16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 17 Jul 2019 Posts: 78 Location: Illinois

This year, for the first time ever, I will be hunting waterfowl and am wondering what size shot to buy for my 16 ga. What brand do you guys recommend? I will be hunting mallards, wood ducks and Canadian geese.

EDIT: I posted the same question in general discussion, hoping it would get more traction.

Joined: 05 Oct 2017 Posts: 284 Location: Central MN

Factory offerings of #4 steel work well in most situations.

Joined: 24 Jul 2016 Posts: 548 Location: Ohio

I'm a big fan of Bismuth. But my guns are like me. OLD!

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1837 Location: Central ND

I like bismuth and most of my guns aren't old. #5's & #4's and I like to buffered loads.

Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 863 Location: NoDak

Hey, depends on what duck your hunting. Smaller ducks like teal, butterballs etc #4 should be ok. Larger and medium size ducks, I like #2.

You don't get a lot of payload with 16ga steel, so you'd really have to pick your shots.

Just a side note and a personal opinion........I hate steel in 16ga. Never had much luck with it, wounded more birds than I killed with it.

IMO, you'd be better off with one of the other lead like Non-Tox. More expensive for sure, but much better performance.

Good Luck!

Greg

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

factory steel loads in 16ga are atrocious.
Not enough payload, not enough velocity

Factory steel loads in 16 gauge have limitations. During the 1990s, I used my 1988 Citori almost exclusively with steel for mallards and other ducks when hunting in the green timber in Arkansas. When I hunted fields, I used a 12 gauge Benelli M1/90, but mostly with reloaded 2 3/4 steel #3 shot. Since I was mostly shooting mallards, I used #2 shot in 16 gauge, but used #4s on teal and small ducks on occasion. In the green timber, with ducks coming down through the trees and usually within 25 yards (about 30 at most with a 16), it was deadly.

I quit serious duck hunting around 2005 due to aging/lack of ducks. However, when a mid-day situation presents itself. . . . . . .

My brother and I had killed 11 quail one morning and moved to a spot where we had previously found a covey to kill one more (two limits), when we spotted ducks piling into a flooded native grass field about 300 yards away. I always keep an assorted flat of 16 gauge shells in my truck during winter, so it was no problem finding a box of Remington 15/16 oz. steel. We scared the ducks off and proceeded to shoot ten over about 30 minutes as they came back, most of them within 20-25 yards. DJ was shooting his M37 Ithaca, me my Citori.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2hnThPH]

[/url]djduckquail by Michael Widner, on Flickr

Joined: 05 Oct 2017 Posts: 284 Location: Central MN

4setters, that is one heck of a hunt, story and memory!

Joined: 03 Sep 2014 Posts: 398 Location: Rochester, MN

I reload all my steel shot for waterfowl hunting with my 16 gauge. 7/8 oz of #3 steel is a solid performer for ducks. For geese, I use the same load with #1 steel.

Prior to reloading, the best factory ammo I found came from Sporting Ammo.

Their 15/16 oz of #3 @ 1400+ fps was outstanding.

https://www.facebook.com/sportingammo/

It easily out performed the Federal loads in my opinion.

Joined: 03 Sep 2014 Posts: 398 Location: Rochester, MN

To the OP, do you live near a Fleet Farm?

They have Hevi Bismuth in 16 gauge.

Also Boss Shotshells out of Michigan carries 16 gauge bismuth shot.

Both brands are available in #4 shot at 1350 fps.

They will run you about $1.20/shell.

If you can afford it, I would think these would be solid performers on both ducks and geese.

Joined: 17 Jul 2019 Posts: 78 Location: Illinois

I will definitely check out farm and fleet. Did not think they had much of a selection of 16 gauge ammo last time I was there but maybe I missed something.

Joined: 17 Jul 2019 Posts: 78 Location: Illinois

Great picture, 4setters.

Joined: 03 Sep 2014 Posts: 398 Location: Rochester, MN

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

Joined: 13 Oct 2015 Posts: 348