Steel Cartridge Driven Duck

[chrislightning]

With the sad end to my syndicate for driven pheasants coming to an end this year I have embarked on buying individual days. One of the first days I’ve got is some driven duck, I’ll be shooting my Xs pro which is High Performance steel ready. 
 

But I’m wondering if anyone can vouch for a “decent” hard hitting steel cartridge capable of driven duck? I understand it’s about putting the shot in the right place and all that. But with so much skepticism around the topic I’d rather hear from people on here than the marketed information online. 
 

Thanks,

Chris 

[PeterHenry]

I've been hot and cold over steel cartridges - they certainly work. I've shot driven duck with Lyalvales 32g '4' precision steel, as well as their 3" HP offering in the same loading. I've also used the latter for flighting ducks below the high tide mark.

They both work - and I firmly believe that in general, people's ability to shoot ends before the effective range of steel game cartridges.

However, I have had - and continue to have - doubts over scoring in barrels.

Last week I looked at a pair of barrels from a HP proofed Beretta SL3 (one of a pair). There were very obvious score marks after the owner useing steel. I've also seen the same in barrels from a silver pigeon.

I have similar scores marks in some of my guns - but only the ones I have used steel (either type) in.

Currently, I'm having some luck with Bioammo Blue (27g '4' 2 3/4"). I was using it to decent sucsess the other day decoying with imp cyl and 1/2 chokes in a side by side. I've also used it in my browning through 1/4 and 1/2 chokes (including on duck drives) and my ratio was no better or worse than normal - although they did seem to 'fold' more convincingly than if shot with steel.

So, my suggestion would be Bioammo Blue

Edited August 29 by PeterHenry

[Stimo22]

Used Gamebore silver steel 4 shot for some years now on flighted duck and they certainly work for me

[Smudger687]

2 hours ago, chrislightning said:

With the sad end to my syndicate for driven pheasants coming to an end this year I have embarked on buying individual days. One of the first days I’ve got is some driven duck, I’ll be shooting my Xs pro which is High Performance steel ready. 
 

But I’m wondering if anyone can vouch for a “decent” hard hitting steel cartridge capable of driven duck? I understand it’s about putting the shot in the right place and all that. But with so much skepticism around the topic I’d rather hear from people on here than the marketed information online. 
 

Thanks,

Chris 

Do you have to go down the eco-steel route or are plaswads allowed?

[chrislightning]

9 minutes ago, Smudger687 said:

Do you have to go down the eco-steel route or are plaswads allowed?

Plaswads are fine. Cheers

[Smudger687]

1 minute ago, chrislightning said:

Plaswads are fine. Cheers

If you can tolerate the recoil I'd be opting for a 3 inch load of #2s through a tight aftermarket choke. Not the most forgiving set up but it is at least unforgiving at both ends if you do put the bird in the pattern. #2's will penetrate sufficiently deeply on mallards out to 50 yards which is a long old poke in the real world. #3's wouldn't be a bad choice either. 

In terms of factory loads the 3 inch RC atomic steel 1's are in fact a size 2 and are good cartridges if you can find them. Gamebore mammoth 3's are also a good cartridge and a bit easier to find. 

Smaller pellets like 4's and 5's can also work as with more pellets there's more chance of a hit to the head or neck but if you're a mere mortal like I am it's less consistent at longer ranges than just targeting the body. Your mileage may vary. 

 

 

 

[archi]

Eley lightning steel in a size 3 are my preferred choice in either 32g or 36g

[holloway]

58 minutes ago, archi said:

Eley lightning steel in a size 3 are my preferred choice in either 32g or 36g

Yes very  good cartridge i would recommend as well. 

[enfieldspares]

The folk my son beat for where the majority of the albeit small bag are duck...usually six or eight pheasant and twenty duck which are onthe one duck drive driven off a long narrow water body...use mostly Gamebore 1 1/8 ounce of steel 4 I think.

Edited August 29 by enfieldspares

[bunny_blaster]

On 29/08/2024 at 14:19, PeterHenry said:

I've been hot and cold over steel cartridges - they certainly work. I've shot driven duck with Lyalvales 32g '4' precision steel, as well as their 3" HP offering in the same loading. I've also used the latter for flighting ducks below the high tide mark.

They both work - and I firmly believe that in general, people's ability to shoot ends before the effective range of steel game cartridges.

However, I have had - and continue to have - doubts over scoring in barrels.

Last week I looked at a pair of barrels from a HP proofed Beretta SL3 (one of a pair). There were very obvious score marks after the owner useing steel. I've also seen the same in barrels from a silver pigeon.

I have similar scores marks in some of my guns - but only the ones I have used steel (either type) in.

Currently, I'm having some luck with Bioammo Blue (27g '4' 2 3/4"). I was using it to decent sucsess the other day decoying with imp cyl and 1/2 chokes in a side by side. I've also used it in my browning through 1/4 and 1/2 chokes (including on duck drives) and my ratio was no better or worse than normal - although they did seem to 'fold' more convincingly than if shot with steel.

So, my suggestion would be Bioammo Blue

How does the shot “score” the barrels when it’s enclosed within the wad? I put on average 15-20,000 steel shells through my DT10 and auto a year and have no “scoring” in either guns. I pick up any wads I come across whilst picking up and I’ve yet to find a wad where the shot has penetrated the plastic to reach the barrels. 

[PeterHenry]

11 hours ago, bunny_blaster said:

How does the shot “score” the barrels when it’s enclosed within the wad? I put on average 15-20,000 steel shells through my DT10 and auto a year and have no “scoring” in either guns. I pick up any wads I come across whilst picking up and I’ve yet to find a wad where the shot has penetrated the plastic to reach the barrels. 

As in the attached photo I suspect - which are all steel wads I have shot and recovered myself.

I don't know why some guns seem to be damaged and others not - but my best guess is it's down to different forcing cone and choke profiles - they are the points of constriction, and as steel doesn't compress, those are the points the wads are going to be under the greatest stress from the pressure of the shot against them.

 

Edited August 31 by PeterHenry

[TIDES EDGE]

Eley VIP Steel 32gm no3 with Eco Wads are brilliant and we should not be using plastic wads in any cartridge  in my opinion .

[Sweet11-87]

On 29/08/2024 at 16:38, Stimo22 said:

Used Gamebore silver steel 4 shot for some years now on flighted duck and they certainly work for me

this. 

theyre 3" but only becasue the shot is contained in a solid fiber cup wad that takes up allot of room.  through quarter choke for me they are fantastic anything more than quarter and they start to do strange stuff probably down to the was compressing weird on exit. but steel is tighter anyway and with the wad not having petals it probaby stays in the wad a touch longer.

anyway...steel 4  32g fibre 3"

game bore have discontinued them but they're still about pretty abundantly

[Smudger687]

18 hours ago, Sweet11-87 said:

this. 

theyre 3" but only becasue the shot is contained in a solid fiber cup wad that takes up allot of room.  through quarter choke for me they are fantastic anything more than quarter and they start to do strange stuff probably down to the was compressing weird on exit. but steel is tighter anyway and with the wad not having petals it probaby stays in the wad a touch longer.

anyway...steel 4  32g fibre 3"

game bore have discontinued them but they're still about pretty abundantly

They're available for homeloaders but they're a bit erratic compared to a plaswad in my experience. I still use them to avoid chucking plastic about but they're definitely not at the cutting edge of performance, if anything I've found they need more choke than an equivalent plaswad load to keep acceptable patterns. 

Joker wads may soon be available to homeloaders, I'll be swapping to those when possible. 

[enfieldspares]

I have just listed a canister of Maxam PSB+2 on the P/W Other Sales part of our Forum.

[Sweet11-87]

2 hours ago, Smudger687 said:

They're available for homeloaders but they're a bit erratic compared to a plaswad in my experience. I still use them to avoid chucking plastic about but they're definitely not at the cutting edge of performance, if anything I've found they need more choke than an equivalent plaswad load to keep acceptable patterns. 

Joker wads may soon be available to homeloaders, I'll be swapping to those when possible. 

fair enough mileage may vary and every guns different i guess. they were on duty again this morning but came home with the same amount i went out with. to warm to still and wrong tide.   ive asked my local RFD to get me in some of the ELEY 3" ESP eco wad cartridges to try see how i get on with them. i found the standard eley eco stuff a  bit slow for what im doing. will report back.