Texas Hunting Forum

Shot Size

Posted By: mattfox

Shot Size - 01/12/15 07:43 PM

I'm new to duck hunting. What size shot for mallards in the 25-40 yard range?
Posted By: Going Green

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 07:53 PM

3's or 4's
Posted By: RedRaider3933

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 07:54 PM

Unless I am shooting teal I almost exclusively use 3 inch #2's.
Posted By: Moto382

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 08:05 PM

3inch 2's for me all season
Posted By: jdk1985

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 08:05 PM

I shoot a lot of #2s and I like them... a lot. Does not mean other's won't work.
Posted By: sallysue

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 08:07 PM

Originally Posted By: Moto382
3inch 2's for me all season
Posted By: ndhunter

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 08:25 PM

3" #4 shot
Posted By: schmellba99

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 09:00 PM

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.
Posted By: southern_fowler

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 09:37 PM

Hevi metal 4's or 6's for ducks and 2's for decoying geese
Posted By: LarryCopper

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 10:44 PM

Originally Posted By: Going Green
3's or 4's
Posted By: Guy

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 11:32 PM

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.
Posted By: texasdude28

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 11:34 PM

3" 2's or 2.75" 3's.
Posted By: droebuck

Re: Shot Size - 01/12/15 11:45 PM

3", #3, 1 3/8oz for me the extra 1/8oz of shot makes for better kills than the speed.
Posted By: beaversnipe

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 12:07 AM

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.

Posted By: _Scooter_

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 03:55 AM

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
Posted By: Cody Malone

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 03:58 AM

I shoot #2 Kent Fast Steel
Posted By: Navasot

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 04:00 AM

Shoot um in the face and it won't matter..
Posted By: beaversnipe

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 04:12 AM

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
Posted By: _Scooter_

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 04:31 AM

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.
Posted By: TOMCAT21

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 04:48 AM

Kent 3" #3 shot through LM choke.
Posted By: wal1809

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 01:28 PM

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.
Posted By: wal1809

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 01:31 PM

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.
Posted By: beaversnipe

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 01:37 PM

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
Posted By: rob valle

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 01:41 PM

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.
Posted By: wal1809

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 01:53 PM

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?
Posted By: Navasot

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 02:13 PM

Originally Posted By: wal1809
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?


eek2
Posted By: wal1809

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 03:38 PM

Originally Posted By: Navasot
Originally Posted By: wal1809
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?


eek2


In the meantime we all wait patiently with blood lust in our eyes. popcorn duel whip
Posted By: jseago

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 03:44 PM

shoot them into sheet metal at that range and see the difference in energy

I use 3" number 4s because there are more pellets

the low brass 6s work for me on teal and woodies perfectly, probably would work fine on others as well, I'm just not a great shot and need all the help I can get!
Posted By: DuckCoach1985

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 04:03 PM

4 shot - 2 3/4 works fine 35-40 yards out of my winchester with Modified choke. If I'm shooting out past that I'll use 3".
Posted By: DuckCoach1985

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 04:08 PM

Originally Posted By: wal1809
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.


Once while dove hunting I shot an 85lb hog in the face at 25 yards with 7.5 lead. Dropped him dead.
Posted By: wal1809

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 06:41 PM

Originally Posted By: jseago
shoot them into sheet metal at that range and see the difference in energy

I use 3" number 4s because there are more pellets

the low brass 6s work for me on teal and woodies perfectly, probably would work fine on others as well, I'm just not a great shot and need all the help I can get!


Well you almost got the point but then you zigged when the point zagged. If you claim to be not that good of a shot, a bigger pellet (less pellets in your shot column) will not aid you in more success. A bigger pellet would in fact diminish your success rate even further. Bigger pellets don't mean "BIGGER BETTER BADDER", an accurate and dense pattern with no holes in it kills ducks.

There is more to the science of measuring energy. Key factors are speed and weight. Rednecks shooting street signs can tell us a lot but I would hardly use that as a data in determining what I use and don't use so far as shot size.
Posted By: jseago

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 07:05 PM

1 1/4 oz of 4s has nearly the pellet count of an oz of # 6 but is more dense and faster (provided the load), and will knock down birds with less pellets on target, less cripples, etc.
Posted By: TXPride

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 07:17 PM


I shot dove load at pigs before. They had a bunch of pellets hit them, but ran away confused2
Posted By: wal1809

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 07:42 PM

Originally Posted By: jseago
1 1/4 oz of 4s has nearly the pellet count of an oz of # 6 but is more dense and faster (provided the load), and will knock down birds with less pellets on target, less cripples, etc.






It is a lot easier for me to just say I see your logic. So, I see your logic and I have seen the light.
Posted By: Gill_97

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 07:43 PM

2-3/4 #4's all season long
Posted By: DuckCoach1985

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 08:08 PM

Originally Posted By: TXPride

I shot dove load at pigs before. They had a bunch of pellets hit them, but ran away confused2


Shoot em in the face
Posted By: TXPride

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 08:21 PM

Originally Posted By: DuckCoach1985
Originally Posted By: TXPride

I shot dove load at pigs before. They had a bunch of pellets hit them, but ran away confused2


Shoot em in the face


I'll just stick with buckshot
Posted By: DuckCoach1985

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 08:31 PM

Originally Posted By: TXPride
Originally Posted By: DuckCoach1985
Originally Posted By: TXPride

I shot dove load at pigs before. They had a bunch of pellets hit them, but ran away confused2


Shoot em in the face


I'll just stick with buckshot


yea....

but with the modified choke.. it really does a number on the dove
Posted By: TXPride

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 08:36 PM

Originally Posted By: DuckCoach1985
Originally Posted By: TXPride
Originally Posted By: DuckCoach1985
Originally Posted By: TXPride

I shot dove load at pigs before. They had a bunch of pellets hit them, but ran away confused2


Shoot em in the face


I'll just stick with buckshot


yea....

but with the modified choke.. it really does a number on the dove


I wasn't dove hunting...I just went with the theory that more shot is better stir
Posted By: DuckCoach1985

Re: Shot Size - 01/13/15 09:37 PM

cheers
Posted By: _Scooter_

Re: Shot Size - 01/16/15 01:07 PM

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.


Someday if you get time, I'd like you to PM me your essential shotgun reading list...
Posted By: txtrophy85

Re: Shot Size - 01/16/15 01:46 PM

Why does everyone hate on the expert steel? What about the dry lock steel from Winchester?

I have kent and black cloud in my bag now only because they carry a wider selection of that stuff than any other type of non-toxic.

I've heard the Xpert steel patterns horribly

Never wondered about the others. It seems like it wouldn't take a lot to kill a decoying duck at 20 yards but everyone I know uses 3" no.6 or no.4 kent or black cloud for ducks. A few use no.3 and no.2
Posted By: wal1809

Re: Shot Size - 01/16/15 01:53 PM

That would be an impossibility. Apparently I have crowed too often on this board. It comes out as negative when all the while it was meant to create a positive difference to some that just might not have known. There are more than some, on this board even, whom are absolutely clueless as far as shotguns. So I have told myself to just let it be. Now the reason I say it would be an impossibility to pm you the reading essentials is, 40 years of shotgunning can't fit in a PM. I have gathered tidbits from the beginning and went from there. So from the first time I shot paper all the way up to advanced shooting reconstruction schools and everything in the middle, all that can't be put in a PM. As many times as we have talked about this, everything in the shotgun world boils down to pellet size, weight and speed. It is that simple.
Posted By: wal1809

Re: Shot Size - 01/16/15 02:29 PM

Oh and credit should be credited to those to whom it is do. The ranch I lease today is owned by my best friends dad. Years ago after the death of my father he was one man that took a role in guiding my direction. He is probably the most educated man I know. It is he that forgot more about ballistics than I will ever know. A new guy to the group described him best. He compared him to the old man ballistic guy, Levon Helm, in the Mark Walburg movie "Shooter". He recieves credit for a lot more of my teachings thsn just ballistics. I will leave you with one of his sayings,"Son,there is no gray. It is black, white, right, wrong. Nothing in the middle". That stuck with me still.
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