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Steel shot size on the forshore


Elliott.J.Drew
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What size steel shot does everyone use for flighting duck on the foreshore. I'm very confident with GameBore mammoth 3'' 36g #3's but I've just bought the same cartridge in #4 to see how they perform. What's everyone's opinions?

I have just got back from Lindisfarne and shot wigeon and teal with them shells in 4's I use them along with 3's as well,I find the 4's better for duck though..... and I use 42grm 31/2" mammoths in bb's or 1's for geese....you don't need out else bud....atb DT :-)
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Inland or on the forshore 3 inch 36 gr Gamebore 3s for small and medium size duck or 2s if rangy mallard expected works best for me. 3 or 3.5 inch BB or BBB for geese. For duck 36 gr 3s may seem a bit heavy and if closer than 30 yards a smaller shot size and lighter job will work , but even when shooting over flashes you often get 40-45 yard shots which will be too far for the lighter loads. However when using the larger BB or BBB for geese you need a tight full afterchoke. I have found BBBs pretty usless in anything less than full choke, the patten is just too thin.

 

 

I have used shot sizes from 5s ( usless , just pricks every thing over 25 yards ) and 4s with poor results. Had quite a few greylag with 36 gr 3s , but get cleaner kills with larger shot sizes. But if you match your chokes for the size of shot the results are so much better, For example my .700 HLS Undertaker steel choke is made for BB\BBB shot sizes , throwing very good tight patterns. Put no 3 or 2 through it and the patterns are poor unless I scale down to a choke made for those shot sizes ( .540)

Edited by anser2
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Inland or on the forshore 3 inch 36 gr Gamebore 3s for small and medium size duck or 2s if rangy mallard expected works best for me. 3 or 3.5 inch BB or BBB for geese. 36 gr 3s may seem a bit heavy and if closer than 30 yards a smaller shot size and lighter job will work , but even when shooting over flashes you often get 40-45 yard shots which will be too far for the lighter loads. However when using the larger BB or BBB for geese you need a tight full afterchoke. I have found BBBs pretty usless in anything less than full choke, the patten is just too thin.

Sound advice anser2, I've used the 36g #3s for years with no problems at all, they might as well be lead. But I'm curious about what the #4s are capable of. Also are your BB and BBB cartridges steel? I wasn't aware you could choke steel that tight?

ATB

E. J. D

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Elliott , the BB and BBB are all steel Gamebore , Winchester and Remmingtons. Remember I said after choke ( screw in ) and they were made for steel ( and heavy shot). The choke is longer and the tube very slowly tapered compared with a internal choke . This reduces pressures compared with internal chokes.

 

Take a 20 yard shot though and you will need a shovell to pick up with if you hit the bird. The Afterchoke is ment for 40 yard plus shots and if you are on target will give certain killing paterns to 50 yards , perhaps a little more.

 

One of the reasons why I like no 3 for duck is both the pattern and penteration run out at the same distance , makingit a very well balanced load. With no 4 the paten at 45 yards is good , but the pellets have lost penertration. If you are a good enough shot they will work well on geese as long as you can hit them in the head and neck.

Edited by anser2
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Elliott , the BB and BBB are all steel Gamebore , Winchester and Remmingtons. Remember I said after choke ( screw in ) and they were made for steel ( and heavy shot). The choke is longer and the tube very slowly tapered compared with a internal choke . This reduces pressures compared with internal chokes.

 

Take a 20 yard shot though and you will need a shovell to pick up with if you hit the bird. The Afterchoke is ment for 40 yard plus shots and if you are on target will give certain killing paterns to 50 yards , perhaps a little more.

 

One of the reasons why I like no 3 for duck is both the pattern and penteration run out at the same distance , makingit a very well balanced load. With no 4 the paten at 45 yards is good , but the pellets have lost penertration. If you are a good enough shot they will work well on geese as long as you can hit them in the head and neck.

Interesting info and thanks for the reply. I'm not really one to worry about the choke too much I just shoot everything through 1/2 and haven't had a problem. From Canada's to teal at all ranges.

 

I started this topic because amongst the people I know who are diehard wildfowlers there would appear to be a divide between those who use 3's and swear by them and 4's and swear by them.

 

For ducks that is.

We could go all night about what people use for geese.

ATB

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What size steel shot does everyone use for flighting duck on the foreshore. I'm very confident with GameBore mammoth 3'' 36g #3's but I've just bought the same cartridge in #4 to see how they perform. What's everyone's opinions?

Unfortunately EVERYBODY has there own favourite and different skill levels so you will get plenty of varied answers but one thing I feel most do agree about Steel shot killing ability does drop of very quickly eg kill fantastic at 30 yrd but at 35yrd useless.

I personally use 32gram Of Steel 4 shot for Duck shooting coastal or Inland and never felt myself wanting but to some I have a weird thought process that is " get up front and Nut Em "

Practice and Practice more to hone your skill to shoot for the Head .

Mid September last season whilst coastal Ducking using RC 32gram Steel 4 shot a small skein of Pinks caught me out and managed to cleanly kill 3 from the bunch between 30-40 yrd.

My advice use what suits YOUR need's and work's for YOU best resulting in what we all strive to do " one shot clean humane kills " on what ever Quarry we pursue.

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What size steel shot does everyone use for flighting duck on the foreshore. I'm very confident with GameBore mammoth 3'' 36g #3's but I've just bought the same cartridge in #4 to see how they perform. What's everyone's opinions?

Not my choice for flighting the foreshore on flashes in evening though a goodcchoice. I prefer number 2 for the flighting pity gamebore don't do one

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Boyd is so right , we all have our favoured shot sizes and loads and in reality for most of us they all work to a degree. Its only when we get into the limits of range do loads, sizes and chokes start to make a difference , plus one more important factor , the skill of the shooter. Boyd is lucky in being one of those fowlers who has the ability to hit the bird in the head time after after time. For us lesser mortals the use of larger shotsizes gives us more of a chance of a couple of successful body shots.

 

When I first started to use it I hated steel with a vengance and could not get on with it. However you need to aproach steel with a different mindset to lead as its a very different beast. I experimented with a lot of different shot sizes , loads and brands before finding what works for me. There are one of two steel loads that even today I will not touch with a barge poll , I just cannot get them to work for me. But there are plenty of good quality shells now Gamebore, RC, the major American shells and though I have not used enough of them to form a firm opinion as yet friends seem to do well with the new Eley Lightings.

 

I beleve to get the best from steel you need to start with the gun. Forget the compromise light 32 gr loads for 2 3\4 inch guns and buy a gun that will handle high Performance loads, jump up 2 or 3 shot sizes to what we used to use in lead, avoid any slow steel loads , get a suitable steel after choke and for the best results get one ( or more ) that are made for specific shot sizes ( I have only ever found them in the US ) and forget about the lucky freak shots that used to come off with lead from time to time , know your max range , accept it and do not exceed it.

 

From then onwards its up to you and your skill to make steel work to its maximum potential.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I get on very well with gamebore 3s on duck but always have 3 1/2 " 3s as third shot !!! Have also taken to use a 7s 2 3/4s inch 28grm for close teal when decoying tidal ,but again with a heavy load as third shot works really well .Some of these Teal scream in at super sonic speed leaving me thinking of putting gun up and they are gone before the dam gun even moves I am sure some ****** has put a big weight on it somewere !!! lol

 

But ,yes at close range 20yds or so the Clay Compertion steel 7s do a grand job .. This will be my first season in ernest with 7s so will keep posted !!!

 

But all fowling except for some close Teal is with gamebore 3s 3" and 31/2" with 1s and bbs for the geese ! Oh and all using my Browning Gold S/A with half choke !

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