Texas Hunting Forum
Favorite Duck Load?
Posted By: SpoonieGod
Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 03:09 AM
Getting into duck hunting and wondering what y’all have found the best shell to be. I’ve had the best luck with Kent and Rio. The only problem is that I haven’t been able to find any Rio steel shot where I live in SA. With that said any other thoughts and opinions on the best shell?
Posted By: kmon11
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 11:23 AM
Cabela's in Buda should have your Rio shells.
That is good for standard steel shot. If you want to hammer the ducks like we did in the lead shot days use heavy shot. #6 drops them like #4 lead did bac in the day. Main problem with it is $ but I find I shoot fewer shells for a liit. Of course if you have a good place and ducks are decoying well about any of it works well
Posted By: kmon11
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 11:26 AM
Moving to the waterfowl section where it will be seen by more duck hunters for their input
Posted By: kman2017
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 11:29 AM
Rogerssportinggoods.com usually has some of the best prices on Rio shells.
Posted By: 68A
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 12:40 PM
Kent #3 has worked for me.
Posted By: Guy
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 12:55 PM
Kent #4, 1 1/8 load. I’ll also buy federal blue equivalent shot/load.
Posted By: 2flyfish4
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 02:00 PM
I've always like the Winchester supremes and magnum loads. I think the supremes are just high velocity now. 3" #2, 3s and 4s.
Personally I would never shoot big ducks with any load less than 1 1/4oz, I really prefer the Winchester magnums in 1 3/8oz later in the season.
I think the shot oz is more important than the brand or name of shell you shoot.
Posted By: Hunt Dog
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 02:03 PM
#4, 3 inch mag, 20 ga for my Citori. Shot many a duck with that set up.
As long as the pellet size is right for the size bird, it doesn’t matter what the make is. It’s all steel.
Posted By: Erichugh22
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 02:42 PM
I mostly shoot 2 3/4 inch #3’s. Kent, federal or rio. My guns don’t seem to care what brand I shoot. They all pattern good for me and kill ducks so I just buy whatever brand happens to be on the shelf when I go in the store.
Posted By: SpoonieGod
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 02:47 PM
Checking on the Cabelas website they claim to no longer carry Blue Steel, but I’m with you I remember seeing some in there a while back.
Posted By: quackiller
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 03:06 PM
cheap monarch 3" #2/4's last few years. Usually 3" #2 fiocchi. whatever is cheap for ducks. This year splurged for geese and went with some hevi shot
Posted By: Guy
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 04:00 PM
Personally I would never shoot big ducks with any load less than 1 1/4oz
A smaller load is less pellets, but more gunpowder/speed/FPS. That’s the trade off. I prefer more speed, less likely to find pellets in the meat, and more likely pellets go all the way thru the meat/breast bone and thru the internal organs for a better kill.
Posted By: Gdogg
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 04:25 PM
Remington Hypersonic, 2 or 4's depending on duck size and length of shot.
Posted By: cannon88
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 04:35 PM
Remington Hypersonic, 2 or 4's depending on duck size and length of shot.
I order these in #3's from Rogers
Posted By: Gdogg
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 04:37 PM
Remington Hypersonic, 2 or 4's depending on duck size and length of shot.
I order these in #3's from Rogers
I'm going to have to check that out.
Posted By: David Maas
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 04:38 PM
Remington Hypersonic, 2 or 4's depending on duck size and length of shot.
You must hate your gun and shoulder, good lord
90% of the ducks in Texas can be cleanly killed with a 2 3/4" #3 load. proper choke and "some" calling ability
Posted By: BarneyWho
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 04:47 PM
2 3/4", 1oz, #3s @ 1600fps hand loads. In 12ga.
Posted By: Gdogg
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 04:54 PM
Remington Hypersonic, 2 or 4's depending on duck size and length of shot.
You must hate your gun and shoulder, good lord
90% of the ducks in Texas can be cleanly killed with a 2 3/4" #3 load. proper choke and "some" calling ability
I prefer to shoot the 10% that cannot be shot by you.
Posted By: David Maas
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 05:41 PM
Remington Hypersonic, 2 or 4's depending on duck size and length of shot.
You must hate your gun and shoulder, good lord
90% of the ducks in Texas can be cleanly killed with a 2 3/4" #3 load. proper choke and "some" calling ability
I prefer to shoot the 10% that cannot be shot by you.
Any day you want to put that theory to test let me know
One day you'll learn the difference between hunting and shooting
Posted By: jnd59
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 08:12 PM
My son's 8 grade science project hypothesis was that more expensive shells will pattern better than less expensive. Although his sample was smaller than a normal scientific sample, at least in his shotgun heavy shot out patterned all the others, including heavy steel at 30 yards
He won first place in the area science fair for that and I've bought heavy shot exclusively for this season.
Posted By: Gdogg
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 08:15 PM
Remington Hypersonic, 2 or 4's depending on duck size and length of shot.
You must hate your gun and shoulder, good lord
90% of the ducks in Texas can be cleanly killed with a 2 3/4" #3 load. proper choke and "some" calling ability
I prefer to shoot the 10% that cannot be shot by you.
Any day you want to put that theory to test let me know
One day you'll learn the difference between hunting and shooting
You do seem to know it all.
Actually I will shoot whatever is in my bag. I knew someone would bite!
Posted By: TTUGrad08
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/30/18 11:15 PM
Federal blue box 12 ga 3” 1-1/4 oz #2 with Carlson mod ext choke.
Works for me
Posted By: shalor
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/31/18 02:14 AM
Hevi Metal #2 or 3, 1&1/4 oz 12 gauge. Pretty good stuff, if you don’t try to make hero shots or get frustrated
by birds that won’t quite come in, and sky blast. IC early and Modified later in season with Beretta A400.
Posted By: SpoonieGod
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 10/31/18 08:47 PM
Thanks for all the input I’ll try and use this info as the season starts.
Posted By: Blake E.
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/01/18 04:34 AM
Federal waterfowl #6. Kills decoying ducks dead. Not the best for farther shots but I dont have many cripples over dekes.
Posted By: David Maas
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/01/18 10:34 AM
You do seem to know it all.
Actually I will shoot whatever is in my bag. I knew someone would bite!
Whatever, you keep skybusting and kidding yourself about being an "ethical" hunter
Posted By: Gdogg
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/01/18 04:29 PM
You do seem to know it all.
Actually I will shoot whatever is in my bag. I knew someone would bite!
Whatever, you keep skybusting and kidding yourself about being an "ethical" hunter
So shooting Hypersonic makes me a skybusting unethical hunter.
What other assumptions would you like to make?
Posted By: Guy
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/01/18 06:01 PM
I seen Gdogg shoot a duck with one of those supersonic shells, it was so far away it landed in someone else’s spread.
Posted By: Gdogg
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/01/18 06:14 PM
All dang day! Haha.
Posted By: thomas_z71
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/01/18 06:40 PM
Hevi Metal #2 or 3, 1&1/4 oz 12 gauge. Pretty good stuff, if you don’t try to make hero shots or get frustrated
by birds that won’t quite come in, and sky blast. IC early and Modified later in season with Beretta A400.
This. I shoot Heavy Metal 3" 3s out of my 12ga 1500fps. Gets the job done. And as others said watch Rogers for discount/rebate to get them under $210 case shipped.
Posted By: David Maas
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/02/18 03:53 PM
You do seem to know it all.
Actually I will shoot whatever is in my bag. I knew someone would bite!
Whatever, you keep skybusting and kidding yourself about being an "ethical" hunter
So shooting Hypersonic makes me a skybusting unethical hunter.
What other assumptions would you like to make?
You worry too much about what other people think about you
Assumption?:
I prefer to shoot the 10% that cannot be shot by you.
You said it, it wasn't an assumption, it was an observation
Posted By: kdub
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/02/18 03:58 PM
Posted By: Gdogg
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/02/18 04:16 PM
Darryl you should add Tool Life Member to your Sig. So fitting.
I will be in Ft Worth next Friday. How bout a meet and greet!
Posted By: Birdboy
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/02/18 04:45 PM
Kent Fast steal!!
Posted By: scubaarchery
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/02/18 11:15 PM
Hevi Metal #2 or 3, 1&1/4 oz 12 gauge. Pretty good stuff, if you don’t try to make hero shots or get frustrated
by birds that won’t quite come in, and sky blast. IC early and Modified later in season with Beretta A400.
This. I shoot Heavy Metal 3" 3s out of my 12ga 1500fps. Gets the job done. And as others said watch Rogers for discount/rebate to get them under $210 case shipped.
Mack’s has for 159 a case right now...
Posted By: Duck_Hunter
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/03/18 03:00 AM
Posted By: beaversnipe
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/03/18 01:30 PM
Heavy X tungsten nr 2 for geese, cranes and high ducks
Nr 4 and 6 for decoying ducks
Posted By: Greekangler
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/03/18 01:39 PM
You do seem to know it all.
Actually I will shoot whatever is in my bag. I knew someone would bite!
Whatever, you keep skybusting and kidding yourself about being an "ethical" hunter
So shooting Hypersonic makes me a skybusting unethical hunter.
What other assumptions would you like to make?
You want ethical- switch to Heavy X 4s or heavy shot. The Xs are lethal. We normally get them in real close (10-15 yards) but for them cloudy days———-like shooting lead. Best bang for the buck IMO-great price dot tungsten
Posted By: beaversnipe
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/03/18 01:58 PM
I saw a case of heavy X 2 3/4 nr 4 at cabellas yesterday.
Very tempted to burn my giftcard. Excellent load for everything within 50 yards
Posted By: David Maas
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/04/18 02:55 AM
Darryl you should add Tool Life Member to your Sig. So fitting.
I will be in Ft Worth next Friday. How bout a meet and greet!
Sure, we can go to the club and shoot a round of sporting clays
Posted By: strobes
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/05/18 05:37 PM
I have semi auto so I load two steel #4 and last heavy #4. If first two less expensive ones don't do it, the last one will finish the job with good punch at longer distance.
Posted By: David Maas
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/10/18 04:58 AM
Darryl you should add Tool Life Member to your Sig. So fitting.
I will be in Ft Worth next Friday. How bout a meet and greet!
You were so quick to call me by name and call me out, I pm'd you my number and invited you to the club for a round of sporting clays on my dime, but again, you were all talk.
So who is the tool again?
Posted By: el_cazador713
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/26/18 03:55 AM
Heavy Metal 3” #2s has worked really well for me!
Posted By: Cole4544
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/26/18 02:36 PM
Kent, Rio, Federal in 3 inch #3 steel shot 1 1/8 oz.
Bought a case of Monarch 3 inch #2 steel shot 1 1/8 oz. for $90/ $9 per box at Academy Sports and they are shooting great.
Cole PWF
Posted By: Jiggamitch
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 11/26/18 11:09 PM
I had really good results with the 3" black cloud #3 the other day.
Posted By: Dansmith30cal
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 12/09/18 03:30 AM
I shoot Winchester 3" no2's .. Never had a problem with them and they are 10.95 a box at walmart
Posted By: Astater
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 12/24/18 02:36 AM
I shoot Winchester 3" no2's .. Never had a problem with them and they are 10.95 a box at walmart
I shoot the "economical" shells too...no issue at all. Depending on where I'm hunting and how far I anticipate shooting I rotate between 3" and 3.5" #3s. Just got a case of Rios in from Rogers and they did great my last two hunts. Winchester, Federal and now Rio. I just can't afford shooting a couple of cases of "heavy" or "fast" shells each season.
Posted By: BradyBuck
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 12/24/18 04:40 AM
Fiocci Steel-warlock 3" #3
Posted By: beaversnipe
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 12/24/18 10:28 AM
Some yall still shooting 3 1/2 inch loads at them small decoying ducklings
Come on man
Posted By: BradyBuck
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 12/24/18 12:17 PM
Some yall still shooting 3 1/2 inch loads at them small decoying ducklings
Come on man
Maybe I missed it? I see one post that mentions 3 1/2 in loads.
Posted By: RayB
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 12/24/18 01:00 PM
Some yall still shooting 3 1/2 inch loads at them small decoying ducklings
Come on man
Maybe I missed it? I see one post that mentions 3 1/2 in loads.
I liked the post in one of the dove hunting posts, somebody posted looking for 3 1/2" 7 1/2 shot for doves. Tongue in cheek (I hope)
Posted By: KWood_TSU
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 12/31/18 11:24 PM
I like the 3" #3 hevi shot for my 20 gauge. I run the Muller passing choke.
Posted By: SpoonieGod
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 12/31/18 11:51 PM
3" Rio Blue Steel 1 1/4oz #4 shot
Posted By: ndhunter
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 01/03/19 06:16 PM
Black Cloud, 3", #4's
Posted By: fanatiquack
Re: Favorite Duck Load? - 01/08/19 10:04 PM
2 3/4 #4 Rio