Well, I am also relatively new to the sport of duck hunting seriously. But I was doing a quick test this weekend. I shot #2 3" Remington Steel and shot it 40 yards at piece of plywood with corkboard on top. It was still inbedded in the corkboard. I then shot #5 lead 2 3/4" squirrel shot at the same target and I can't believe it outpenetrated and went thru the ply. I did the same with Heavyshot (only one shot-too expensive), and it also penetrated.

Reason I did this was I had to sometimes put a second shot in the ducks we shot with steel at 35 yards and usually emptied my gun to get the bird down anyway. And while cleaning, the penetration was very poor.

I still can't believe it.

BigCountry, seeing is believing isn't it. You're absolutely right about the penetration factor, I too was tired of watching BB's pop out as I was pulling off the skin while cleaning. With the fast steel (1550 fps or greater) you should see different results. The birds I've hit this year after making changes aren't just winged but lights out totally dead. We rarely get pellets stuck in the meat because they go in one side and out the other. Kind of nice as you get older and worry about chomping your just-paid-for dental work on a steel BB.

Congratulations GreatWhite, sounds like you've got a really good spot or spots. When you stuck with lesser spots like some of us you do a couple of things. A) you scout for better spots. B) you do your best to make each blessed opportunity count. Some guys have lots of birds to shoot at so they get close shot and lots of practice. Some people have a handful of bird to see each weekend and beg for them to work their decoys, at which point you want every advantage possible. Remember only one part of your entire hunting ensemble (truck, boat, waders, calls, guns, dogs, decoys etc) actually makes contact with the bird and those are the pellets. Glad to hear you have high success.

Good luck to all.

Hey....I Hunt in Arkansas, its not the duck Capitol you think it is. And I think its safe to say that we've been begging ducks to work our holes forever, seeing how we havent had a decent number of ducks in 5 years. There really is no such thing as "duck hunting" around here anymore. Its all one big scoutin trip, with the occaisional duck shot. Constantly lookin for a concentration of ducks big enough to even attempt to hunt.

"ARISE, KILL, EAT"
Acts: 10:13

Now you've just slain another dream. I've always wanted to get rich and famous (well rich enough for guided hunts)and head over to Arkansas for some fine hunting and eating. Darn. Good luck with the late season to all.

Mattio, when you say fast steel, you mean any magnum that goes 1550fps? Or is there steel out there better than the usual?

Well the eating part, hehe Is available.

"ARISE, KILL, EAT"
Acts: 10:13

When I personally think of fast steel now, it is around 1550 fps. I really like a couple of hand loads that safely go in the 1680-1720 fps range. Other reloaders consider those to be of the fast, fast variety. There is a balancing act as you're trying to get the most amount of pellets in an even 30 inch diameter pattern while delivering the most ENERGY. Remember that energy is derived something on the order of E = W x VxV x 2.218279 x 10-6
where:
W=bullet (or pellet) weight(grains)
V=velocity(fps)
E=energy (ft-lbs)

That was taken off another website which was out of a textbook so I personally did not dream it up. Go to your Physics I textbook for verification. What you do see is that Velocity is squared, meaning that the speed of the projectile can deliver more to the energy than the mass in general terms. So going from 1250 fps to 1550 fps or 1700 fps (with the projectile having the same mass) there is a significant difference.

OK that is the math portion. Prior to testing all of the loads on the the pattern boards and birds I was very skeptical. Hey, I'm a scientist thats my job. However after testing it I was happily surprised with the results. That being said if your gun patterns Expert Steel great and you have confidence when shooting it, by all means go for it. I've just watched more birds tumble head over webbed feet, or just had the life truly sucked out of them this year than ever before. Maybe I've been lucky all year. Could be, but I bet if you were to do the same test I've done you would convert as well. Good luck to all.

PS. I can't explain why HS shot ducks bleed so effusely. Really they will leave all kinds of blood in your bag. Is it more pellets? More energy? More holes (holes in and out)? The irregular shape? I don't know. The meat isn't very damaged but the blood loss is high. Any answers?

Seadog,

The duck landed in my dekes. I waited 10 minutes for him (the duck) to come into a clear shooting path (other hunting groups present and in the line of fire). When I flushed the duck, I waited until it had cleared all other suspision of other hunters (clear shot), had a flight that would not be a sitting duck, and took careful aim. Maybe where you are, you see thousands of waterfowl, but we see less.

The shot was SAFE, CLEAN and EFFECTIVE!

Steel has failed me at 15 yards before when feathers fell like snow!

Save the criticism for your next PETA meeting.

OK....thats one duck...what about the million and a half other ducks that fell.

"ARISE, KILL, EAT"
Acts: 10:13

I cannot say, I have not killed a million and a half ducks. I just know what works for me. After this posting, I will "turn the other cheek". Period.

Shoot what works for you.