Add in the 3.5 payload gives you a better advantage at strategically pass shooting at a higher range, screw them guys in other blinds it passes by I'm shooting
San Jacinto - best blind to take non hunting female for first time hunt?
- Thread starter Dave3006
- Start date
I used a Carlson modified choke. It’s the same choke I’ve been using for a decade.
A Kent 3 1/2 1 3/8 #2 load is damn deadly....You get a 172 #2's in that load at 1550 fps....Kent 1 1/8 #3's you get a 178 pellets at 1560 fps....Commonsense tells me the 3 1/2" load is better with the bigger ball for down range energy....That said, I would rather shoot the lighter 3" shell and shoot them them slightly closer.
ps...Kent 3 1/2" 1's & BBB 1 3/8 oz at 1550 fps are my favorite goose loads.
Dave,
Is that a modified lead or a modified steel choke?...Like was mentioned....A standard modified (lead) is a steel full choke.
ps...I shoot nothing but Benelli modified (lead) at waterfowl.
It says steel lead.
I shoot a Benelli M2. I’m curious. Do many of you guys shoot 3.5” loads for ducks?
I shoot a Benelli M2. I’m curious. Do many of you guys shoot 3.5” loads for ducks?
If you don’t have a dog then you need to shoot ducks feet down. I pretty much only use 3 inch No.2 Kent’s and do fine. I typically run two Labs so I rarely will loose a shot duck. Even with my two Labs, I still want the ducks committed before I shoot them. This will force you to become more patient and cognizant of how well you are concealed, how well you are calling and of your decoy set up. The skill is bringing in the ducks close. There are times when pass shooting is the only option but it should be a rarity. This is especially true at SJ where the blinds are too close. Glad you had a good time. Duck hunting can be quite the experience.
John
John
I have one friend that shoots 3 1/2" for ducks...He switched from a Benelli SBE 2 to a Beretta A-400...Shoots/kills much better these days....
ps...Better is a relative term......
pss...What you have confidence in is what is best normally....
ps...Better is a relative term......
pss...What you have confidence in is what is best normally....
I don't ever shoot 3 1/2" for ducks. Not necessary IMO.
Only because it was all I could find.. I prefer 3" Kent Fasteel #3s but because of the shortage last year I bought a case of 3.5". Boooo
That's totally ligit @SurfNHuntSD better to shoot anything then stay home because you can't find shells.
Snake Charmer
Happiness is a warm gut pile
3" #3 Fasteel a very legit load for sure, that will hammer them inside the dec spread
Hummmm...we're discussing not losing cripples yet there are some, as it always seems, bashing 3 1/2s. I always say do the math. A 3" 1 1/2 oz #2 load has 187 pellets. A 3 1/2" 1 3/8 oz #2 load has 203 pellets. That's only 16 more pellets, but that's 16 more chances to put an extra pellet in the bird and maybe kill it instead of wounding it. If you drop down to #3 steel the 1 1/2 oz load has 237 pellets for 50 more pellets than the same load in #2s and the 3 1/2" 1 3/8 oz #3 load has 257 pellets for 70 more pellets than the 3" 1 1/2 oz #2 load. Obviously, that gives you many more pellets to put a couple more into the bird and kill it in the air. #3s are plenty for ducks if they are in range. I still can't understand why having more pellets for a denser pattern (aka 3 1/2" vs 3") is a bad thing, AS LONG AS you shoot at birds in range. If someone is a skybuster I'm going to bet whether you gave them 3" shell or 3 1/2" shells they would be a skybuster with either one. If they shoot ducks only inside of 40 yards I'm betting they would still shoot them inside 40 yards with the 3 1/2" shells...they'd just be able to recover a few more that might have escaped wounded with the 3" shells. Shooting 3 1/2s doesn't automatically make someone a skybuster as some here seem to think. Although, admittedly, it is just logical that it is more likely that 3 1/2s is what a skybuster would choose to use. Assuming everyone using 3 1/2s is a skybuster is like assuming everyone carrying a concealed handgun is a criminal.
Snake Charmer
Happiness is a warm gut pile
Science and ballistics is not the conversation here IMO, range and respect is the topic. If you are shooting at waterfowl beyond 35 yards ( and I am being liberal) you are either pass shooting or sky busting (real duck or goose hunting is decoy hunting as it was taught to me) Get them to commit because you fooled them and then make it happen not because they flew by close. If you cannot use a 3" load of #3's for ducks and something larger for geese you need to work on your skills . You owe it to your fellow refuge companions to play the game with them and not sky bust something they may have had a chance for someone else to take that you stole from them in your greed. Honor is big IMO when you hunt with others on a close playing field like a refuge. In all the years I have done this and been mentored 3/1/2'S just dont play out very well from my experience and what I have learned first hand.
I guess in the end what differnce does it make. Dead duck is a dead duck. I'm very lucky at the country club sky busting is not a problem and lack of Etiquette will just get your decoys run over, so everyone behaves.
Hypothetical... If the refuges went to 20ga and you can only shoot birds in the decoys with the enforcement to make it happen. Would your experience there better?
Hypothetical... If the refuges went to 20ga and you can only shoot birds in the decoys with the enforcement to make it happen. Would your experience there better?
At first I took the advice from the forum and waited for decoying shots only, but after waiting a while I stretched my range a bit and started dropping shovelers, now its tough to go back. Especially at San J where opportunities don’t come often. I won’t be mad if my neighbor takes passing shots that are reasonable, even if I’m out on a ressie. If a lousy shot like me can pass shoot successfully, imagine how well a good shot could do. You have to put yourself in the perspective of someone who mainly hunts San J. Remember that pass shooting is not skybusting, I am not advocating skybusting.
Restricting the refuges to a 20ga and shots in the decoys only is a bit excessive. Just because some guys shouldn’t be shooting deer at 400 yards, doesn’t mean we should be out patrolling the forest and stopping the guys who are skilled enough to do so.