currently.

Before, I bought Kent Fasteel (or however they spell it) 3" #2 and liked them a lot. I'll probably keep buying them if I ever get through the rest of this steel.


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Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: jdk1985] #5437019 11/22/14 04:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: jdk1985
I would never shell out the cash on 3.5" shells for ducks.

I lucked into a good deal for a few cases of various 3" steel loads, so that's what I shoot currently.

Before, I bought Kent Fasteel (or however they spell it) 3" #2 and liked them a lot. I'll probably keep buying them if I ever get through the rest of this steel.


I normally wouldn't either. I was conducting an experiment during this first split, but the results speak for themselves in my experience so far. My gun and my on-board anti-aircraft fire control system (brain) are favoring the 2 3/4" 1 1/4oz loads of #4 going about 1300fps.


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Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5437087 11/22/14 06:02 PM
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I would only consider using 3 1/2s for high-flying Snows. Certainly don't need them for ducks. Also Mod choke is tighter than neccessary for shooting ducks over decoys.

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5437104 11/22/14 06:18 PM
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Not necessarily if you are shooting an over-bored barrel like the Maxus or the 835 ulti-mag. I have knocked down a bunch of decoying ducks with my IC choke on both shotguns, but in my limited experimentation and experience, I seem to have fewer cripples with a little more constriction.

I've had the Mossberg 835 for a lot longer than my Maxus and it patterns and kills birds very well with the 3.5" shells and a Cabela's/Carlson's extended IC Hevi-Shot choke... In fact, that gun has yet to have ammo that it doesn't consistently kill ducks with.

I like shooting my Maxus better- but it seems to be a little more finicky with ammo as far as how it patterns. The Maxus cycles everything perfectly and kicks off a lot of the felt recoil so it's a very comfy shotgun for waterfowl.

My experimentation continues, but for now- I'm sticking with the #4's in the 2.75" Winchester Drylock Super Steel load out. There's almost no recoil and it has been putting ducks feet up on the water the last three hunts with no cripples.


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Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5437293 11/22/14 08:37 PM
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You might consider something in between. I've used a Decoy (Light-Modified) choke in my Benellis for about 15 years now. The only time it comes out of the gun is when I am cleaning the gun. Honestly cannot remember the last time I used IC or Pass (Improved-Modified) choke. I shoot Kent 3" 1 1/8 oz. 1550fps shells. Speed Kills!

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5437311 11/22/14 08:48 PM
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Don't over think it. Shoot what works. I think confidence is the biggest factor in wing shooting. If you're doubting yourself every time you pull the trigger, you're gonna miss


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Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5437316 11/22/14 08:50 PM
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If its cheap and goes bang

Re: Ammo dilemma [Re: _Scooter_] #5437522 11/22/14 11:29 PM
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Just like a gun fitting you, go with ammo that fits your gun


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