L.P. Brezny

Waterfowl Shotshells

This year the ammunition industry has continued to roll ahead with advanced load development so as to make the job of gunning ducks and geese more effective for the hunter. If anyone thinks that lead shot is ballistically good, well you have not seen anything yet, because many of the advanced loads that are on the drawing board and being packed in boxes for the store shelf are almost beyond belief in terms of effectiveness afield.

With the aid of completely new combined elements that make up non-toxic shot we will soon see better pellet shape, greater density, or in this case ballistic down range mass energy, and higher payloads of shot at the same time. With very new and different payload delivery systems being developed by at least one manufacturer, the top of the sky is the limit in terms of future shotshell load effectiveness. If you ever thought lead was a long range hard hitting product, well hang on folks, because that stuff was a simple walk in the marsh compared to what’s ahead in 2005.

Author and mallards via #2 Federal High Density Tunsten. Hunting with Avery Outdoors in North Dakota

As older ammunition companies are regrouping both product lines and marketing systems, others are rising from the ashes of other business ventures, the future is very bright in terms of non-toxic load options you can take into the field this coming fall. As always, by looking to Gundogs Online throughout the year you will be kept abreast of all the future, and current “wet bird” as well as upland load developments.

Federal Cartridge ATK
Federal cartridge has come into the 2005 waterfowl hunting season with Ultra Shok High Density non-toxic waterfowl ammunition. Advanced real time field testing this past year by this writer clearly indicates that Ultra Shok is an outstanding performer against everything from small ducks to big geese. Hunting from North Dakota to Kansas, the new Federal fodder was pushed to its limits by way of both high end autoloaders, and some basic pump action shotgunning systems. The fact is simply that based on my field results these loads are so good that they make their own choke when a simple modified is used over goose decoys or even at pass shooting ranges (beyond 55 yards).

Based on a density rich material composed primarily of tungsten dust, the semi-soft pellets that are completely bore safe in any shotgun designed to shoot common steel shot retain a weight about the same as the early bismuth shot pellets. However, being very round, and sent aloft with ATK technology, meaning the latest in propellants and wad containers, the new loads even in a standard 3” 12 gauge magnum are absolutely outstanding performers. With the current spring snow goose season about to get started I have placed a case of these loads in 3” 1 5 / 8 oz BB’s in the pickup truck already, as I await the phone call from my partners in east river South Dakota regarding the first arriving spring white birds of 2005.

The special High Density loads will be offered in BB+, #2, and just announced #4” pellet sizes and payload ready in 3 and 3 1 / 2 “ shotshells. These loads will be pushed out of your 12 bore at 1450 f.p.s. and due to the special cast shot type retain great terminal or at target velocity well out to pass gunning ranges.

In the older tungsten shot Federal is still offering the “Metro” loads designed as a low recoil waterfowl load in a 2 3/ 4” 1 1 / 8 oz BB payload package. These “ Metro” loads are designed for the special Metro Gun System TM designed by this writer for in the city close up and personal waterfowl hunting, or anyplace sound, recoil, or over extended range is a problem. The “Metro” loads are the last of the Federal line using the older heavy tungsten iron shot, but they are not bore dangerous in that they are shot at a muzzle velocity well under 900 f.p.s so as to reduce report when used in conjunction with the Metro Gun System TM.

Tack on the list of high grade Federal Ultra Shok steel shot loads to this ever building high performance high density tungsten load list, and you have another winning year regarding Federal shotshell ammunition.

Enviornmetal Inc.
Enviornmetal Inc. has turned from selling shot to other companies,(Remington) to starting to offer a specialty series of their own non-toxic loads. Last year it was “Dead Coyote” that got the snow goose hunters attention with its pellet size and high velocity. This year it will be an improved version of “Hevi-Steel”. From the first load introduction last season Hevi-Steel has been greatly upgraded. I know we covered Hevi-Steel in Gundogs Online previously, but with additional late season waterfowl hunting by way of Gus Badger out of Kansas, and the BSA gun works folks, we found that late season birds were hard to bring down with the #6 Hevi-Steel pellets. Still later in the year in adding to the problems surrounding Hevi-Steel I also found out that the loads were in fact producing hang fire, and duds, as well. It seemed that the slower powder selected for use just got to slow as later fall temperatures fell off to the minus 30’s F.

	Author with Hevi-Steel and Canada geese. This shot type is being completely redesigned from the primer up.

As a final note around Hevi-Steel, the shotshell length would not allow the new ammo to function in many foreign autoloading shotguns. It seems that the shells were made to exact SAMMI standards based on the old roll crimp method of closing the shotshell. Well, across the pond the roll crimp was not given any consideration, and as a direct result of that little problem a whole pile of guns didn’t want to cycle the long maximum length 3” Hevi-Steel hulls.

The solution here like in the other problems associated with Hevi-Steel has been to rebuild the whole shotshell line including a new 3” star crimped hull, a different softer shot that won’t require massive amounts of poly bead buffer, and again new powders that should hold up in cold weather. I have indicated the word “should” as time will tell as we get these new loads into the field. Hopefully, we will have luck on snow geese in a few weeks.

Another very new load offering by Enviornmetal Inc. is Hevi-13, a pellet type that at this time is a turkey load, but hang on, because I predict that Hevi-13 will be a waterfowl killing machine to end all bird terminating systems very soon. This shot is a full 13.5 density by my measurements, and that means very heavy, and very hard hitting at long range. Keep an eye on this development for sure. Hevi-13 will run a good deal faster and harder then Hevi-Shot and even with a turkey photo on the box I’m sure it will become a duck killing monster. Even in a #4 pellet size Hevi-13 will produce ballistics down range that can be associated with a #1 lead shot pellet, or even close to a “B” 17 caliber lead ball. Add the fact that this load will retain the smaller #4 pellet in a full 1 3/4 oz payload and you have a buzz bomb hornets nest heading at any airborne target. After the 2005 spring fling on snows I will report my findings as to just how effective this ultra heavy weight shot is against the white hordes.

Winchester Ammunition
Being known for a very high grade steel shot loads, and a very well balanced low budget line of iron shot fodder, Winchester is knocking at the advanced development door with “Xtended Range”, that to my way of thinking will be a waterfowl load quite soon. Xtended Range is a blend of non-toxic elements that end up as a pellet of shot that is easy on barrels, and retains a density of about 13, or right with most of the other designer non-toxic loads out there today.

While I have only put Winchester Xtended on paper thus far I do plan to take it afield this spring re turkey hunting, and also if cleared in time by the federal fish cops, some gunning against snow geese, as well. It is not that Xtended is a toxic element, but by law every new shot types has to jump the federal hoops. Winchester is playing the “hoop” game right now as I write these lines.

The Avery Outdoor crew in North Dakota during a very positive waterfowl hunt by way of the new Federal High Density Tungsten.

On paper Xtended is looking great. Shooting 50 yard 30” circle these loads print a nice tight core pattern of about 68%, and fill in the rest of the circle to 87% at that range. Move up to close range work as in a 40 yard target and Xtended by way of a Benelli Super Black Eagle, and a full choke will plaster the daylights out of a 20” core ring. Winchester Xtended will adapt well to tighter chokes versus coming apart as the special blend of hard tungsten iron is forced through the tighter tube constriction. I’m sure it has something to do with the mix of materials that makes Xtended different in term of being bore friendly. Density, quality shot production and materials are the keys to this puzzle, and we are about to see a whole lot of this new development in smooth bore fodder.

Remington Ammunition
Remington will offer their complete line of both steel and Hevi-Shot loads in 2005 with changes in packaging as to the low budget loads (Green head duck on the box). With Nitro Steel in iron shot loads, and Hevi-Shot in the advanced non-toxic line Remington hits all the bases when it comes to feeding the water fowlers shotgun chamber. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, can best describe Remington's load selection for the upcoming waterfowl hunting season.

Kent Cartridge
Starting as a small company some years ago Kent has become known for steel shot loads that go very fast out of the muzzle. Added to that reputation are the outstanding “Matrix” soft non-toxic loads that are completely bore safe, and retain great energy to the target. This season Kent is again right in the mix with their load offerings. Watch for value in Fast Steel, as well as those Matrix non-toxic load options when you want to shoot bore safe non-toxic loads through that very high end double that grandpa gave you way back when.

As a current project with Kent I’m working up loads via my 12 bore muzzle loader with Kent Matrix Impact shot. Because Impact is easy on any barrel even when almost no wad is applied, which is the case in a muzzle loading waterfowl gun, this shot is a joy to work with lacking the personal stress of possibly damaging my gun high quality muzzle loading gun systems.

Currently Kent is offering a newer “All Purpose” precision steel shot load in 12 and 20 gauge that is hard hitting with very high muzzle velocities of 1475 f.p.s. in the 12 bore 3” 1 1 / 8 oz load, and a blistering 1490 f.p.s. in the 20 gauge duck killer at 7/ 8 oz. With shot sizes from #2’s through #4 ‘s in the sub gauge 20 bore, and BB or #2’s in the 12 bore, this low budget package fills a nice niche market for the over goose decoy hunter that can old his shots for the best possible target range and angle.

Bismuth Cartridge
Being the very first out of the gate regarding advanced non-toxic shotshell ammunition, Bismuth Cartridge is still offering loads that fit gun chambers unknown to other manufacturers. Word has it that additional development is in the wind regarding Bismuth Cartridge during the 2005 hunting year. As to exactly what all that double talk means I guess time will tell, as I have not got a clue. I do know, however, that Bismuth shot is a darn good product, and because it is completely bore safe it has been a part of my specialty muzzle loader duck gun, and small bore projects for quite a few years to date. I will be keeping an eye on Bismuth Cartridge during the coming year, and as developments unfold, reporting back to you.