[Lakenut]

Here is another post on this worn out thread. (what else to do...we are having temps in the mid to uper 70s and a lot of wind so the duck hunting is less than good. Gotta talk about something.)

I got a new briley light mod. choke tube for the SX2. IC has always been my "go to" choke for duck hunting but I was wanting something that would tighten things up in the 30-40 yds range w/o getting to tight for shots over the dekes. So off to the patterning board. It was a bit windy today so I didn't shoot as much as I would have liked to. Loads shot were all Kent Fasteel 1 1/8 oz of #4 steel traveling at 1560 fps.

Standard Invector Plus IC got me around 76% in a 30" circle at 30 yards. The briley light mod. increased to 83.5% at the same yardage. When it is not so windy I will go shoot differnt loads and differnt yardages and post the info if anyone is interested.

Interesting note. I was patterning on a sheet of 3/4" particle board. With #4 steel I was getting penetration deep enough to not see the pelet on a majority of the pellets. #2 Steel will blister out the back of the board. With #5 lead phesant loads the pellets did not penetrate as deep as the steel #4. In fact a lot of the lead pellets were still visible. I know that a board is a lot harder than animal tissue and will cause pellets to flatten out. Just found that interesting.

 

[Researcher]

It makes sense though. At 30 yards your 2.3 grain #4 steel pellet that started out at 1560 fps is probably still packin' more wallop than a 2.5 grain #5 lead pellet that started out at 1300 fps. It's only out at pass shooting range that the effect of wind-drag really starts to suck the life out of steel. But even out at the point where the pellet energy equalizes, the steel pellet will still penetrate 5% - 10% deeper than the lead, or so say CONSEP and Tom Roster.

-Dave

 

[Zeeks]

Your comparison of 142 pellets of no. 1 steel to the hevi shot no. 4's is not valid. The proper comparison is the no. 1 steel at 1550 fps to no. 6 hevi shot at 1450. The pellet comparison, 142 in the steel to 259 in the hevishot. The steel doesn't look so good now. The proof of the inferiority of steel is the worthlessness of steel shot in 20 gauge shells. Last weekend I was killing ducks with 2 3/4 inch 1 ounce 20 gauge no. 5 tungsten matrix and dropping them farther and with more consistancy than my hunting buddies and their 3 1/2 inch canons. The 2 3/4 inch steel loads in 20 gauge are almost worthless except for the closest shots. But I will compare my 20 gauge with TM or hevishot to any 12 gauge of any size on ducks. I don't care if you use 5 inch shells loaded with steel. I did see the bruise on the shoulder of one of the guys with me when he didn't fully mount the 3 1/2 inch 12 gauge. Be careful with those canons. And wear ear protection. http://www.madduck.org/pdf/Cripples-II.pdf

 

[gbottger]

proof of the inferiority of steel is the worthlessness of steel

The article is 4 some years old and steel works just fine for those of us that put in the time needed to shoot proficient with it. I would love to shoot the exotics if I could afford it. When you go through a few cases of steel alone (not including dove and upload loads) it's just not in my budget. I buy steel by the case in 2.75 or 3 inch 2's. When on sale I can get the 2.75 for as low as 4 bucks a box (25) and with the amount of time I have put in with that load ducks and or geese are not a problem for me.

I have to agree with lakenut. This subject has been beat to death. If you care to test your theroy with your 20 gauge, drop me a line when the snow are flying through nebraska and I'll give you a work out.

 

[Lakenut]

Ahhhhh......So the real title to this thread should be 20ga. failure!!!!! :lol:

 

[Zeeks]

A 3 inch 20 gauge shell in hevi-shot or tungsten matrix will outperform any 3 1/2 inch steel shotshell, even with a goose load. I would put the 3 1/2 inch steel shells on par with a 2 3/4" 20 gauge shell with lead, hevi-shot or TM. Like the little 2 3/4" 20 gauge shell with lead you can kill ducks and geese with a 3 1/2" 12 gauge and steel. You just have to know your limitations. Within decoy range the little 2 3/4" 20 gauge loads have served me well this season. I could kill anything with my gun that the guys I hunted with could kill with their 12 gauge wiener shells. With 3 inch 20 gauge I outperformed them.

 

[Lakenut]

I would put the 3 1/2 inch steel shells on par with a 2 3/4" 20 gauge shell with lead, hevi-shot or TM.

Now that is funny. :lol:

 

[Crap Load]

Anyone should be able to kill ducks with #4 or larger out to 40Yrds. It could be your shooting. Maybe your not leading the birds enough or your leading them to much. Lead, Steel and Hevi shot it all requires different amounts of leading depending on the shot load. I use Kent Fastseel loads at 1550 Velocities.

 

[Clayshooter000000]

I got a goose early this season at about 40 yards. It hit the water and we let it lay there for about 5 minutes. Then it put its head up and started flapping and swimming around. I got it with BB shot. When it got up, I shot at its head with another 1 1/4 oz BB load (1550 fpsat 25 yards with an IC choke. All the BBs went around its head, so I shot it in the body 2 more times. The bird ended up swimming into the weeds. I wish I had known that steel shot had such poor penetration then. From then on, I started using heavy 3 1/2 inch shells with larger shot. This just shows how much penetration small steel shot has.

 

[Crap Load]

Wow alot of steel don't penetrate posts. Out of a 100+ geese eaten last year I only ate 1 BB pellet all the rest seem to have passed straight threw the geese.

Is everyone ready for the 8 Geese per day limit opener on Sept 5th? Gonna have to show everyone what steel BB at 1625FPs can do.

 

[Zeeks]

If you believe that it takes 2 sizes bigger in steel to equal lead, and it takes at least 2, then no. 3's would be the equivalent of no. 5 lead. With hevi-shot you can go one smaller to equal lead because it is denser than lead. That would be no. 6 hevi to equal no. 5 lead, also what I have found to be true. In a little 2 3/4 inch 20 gauge shell you have 207 no. 6 hevi-shot at 1350fps. The equivalent steel load (almost but still a little short) would be one of the giant 3 1/2 inch no. 3 steel with 211 pellets at 1550fps. Which would you rather shoot. The little baby 2 3/4 inch 20 gauge shell or the giant 3 1/2 inch canon shell. Really shows the inferiority of steel shot doesn't it?

 

[Crap Load]

There know doubt that heavier then lead shot is better then Steel, but steel still works wonders just less pellets which means better shooting needed.

Id use Heavier then lead shot, but with it costing $80 Canadian for 25 rounds it's just crazy. Especialy when 3 1/2" steel is $16 for 25. For the price of 25 heavier then lead shells I could have 100 3 1/2" steel shells.

 

[Gold fan]

Just my 2 cents here, but I agree with the budget statements. The fancy stuff works great for those who can afford it. When you shoot cases in a season steel suits me just fine. There is no substitute for shooting practice, knowledge of your equipment, and a little experimentation with loads and chokes. I have been very happy with my standby steel loads in the past, but recently speeds, shot charges, and wad design have changed. I have been converted to 3.5" 1 1/2 oz 1500 fps BB for geese. After seeing what better performance these give than the old slow loads, I am downright speechless at times. That being said, this load works well in my gun and modified choke at range. I have pulled some long third shots and my jaw dropped. That doesn't mean it will work for every situation. I have said for years that people in my experience that [email protected]#$h alot about steel are not good shots or take unethical long shots. This is not a slap at everyone, but it seems true where I'm at. I have killed a ton of ducks with #4 and #3 steel in varying speeds and charges. I've even killed a few Geese with#4s when caught with only that in the gun.