What to do, what to do???

[RUGER]

I started duck hunting not that long ago and asked a buddy what was the best shell to shoot.
He said he always used Blind Side #2 so that's what I went with.

I have never patterned my gun.
I just shoot a normal, factory modified choke.
My thinking is and has been, if they are in right that is all you need. Haven't duck hunted that long but I have shot a shotgun literally all my life.

Well they did ok but I did notice I had to water swat more than a few after they fell.
For what they cost I honestly was a little disappointed. ($23.00 per box)

Last year a guy at work had 4 or 5 boxes of Blind Side BB 3" shells that he didn't want.
He sold them to me for $10.00 per box.
I still haven't patterned the gun but there was an AMAZING difference that I could see immediately.
Out of the first 12 shots I used it on I killed 10 ducks and never had to shoot one twice.

Well I have a gift card to Final Flight and I decided I was going to use it to get my shells for the year and when I went they didn't have a single Blind Side shell in the store.
Dunno if they hadn't got them in yet or if they are not going to carry them.

My son is a big fan of the Fast Steel ammo and I have used it before and it seems pretty good.
Wonder how close a Fast Steel in BB would be to Blind Side ?

No I probably won't pattern it. :rotf:

 

[RUGER]

Yes I am just babbling because duck hunting is about all I can think about. LOL

 

[Cache]

Get you a good choke and don't worry about the shells. I switch between a kicks full choke or modified and have always used Winchester xperts 3 inch 2 shot. My buddy was a believer in a good choke after he patterned his regular full in his benelli next to my kicks. His shot was never consistent with the regular choke.

 

[woodyard]

Ruger , how many cases we gonna need ? I got some left over from my earlier goose days.
I don't want to run out. :lol:

 

[Dodge Man]

I shoot Rios 3" 1s, 2s or 3s and they pattern great out of my gun. I have been buying them from Rogers the past few years when they are on sale for $85 a case with free shipping.

I think a quality choke is a better investment then buying high end steel shot.


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[TNGunsmoke]

Pattern your gun. I've found mine like the 3 inch 3's better than anything else. 3 inch 2's are a close second. Code Black duck choke in an SX3. And that choke is better in my gun than the stock modified. I do want to try the new Winchester 2 & 3 blend just to see, but I have a stock of shells I want to shoot up before I buy any more.

 

[BlackEagle1]

I'm not surprised to hear about a decrease in cripples with the upgrade to BB's. That's all I shoot now for this reason. I have killed a pile with 2's, but there's an easily noticeable difference. The fast steel and cheaper federal rounds have proven to be adequate but seem dirtier than red box federal or silver steel. The slightly more expensive rounds are also plated which seems to help with rust issues. All of these are cheaper than blindside.

In 12 gauges I have never been impressed with factory chokes for browning, beretta, or benelli. I always swap to a kicks of some constriction depending on factory bore diameter. The patternmasters have never worked for me despite the small fortune I have spent trying.

I'm still a 10 gauge fan with a good dose of BB's and a factory modified or full choke.

 

[tickweed]

ruger, l shoot nothing but bb's. they will kill a duck at 10 yds, as well as 40 yds, or farther. l like 3" 1 3/8 oz estates, or 3" 1/2 fiochhi 1 3/8 oz bb's .that's all my boys shoot. we like briley lite modified chokes, death with bb's.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

I'd say pattern the gun. Hell I think it's kind of like a puzzle figuring out what's best.
I have only shot through factory chokes, so the next steps for me will be to try some after market to see if I like something better than what Franchi gave me with the gun. I do have a couple basic Carlsons that I use for turkeys that I like so I'll likely start with them.

Thus far my gun seems to like smaller shot in general, and those Rios, which are cheap, have been the best that I've tried yet. Rios, nitro steel, Kent's, federal blue box, black clouds are what I've patterned so far in sizes from BB, 2, 3 and/or 4.

I think you were right that most any factory steel load will get the job done at decoying distances.
I don't shoot BBs unless I'm hunting geese only, which is rare for me. I like more pattern density from say, 3s.

If you really want to jump off the deep end pick up a reloader and then the sky is the limit. I'm just now getting into it & am tempted to start trying to put together some heavier than steel loads.

 

[poorhunter]

Been years since I waterfowl hunted, but agree that a good choke is better than more expensive ammo. I used a PaternMaster back in the day and saw a big difference.

 

[jard]

I shoot a browning maxus. I have found that my gun likes heavier and slower shot better. I typically shoot 3.5" shells and typically kents in an LM choke. Kent offers 1 1/4oz 1625 fps, 1 3/8 oz 1500 fps, and 1 9/16 oz 1300 fps. My gun shoots and patterns better with the slower and heavier shot!! the faster the load and smaller the shot, the worse the pattern, the heavier and slower, the better it looks.

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

Carlsons Cremator on my Versa Max patterns the best with Blind Sides and Kents.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

A few thoughts:

(1) Unpopular opinion maybe based on many of the comments, but for wing shooting, I think aftermarket chokes are often often over priced and unnecessary. Shoot a steel shot load through a factory modified next to a kicks or patternmaster and someone would probably have to tell you which was which.

(2) I believe very firmly that for duck hunting over decoys, 3 1/2" shells are absolutely unnecessary and just dole out unnecessary punishment. Shoot them a few volleys and most people's shooting goes downhill. Unless you're shooting geese at long ranges, stick with 3" shells.

(3) Many . . . Hell, all of the "black cloud" and "blind side" type shells are gimmicky and over priced. It doesn't take a ballistics expert to tell you that a spherical projectile has better ballistic coefficient with less wind drag. It will therefore pattern better than an oddly shaped projectile. The aforementioned shells cost more and you are paying for "flitestopper" (belted), "hexshot" (cube shaped), or some other non-spherical pellet. They claim better "wound channels" or more "trauma inducing" pellets. A cube-shaped or belted pellet cannot and will not fly as true as a spherical pellet. Common sense really. And you don't need "devastating wound channels" to knock down a 3 lb bird. Just save some money and shoot old-fashioned round shotgun pellets.

(4) Shot size is personal preference. I hunt with some very good, knowledgable duck hunters who have killed thousands of ducks who only shoot BBs. Others who shoot 2s religiously. A few years ago I switched to 3 shot and absolutely love them. Do the math and a 3 shot pellet at 1400 fps is plenty adequate to kill a duck at 40-45 yards. If I regularly shot ducks at 50-60 yards I would hunt with BBs. 1 1/4oz of 3s has roughly 200 pellets. 1 1/4oz of BBs has roughly 90 pellets. For the ranges I like to shoot, I would rather throw more that twice as many pellets that are "big enough" versus less than half as many pellets that are bigger than necessary.

Worth noting, even when you routinely shoot ducks at 20 yards, some of them leave, so 50 yard shots at ducks "getting out" happen no matter how close they are when you start a volley. My buddies shooting BBs fare better on those birds. But I'm willing to sacrifice some long-range ability to do better on my first few shots.

I shoot federal blue-box 3" 3 shot. With the $20/case rebate, I can get them for $90/case, free shipping. I wouldn't trade them for the same payload of "hexshot" even if the price was the same. And I certainly wouldn't pay twice as much for square pellets.

:2c:

 

[Displaced_Vol]

A few thoughts:

(1) Unpopular opinion maybe based on many of the comments, but for wing shooting, I think aftermarket chokes are often often over priced and unnecessary. Shoot a steel shot load through a factory modified next to a kicks or patternmaster and someone would probably have to tell you which was which.

(2) I believe very firmly that for duck hunting over decoys, 3 1/2" shells are absolutely unnecessary and just dole out unnecessary punishment. Shoot them a few volleys and most people's shooting goes downhill. Unless you're shooting geese at long ranges, stick with 3" shells.

(3) many . . . Hell, all of the "black cloud" and "blind side" type shells are gimmicky and over priced. It doesn't take a ballistics expert to tell you that a spherical projectile has better ballistic coefficient with less wind drag. It will therefore pattern better than an oddly shaped projectile. The aforementioned shells cost more and you are paying for "flitestopper" (belted), "hexshot" (cube shaped), or some other non-spherical pellet. They claim better "wound channels" or more "trauma inducing" pellets. A cube-shaped or belted pellet cannot and will fly as true as a spherical pellet. Common sense really. And you don't need "devastating wound channels" to knock down a 3 lb bird. Just save some money and shoot old-fashioned round shotgun pellets.

(4) Shot size is personal preference. I hunt with some very good, knowledgable duck hunters who have killed thousands of ducks who only shoot BBs. Others who shoot 2s religiously. A few years ago I switched to 3 shot and absolutely love them. Do the math and a 3 shot pellet at 1400 fps is plenty adequate to kill a duck at 40-45 yards. If I regularly shot ducks at 50-60 yards I would hunt with BBs. 1 1/4oz of 3s has roughly 200 pellets. 1 1/4oz of BBs has roughly 90 pellets. For the ranges I like to shoot, I would rather throw more that twice as many pellets that are "big enough" versus less than half as many pellets that are bigger than necessary.

I shoot federal blue-box 3" 3 shot. With the $20/case rebate, I can get them for $90/case, free shipping. I wouldn't trade them for the same payload of "hexshot" even if the price was the same. And I certainly wouldn't pay twice as much for square pellets.

:2c:

Take that .02 to the bank. This is basically my exact line of thinking on the subject.

As to #1, I think Rio has put out a 2.75" shell that still holds 1.25 oz of shot & pushes it at 1300+ (roughly, I'm pulling this from memory). If I try those out & like them I may even be done with the 3 inchers.

#4 is exactly why I go with size 3 shot most often.