Another first timer to SD Post

I mostly hunt waterfowl and years ago bought Boss number #5 and was really impressed. I bought another case and wow they sucked. So many cripples and I found tons of slivers of bismuth shot in them. So I tried some Boss #4s. They worked better on ducks. Honestly for some of my jump shooting of ducks steel #3s are fine. If I was going to shoot steel at waterfowl or pheasants I would use #3 and nothing smaller. I remember back in the lead days tons of guys shot #6s. I hated them and loved #5s in lead.

2 3/4 inch Boss are 1.75 per shell. Steel is probably half that price. To me that isnt a big factor. What I hate about steel shot any more is a speed kick they are on. 1500 fps but only 1 1/8 oz payload, I like the 1 1/4 ounce at around 1300 fps. Looking around Scheels the other day and all were speed shells.
 
Put a rooster & a mallard, each with broken wings, in some knee high grass. We know which is more likely to be recovered. A rooster must be shot harder than a mallard, & with steel, that means large shot. 3s are fine out to 35-40 yds (straight aways only about 30 tops). Past 40 yds, you ought to be shooting 2s. Most of the time, I can't shoot lead 5s, so bismuth 4s get the nod. Maybe I spend an additional $100-$150 on shells over the course of a season because of it. A minor inconvenience (considering what I spend on hunting) that allows me to hunt public land a lot, kill what I hit, & lose very, very few pheasants.
 
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A5 Sweet 16 said:
Totally appropriate as long as they pattern OK. Should allow you to open up choke to IC or SK.
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I was finally able to pattern my steel today. The Kent 3in #4 and 3.5in #2 both patterned well with my IC choke.

I also found a few 3.5 in Kent tungsten matrix in 3 shot. I will use these first.
 
robjak said:
I was finally able to pattern my steel today. The Kent 3in #4 and 3.5in #2 both patterned well with my IC choke.

I also found a few 3.5 in Kent tungsten matrix in 3 shot. I will use these first.
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Sheesh, those are Howitzers. If you're a goose hunter, hang on to those Tungsten Matrix. Or sell them to a goose hunter. They are better (& obviously way more spendy) than lead. TM 3s will hammer a honker out to 60 yds. You really don't need an 80-yd pheasant load. They're tough but not THAT tough.
 
robjak said:
I was finally able to pattern my steel today. The Kent 3in #4 and 3.5in #2 both patterned well with my IC choke.

I also found a few 3.5 in Kent tungsten matrix in 3 shot. I will use these first.
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Won’t be much bird left with those 3.5s
 
I had a feeling about the TM. I only found 5. I used to be a duck/goose hunter but have not done any waterfowl hunting in 10 years. I had to sell my boat, so lost interest. I also found some Winchester 3in #4. I will probably stick to the 3in and save the 3.5 for ducks, if i ever find good private water to hunt.
 
robjak said:
I had a feeling about the TM. I only found 5. I used to be a duck/goose hunter but have not done any waterfowl hunting in 10 years. I had to sell my boat, so lost interest. I also found some Winchester 3in #4. I will probably stick to the 3in and save the 3.5 for ducks, if i ever find good private water to hunt.
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Hell I use 2.75"s and never have an issue. If you check ballistics, alot of times 2.75s will perform better than a 3 inch shell. Usually 2.75s give you more FPS too comparing equivalent shells.
 
Munster927 said:
Hell I use 2.75"s and never have an issue. If you check ballistics, alot of times 2.75s will perform better than a 3 inch shell. Usually 2.75s give you more FPS too comparing equivalent shells.
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No kidding… shot tons of birds when I was a kid with a 20 gauge pump and whatever shells dad bought off the shelf. We hunted where there were a fair amount of quail so we often use 7.5 loads. No way I’m blowing my shoulder up with bazooka shells all weekend.
 
carptom1 said:
No kidding… shot tons of birds when I was a kid with a 20 gauge pump and whatever shells dad bought off the shelf. We hunted where there were a fair amount of quail so we often use 7.5 loads. No way I’m blowing my shoulder up with bazooka shells all weekend.
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As I've gotten older, I've been graduating down in gun size haha started with a 20 but then used a 12 a long time, then a 16 gauge, now this year I'll be back a 20 gauge as my primary shotgun.
 
Munster927 said:
Hell I use 2.75"s and never have an issue. If you check ballistics, alot of times 2.75s will perform better than a 3 inch shell. Usually 2.75s give you more FPS too comparing equivalent shells.
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Been shooting early season pheasants for almost 45 years with 2 3/4" 4's, 5's, and 6's from imp cyl and mod chokes. Know your gun and pattern!!!!
 
Munster927 said:
As I've gotten older, I've been graduating down in gun size haha started with a 20 but then used a 12 a long time, then a 16 gauge, now this year I'll be back a 20 gauge as my primary shotgun.
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Get an English double and shoot 1 1/8 ounce out of it. Lighter and better balanced than most 20s😁
 
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Munster927 said:
As I've gotten older, I've been graduating down in gun size haha started with a 20 but then used a 12 a long time, then a 16 gauge, now this year I'll be back a 20 gauge as my primary shotgun.
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I switched to a 16 about 12-15 years ago and also have a 20 auto. Shoot Fiocci 5s year round and seam to do okay. I shoot steel 4’s when I have to. I don’t shoot at anything over 35-40 yards and I have a dog that loves to retrieve. I don’t need to kill drop a bird a 60+ yards… it’s not that important to me
 
A5 Sweet 16 said:
Put a rooster & a mallard, each with broken wings, in some knee high grass. We know which is more likely to be recovered. A rooster must be shot harder than a mallard, & with steel, that means large shot. 3s are fine out to 35-40 yds (straight aways only about 30 tops). Past 40 yds, you ought to be shooting 2s. Most of the time, I can't shoot lead 5s, so bismuth 4s get the nod. Maybe I spend an additional $100-$150 on shells over the course of a season because of it. A minor inconvenience (considering what I spend on hunting) that allows me to hunt public land a lot, kill what I hit, & lose very, very few pheasants.
Click to expand...
If you can ever make it up to the hi-line near the north canadian(I think it's called), track down a guy named goosemaster. If he likes you he might show you some of the secrets he's learned about gunning John ringneck with lighter loads in a 28 gauge, and take you out with his new lab puppy, Mr. Jones.
 
2point said:
I mostly hunt waterfowl and years ago bought Boss number #5 and was really impressed. I bought another case and wow they sucked. So many cripples and I found tons of slivers of bismuth shot in them. So I tried some Boss #4s. They worked better on ducks. Honestly for some of my jump shooting of ducks steel #3s are fine. If I was going to shoot steel at waterfowl or pheasants I would use #3 and nothing smaller. I remember back in the lead days tons of guys shot #6s. I hated them and loved #5s in lead.

2 3/4 inch Boss are 1.75 per shell. Steel is probably half that price. To me that isnt a big factor. What I hate about steel shot any more is a speed kick they are on. 1500 fps but only 1 1/8 oz payload, I like the 1 1/4 ounce at around 1300 fps. Looking around Scheels the other day and all were speed shells.
Click to expand...
Lead we used bbs.Steel bbb.
 
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