What is the advantage of using the hi speed or faster waterfowl loads? Is it because the extra speed gives more energy and knock down power or that your leads will be less? thanks

More energy
For ducks , 90% of the time I shoot 1 oz of #3 or #4 at 1600 fps in 2 3/4" hulls ( my reload )

Loads this fast take a little work , you may have to try several chokes to fine one that patterens to your likeing

I normaly use a Briley extended Mod in my Remington

Johnch

High speed shot won't matter if your gun doesn't "like" it. You need to buy what you're interested in shooting and pattern it. Pattern may stink..

they help you miss the ducks faster

I don't care who ya are, thats funny right thar!!

It does revolve around energy. Its just because steel is so much lighter than lead, in order to get that same sort of energy, you need speed to compensate for the lost mass. Fast steel still isn't what any of the high density non-tox loads are as far as killing power, but they are much more economical and work just fine for many hunters. I shoot an HD load, backed up by two steel. Most of what we get are singles anyway..and I'm not greedy about shooting doubles. Rarely if ever have to sleuce a bird after hitting it with Hevi, but if I ever do...I will be shooting it with a cheap hevi-steel load instead of an expensive hevi-shot load.

I know that steel shot performs better the faster the volocity because it is not very dense and slows down much quicker than high density loads like heavy shot or bismuth. Im never going to shoot anything but high density loads, 3" 1 1/4oz #4 at 1550 fps. heavy shot.