Steel shot sucks?

[Epaphroditus]

Been a few years since I was a regular waterfowler (lead shot was still legal). Went a few times recently and had odd cases when the steel shot pattern clearly was well centered on the ducks at ~25-30 yards distance and there was no effect on the ducks other than some ruffled feathers.

Either the ducks have gotten much tougher or steel shot sucks.

12&20 ga 3" #4 and 12 ga 2 3/4" #5 shells ... maybe there is a reason the price of $7-8 a box.

What's the calguns crowd say about good waterfowl shot shells?

[Thefeeder]

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Steel shot basics..

Use 2 shot sizes bigger then you would use in lead shot

Steel shot slows down a lot faster and has less energy...so you want 1400+ fps.

Steel shot will also pattern tighter or bounce pellets ...use a more open choke then lead

Drop 10 yards from your max I will take a bird at with lead

I use fast shells 1500fps in #3 or #2 for ducks and #1 or BB for geese...brand is what will pattern better in your gun. All the makers like Rem , Fed, Win make fast shells now.

Now get back out there and have some more fun.

[Joe Bishop]

That advice is right on. I started shooting steel again after years void of using it on waterfowl starting this year. Lead is a much better killer after seeing ducks shot and falling out of the sky dead after flying 70 yards.

[valleyhunter]

I have been shooting steel since the mandate. Yes it is not lead but you can kill ducks with it. As mentioned normally you want to go up a size or two from lead. I shoot 4 and 3 shot at ducks and 1 shot at geese. I have found that the faster steel loads (1450 or more) have been providing cleaner kills with less cripples.
If you let the birds get in range and you do your part with the gun you will kill ducks and geese.

[mjsweims]

If you have a lot of disposable income try Hevi-shot.