What do you thing is the most deadly? A 3", #2, 1500 fps Shell with a Full Choke (Long Distance) - or - Remington's Hypersonic Steel rated at 1700 fps that is not recommended to be used with a choke? (See Below)


Also, what size shell do you all prefer, I'm looking for a good spread with distance that can still pack punch.

OK, I'm game. I don't have any and more than likely won't because I just bought 2 cases of Hevi-Metal and am burning up what other rounds I have left before going to it. That being said and from what I know of haveing gone from the lead era days to now the steel. I normally shoot 3" 2's and 3's at 1550fps from early season IC to later in season, mod. I use nothing but Briley Ext. Ported choke tubes. I am not sponsored by them nor do I promote them other than my opinion and useage.

I would, going from supplied chart, use the 3" 1-1/8th of 2's then back it up with 3" 1-1/4 of 2's with an IC choke. Later in season, I would go to 1-1/4 of 2's then back it up with 3" BB's and then a 3-1/2" BB with a Mod tube. My .02 cents.

What are you hunting?

I know I do things a little different than most people.
I somehow also survived the lead/steel change over.

My best success across the board has been with 1oz and 1 1/16oz of 3s and 1s or Bs ,any given day of my season from the truck to the truck I might shoot quail,ducks,chucker,rabbits,geese or once even a coyote anywhere from 15 to 50 yards. I shoot cheap PMCs untill I gets to 30* days then switch to Kent fasteel because they're the same as the hand loads I used to load and take less of my time. I shoot an O/U and a BPS both (all 3?)with fixed modified chokes. Both of the above loads are 2 3/4in and give around 1500fps. I caught the Fasteel on sale at $10 a box by the case about the 1st week in September the PMCs were something around $5 a box by the case but that was 6-7 years ago. The light recoil is awefully nice too.

Can you get away with a 2 3/4" 12 bore and steel on geese as it throws only a 1 oz load?Getting back into waterfowling and have used up all my Bismuth.NICE shot is $80 a KG here in Canada and that will get you about 34 shots!!!!!!!!!!Don't own a steel compatible gun as of yet.............Harold

Of course you can Harold. I've killed plenty of geese in the early september season here in the states while hunting early teal with my little 20 gauge shooting a mere 7/8oz of steel #4s! Killed them dead as a hammer too!

Now, you won't be doing much 50 yard pass shooting... but for hunting over decoys at ranges inside of 40 yards... if you can get out in front and focus on hitting the head.... hell you could kill them with dove/trap loads if it was still legal.

My father has never owned anything 12 gauge wise but a Rem 1100 that only shoots 2 3/4" shells. He now has choke tubes in his gun for steel... but the old man can still shoot pretty good and he brings down his share for sure.

The one that patterns the best. have you patterned any of those loads? velocity doesn't mean anything if you got a pattern a truck can drive through.