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Ammo dilemma
#5436493
11/22/14 05:08 AM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,661
_Scooter_
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OP
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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?
Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5436544
11/22/14 06:05 AM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,721
Dave Speer
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I'd ditch the 3.5" loads, I don't remember you being that short.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5436592
11/22/14 09:19 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,804
mohunter
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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.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5436617
11/22/14 11:45 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,626
Erichugh22
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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
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5436626
11/22/14 11:59 AM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,659
Hopedale
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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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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 5,294
8pointdrop
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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.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: 8pointdrop]
#5436649
11/22/14 12:37 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788
wal1809
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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. 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.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: Erichugh22]
#5436651
11/22/14 12:41 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788
wal1809
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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 I too bought a case of 2 3\4 shells. Much cheaper and they perform very well.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5436659
11/22/14 12:50 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788
wal1809
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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.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: wal1809]
#5436686
11/22/14 01:10 PM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 5,294
8pointdrop
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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. 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.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: mohunter]
#5436687
11/22/14 01:11 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,661
_Scooter_
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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. 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.
Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: wal1809]
#5436694
11/22/14 01:19 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,661
_Scooter_
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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. 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.
Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: wal1809]
#5436698
11/22/14 01:20 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,661
_Scooter_
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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 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.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: Dave Speer]
#5436699
11/22/14 01:21 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,661
_Scooter_
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I'd ditch the 3.5" loads, I don't remember you being that short. I just wanted to prove it...
Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5436701
11/22/14 01:22 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 23,830
beaversnipe
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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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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,943
Ben Lilly
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By all means ditch what is inexpensive and works and find an inferior and more expensive option.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: Ben Lilly]
#5436762
11/22/14 02:14 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,661
_Scooter_
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By all means ditch what is inexpensive and works and find an inferior and more expensive option. Yes, exactly.
Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5436990
11/22/14 04:39 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 13,416
jdk1985
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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.
Instagram @justinkingwoodworking
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: jdk1985]
#5437019
11/22/14 04:52 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,661
_Scooter_
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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. 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.
Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5437087
11/22/14 06:02 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 594
TOMCAT21
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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.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5437104
11/22/14 06:18 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,661
_Scooter_
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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.
Wasn't born in Texas, but I got there as fast as I could.
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5437293
11/22/14 08:37 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 594
TOMCAT21
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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!
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5437311
11/22/14 08:48 PM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 412
Fishuhalik
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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
Cigarettes are like hamsters. Perfectly harmless til you put it in your mouth & light it on fire
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5437316
11/22/14 08:50 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,177
sallysue
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If its cheap and goes bang
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Re: Ammo dilemma
[Re: _Scooter_]
#5437522
11/22/14 11:29 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12,987
hoof n wings
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Just like a gun fitting you, go with ammo that fits your gun
I'd ask him if he's pregnant. He missed a s__tload of periods. I'll take "things that look like a uterus" for $200 Alex.
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