your opinion on Steel shot

[alwayshunting]

My opinion is that it cripps more birds than its worth. I've shot at geese and hit then full load and have had them fly away :confused: . I now wait for the birds fly over me and I can see thier :moon: :moon: and then shoot them .It seems to drop them everytime since you are shooting at thier bellies and the steel penatrates better. Does anyone have the same problem or any solutions. I shoot a 870 express 3" sheel # 2 shot

Alwayshunting

[noobarcheryhunter]

ya ive heard from a lot of people...steel sucks. but i guess its environmentally friendly lol..better luck with .22.... or your bow... as a matter of fact just get a flak cannon :lolouch:

[bdoa]

hey guys.. you prob know this but I thought I would share it in case..

With the lead shot we would typically use a 4 or 6 shot for ducks, and a 2 or 4 shot for geese. Now because steel shot is lighter, and has less kinetic energy, we have moved up a stage to 2 or 4 for duck, and BB or 2 for geese.

If you find 2 is not knocking them down, consider BB.

[ronburrell]

you are so right, steel shot has done great harm to the ducks by crippling not dropping. I have used alot of ducks and steel although better for the world is neither better for the hunter or the bird

[BlueNorther]

Seeing as I can't afford bisthmus shot loads I have to stick with steel.Like bdoa, I go two shot sizes bigger and take closer shots,and don't take any hail mary shots,that's what cripples ducks and geese.

[skywrench]

The hardcore waterfowl guys probably disagree but with some of the skybusting that goes on, I'd bet if you use Bismuth or Tungsten Matrix and choose your shots, you'll come home with near the same number of birds for not much higher cost. I've been using a double and am paranoid of steel harming the barrel so I use Tungsten Matrix for the little waterfowling I do.

skywrench

[Valley Lad]

I'm not a very good shot with the scatter gun but I find steel sucks. I've wounded far more birds with it than I ever did with lead. Too bad the alternatives are so darn expensive! Every time I see a duck I might as well throw a loonie and a toonie in the water - the end result will be the same, minus the noise!

[shaun_300]

Steel shot definetly doesn't have the knockdown power that lead does. But it definetly is better for the envoirnment. I usually use #4 steel, 2 3/4" out of my 870 Wingmaster.

[waterfowler]

For geese I use handloaded 3" "B" @ 1600 fps and for ducks handloaded 3" "3" @ 1600 fps. Regarding #2 sized shot, I've read that it is the worst patterning size shot ever developed, lead or steel. I started shooting geese with "BBB" sized shot when the non-toxic shot became law and have gradually moved down in size. I have found #1 sized shot works well however the "B" sized shot patterns better for me out of my Rem 11/87 SPS. Also if you can, I would recommend an extended choke tube, a type that has a longer parallel section than a conventional choke tube.

[Ducker]

One of the reasons I quit bird hunting with a shotgun was the regulations against lead. It is better for the environment to not use lead, but like you guys said, it is crippling more birds. I found that it is more hassle than it is worth to hunt with steel, so I quit hunting birds all together.

[Captainkip]

I actually like the steel. Sure lead had its advantages but the steel is alot faster and it is easier to knock down birds without having to lead them as much. I shoot the Winchester Xpert high velocity steel shot, 2 3/4 BB, 1550 fps. These shells really knock down the birds hard and I am very impressed with them. Our local Co-op sells it at $9.00 per box of 25.

I had my barrel of my 12 gauge bored out when the steel came in and people said that you would wreck your barrel if you did not do this, so I went from a full chock to modified. Since then I have never looked back. Sure I cant hit them out as far as I used to but I find that I take less shots now and only take shots that I am sure of. I rarely unload all three shells any more and I am taking home more birds each time because of it. And if I dont get my limit, no problem as just the chance to be out and watch the sun rise and wake up the world around me is reward enough for me.

:cheers:

[OldDucker]

by upgrading to hevi shot I have taken care of the cripp issue. I can tell you fellas there are a lot more skinny coyotes out there now

[acearchery]

I have not had a problem with steel shot!
I have the same range and hitting power as with lead in my old 3" 12ga


I just use two shot sizes bigger and now I use a 10ga. an old Bolt Action Box Feed Marlin Super gooese getter 10 with a 36" barrel, geese and I both drop now!