You can kill ducks with that load out to 50 -55 yards but you are risking just crippling ducks you will never find. Rule of thumb in timber is tree top high (approx. 35 yards or lower.) Best bet is let 'em get down below tree top and you want have to guess. You also may want to check out your pattern shooting steel shot with a full choke. I shoot basically the same load but with an improved cylinder choke. Test your pattern at 40 yards and you will find out what works best in your gun. Shooting ducks much above tree top will get you labeled as a sky buster pretty quick in most places. As expensive as shells are today and some WMA have a 15 shell limit, long range shooting is a no no. Good luck on your hunting.:thumb:
Kill range.
Ok guys. I shoot 3" 1 1/8 oz. shot (I think that is right shot) #2s with a full choke. What is the effective kill range of the shell for ducks you think? Thanks guys!
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dont shoot a full choke with steel shot it will screw up your gun. Sot a Modified. It is like shooting a full choke. Better yet shoot an IC
He will not mess up his gun, if the full choke tube he is using is approved for steel shot. I believe all the manufacturer's today make a full choke for steel shot and Hevi-Shot loads. As for choke selection here is some recommendations from Remington's website.dont shoot a full choke with steel shot it will screw up your gun. Sot a Modified. It is like shooting a full choke. Better yet shoot an IC
FULL CHOKE
Tight constriction for dense pattern (approximately 70% of a shell's total pellets in a 30" circle at 40 yards). Best for trap shooting, pass shooting waterfowl, turkey hunting and shooting buckshot loads.
MODIFIED CHOKE
Less constriction than full choke (approximately 60% of a shell's total pellets in a 30" circle at 40 yards). Excellent for all-around hunting of waterfowl, long-range flushing upland birds (such as late-season pheasant and sharptail grouse) as well as other small game. Also used for trap shooting.
IMPROVED CYLINDER CHOKE
Even less constriction than modified (approximately 50% of a shell's total pellets in a 30" circle at 40 yards). Ideal for close-in small game shooting, upland bird hunting (such as quail, grouse and pheasant) as well as hunting waterfowl close over decoys. Rifled slugs also perform very well from this choke.
I personaly switch among a full, improved modified, and modified choke tube depending on the hunting situation. However, it seems like the full choke w/ #2 steel is what I hunt w/ most of the time. This setup allows for longer shots but it is unforgiving at closer range.Tight constriction for dense pattern (approximately 70% of a shell's total pellets in a 30" circle at 40 yards). Best for trap shooting, pass shooting waterfowl, turkey hunting and shooting buckshot loads.
MODIFIED CHOKE
Less constriction than full choke (approximately 60% of a shell's total pellets in a 30" circle at 40 yards). Excellent for all-around hunting of waterfowl, long-range flushing upland birds (such as late-season pheasant and sharptail grouse) as well as other small game. Also used for trap shooting.
IMPROVED CYLINDER CHOKE
Even less constriction than modified (approximately 50% of a shell's total pellets in a 30" circle at 40 yards). Ideal for close-in small game shooting, upland bird hunting (such as quail, grouse and pheasant) as well as hunting waterfowl close over decoys. Rifled slugs also perform very well from this choke.
While I agree that there are certainly chokes in "full" approved for steel, I got to suggest that you hit the pattern board/paper first before using one. Will it mess up the gun? Probably not... but it may well destroy the pattern of the shot string. I don't have a single full choke tube that will throw a reasonable pattern with any shot larger than #4 steel. With the chokes/guns I have, the pattern is so inconsistent from shot to shot that I just can't expect any decent results.
On the other hand I have a bud who shoots #2's through a "turkey full" in a Mossberg 835... and wears the ducks butts for a headband in the TIMBER!!
Every gun and load are a science unto themselves. And trial and error on the range will be the only way to "see" what your gun/shot/choke combo will do.
Just my two cents........
On the other hand I have a bud who shoots #2's through a "turkey full" in a Mossberg 835... and wears the ducks butts for a headband in the TIMBER!!
Every gun and load are a science unto themselves. And trial and error on the range will be the only way to "see" what your gun/shot/choke combo will do.
Just my two cents........
Sny, that is what I am shooting! A moss. 835 with a full (that is approved for steel.) I have hunted with it a couple times now and hit great with it. I actually think I am hitting better with it than I was with the Mod I used before. I just wanted to know the effective kill range for the load. Thanks for all the info guys. :thumb:
Shooting with a full choke will not mess your gun up!!! Do however make sure the choke is made to shoot steel shot. I would say not to shoot farther than 35 yards if you want to be consistant.
You can kill ducks with that load out to 50 -55 yards but you are risking just crippling ducks you will never find. Rule of thumb in timber is tree top high (approx. 35 yards or lower.) Best bet is let 'em get down below tree top and you want have to guess. You also may want to check out your pattern shooting steel shot with a full choke. I shoot basically the same load but with an improved cylinder choke. Test your pattern at 40 yards and you will find out what works best in your gun. Shooting ducks much above tree top will get you labeled as a sky buster pretty quick in most places. As expensive as shells are today and some WMA have a 15 shell limit, long range shooting is a no no. Good luck on your hunting.:thumb:
What CDL said. The only way to know for sure is to pattern it. i have a closet full of rolled up poster board from old test patterns - i never throw them away.
I pattern my duck gun at 30yds since that is about the longest shot i want to take in the woods. what you'll find is that different size shot may pattern better with different constrictions. A full choke with 2s may be too much constriction and may actually blow a whole in your pattern; you may find that 3s or 4s do better with that choke, or it may not. trial and error.
if your dead set on shooting 2s grab your other chokes and see which shoots them better. 2s will have a longer effective killing range than the 3s/4s, but the larger the shot the less amount of shot. also your 1.125oz shot is going to shoot different than your 1.25oz shot; less shot, higher fps.
good luck
Most of you guys mention hunting in the woods. I don't get to hunt in the woods much so judging my distance is pretty tuff. It's one of those things where you see a duck and you just either know it's in range, or you know it's not. We get quite a bit of pass shooting too so it makes it pretty tuff sometimes. The reason I went to full from the mod choke is because I was missing birds that I really thought were in range and I know I am a pretty good shot and have all the confidence in the world in my gun. I switched to Full to give just a little extra distance on my shot (albeit not much). It really seemed to help!! This is the area I hunt just to give you a reference. (Taken with a cell so quality not great.) :thumb:
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When you set your decoys out, set one out at 35-40 yards and the rest in closer to your blind. That longest decoy is your reference point. Ducks inside the decoy is in the kill zone. Ducks outside the decoy, try to work 'em in closer. If you have doubt, don't shoot and keep working. My tip for open water shooting.:wink:
Ok guys. I shoot 3" 1 1/8 oz. shot (I think that is right shot) #2s with a full choke. What is the effective kill range of the shell for ducks you think? Thanks guys!
:thumb:
About 20 yards if your doing it right
Not all of us are as good of a hunter as you :wink:About 20 yards if your doing it right
I don't even go anymore because it got so easy:fit:
:thumb:I don't even go anymore because it got so easy:fit:
ArkArcher looks like you have a nice honeyhole to duck hunt!!!
We like it! Clost to home and don't have to battle other hunters! can't beat that. My only complaint is that it isn't in the timber. :smack: But hey, there are ducks there! :thumb:
I have been unknowingly shooting a full choke all season with number 2 steel. I thought I had my MOD. in unitl I tried to take it out the other day. That thing is stuck in there big time. :smack: I have it soaking in penetrating oil right now for a few days and then I am going to try again.Shooting with a full choke will not mess your gun up!!! Do however make sure the choke is made to shoot steel shot. I would say not to shoot farther than 35 yards if you want to be consistant.
Any choke tube will rust and stick if not taken out and cleaned from time to time.I have been unknowingly shooting a full choke all season with number 2 steel. I thought I had my MOD. in unitl I tried to take it out the other day. That thing is stuck in there big time. :smack: I have it soaking in penetrating oil right now for a few days and then I am going to try again.
Here's one thing you can do to help prevent rust....I keep all my choke tubes in a bag along with a small piece of cloth (about the size of a napkin) that has been pretty well covered in gun oil. Once you cover the rag pretty good, you won't have to do it again for a couple years. It will keep your chokes nice and lubed and rust free! You still need to take it out of your gun every once in a while though and clean the threads and give it a little oil...but the bag thing helps! :thumb:
I have a choke tube welded/rusted in my barrel too! It is a modified so i have had to match my shell to the choke. This year i am shoot #3's and have had great results.
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