Help Pick My New Goose Load....

[Dave McCracken]

Here's the deal.....

Someplace in Casa McC is a shell box with maybe 8 rounds of Hevishot 2s and about the same of Winchester BBBs. Both are 3".

I've booked a goose hunt with a pro guide in about a month or so. Maybe my old shells will turn up,(Probably will right after I shell out good money for more) maybe not.With a family of pack rats like us, stuff can get lost pretty good.

Maybe now's the time to pool the collective Gestalt of all the waterfowlers here and get new ideas on what to use.

Of course, this is going to be used in Frankenstein, my overpublicized parts 870 which is 3" capable. Intended prey is Canada Geese, from Giants to Brant.

Hevishot 2s work very well. The problem lies in the price. 3 shells cost as much as two BOXES of my pet reloads with enough change left for a soda.

Those BBBs will work, but they're not as one shot effective as the 2s.

I've no experience with Bismuth, Tungsten Matrix, or depleted Uranium pellets rubbed with garlic.

So here's your chance. List your pet load and why, I'll buy my choice, take it hunting and report on its effect rat cheer.

How about it?.

And thanks....

 

[HSMITH]

Dave, my pet load is 3.5" Winchester Supreme BBB High Velocity, in my X2, using a full choke. We have some of the biggest giant canada geese around, supposedly they are another sub-species of canada, and it flat kills them dead up to 55-60 yards. Patterns are extremely center dense, if you hit them they come down.

In a 3" gun with the low limits on geese and the fact that it is a paid for and booked hunt I would pick up some more Hevi and use that. If the geese decoy decently high velocity steel #2's work fantastic even in a 3" load.

 

[bowkill12004]

hsmith

very good post that is the load that i perfer i use to use t and f but when steel came in i bumped up till i found the the right load. But i would like to go back to lead. I seriously dont think that the lead is picked up by ducks, well at least where i hunt in rivers and lake that are not shallow enough for them to pick it up.

 

[Marshall]

For the big azz Greater Canadians I shoot anywhere from 2's to BB and usually go with the BB's. The more open the choke the bigger the shot I'll use, to a point.

 

[bosshoff]

T shot

I only use 3.0" Federal Premium "T" loads on Canadians.
It IS a little rougher on the ducks, if I don't have time to rechamber something lighter.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks, folks, let's see what accrues on this.....

 

[TrapperReady]

I've shot quite a few geese this year. Most were shot with B-sized Hevishot out of a MOD choke (3" shells). That load works very, very well. I took one particular bird at long range (if they'd been just a bit higher, I'd have considered them out of range). Anyway, I picked one out and shot. It hit the underside of the goose near where the wing meet the body and darn near took the wing off. The rest of the geese I've killed have been closer (mostly around 35 yards or so), and I've only had to hit a two again once they hit the water.

If things work out right, I'm taking my older son out for ducks and geese this weekend. I'm going to try using a box of #2 Hevishot as an "all-around" load and see how it works.

BTW, as I mentioned in the Hunting section, yesterday morning I nailed a big resident Canada goose with a single shell of #6 Hevishot (albeit at 20-25 yards), and it went down like a ton of bricks.

 

[45crittergitter]

Uhm, the species is Canada geese, not Canadian geese. Presumably any geese from Canada are Canadian, but only one species (actually, about 11 sub-species) is the one called Canada.

 

[Marshall]

Uhm, I think everyone knows what is meant when speaking of Canadian Geese. Image-Google Canadian Geese and see what you get. Technically you're correct but, was it really necessary?

 

[Dave McCracken]

Let's not bicker over semantics. One more time....

 

[TrapperReady]

Let's not bicker over semantics.

Aside from porn, isn't that the #1 function of the internet?

 

[Wags]

Dave: To answer your question on affordable and knock down punches on canadian geese with a 12ga 3" chamber, heres what I use:

I prefer Kent Cartridges Fasteel. Affordable and reliable. You can go to there website and see ballistics if you'd like. I like the #2 load 1 3/8 oz load. They will drop geese, no questions asked. I use a modified choke and forget about it.

I also have some older Estate Cartridges in BB's that I've just about used up from a purchase 5 years ago. Another great and affordable 3" shell that drops them dead.

Early goose season last month for me was very successful using both these mentioned shells. Now that duck is in I mainly use the Kent Fasteel's in a #4. Always carry a few #2's in case the geese decide to stop by. Good luck on your hunt and enjoy yourself.

 

[SShooterZ]

My experience has been that Hevi-Shot is far superior to anything you can do with steel shot.

Shot at a duck about 40-50 yards out with two shots of steel BB, nothing, third shot was Hevi-Shot #2 and it dropped out of the sky.

This was through an IC choke on a Browning Gold with 3" shells.

 

[Dave McCracken]

TR, not for me, though your comment is well put. Check out some ARA sites if you like bickering.

Thanks for the input, folks. Anyone want to mention their choke choice with the pet load?

 

[Kingcreek]

Modified choke, 3" #2 Hevi shot for geese, #4s for ducks (Winchester SX2)
It swats em hard.

 

[TrapperReady]

I'm going with MOD almost all of the time... although I haven't patterned the steel and Hevishot out of FULL yet. Based on HSMITH's comments, I may try that.

 

[redneck2]

I'd think hard before patterning out of a full. Hevi-shot won't compress. Mod will probably give a tighter pattern in any event, due to the non-compressability (is that a word?) of the shot.

Hevishot 2s work very well. The problem lies in the price. 3 shells cost as much as two BOXES of my pet reloads with enough change left for a soda.

With all due repect to our moderator, I have a REAL hard time with guys that complain about the cost of hunting loads. How many rounds are you going to fire?? 8-10 maybe?? Use steel and you may end up using 2-3 per bird anyway (at least I have). Tungsten kills them DRT.

My experience with steel is that it may knock them down but take a while from them to die. Chasing cripples while another flock is coming in isn't much fun. Last time I hunted, I had 3 shots and 3 kills. The guys that had steel were blasting away. Dunno, maybe they're just not connecting, but I don't think so.

I have a friend that just got back from Western Canada. Got 5 birds. Drove something like 16 hours each way. Cost of a few shells is miniscule in relation to the whole deal.

When I worked in the gun shop, I had guys that were going on elk hunts and wanted to cheapest ammo they could buy. Never could understand the logic of that. I guess it's the same guys that buy a parachute at the Army surplus store.

Edit to add: #2's, Rem 870, 28" modified

 

[bosshoff]

Concerning choke selection: Remington Express 870, 28", Full choke, or Benelli Super Black Eagle 28", Full choke. CANADA Geese (wouldn't this mean all geese that flew down from the North? ) or Canadian geese are very BIG targets. Use a full choke. If you think you realy need a modified choke, I hate to say it and I may get flamed for saying it, however you may need to hit the Skeet, Trap, or Clays course for a "little refresher".

 

[nitesite]

Sorry, Dave.

I just gotta point something out.

Use a full choke. If you think you realy need a modified choke, I hate to say it and I may get flamed for saying it, however you may need to hit the Skeet, Trap, or Clays course for a "little refresher".

Just an FYI, but most (every?) shotgun manufacturers specifically recommend more open chokes than Full when using steel and heavi-shot.

http://www.browning.com/faq/detail.asp?ID=128

"The recommendations listed are for lead shot. As a general rule, you should use the next more open choke when using steel shot. (I.E.: Lead: Full Choke/Steel: Modified Choke; Lead: Modified Choke/Steel: Improved Cylinder.)"

And from Remington: "Because of the superior ballistic performance of Hevi-Shot pellets, an increase in pattern density versus lead will occur, especially beyond 35 yards. When choke diameters are tighter than .665”, pattern density begins to degrade. Tighter chokes than .665” do not improve pattern percentages to any extent, and in fact, begin to produce more open patterns."

Now, back to the thread topic..... Favorite goose load and choke.......

 

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks, folks, a couple things....

I'll be using a Light Full Carlson's tube, probably. With Hevi-2s, a 32 yard pattern is about 26" across with it. I've done well in the past with tight chokes by going for the head on landing geese. That tube runs .700", so the cautionary about Full doesn't apply.

If I do get another brand, I will pattern and see what constriction gives that kind of pattern.

Redneck2, no offense taken. It's just that I'm a tightwad as much by circumstance as habit.

Bosshoff, I hit the range about every week. Refresher?.....

 

[45crittergitter]

Aw, lighten up, I was teasing! You know, the main difference between us and the antis is best seen in the semantics....

 

[Kingcreek]

I actually took the time (and $) to pattern the Hevi shot before a North Dakota waterfowl hunt a couple years ago. I got more uniform patterns with Mod and haven't used Full since. It ain't cause I need big wide patterns or a refresher.
I agree with the comments about saving a few dollars. Use the best loads and save your money somewhere else. I bought 2 cases of Hevi shot and got a pretty good price. I do carry a couple of steel "swatters" if a followup is needed.

 

[TrapperReady]

If you think you realy need a modified choke, I hate to say it and I may get flamed for saying it, however you may need to hit the Skeet, Trap, or Clays course for a "little refresher".

Sure.

I use MOD because out of the gun I use for ducks and geese, it throws nice, even patterns of Hevishot. You may be right about the refresher, though... maybe the 8000+ sporting clay targets I shot this year prior to hunting season wasn't enough.

 

[redneck2]

Redneck2, no offense taken. It's just that I'm a tightwad as much by circumstance as habit.

I resemble that remark. I squeeze a nickle so hard the buffalo poo's

It's just that, with waterfowl (or any other game animal) I think you should use the most effective load possible, for the quickest kill. To me, steel is false economy anyway because you end up using more rounds for the same job.

The steel I used was right after it first came out. Had an early season goose head on at 30 yards over an alfalfa field, 2 feet off the ground. At the shot, I expected him to fold......starts flying away. Shoot again.....still flying away. Third shot breaks a wing and we spend 5 minutes chasing him around the field and run him down. When I clean the bird, the shot didn't even penetrate the skin at the breast. I gave away the rest of the box. Had it been over water I'd have never gotten that bird.

I have a friend that does a LOT of duck/goose and he loads his own tungsten. This guy hunts about every day and takes a lot of birds...maybe 100 a year.

There was an article in Handloader covering all the basics of loading tungsten last year.

 

[HSMITH]

I have shot HUNDREDS of patterns with steel shot, all kinds of steel loads from just about every maker and handloads too. I hunt more than anyone I know that works full time. I shoot a lot of ducks and a lot of geese, the total usually well over 100 birds per year. I use a full choke for a reason. I use high velocity loadings for a reason. I shoot 3.5" steel from a 3.5" gun for a reason.

Anyone that says steel doesn't kill is mistaken. Steel is effective well beyond the range that most hunters should even consider shooting. When employed correctly steel kills quickly and cleanly.

The first step in getting steel to kill cleanly is to wipe your memory of all the crap you have read and heard. Buy a couple boxes and head to the pattern board with ALL of your chokes. The results don't lie.