All round shot size

[Manish]

Hello all,

 

Just wondering would 36gm of 3 shot in a 3 inch cart be a good all rounder for both ducks and geese?? Just wondering as Im going to start reloading in the spring/summer and get some time in at the clay ground too. Im still new to fowling so apologies if the question seems daft.

 

Many thanks

[Stonepark]

BB or 1 for geese, 3 or 4 for duck if using steel.

If you are decoying in to less than 40yards, can use 3 for geese but that is max range.

[Dave at kelton]

I found no3 very good on decoyed geese but would not go below no1 for geese on the shore, both in lead. If you cannot use lead then I use no 3 steel in duck and bb or bbb for geese.

[6.5x55SE]

9 hours ago, Manish said:

Hello all,

 

Just wondering would 36gm of 3 shot in a 3 inch cart be a good all rounder for both ducks and geese?? Just wondering as Im going to start reloading in the spring/summer and get some time in at the clay ground too. Im still new to fowling so apologies if the question seems daft.

 

Many thanks

100% Costal or inland steel or lead if i could only use one shot size 3's would be the number. Most people who believe 3's fail on Geese hit them to far back Concentrate on the head as a Snipe and 3's will do the job fine. Go for ' pattern and Penartration ' not one or the other. 2's are another good option ( not my choice of shot size ) shot plenty of Teal and Snipe when waiting for Geese.

[Smokersmith]

If both are on the menu, then I’ll have 2’s in more often than not.

[Manish]

Thank for the input gents. Im already chomping at the bit to get back out there for some more fowling 

[flippermaj]

Look at the thread a little down on keeping the SxS going.

I am verging toward No3 for the side by side but would use No 2 if available.   Of the last two geese I shot on the foreshore last day of the season with No 3 32grm load the first was dead in the air with neck and heart shots.  The second came down 100 yards away mortally wounded.  The no 3 shot were at their limit.  Not all the pellets penetrated all the way through the breast, some did go all the way through and punched through the breast bone into the body cavity, not sure how much energy they had left after that though.  

On mincing the meat I had several pellets left in the mincer indicating penetration was an issue ?  With steel No 1 I would hardly ever get a pellet in the mincer, all pellets would penetrate the body cavity.

 

Cheers

[wigeon jim]

Steel #1 (4mm) for me on the coast for both duck and geese,. Jim.

[Twymyn]

I have confidence in 36g steel 3’s as an all round load. It will kill a canada at 40/45 yds and has good pattern density for duck. I have not used 3’s for pinks on the foreshore but met a successful fowler in Scotland last year who had shot a lot of foreshore pinks with Mammoth 42g 3’s. I’m hoping that when the cartridge mfrs get their act together they will produce a 36g load with a bio wad

[motty]

For a good all-rounder, I would say 1s or 2s. 

One memorable flight in the past season, saw me killing a pair of pinks with 35gm BB, then a few minutes later killing a corking pair of mallard with the same load.

[m greeny]

I would rather  have to big a shot size than too small I quite like 36 gram of zinc coated bs

[bishop]

Lets stop this guff about hitting birds in the head with #3  steel shot .Its true i dont deny it #3 will drop geese with headshots but in the body at 45 yards its a likely a bloody cripple and you damned well know it.Use a humane pellet size as your years should have taught you.#1 steel or bigger.At 40 yards if you hit it in the head its as dead as a #3 shot but more importantly if you hit it in the chest as most do its still bloody dead not flapping off someplace.

Edited May 7, 2020 by bishop

[Konnie]

As standard on the foreshore I use 3.5" gamebore mammoth 3s get your ranges right and shoot within your capabilities they are fine.

[6.5x55SE]

1 hour ago, bishop said:

Lets stop this guff about hitting birds in the head with #3  steel shot .Its true i dont deny it #3 will drop geese with headshots but in the body at 45 yards its a likely a bloody cripple and you damned well know it.Use a humane pellet size as your years should have taught you.#1 steel or bigger.At 40 yards if you hit it in the head its as dead as a #3 shot but more importantly if you hit it in the chest as most do its still bloody dead not flapping off someplace.

Each to there own but stating " let's stop this guff about 3's " IMHO is disrespectful to those that are capable of consistently killing Geese with 3's. 

[Continental Shooter]

On 02/03/2020 at 08:33, Smokersmith said:

If both are on the menu, then I’ll have 2’s in more often than not.

+1

In my 20 bore either alone or duplex with TSS

[Norfolk wildfowler]

6 hours ago, bishop said:

Lets stop this guff about hitting birds in the head with #3  steel shot .Its true i dont deny it #3 will drop geese with headshots but in the body at 45 yards its a likely a bloody cripple and you damned well know it.Use a humane pellet size as your years should have taught you.#1 steel or bigger.At 40 yards if you hit it in the head its as dead as a #3 shot but more importantly if you hit it in the chest as most do its still bloody dead not flapping off someplace.

You are right for you and me , but a few on here can and do hit their geese mainly in the head time after time such as  6.5SSE. My personal choice in steel for geese is BBB with a very full choke  (.700) but I have shot a lot of lowish geese ( greylags ) with no 3 that have come over while I have been duck shooting. Most have been immobilized and unable to escape , but few have been killed outright. But then I am not that good a shot and most have been body shot. I should add that I rarely use steel these days , but Bismuth and Tungstun.

 

[bishop]

13 hours ago, 6.5x55SE said:

Each to there own but stating " let's stop this guff about 3's " IMHO is disrespectful to those that are capable of consistently killing Geese with 3's. 

I disagree.I  see it as  disrespectful to the quarry to promote  #3 shot as a  longer range killing option  in steel due to the fact not everyone can do this and encouraging many  more to try this will inevitably result in high crippling rates.I put the geese first not peoples feelings .I will add i know it can be done with #3 shot steel,and done very well--but at the risk of repeating myself thats not what this is about .The shore ,i reckon,is not the place to test how good a shot you are,and too see if you can use #3 steel on geese ,its the place to show how much restraint you can muster and use the right tools for the job in hand given your own level of skill.If you are  a consistently good shot and can use #3 steel humanely bash on--but know your limitations first before you start lobbin #3 up at higher geese please

Edited May 8, 2020 by bishop

[6.5x55SE]

1 hour ago, bishop said:

I disagree.I  see it as  disrespectful to the quarry to promote  #3 shot as a  longer range killing option  in steel due to the fact not everyone can do this and encouraging many  more to try this will inevitably result in high crippling rates.I put the geese first not peoples feelings .I will add i know it can be done with #3 shot steel,and done very well--but at the risk of repeating myself thats not what this is about .The shore ,i reckon,is not the place to test how good a shot you are,and too see if you can use #3 steel on geese ,its the place to show how much restraint you can muster and use the right tools for the job in hand given your own level of skill.If you are  a consistently good shot and can use #3 steel humanely bash on--but know your limitations first before you start lobbin #3 up at higher geese please

May i suggest you read the OP original question before getting bitter and twisted 😂 also your own post STATING no 1's in the body will result in a Dead Goose 🙄 just to add and I'm sure those that have met/ shot with me would agree I'm not the type of bloke who spouts Bullpooop and definitely not " I'm superior to the Rest " far from it. 

[lancer425]

1 hour ago, bishop said:

I disagree.I  see it as  disrespectful to the quarry to promote  #3 shot as a  longer range killing option  in steel due to the fact not everyone can do this and encouraging many  more to try this will inevitably result in high crippling rates.I put the geese first not peoples feelings .I will add i know it can be done with #3 shot steel,and done very well--but at the risk of repeating myself thats not what this is about .The shore ,i reckon,is not the place to test how good a shot you are,and too see if you can use #3 steel on geese ,its the place to show how much restraint you can muster and use the right tools for the job in hand given your own level of skill.If you are  a consistently good shot and can use #3 steel humanely bash on--but know your limitations first before you start lobbin #3 up at higher geese please

The Original post is here. !.

"Hello all,Just wondering would 36gm of 3 shot in a 3 inch cart be a good all rounder for both ducks and geese?? Just wondering as Im going to start reloading in the spring/summer and get some time in at the clay ground too. Im still new to fowling so apologies if the question seems daft".

And To answer this question. YES!. A 36 gram load of 3s steel 3.5 mm  will offer good all round performance on ducks and geese, and in most guns  choke constrictions and in most situations.

Another option could be 2s steel which IIRC is 3.8mm, and i personally would chose the 2s for an all round shot size in the 36 gram loading.  But you may depending on what your doing or what choking  ranges you are shooting be better off with the 3s. I tend to run guns with lots of choke, full or fuller than full more often than not. A Typically choked Mod or IMP Mod gun depending on how its patterning with the load, might be better with the 3s, but you will have to do your part in Hi ting the bird properly. .

In many  cases you will have to make allowances as with any single shot size on such a broad range of Bird size and ranges, The important thing is to Pattern your gun know what its capabilities are with that load. Then you will know what your range will be and if you need to change any chokes or even shot sizes to achieve your Goal Effectively and humanely.

 

. 

[6.5x55SE]

26 minutes ago, lancer425 said:

The Original post is here. !.

"Hello all,Just wondering would 36gm of 3 shot in a 3 inch cart be a good all rounder for both ducks and geese?? Just wondering as Im going to start reloading in the spring/summer and get some time in at the clay ground too. Im still new to fowling so apologies if the question seems daft".

And To answer this question. YES!. A 36 gram load of 3s steel 3.5 mm  will offer good all round performance on ducks and geese, and in most guns  choke constrictions and in most situations.

Another option could be 2s steel which IIRC is 3.8mm, and i personally would chose the 2s for an all round shot size in the 36 gram loading.  But you may depending on what your doing or what choking  ranges you are shooting be better off with the 3s. I tend to run guns with lots of choke, full or fuller than full more often than not. A Typically choked Mod or IMP Mod gun depending on how its patterning with the load, might be better with the 3s, but you will have to do your part in Hi ting the bird properly. .

In many  cases you will have to make allowances as with any single shot size on such a broad range of Bird size and ranges, The important thing is to Pattern your gun know what its capabilities are with that load. Then you will know what your range will be and if you need to change any chokes or even shot sizes to achieve your Goal Effectively and humanely.

 

. 

Thank you. Much better explanation than my attempts. 👍

[lancer425]

7 minutes ago, 6.5x55SE said:

Thank you. Much better explanation than my attempts. 👍

But exactly the same conclusion. And it stands up to every critical scrutiny , because the subject matter, in this case A 3 inch 36 gram load of 3 Steel  is a Good All round Duck and goose  "in most gun/ choke / range"   load as we explained .  If we Pattern get to know what the Load is doing exactly, we can then start looking at Improving its Efficiency, This can be based on The shooters capability, the Range, As well as any secondary effects of the range and any changes in technique or modifications to equipment / chokes etc. Its endless. And it may or may not be necessary to change anything or everything. Its that broad a church. But as a one option for all load its Good.