Ive got a bunch of lead #2’s….

Labradinger

Labradinger

Active member
Dad passed away several years ago and I have all his ammo. Other than a few 20 gauge shells and some .22 shorts for trapping, I havent touched it. Theres is a full box of lead #2 Winchesters and an assortment of random #2’s. Horrible idea for late season pheasants? Too few of pellets even if out of a full choke? No, havent patterned-its a brand new gun. 2 steel is popular so why not lead for a long shot? I have plenty of other stuff but these Winchesters are in such a pretty box, perfect, from the early 80’s or so….seem lonely.
 
All depends how heavy the loads are & how good a shot you are. I shoot a 16 gauge, prefer MOD choke year-round, & will take a long shot if presented, out to 50-55 yds, assuming it's killable (not a straight-away) & flying over an area I'm likely to be able to recover it. I've come to the conclusion that I want at least 150 pellets in the air. For lead 2s to have 150 pellets, they'd have to be 1-3/4 oz loads. But....a lead 2 is going to break what it hits & leave a big hole if it doesn't hit a bone. I bet you could get by with 130 pellets, which would require a 1-1/2 oz load.
 
Weimdogman said:
Funny on some of the other forums I belong to....
4 guys would say 2? they are pheasants not
Swans.
4 guys would say I never shoot anything but Deuces
Of those 8 at least 2 would pm you with a lowball offer to take them off your hands.
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That's funny.
Around here, we're all about physics, statistics, & info that matters. :ROFLMAO:
And if that doesn't do the trick, enough b.s. to sufficiently muddy the water.
 
Kre said:
They will only work if they're 1500 fps or more!
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I get that was a joke & very well played at that.
But just out of curiosity, I checked my ballistics program to see how much effective pellet range you gain by bumping the muzzle velocity from 1300 to 1500 fps, which for any given load weight increases recoil nearly 30%.
With #2 lead, it only gains you 8 yds on a goose (& is, of course, illegal). Whereas simply increasing to #1 lead at 1300 gains you 11 yds.
With #5 lead, it only gains you 6 yds on a pheasant. Whereas simply increasing to #4 lead at 1300 gains you 12 yds.
With #3 steel, it only gains you 5 yds on a pheasant. Whereas simply increasing to #2 steel at 1300 gains you 8 yds.
Usually it's much easier to increase effective range & maintain a decent pattern (& easier on your shoulder) by increasing 1 shot size.
 
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I say hell with it, shoot them and see what happens. I quail hunted with a guy one time that shot an 870 with a full choke. Shot light load 4's said it didn't shoot them up as bad. He had a point, there was a lot less holes in his birds.
 
Longest wadded up dead phez shot I ever made was with a 20g Active nickel plated 3” 2’s. It was the 3rd shot, but I know the first shot was a clean miss. My buddy that I was hunting with said it was the farthest he ever saw one either. Mod choke. I almost always shoot a 12 now, but if I shoot the 20, the 3rd one is that exact Active. Too bad they went out of business. If I could buy more Actives I would pay a premium for them. Loved those shells!
 
Friend of a friend kind of thing, and the guy swore by 2s on pheasants. Not enough pellets to tear them up bad, and a hit resulted in good penetration. To each his own...
 
Labradinger said:
Dad passed away several years ago and I have all his ammo. Other than a few 20 gauge shells and some .22 shorts for trapping, I havent touched it. Theres is a full box of lead #2 Winchesters and an assortment of random #2’s. Horrible idea for late season pheasants? Too few of pellets even if out of a full choke? No, havent patterned-its a brand new gun. 2 steel is popular so why not lead for a long shot? I have plenty of other stuff but these Winchesters are in such a pretty box, perfect, from the early 80’s or so….seem lonely.
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Not what I would choose for pheasants but nothing wrong with using them.

I ended up with my dad's ammo when he passed years ago. Most wasn't what I would have normally used to shoot pheasants, but I took them to the field and used them on both pheasants and turkeys. I think he would have been pleased that I shot birds with his loads instead of leaving them on a shelf. Keep the box on your shelf for the memories!
 
captainshotgun said:
Longest wadded up dead phez shot I ever made was with a 20g Active nickel plated 3” 2’s. It was the 3rd shot, but I know the first shot was a clean miss. My buddy that I was hunting with said it was the farthest he ever saw one either. Mod choke. I almost always shoot a 12 now, but if I shoot the 20, the 3rd one is that exact Active. Too bad they went out of business. If I could buy more Actives I would pay a premium for them. Loved those shells!
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Funny I just saw some Active at a gunshow.
Boxes of 10. Waterfowl load and pheasant and turkey load. Never looked close just saw them and thought new brand?
 
Active went out of business, probably over 20 years ago. They were made in West Virginia. All plastic on the outside. SS under the plastic where most shells are brass.
 
captainshotgun said:
Active went out of business, probably over 20 years ago. They were made in West Virginia. All plastic on the outside. SS under the plastic where most shells are brass.
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They were great hulls...when they were going out I bought up a ton (more than I'll ever need) from BP. Between 12, 16, and 20 ga hulls I probably have about 2000 hulls. At least 1000 in 16 ga. alone. I never wanted to run out. Now in my 50's...might be buried with them. Aspirations of a younger man...meets the reality of a man...not so young anymore.

As for the 2's...if you shoot a repeater...maybe stack them for your 2nd or 3rd shot. Especially late season...there have been plenty of birds over the years that gave me a starting shot of 35 yards that needed a solid anchor for the second shot. 2's might have been just the medicine. I was old enough in the 80's that for a few seasons I was still able to shoot lead at ducks here in SD. Had a friend that shot 2's at everything. Once he stuffed 2's into his pump (cuz' that what was on him...we'd been duck hunting) for a rooster that ran into a ditch. Bird flushed at about 15 yards. 1 1/2 oz. baby-mag of buffered 2's...😖 cat food.
 
A couple 2’s are coming along for the full choke in the dbl barrel the next couple days. I still havent found that they make this stuff anymore.
 
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