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Shot Size #5537833 01/12/15 07:43 PM
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mattfox Offline OP
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I'm new to duck hunting. What size shot for mallards in the 25-40 yard range?

Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5537857 01/12/15 07:53 PM
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Going Green Offline
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3's or 4's



Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5537860 01/12/15 07:54 PM
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RedRaider3933 Offline
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Unless I am shooting teal I almost exclusively use 3 inch #2's.


Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5537895 01/12/15 08:05 PM
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Moto382 Offline
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3inch 2's for me all season


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Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5537898 01/12/15 08:05 PM
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jdk1985 Offline
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I shoot a lot of #2s and I like them... a lot. Does not mean other's won't work.


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Re: Shot Size [Re: Moto382] #5537908 01/12/15 08:07 PM
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sallysue Offline
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Originally Posted By: Moto382
3inch 2's for me all season

Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5537948 01/12/15 08:25 PM
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ndhunter Online Content
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3" #4 shot

Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5538032 01/12/15 09:00 PM
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schmellba99 Offline
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2-3/4" #4's or #2's mostly.

3" if it is a bluebird day or I'm apt to shoot some geese.

This is for steel shot. If you are shooting biszmuth or heavi shot, you can go up a size.

Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5538110 01/12/15 09:37 PM
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southern_fowler Offline
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Hevi metal 4's or 6's for ducks and 2's for decoying geese

Re: Shot Size [Re: Going Green] #5538258 01/12/15 10:44 PM
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LarryCopper Offline
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Originally Posted By: Going Green
3's or 4's


Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5538361 01/12/15 11:32 PM
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I shoot #4 w IC choke all season, it kills birds fine with in 45 yards. Anything bigger will just unnecessarily tear up your bird more.

Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5538366 01/12/15 11:34 PM
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texasdude28 Offline
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3" 2's or 2.75" 3's.

Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5538404 01/12/15 11:45 PM
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droebuck Offline
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3", #3, 1 3/8oz for me the extra 1/8oz of shot makes for better kills than the speed.


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Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5538456 01/13/15 12:07 AM
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beaversnipe Offline
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Buy a patternmastern duck choke

Shoot cheap 2 3/4 nr 4 kent fasteel or 3 inch blue steel rio nr 3 on longer shots or windy days.


Last edited by beaversnipe; 01/13/15 12:08 AM.

www.TexasPondPoppers.com
Originally Posted by bill oxner
Loved my 4 inches. Well needed.

Originally Posted by bill oxner
Hate Russians. Love happy endings. I saw snot fly. cheers


Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5539159 01/13/15 03:55 AM
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y'all might hate on me, but when testing loads through my Kick's HF MOD I've been deadly with 1280fps Xpert low brass #6 steel on committed ducks from 15-40yds out. Have not found a single pellet that got through the breast skin as of yet either. And no cripples. Decoy them in, shoot them in the neck and head, and life is good at $6.49/box and absolutely zero recoil out of my shotgun. grin


Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5539167 01/13/15 03:58 AM
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I shoot #2 Kent Fast Steel


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Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5539177 01/13/15 04:00 AM
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Navasot Offline
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Shoot um in the face and it won't matter..

Re: Shot Size [Re: _Scooter_] #5539203 01/13/15 04:12 AM
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Originally Posted By: _Scooter_
y'all might hate on me, but when testing loads through my Kick's HF MOD I've been deadly with 1280fps Xpert low brass #6 steel on committed ducks from 15-40yds out. Have not found a single pellet that got through the breast skin as of yet either. And no cripples. Decoy them in, shoot them in the neck and head, and life is good at $6.49/box and absolutely zero recoil out of my shotgun. grin


I did the same with nr 7 last week on decoying ducks within 25 yards.
Was deadly and cheap


www.TexasPondPoppers.com
Originally Posted by bill oxner
Loved my 4 inches. Well needed.

Originally Posted by bill oxner
Hate Russians. Love happy endings. I saw snot fly. cheers


Re: Shot Size [Re: beaversnipe] #5539250 01/13/15 04:31 AM
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Originally Posted By: beaversnipe
Originally Posted By: _Scooter_
y'all might hate on me, but when testing loads through my Kick's HF MOD I've been deadly with 1280fps Xpert low brass #6 steel on committed ducks from 15-40yds out. Have not found a single pellet that got through the breast skin as of yet either. And no cripples. Decoy them in, shoot them in the neck and head, and life is good at $6.49/box and absolutely zero recoil out of my shotgun. grin


I did the same with nr 7 last week on decoying ducks within 25 yards.
Was deadly and cheap


Started out using them because I had found a pod of birds in a narrow river spot that I would only be shooting 20yds max. Took out two fat greenheads and no pellets damaged the good meat. Then, I knocked a Teal stone dead at about 40yds across the tank on Saturday. Belly up. Then went out in the rain Sunday and crushed 5 ducks all between 20-35yds before I ran out of the 12rds I brought with me. I then switched to BlackCloud and crippled a GWT at 35yds that swam across the tank. We did have to finish that teal off. Never buying anything over $10/box again.


Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5539304 01/13/15 04:48 AM
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Kent 3" #3 shot through LM choke.

Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5539577 01/13/15 01:28 PM
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wal1809 Offline
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I can't for the life of me answer the my own question about shot size. That question is why in the world would anyone limit their patterns by using anything larger than a #4 pellet. I suffered the "Bigger the pellet, better the hit" ideology 30 years ago when law switched to requiring steel. We didn't have proper technology for steel back then and we tried all we could to figure it out. Now that the technology came into the steel scene, there is plenty of information about steel loads and their killing ability. There is no reason whatsoever to use a pellet larger than 4s for ducks. In fact there is plenty of information produced to sway one from that large of a pellet.

Peter Hathoway Capstick wrote a lot on the subject of multiple pellet killing power. He preached against one big pellet and praised multiple small pellets. His writings sent me in the right direction. If we make a mistake on pellet size, it costs us a duck. If he were to have made the wrong pellet selection it would cost his life. He used small pellets in 12 ga to follow up wounded big cats for clients. In reading his science behind it and adding my own, I am a firm believer. A good pattern with numerous small pellets equals a train wreck on the other end.

Re: Shot Size [Re: _Scooter_] #5539580 01/13/15 01:31 PM
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Originally Posted By: _Scooter_
y'all might hate on me, but when testing loads through my Kick's HF MOD I've been deadly with 1280fps Xpert low brass #6 steel on committed ducks from 15-40yds out. Have not found a single pellet that got through the breast skin as of yet either. And no cripples. Decoy them in, shoot them in the neck and head, and life is good at $6.49/box and absolutely zero recoil out of my shotgun. grin


I aint hating on you at all. This bigger, better, badder, hyper-sonic, blackcloud "Buy this bad arse shell or your a moron" mentality is redonkulous. I wish they would quit pimping out my sport.

Re: Shot Size [Re: wal1809] #5539587 01/13/15 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted By: wal1809
Originally Posted By: _Scooter_
y'all might hate on me, but when testing loads through my Kick's HF MOD I've been deadly with 1280fps Xpert low brass #6 steel on committed ducks from 15-40yds out. Have not found a single pellet that got through the breast skin as of yet either. And no cripples. Decoy them in, shoot them in the neck and head, and life is good at $6.49/box and absolutely zero recoil out of my shotgun. grin


I aint hating on you at all. This bigger, better, badder, hyper-sonic, blackcloud "Buy this bad arse shell or your a moron" mentality is redonkulous. I wish they would quit pimping out my sport.



flehan


www.TexasPondPoppers.com
Originally Posted by bill oxner
Loved my 4 inches. Well needed.

Originally Posted by bill oxner
Hate Russians. Love happy endings. I saw snot fly. cheers


Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5539596 01/13/15 01:41 PM
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Depends on the conditions. I have used 2 3/4" #6's on non-windy days for close shots with no problem. But on windy days when the birds are further out, 3" #2's work good. I usually carry a couple of differnet boxes of shells in my dry box in case the weather suddenly changes.


Rob Valle
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Originally Posted by Texsun
The three things you need in life are a good doctor, lawyer and taxidermist.

Re: Shot Size [Re: mattfox] #5539610 01/13/15 01:53 PM
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So you are saying wind will blow your pellets off of their course between the time it leaves the muzzle and the 40 yard mark?

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