What and why?

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.

#4 because it makes a better pattern than the larger shot.

3” #4’s on puddle ducks

2, 3 or 4 has always worked well for me.

This

4 steel
6 w/bismuth
8/9 with tss

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.

BOSS #5 works on teal thru cranes, can order for 12,16, and my daughters 20g , really makes it easy

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.

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.

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.

#3 for steel in 12 or 20ga, #9 TSS in 28ga, and #10 or #9.5 in tss in .410ga

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.

# 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.

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.

#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.

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.

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.

#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

This and 3/5 w Boss great value for high end shell. I would also add 6s heavy shot for 12 or 20ga

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

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.

What - #5

Why - I don't miss with it

Caveat: I occasionally stretch the truth