"I'm Alittle Out Dated"

[Froghunter]

Guys and Gals,

I'm alittle outdated in what I need to use in my 20 ga. TDC to hunt waterfowl. I use to hunt waterfowl 30 years ago. I have a 1/2 box of Federal 3" magnum #2 lead plated buffer loads that at one time I used to hunt geese! (Late Seventies) Well I am not going to hunt the turkeys in MO, NC or GA for a number of years. Daughter and Son will be going to college shortly. Mrs. Rhonda (Wife) has started asking me about the geese she sees landing in the fields across the way. The rabbits just don't seen to want to come out when me and Mrs. Rhonda hunt them together and she feels I'm saving them all for the guys to hunt. So I guess it's time to go local and hunt the Ducks and Geese, but the G-man wouldn't appreciate me using vintage lead loads these days. So I ask what I need to be looking at to harvest small duck and local Canada geese in September and large ducks and snows later in the season. Man I'm glad I still have that Ol' Johnson 15 hp in the barn and the wife said I need to start looking for a small boat to go out onto the Delaware Bay for net fishing, crabbing and now waterfowl hunting.

Thanks!

Froghunter

[spikehorn]

All i can tell you is that you will want to look into chokes that are for steel shot

[demented]

Nothing I've used since lead was banned for waterfowl has worked as well for me as Federals "Black Cloud" shotloads.  Their shot design allows cleaner kills five to ten yards further than any regular steel loads I've used.  AS posted, be sure your shotguns can handle steel.

[zackyholdem]

+2 on the black cloud, great stuff, their 4's work good for small to medium ducks, for the 20g the 3" 1oz 4's are what you want, the problem is that in the 20 gauge only comes in 2's and 4's, which aren't the ideal load for geese

Thanks Zack

[Markus]

You set up the hunt and you don't have to worry about the ammo, just invite me and I'll bring it!

[Foggy]

I hunted alot of Ducks and geese when I was Stationed at Dover AFB..

[Froghunter]

Looked at all my choke tubes to see if they are marked for Steel. As all who owner the 20 ga. H&R/NEF shotguns with screw in chokes know that the moditified choke tube that comes with the gun is not rated for Steel shot. The two extended choke tubes on the right are Tru-locks: one is a Turkey marked .575 and rated for Hevi-shot, the other is Extra-Full .585 and also marked for Hevi-shot. The next two are: one is a Redhead Skeet and the other Briley marked skeet. Neither is marked approved for Steel. I will have to go to the website to see if they are approved for Steel. The next two are Tru-lock Improved Cylinder .610 and approved for Steel/Hevi-shot. The two black ones are the factory choke tubes marked 20 ga. Mod. NO STEEL. The last two are Redhead Full tubes and are not marked and I WILL NOT USE STEEL IN THEM or the Turkey/EF tubes. I also have two Tru-lock cylinder choke tubes(Are in My Shorty and Wife's TDC) that are marked Cylinder .620 and approved for Steel/Hevi-shot. I have found a store that has 20 ga. 3"  Federal Black Cloud for just under 26 dollars a box. They also have the top three standard steel 3" loads for just under 14 dollars a box. All are 25 rounds in box. I guess the plan now is to purchase some boxes of Steel loads and get to pattening at 30-35 yards. I will start with the cylinder tubes and work to the Improved Cylinder and see what kind of patterns I get. May have to look at the Tru-lock Extended tubes in light mod and mod. I am also hoping the wife will be able to shoot the high speed steel loads out of her 20 ga. TDC.


Froghunter

[Froghunter]

Found a old box of Winchester Super Steel from the early eighties. It even suggest using a full choke in some loads. The box is full with 25 shells and it will stay full. They will be displayed on a shelve in the shed/mancave. If, I get a chance and the snow stops I will get some updated steel duck loads.

Froghunter