I have not hunted much since the steel loads became manditory. Any one have a particulary good load for open saltwater duck hunting? I used to reload in the lead days. How does reloading steel compare in price and performance to factory loads. My 16 year old son wants to start hunting this winter. Goning to start building the blind soon.
Thanks, John
Steel Loads?
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paddling john
- Posts: 259
- Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2003 5:16 pm
- Location: houston
steel loads
2 3/4" vs. 3" Do you think a couple of bucks extra per box for 3" loads is worth it? Academy, thru Winchester a $30.00 rebate on a case of 10 steel loads.
John
John
John-
All I use when shooting steel for waterfowl is 3"
since they won't let me shoot my handloaded copper plated, buffered lead 4s & 5s anymore I want as many of those crummy steel pellets out there as I can get.
I used to load copper-plated BBs in special hand cut BPS wads, buffered, for my IthacaMag10 when I had my old goose lease in Garwood. They would move a snow goose sideways at 100yds. Ah but the good ole days...
All I use when shooting steel for waterfowl is 3"
since they won't let me shoot my handloaded copper plated, buffered lead 4s & 5s anymore I want as many of those crummy steel pellets out there as I can get.
I used to load copper-plated BBs in special hand cut BPS wads, buffered, for my IthacaMag10 when I had my old goose lease in Garwood. They would move a snow goose sideways at 100yds. Ah but the good ole days...
Bring Back the Lead!!!
Boy, having to move from lead to steel shot is a bit unnerving. My assesment over the years is that we do more harm than good using steel. I see a lot more ducks getting peppered that keep flying than I recall with lead. Just lacks the knock down power. If the alternatives were not so darn expensive, I guess it would not be so bad.
I am surprised lead has not been banned all together.
I am surprised lead has not been banned all together.
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Chip Pitcairn
- Posts: 458
- Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2003 10:23 am
- Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Hevi-shot
I've used hevishot #6 for combo duck-snow goose shoots the last couple
of years with great results. I never believe anyones yardage estimates espescially my own. That said #6s killed the geese DEAD at 60+ yards.
Very hard hitting. They are expensive but I don't shoot as many shots at each bird and wound fewer so I can rationalize the expense. I buy them direct from www.hevishot.com and save a little money that way.
Chip Pitcairn
of years with great results. I never believe anyones yardage estimates espescially my own. That said #6s killed the geese DEAD at 60+ yards.
Very hard hitting. They are expensive but I don't shoot as many shots at each bird and wound fewer so I can rationalize the expense. I buy them direct from www.hevishot.com and save a little money that way.
Chip Pitcairn
yes despite what the sportswriters tell you (you know the guys who get to hunt for free and are given tons of free shells and such) its not JUST people shooting beyond the effective range of steel that is the problem. i think we take the same shots we always took and the fact is steel cripples lots of birds that lead would have killed.
i dont know if any study by any government agency can convince me that lead ingesting by waterfowl killed any more birds than steel does and most dont count the cripples against their limit either. and then most rice fields where lead is all over the ground from dove hunting is then flooded for waterfowl.
i use steel 4's then drop to 3's and 2's as the weather gets colder. i dont see reloading being cost effective.
i dont know if any study by any government agency can convince me that lead ingesting by waterfowl killed any more birds than steel does and most dont count the cripples against their limit either. and then most rice fields where lead is all over the ground from dove hunting is then flooded for waterfowl.
i use steel 4's then drop to 3's and 2's as the weather gets colder. i dont see reloading being cost effective.
yes despite what the sportswriters tell you (you know the guys who get to hunt for free and are given tons of free shells and such) its not JUST people shooting beyond the effective range of steel that is the problem. i think we take the same shots we always took and the fact is steel cripples lots of birds that lead would have killed.
i dont know if any study by any government agency can convince me that lead ingesting by waterfowl killed any more birds than steel does and most dont count the cripples against their limit either. and then most rice fields where lead is all over the ground from dove hunting is then flooded for waterfowl.
i use steel 4's then drop to 3's and 2's as the weather gets colder. i dont see reloading being cost effective.
i dont know if any study by any government agency can convince me that lead ingesting by waterfowl killed any more birds than steel does and most dont count the cripples against their limit either. and then most rice fields where lead is all over the ground from dove hunting is then flooded for waterfowl.
i use steel 4's then drop to 3's and 2's as the weather gets colder. i dont see reloading being cost effective.
yes despite what the sportswriters tell you (you know the guys who get to hunt for free and are given tons of free shells and such) its not JUST people shooting beyond the effective range of steel that is the problem. i think we take the same shots we always took and the fact is steel cripples lots of birds that lead would have killed.
i dont know if any study by any government agency can convince me that lead ingesting by waterfowl killed any more birds than steel does and most dont count the cripples against their limit either. and then most rice fields where lead is all over the ground from dove hunting is then flooded for waterfowl.
i use steel 4's then drop to 3's and 2's as the weather gets colder. i dont see reloading being cost effective.
i dont know if any study by any government agency can convince me that lead ingesting by waterfowl killed any more birds than steel does and most dont count the cripples against their limit either. and then most rice fields where lead is all over the ground from dove hunting is then flooded for waterfowl.
i use steel 4's then drop to 3's and 2's as the weather gets colder. i dont see reloading being cost effective.