steel shot

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:56 pm

Where is the cheapest place to buy heavy shot? And what steel shot do you guys use?

treedaddy · Post by **treedaddy** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 2:33 pm

I assume you are hunting pheasants. I use Winchester steel 3 inch 1 1/4 ounce 3 shot. We hunted lots of state and federal lands that required steel. I was doing so well shooting steel, I kept using it even on private land. I didn't want to change from lead to steel every time we got out of the truck, so I just stayed with the steel. It has good range and is fast.

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 5:02 pm

I will be using it on waterfowl mostly, we can still us lead for other game so far here in md.

Firstdog · Post by **Firstdog** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 5:56 pm

I use Kent Faststeel 2 shot out of my 20ga. I comes out at 1500FPS and has improved my shooting a lot. I'm not required to shoot sheet, but I like the way it hits better than lead and I have less runners and lost birds with my Kent 2 shot.

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 7:40 pm

lets see- I shoot a Browning Citori Upland Special 20- the one with the 24" barrels- and I've come to like WW Expert Steel 7 shot- course I haven't been planning on long range shooting- season has just started and I've shot quite a few roosters- can't hunt untill I eat some

gspmo1 · Post by **gspmo1** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:42 pm

I have used Winchester 7's and Remington 7's in steel this year. Its my first year of trying steel of any kind. Most of my hunting has been on woodcock and quail, but I have taken a couple of pheasants with them. Very happy with both, they shot very fast and seem to hit hard. I have also been using a skeet choke tube since steel patterns a little tighter than lead.

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:09 pm

I`m surprised some of you guys pick steel over lead when lead is a option, my experience is anything other than heavy shot is pretty much worthless.Then again i might be a bad shot. I wound so much game with this stuff we can still use lead for everything but water fowl here. I love the heavy shot but its so expensive on the other side of that it only takes 1 shot an they are dead before they hit the ground. I might try that heavy metal stuff an see how that is

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:58 pm

what's to be surprised about- you ever seen what a light load of 7 steel does at 25 yards

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 8:03 am

I comparing steel to lead, i grow up shooting pheasants an rabbits with #4 high brass, deadly stuff not many runners after the shot. Then government stepped in an made use steel on water fowl, i have seen a HUGE difference in lethality going from lead to steel except for heavy shot which seems a little more superior than lead. But alot more costly.I can remember dropping pheasant out to about 50-60 yards (sometimes further)stone dead no problem an the same with geese an ducks when using lead, we didn`t use 3 or 3half inch shells either everything was 2an three quarter chamber. Now we use 3 an half inch shells with BB size shot to try kill geese, still have to shoot them 2-3 times. lead #7 low brass has more killing power than that stuff. Just cus it patterns good on paper does not mean its deadly, you need weight as much as speed. This is just my experience with normal run of steel shot, i will say i have never used it on pheasant yet only because i haven`t had to. I`m sure other people have noticed the difference as well. My intention of the thread question was to see what people are using to over come the lack performance in killing power that steel brings do too the lighter weight of the shot.I was hoping to find a more affordable shell at a lesser cost than heavy shot an just as deadly as lead. Sorry if i confused anyone

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 9:28 am

50-60 yards- that's ethical

naaaaaaaa- over a pointing dog light 7 steel does just fine- $5.99 a box

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 11:41 am

50-60 yards- that's ethical

I`m not trying to start argument or a debate..Answering ur question it is ethical when the bird hit`s the ground dead. Turkey guns are pattern out to 40-60yards. Turkeys are alot tougher to kill than water fowl or upland birds..My father was a crack shot, we would hunt are farm years ago every weekend when there was agood pheasant population, are guests had first shot an dad would follow up usually getting the the longer shots . I`ve seen lots of birds drop from 35-50 yds he hardly missed. He shot a side by side with #4 high brass shells, normally if 2 birds got pass the guys 2 dead birds fell at those distances period. It will never happen with steel shot in less it heavy shot. Me i`m a in close kind guy i`m hunting for my dog nothing else. I miss those days when you shoot the bird an it folds up in the air. Having said this, being ethical is knowing ur shooting limitations an staying with in it everybody`s is different.

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 11:45 am

I forgot to mention back then we didn`t have a pointing dog.

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 8:29 am

Hattrick wrote:I`m surprised some of you guys pick steel over lead when lead is a option, my experience is anything other than heavy shot is pretty much worthless.

my coment was meant for this-
I have WW Drylock 3"4's, WW Expert 2&3/4 7 steel, Estate Heavy Field 7&1/2's, Estate competition light 8's- the steel 4's do well at up to 35 yards- in my two 20's-everything else does just fine inside 30 yards- fine being that they pattern nicely and kill roosters- haven't used the steel 4's for a few years

reason I've been shooting the steel 7's is because I have a few boxes- and got them for quail and some duck hunting- meaning- might come up on a pond with ducks on it

Prairie Hunter · Post by **Prairie Hunter** » Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:34 pm

Hattrick wrote:Where is the cheapest place to buy heavy shot? And what steel shot do you guys use?

There is no cheap place to buy Hevi-Shot! If you are using a 12 or 20 gauge, take a look at Remington HD. It is a little cheaper than Hevi-Shot, and more effective than steel.

Rick Hall · Post by **Rick Hall** » Fri Nov 27, 2009 4:07 pm

Though I grew up shooting lead, I never got mad at steel. And though I've owned a 3 1/2" SBE since the second year Heckler Koch was importing them, I never learned to like 3 1/2" shells for anything. Started out running 3 1/2" BBBs through the big Benelli for geese, but soon settled on 3" steel 1s for geese. Been using a little Benelli 20ga for ducks and personal goose hunting for some years now, shooting either 3" or 2 3/4" steel 4s for ducks and 3" 2s for geese. Since the lodge I work for buys my shells, it's not a matter of cost, just where my experience has led me.

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Fri Nov 27, 2009 8:20 pm

The new Heavy Metal is deadly on waterfowl.......I only wish they had them in 20 ga when I was in the dakotas.

Used mostly 3" 4's for phez and ducks in the 20......black clouds.

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:20 am

Thanks guys! I dont like the 3"-3"an half shells either... Bin there done that to much punishment for the results you get... might try the the HD or heavy metal,, sounds like you guys have had good results.. We dont have pheasants here any more, bin replaced with water fowl thanks to the resident geese an the local beavers.. I will more than likly be shooting the 2three quarter shells from now on.

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 4:44 pm

I live on the shore bud, what part of maryland you in?

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 5:35 pm

Northern part, e just below Gettysburg on MD side MD - PA line

birddog1968 · Post by **birddog1968** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 5:55 pm

shoot em in the lips you can get away with almost any load.

Hattrick · Post by **Hattrick** » Sat Nov 28, 2009 9:02 pm

easier said than done!
i leave that up to Dad he still shows us boys up

briarpatch · Post by **briarpatch** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:34 am

Report this postReply with quoteRe: steel shot
by Hattrick » Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:09 pm

I`m surprised some of you guys pick steel over lead when lead is a option, my experience is anything other than heavy shot is pretty much worthless.Then again i might be a bad shot. I wound so much game with this stuff we can still use lead for everything but water fowl here. I love the heavy shot but its so expensive on the other side of that it only takes 1 shot an they are dead before they hit the ground. I might try that heavy metal stuff an see how that is

I am surprised as well, I tried all kinds of stuff on ducks when NJ made us switch to steel only thing i found worked well was heavy shot which is expensive, until this year a friend recommended Black cloud which is about a 3rd of the price of heavy shot and drops them geese at 60 yards,

Re: steel shot
by Shadow » Tue Nov 24, 2009 10:28 am

50-60 yards- that's ethical

naaaaaaaa- over a pointing dog light 7 steel does just fine- $5.99 a box]

My pointing dogs dont point waterfowl, they retreive it ,,,

Thats why they are called versatile hunters, aint nothing unethical about it

Try Black Cloud if you are waterfowling

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 7:48 am

now it's 60 yards and drops them dead- cracks me up

you know- I tired a bit of that on geese way back- we used to go up to Thief River Falls and take a station on what we called the firing line- Canadians would come off the lake sometimes in range- oh- brother burrowed that bolt action 12 guage 38" barrel and reloaded some pet loads that we patterned-
I burrowed a double barrel 10 guage with those very long shells in goose loads- patterned it also- glad to say the hurt made me think I could really reach out there

so after 14 shells and getting knocked down the mud bank a time or two I was a bit hesitant on the shooting- every now and then we'd hear "shoot that big gun" as a lone canadian would come over- I'd holler- how high is it- come back was you can hit it-

yep- tell me how you can kill consistantly at 60 yards- without a slug

maybe you need a range finder

oh- guess mine haven't been versatile
have had them point ducks a time or two

briarpatch · Post by **briarpatch** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:47 am

oh- guess mine haven't been versatile
have had them point ducks a time or two

I aint taught mine to walk on water yet to point them ducks, but their young yet maybe next year I can get em to walk on water and point them ducks and geese

I will work on it

Dang more training ahead,

now it's 60 yards and drops them dead- cracks me up,
you know- I tired a bit of that on geese way back

dont think they had Black Cloud way back when

if ya just want a dog to just point heck they got dogs for that.
they are called pointers

if ya want a dog that does it all they are called GSP's