my 12 gauges disappoints me

[Okie4Life]

Another cheap way to pattern is left over rolls of wrapping paper. Cheap to pick up at the store this time of year, usually on clearance for pennies.

It has always amazed me the # of people that never shoot paper with their shotguns to determine the loads and chokes that work best.

 

[dennishoddy]

Here is a chart showing how many pellets per oz

Size Nominal diameter Pellets per oz (28 g) Quantity per lb.[5]
Lead Steel
FF .23" (5.84 mm) 35
F .22" (5.59 mm) 39
TT .21" (5.33 mm)
T .20" (5.08 mm) 36 53
BBB .190" (4.83 mm) 44 62 550
BB .180" (4.57 mm) 50 72 650
B .170" (4.32 mm)
1 .160" (4.06 mm) 72 103 925
2 .150" (3.81 mm) 87 125 1120
3 .140" (3.56 mm) 108 158 1370
4 .130" (3.30 mm) 135 192 1720
5 .120" (3.05 mm) 170 243 2180
6 .110" (2.79 mm) 225 315 2850
7 .100" (2.54 mm)
7½ .095" (2.41 mm) 350 3775
8 .090" (2.29 mm) 410 686 5150
8½ .085" (2.15 mm) 497
9 .080" (2.03 mm) 585 892 7400

 

[turkeyrun]

I use a Rem 870Mag, #", 12ga, 28" barrel, mod choke.

It is over 30 years old. For geese I preferred Federal 3" T steel for years. Now it's Rem HyperSteel BB.
Ducks get Fed 3" 1 steel or Rem HyperSteel 2.
Turkeys Rio 3" 5 lead.
Outstanding patterns and performance.

Have tried Rem, Win, and most other brands. They did not pattern or perform as well. Pattern your shells just as you would your rifle. The ammo makes a BIG difference on gun performance.

 

[magna19]

So i feel that way.
My rifles have spoiled me...
I even got a turkey choke and installed it thinking the effective killing range would be extended.

Was shooting #6 at black birds in huge bunches at 40 yards and the birds were from 40-55 yards,
as in the birds were 15 yards deep...
.....sure would not kill a turkey at that range as those small birds did not all die instantly.

Makes me want to sell my shotties

And all this steel shot business for ducks and geese.
hevi shot should work well but the price makes me say forget it...

My turkey harvest is with bow or rifle...
shotguns just seem inefficient.... am i the only one who thinks this way.

Maybe i just miss shooting ducks and geese with $3 a box #4 lead and killing them dead at 40+ yards.

Check your chokes/loads on paper. It can pay off greatly. I have a Winchester 1300 Turkey gun with a 22" barrel. Bought a Lohman extended tube for it and patterned the gun at 40 yds. Shot every Win. Rem. Fed. 1 7/8 oz. and 2 oz. load in 4 5 6 shot I could get my hands on. Only a couple loads shot a little noticeably better than the others. Then I ran a Win 1 3/4 oz. #4 shot and now have a shotgun that will clean kill a turkey easily at 50+ yards. Here is that load at 40 yds.

 

[Bronco'69]

I would try several different loads and with different chokes as well to find what your shotgun like better. I would also learn to call the gobblers in too. I walk and stalk them with my 870 in one hand and a box call in the other. I have sucess every year. Plus it is awesome to get them to come to you as you are moving to them.

 

[Master Carper]

So i feel that way.
My rifles have spoiled me...
I even got a turkey choke and installed it thinking the effective killing range would be extended.

Was shooting #6 at black birds in huge bunches at 40 yards and the birds were from 40-55 yards,
as in the birds were 15 yards deep...
.....sure would not kill a turkey at that range as those small birds did not all die instantly.

Makes me want to sell my shotties

And all this steel shot business for ducks and geese.
hevi shot should work well but the price makes me say forget it...

My turkey harvest is with bow or rifle...
shotguns just seem inefficient.... am i the only one who thinks this way.

Maybe i just miss shooting ducks and geese with $3 a box #4 lead and killing them dead at 40+ yards.

I reload, so I think "steel shot" is great! I shoot nothing but 2 3/4" loads in a 12 ga. and killing a duck or goose to an honest 60 yds. is not that hard to do. The "problem" I see a lot of guys doing, is shooting those teeth rattling 3 1/2" loads, and they are not necessary or required for waterfowl. I shoot #3 steel for teal, #1 steel for mallards and T steel for geese. A light but "fast" load of steel is very lethal and very effective for ducks and geese. A 7/8 oz. load of the previous mentioned steel shot at 1,600-1,800 fps. is better than any lead load, as well as much lighter in the recoil department....

 

[aviator41]

Here you go Dennis. this is a little more readable.

Size | Nominal diameter | Pellets per  | Quantity 
     |                  | oz (28 g)    | per lb.[5]
     |                  | Lead | Steel |
-------------------------------------------------------
FF   | .230" (5.84 mm)  | 35   |       |
F    | .220" (5.59 mm)  | 39   |       | 
TT   | .210" (5.33 mm)  |      |       | 
T    | .200" (5.08 mm)  | 36   | 53    |
BBB  | .190" (4.83 mm)  | 44   | 62    |  550
BB   | .180" (4.57 mm)  | 50   | 72    |  650
B    | .170" (4.32 mm)  |      |       | 
1    | .160" (4.06 mm)  | 72   | 103   |  925
2    | .150" (3.81 mm)  | 87   | 125   |  1120
3    | .140" (3.56 mm)  | 108  | 158   |  1370
4    | .130" (3.30 mm)  | 135  | 192   |  1720
5    | .120" (3.05 mm)  | 170  | 243   |  2180
6    | .110" (2.79 mm)  | 225  | 315   |  2850
7    | .100" (2.54 mm)  |      |       |
7½   | .095" (2.41 mm)  | 350  |       |  3775
8    | .090" (2.29 mm)  | 410  | 686   |  5150
8½   | .085" (2.15 mm)  | 497  |       | 
9    | .080" (2.03 mm)  | 585  | 892   |  7400

 

[dennishoddy]

Thanks aviator41. Posting from the phone tends to jumble those tables.

 

[turkeyrun]

I reload, so I think "steel shot" is great! I shoot nothing but 2 3/4" loads in a 12 ga. and killing a duck or goose to an honest 60 yds. is not that hard to do. The "problem" I see a lot of guys doing, is shooting those teeth rattling 3 1/2" loads, and they are not necessary or required for waterfowl. I shoot #3 steel for teal, #1 steel for mallards and T steel for geese. A light but "fast" load of steel is very lethal and very effective for ducks and geese. A 7/8 oz. load of the previous mentioned steel shot at 1,600-1,800 fps. is better than any lead load, as well as much lighter in the recoil department....

Yep, we have used nothing but 1s for duck and Ts for geese for over 20 yrs, though I do use the 3" shells. The Hevi-Shot prices just turn me away and I have a 10#bag of steel Ts to reload. My son got a box of the 3 1/2" Hevi-Shot BBs, kick like a PO'd mule and were not as effective as my Ts @1700fps.

 

[Master Carper]

So then, you know the effect of high velocity steel shot loads...

3 1/2" load of Hevi-Shot - OUCH! That made my poor ole shoulder draw up just thinking about it...

We are heading to Kansas later on to shoot snow geese, so late night hours are spent slitting wads, weighing powder charges and "stacking" T steel in our goose loads. Yeah, I know a snow goose does not require that large of a pellet but, I'm looking at 60 pounds worth of mirror polished T steel, so why not make good use of it....