Best shells?

[labradoodle]

Hi this will be my third year duck banging, last year i used winchester xperts, but had too many cripples. It was tough on my dog Doodle. What i need to know is what is the best bang for the duck? Im to broke to mount ducks, i just want them dead. Also how do you humanely finish off a cripple once your dog returns it?

DoodlesDad

[r_hammett86]

i like the heavy metal from heavy shot. they fold em much better than just steel but not as $$$ as the full heavy shot. JMO.

[Vmarsh]

Originally Posted by labradoodle

Hi this will be my third year duck banging, last year i used winchester xperts, but had too many cripples. It was tough on my dog Doodle. What i need to know is what is the best bang for the duck? Im to broke to mount ducks, i just want them dead. Also how do you humanely finish off a cripple once your dog returns it?

DoodlesDad

[killer elite]

2& 3/4 inch , 1 3/8 once of chilled number 4 lead. with 29 grains of Hercules Blue dot powder in a once fired AA hull. But you cant use them anymore.

[wray912]

2 3/4 #7.5 heavy dove loads knock em down everytime

[killer elite]

Originally Posted by wray912

2 3/4 #7.5 heavy dove loads knock em down everytime

You outlaw

[chase870]

Nothing wrong with experts sounds like your shooting is off a little or you may be shooting birds a little out of range. Pattern your gun and see which load and brand of shell it likes best. Remember steel loads fly a little faster than lead. My favorite load is a 1 1/4 oz of #2's @ 1450fps or faster. Far as cripples go My Fat Girlfriend puts the bite on em, if that dont work just ring their neck

[Quacksmaker]

Not downing you shooting but i agree with chase870. I have used experts a long time and have not had 1 problem with them at all. And bite there heads to kill them, thats what i do when I have a cripple or two.

[ThunderRoad]

Originally Posted by labradoodle

my third year duck banging
DoodlesDad

Always use a magnum

[waterdogs]

KENT FAST STEEL shoots well in my Nellie Just need to pattern your gun to see what brand shoots good in your gun. Not all are equal. I have shot Winchester for a long time and still do along with Kents.

[Bdub]

I use xperts and have very few problems, but I have a buddy how has switched to the heavi metals and he has literally blown the heads off of some of his birds. easy bird to pick up when it has no head. Only down side is they cost a little more.

[duckhunter2010]

Kent Fasteel. patterns well out of my gun and only 130-145$ a case for 3"

[drdarby45]

I just stick with the cheap ol winchester.3in xpert #2/4's. All steel sucks imo. Last season I also started carrying some #7 steel birdshot wiith me to finish off cripples with. They are only 5 dollars a box and sure beats shooting those cheap shells than ringin out another expensive shell at a cripple that's laying only 30 yrds aaway. That's just another way to save a dollar or two in a sport that's already expensive enough

[The Fever]

What is a cripple?

[drdarby45]

A bird that you knocked down but still has its head up

[The Fever]

Originally Posted by drdarby45

A bird that you knocked down but still has its head up

I was braggin darby...lol I know what a cripple is...sorry you didnt catch that

[deast1988]

Tried several blackcloud #2,#3 and BB 3in and 3.5in. To me just as many cripples as with expert. Iv shot the expert through it all BB, 2, 3, 4. From 2 3/4in to 3.5in tried the blind side Also now it crunchs ducks better then expert. Blind side didnt work out all that well either. I was a fan of the KENT 3.5in #2s at 1625fps it did well out me SBE2 with kicks highflyer full. My new favorite is fedral premium 3in #3s at 1450fps its fast to fold um but good even patterns no spaces if i do my part the duck dies quick. With all that I mentioned iv shot quite a bit of all these shells. Hevi metal are good just pricey when i get the fedrals by the case from rogers they are very economical and with great results. Iv tried supreme drylocks but the feds are again cheaper for the same results.

[Headsortails]

I have shot steel for ducks since 1980. Winchester Dry-lock #3 will kill any duck within 40 yards DEAD. Outside that, don't shoot.

[birddog52]

amen brother 40 yrds are less even on turkeys I don,t like cripples A miss I can live with but the critter your hunting doesn,t derserve to suffer

[Rich M]

I haven't had much trouble with cripples in the past 6-8-10 years - I like to feel their wings before I shoot.

My uncle dropped a 3-inch shell and I put it in the chamber. I'll be if the next bird wasn't a little deader. Then the next season i upped my modified to full choke and the birds were even deader. That's the best way to describe.

The 2-3/4 4s kill them fine. A 3-inch drops them with more of a tumble to their flight. The full choke (2-3/4 inch shells) tears feathers and sends then to the canvas like a wet rag.

Headed out of state for geese, divers, brant, etc. and plan on using heavi-steel.

I bought 1 box of hevi-shot once and it worked well - my dad & I dropped a canvasback each - dead as dead gets. But $2.50+ per shell is a little out of my range.

[Smokey73]

Winchester Blind -side #2
anything Hevi-shot makes..HEAVY METALS #2,#3

[Wastin Bullets]

3 inch Black cloud 3 shot for me...