16ga.com ~ View topic - If you hunt waterfowl with your 16, what ammo are you using?

Member Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 20 Location: Cook, MN

Are the steel loads any good? Or should I just by T-M? I mainly shoot divers over decoys.

Thanks,

Steve

Please see http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1311
and http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1234
and http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=287
and http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=953

Most of the guys seem to like the Kent Tugsten Matrix

Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 287 Location: missouri

If you plan on keeping ranges close (30-35 yards max), then the Federal Steel shot loads are decent to shoot. #4 seems to work a bit better than #2 steel in the tests we have run with it. The Kent Tungsten Matrix loads are very good also, very hard to find in most areas but very good to shoot, #5 TM will take care of most of your shooting needs on ducks out to 45 yards.
The ultimate, if you reload , in my book is #6 Hevi Shot, I have knocked ducks down at very long ranges with 1 1/4 oz loads of Hevi in the BP multi metal wads.

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

Don't forget the Bismuth 16 ga. 1 1/8 oz. load of #4's. It works very well on even big ducks like mallards, out to about 40-45 yards.

Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Lawrence, KS

For my duck hunting, the Kent TM #6 works well.
It is effective, and cheaper, to use GaugeMates with a favorite 20ga shell.

I have used the Fed's 4's and 2's successfully on divers, puddles and even geese. Nothing spectacular, but serviceable. I'm gonna get around to Hevi Shot reloads and try them, though.

Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 21 Location: akron, ohio

I use the federals #2 rated at 1350 fps. knocks thed snot out of a duck, but kind of weak for geese. geese need to be within 25 yards for a good kill shot.

I use 1 1/8oz #3 steel in my (16-4) gauge 1100 and I used the 1oz Bismuth #4 this past season in the 16 with good results.

I know there's folks out there swearing by #5 Bismuth loads in 1 oz. - I'm going to do some reloading this year and get my duck loads in order.

A word of caution for using T-M and/or steel - if you have a vintage gun, you may want to look at softer shot like Bismuth to protect your barrels.

Good luck

I have found the TM 1 1/16 oz and the 1 1/4 oz #5 (16g)shot to work on ducks and upland. The geese get a 1 3/8 oz. #2 shot (12g) and there is no problem. With the increase in TM Bizmuth may start looking better.
Best,
Ron

Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 46 Location: Illinois

1 1/4 hevi-shot= dead geese. We knocked the hell out of geese this year with 1 1/4 hevi-shot loads at 1265 vel. in 16ga. I will never go back to using steel or bismuth for waterfowl hunting.

Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 694 Location: MN

What do you guys call cheap? Most of this alternative ammo is running $1.50-2.50/SHELL!!! Am I missing something. Sorry, but this is when I grab the "one-two" guage (sorry can't write it here!!!) and some cheap steel.

bismuth cost me 1.80/shell - I'm gonna reload it and maybe possibly bring that number down but mostly I want to hunt a certain way not just put birds in the freezer - hell, the way I hunt, I'm better off doing it in showy style because I haven't seen a wild bird while holding a gun since Dec.

And while I'm a it, I'll load up some in one-two gauge for Dad.

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

JonP: I can empathize with your concern over price...the issue for me is, duck and pheasant season only lasts about 60-75 days out of the year where I live. I wait all year to hunt birds, and when the season comes, I hunt as hard as I can. If I hunted any harder, I'd have to quit work (a tempting thought). Some people bowl, some play poker, some fish for bass in those damnable roaring boats, some watch TV and some chase women....I hunt birds. And I don't like bad memories of my days afield. For me, when I wing a rooster or duck, and they manage to swim or limp off from my very good dog and I can't recover them, that is an irresponsibility on my part; ie, a bad memory. I find the Bismuth and Hevi-Shot a cheap price to pay for a clear conscience and a good day afield, because I lose far fewer birds using those premium loads.. Each individual has to wok those things out for themselves; that's just my take on it....

Joined: 21 Feb 2007 Posts: 15 Location: SW Michigan

My brother and I both shoot ducks exclusively with our 16's. When we're feeling lazy we grab some of the 1 1/16 oz. Tungsten Matrix (TM) 5's @ 1315 fps out of our ammo boxes. We also load up a few boxes of HeviShot from the BP 16 recipes with their MultiMetal wads with 6's and 7.5's. I agree that the Hevi 6's are the best duck load around. We've killed quite a few geese (inside 30 yards) while duck hunting with the TM 5's and Hevi 6's, too. Not my first choice for geese by any means but you can drop 'em dead with good shooting at close range.

Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 694 Location: MN

Can't argue with anything said-I just have a problem bending over and grabbing my ankles which is what I feel I am doing at those prices. I can't support any company that will use legislation to rape me. I can buy a box of 2 3/4 No 3 in steel for $9.99-how do you get to $27.99 for any non-toxic.
Its a rip-off. Respect everyone's right to choose-but I choose to vote with my wallet on this one and can't wait till some one comes up with a cost competitive product and puts the screws to these companies. They can kiss my ^%$!!!

Should I tell you how I really feel? Laughing