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The Right Loads for Ducksby L.P. Brezny
Making that pre-season run to the sporting goods store expressly to meet your needs in the waterfowl shotshell load department can be an exercise in stress now-a-days. Checking over any listing of new or older ammo will uncover a multitude of load options that can cause any hunter to develop a powerful headache. With that in mind what are some of the required elements of a workable field load today? In every case, is the most powerful and longest range shotshell first up on the required needs list? No, I think not, and here are some ways to make a quick check and see how best to meet your needs and still keep a few bucks in your wallet at the same time.
More Bang for the Buck
Currently, if you are aware of it or not, we have a crisis in the sporting ammunition industry. That crisis is rooted in the raw elements that make up a pellet of shot. With our new so called world trade agreements the United States has lost control of some major suppliers of everything from iron to tungsten and copper ore to name a few. China is the king pin in this area, and like it or not we answer to that tune when it comes time to pay the raw products bills within the ammunition production industry. What’s that got to do with you your asking? Nothing much save for the fact that it will hit your wallet dead center every time you buy a box of shotshells or other types of sporting ammo. It is no secret that the cost of some shotshell ammunition has gone through the roof if even a trace amount of some metals are contained in the pellets. Tungsten iron for example is on the increase even above the high prices of last season. At close to $ 20.00 per pound in the raw product form this can raise the cost of a shotshell in a hurry.
When you buy shotshells this season give some serious thought to where and how they will be used. By taking some time to plan your ammo use wisely you can save a great deal of money in the long run, and still fill your game bag in the event that is a priority. If you are waterfowl hunting local farm ponds, flooded timber, or switch back streambeds it is just possible if not quite probable that your not going to need the hardest hitting non-toxic loads on the market. For the most part, regardless of the style of waterfowl hunting with the exception of pass shooting geese, any of those newer heavy weight ultra high velocity loads are in many cases overkill rounds, and are not at all necessary.
There is such a thing as under kill here in that you don’t want to go so light in the ammo department that you cripple game, but in most cases under gunning is not the issue, but sending very high priced ammo at low budget birds is a problem for many of us in the field. As an example, while hunting ducks in timber anything over a budget load of say Winchester Xpert #3’s at 2 3/ 4 “ or a max 3" magnum, is a pure waste of hard earned money. I have selected Xpert because it was the first real budget price non-toxic with a Sunday punch offered to hunters, and as such has done well and stuck hard with hunters that understand that most workable field kills take place inside the 40 yard mark.
Now if you’re moving out onto sea ducks, or even big water blue bill shooting, yes, some increase in firepower is advisable. Here the newer tungsten iron shot loads by Federal, Remington, or Enviornmetal, start to fill in the cracks in the old duck boats water tight ammo cans. However, how many duck hunters are gunning sea ducks? How many duck hunters are taking on big northern blue bills that are a rare commodity now-a-days? The answer is darn few, and for the most part less than 20% of the waterfowl hunting public need more than a good working load of budget iron shot.
A greater consideration may be selecting ammo for the fall, shot size versus pellet material of payload amount. So often hunters under shoot pellet size with steel because that is what dad did when he used the old lead shot loads. Remember this refresher course here. Shooting #4 steel is like shooting a #7 1 / 2 lead pellet at a duck. How many of you would use 7 1 / 2 lead to get the job done? Darn few, I would tend to think.
On ducks a #3 steel pellet inside say 35 yards is about as small as I would consider. If your range is moving up to 40 through 50 yards on ducks push any conservative nature aside and go straight to a BB steel shot pellet. Send a budget load of 1 1 / 4 oz of iron BB’s at a duck and you will be quite impressed by the end results.
Suggested Loads
Based on a considerable amount of advanced load testing by Ballistics Research & Development being my little piece of the shooting industry, both in the field and on the range, here are some load offerings that can get the job done for you, and not burn up your bank account.
Winchester Xpert
As already discussed, Winchester Xpert is not only a buy on the market, but a darn workable performance load as well. Offered in everything from heavy magnums to 2 ¾” light field this budget priced product is about all most of us need when gunning waterfowl over decoys. From the heavy 3 1 / 2" 1 3 / 8 oz super magnums in 12 gauge to the 1 1 / 16 oz ultra fast 1550 f.p.s. 2 3 / 4" loads Xpert can get it done.
Federal Cartridge
While Federal has tended to spend a great deal of time and attention on new types of non-toxic loads of late they have also cut back some of their lower end line. While I can’t say for a fact, it seems as though their newer line of Estate Cartridge ammunition is taking the place of the early Federal Classic Steel. Estate Cartridge shotshells are loaded at Federal’s Anoka Minnesota plant right along side Federal’s own Ultra Shok, and high grade High Density loads. I have found through two full years of testing that Estate ammo is darn workable for much of my over decoy gunning, and South Dakota stream or stock tank jump shooting. Estate steel shot loads have been very popular in the deep south for some time, and after shooting both the quick 1500 f.p.s. fast movers in both 12 gauge 3.5" and 3" magnum on ducks, I can see clearly why those southern duck shooters packed these loads afield.
Estate loads are available from 10 gauge to 20 gauge load configurations. I have found them to be at a price point that is hard to beat, and I’m here to tell you no duck wants to see those loads being packed afield. Don’t get me wrong, Federal’s main line steel shot ammo can be bought at right prices during the hunting season. Keeping a sharp eye on promotional programs and special deals at those big name sporting good dealers can net you even the very new Federal Ultra Shok ammo at a real bargain price from time to time. The trick here is to shop smart versus just grabbing onto the first load on the ammunition counter that comes along. In terms of the older line in Federal “Classic" and even the “STEEL" brand, by checking around you can still find quantities of these steel shot loads. Don’t be fooled by the box design or name, Federal has built more quality than is being paid for in these older shotshells, and if you can get hold of them buy’em up as they will produce good field results.
Remington
If you want a bargain load, turning to the big green machine is not the worst idea either. Remington offers Sportsman Hi-Speed Steel as well as standard velocity Sportsman loads in iron shot. Sportsman are loaded to meet the value based direction for hunters, and like other brands the quality of the components greatly out distances the basic cost. To be quite honest with you, I can’t understand how the manufacturer can make a buck at such low retail prices when it comes to loads like those that have been represented in this section.
Kent Cartridge
Kent is a newer company but with solid teeth within the industry in that they have not only produced some outstanding steel shot loads, but also offer one of the few do it all high energy tungsten nontoxic loads that is bore safe in even very fine grade doubles. As applied to this subject however Kent offers a new “All Purpose" steel shot load in 12 and 20 gauge that will in effect do it all at a less than premium price. Known to offer ultra fast loads even up to the big 3.5" 12 bore at very affordable prices Kent has hit the swamp running with its All Purpose loads. Field testing is still underway regarding these shotshells, but to date I’m in no way disappointed regarding their performance.
As we move into 2005’s waterfowl season, we are seeing a list of load options that are beyond description if all of them were to be listed under the same story heading by this writer. Each year I think we have seen it all, and then I’m completely caught off guard by some ripping new idea that comes busting out of the marsh grass. This year not a great deal has changed from 2004 directly up front, but without question we are right on the very edge of seeing some new options again in waterfowl fodder. The trick now will be to make these new innovations affordable to the average hunter. With the increasing costs of raw products that go into your shotshells you can bet that some major attention is being given to keeping that bottom line right where it belongs, and that would be right at the bottom.
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