RE: WaterFowl Loads
 

Thats all I have ever used (save some 3" turkey loads I got at wal-mart on closeout for $8 a box).

Me, my father, and grandfather have been shooting 2 3/4" #6 Hevi exclusively (as our first shell that is) for nearly ten years now (at least it seems that long...been since I was in High School..and that was almost ten years).We use it on ducks and geese, and I have personally killed geese with it out to 45 yards. I took a black duck two mornings ago that swung a little wide and rolled him...I broke out the rangefinder to where he lit (he was about four feet off the water when I shot him)....53 yards...farther than I would normally consider shooting period...but it was a monster black duck...probably made it look closer.

Even when I was shooting a 3.5" gun...my first shell was always that 2 3/4" Hevi #6. Can't go wrong!

RE: WaterFowl Loads
 

-Thanks for the warning about using a full choke with steel. I know there are alot of guys out there that have probably been using full chokes and still with out a problem, but I "probably" wont take the chance because if it can happen once it will happen again.
-What about choke size for hevi shot? is a full choke safe for hevi shot, or what size would you guys recomend

RE: WaterFowl Loads
 

I have been shooting more and more steel and the again more and more 3" vs 3.5"......the more you hunt and the more you practice you should learn what are and arent good shots and become a better shot....IMHO use sttel and worry more about shots taken just as you would with archery and you will be happy at the end of the day.....as far as brands, I am happy with kent but I also use a lot of federal too and some winchester...

RE: WaterFowl Loads
 

great gun choice, I use the same thing. ive found that using a modified choke for hevi shot and bigger steel shot patterns really well. i never use full... its patterns with steel can be questionable at best. improved for #4 hevi shot works perfect for decoying ducks out to 30 yards

RE: WaterFowl Loads
 

Anything after the opener I pretty much us BB fast heavy steel in 1500-1550 ft/sec. They seem to be very effective on both geese and northern ducks. For close in decoy over water I might still shot #1s or #2s.

RE: WaterFowl Loads
 

Load one hevi shot shell as your first shot, and then back it up with two steel loads. other way around, use steel when the ducks are closer, then use the hevi shot as the last shot to drop em out far

also check out hevi steel, its less expensive than hevi shot, has 25 shells in a box and is better than steel.

and yes, hevi shot is safe with a full choke, also with ducks i use #6 hevi shot w/ a modified choke,that combohasa devoted following around my area, its hevier than lead and has more pellets than 4s or 2s, and it still has great down range velocity.

RE: WaterFowl Loads
 

I was useing the Remington brand Hevi shot, but I have heard that Remington dosnt make it anymore and what I see at outdoor stores and websites is what is left of it. Isthis true? I did see that there is an actual hevi shot brand now and wanted to know if it is as good. I'm now thinking about useing Bismuth 3" #4 shot high volocity loads because I heard there a one shot one kill load that is hard to beat.

RE: WaterFowl Loads
 

iv shot bismuth and its good,
and yes remington stopped making hevi-shot, they make wingmaster HD now,
and yes the brand hevi-shot is made by enviro-metal, they created hevi-shot and sold the rights to remington, so its the same formula, but iv found that the brand hevi-shot is better than the old remington hevi-shot.

RE: WaterFowl Loads
 

Remington didn't exactly buy the rights to hevi-shot, they leased it from them and paid them a percentage of the sale of the shells. The biggest thing that pisses me off was that Remington told the creator that they would be selling hevi-shotforless than $10 a box for 2 3/4" and they would pay him something like $.15 on every box. They ended up selling it for almost twice what they said they would. When the contract was up, they wouldn't allow Remington to use it anymore, but Remington all but stole the meathod of making hevi-shot and made their own version (HD), which is almost identical, but still the slightest bit lighter than hevi-shot, but still heavier than lead.

RE: WaterFowl Loads
 

3" kent faststeel, BB's,1550 fps for geese
3" kent faststeel, #4's,1550 fps for ducks

Over the years I've came to the conclusion that 3" shells pattern better than 3 1/2" shells. JMHO. If your shooting decoyed birds its all you will ever need. If your not shooting decoyed birds, you should try and learn how to. It makes the sport a sport and a ton more fun!!!