Good Goose load?

K

KansasCowboy

New member
I;m looking for a resonably priced steel shot goose load. I'm thinking BB. I shoot a 3'' M2 Benelli. Suggestions on shot size and manufactuer appreciated.
 
Kent is one of the cheaper ones. Never had an issue with it. BB is a good choice. Winchester DryLok is another one I use. I use "T" out of my 10ga. Use either mod. or improved mod. choke tube made for steel shoot. I go for the highest velocity shell at the cheapest price.
 
I with agree with nocternal. Kent makes a good shell and its cheaper. I like 3" BB if your shooting over decoys and 3 1/2" BBB or T if pass shooting.
 
I'm fairly new to waterfowling. My hunting buddy's are mainly duck hunters and we will get an occasional goose in our spread. I have feild that I hope to hunt that has been loaded up with Canada geese. Anybody try the Black Cloud ?
Are BB steel good to 40yds?
 
Quote:
A 3.5 inch finger?

LOL gads I am awful



Want to explain? I havent tried the black cloud. I have heard good reports about it though. And yes BB is good to 40 yards max if your comfortable with the shot.
 
Cowboy I shoot a M1 benelli and hunt geese a lot and I use BB 3" and I like Estate ammo. I have used winchester supreme the expensive stuff in the same size and shot. I can not tell any differents to warrent the cost. You can buy estate shot from Cabela`s but I think BB will do you well.
 
I love Kent Faststeel. I use BB or BBB shot in 3" for geese. In the cold, be sure to hit the head/neck if they are passing, as a body shot at distance will only wound. They get really thick breast feathers as the weather gets colder it seems. Like shooting Kevlar.
 
Cowboy, I hunted geese for 20 plus years,sold every thing several years ago. For what it is worth BB out to thirty yds and BBBs on the fringe of fourty yds, shooting over decoys. Helps to pattern that gun too. See what gives the best pattern. My beretta loved the federals best. I haven't tried the the black clouds, but I'm hearing some pretty good things about it. I would imagine it's a little pricier than steel. You might look into some of the tungsten loads, but again a little pricey compared to steel shot loads. The best stuff that I've shot is the heavy shot #2s over decoys but very $$$.
 
I bought a few cases of the Winchester Supreme 3 1/2" BB and BBB. I always shoot over decoys but I shoot a lot of big geese so I use a lot of the BBB's. A couple of years ago I went down to Texas to hunt geese and I bought a few boxes of Kent Fasteel in BBB's which is what all the locals use. It's all I buy now. The Winchester Supreme has no advantage over it and costs about $40 more per flat.

For ducks over dekes I like the Fasteel 1 1/4 oz in 2 or BB. I don't much care for the Estate because the shells I bought had some rough shot that wasn't exactly round. Not too aerodynamic.

I hear nothing but good reports about the Federal Black Cloud but I haven't tried it.
 
+1!

I smack the crap out of geese with Fasteel 3" #2s. Just did again today as a matter of fact. I've tried the gamut through the Benelli and the Fasteel stuff simply crumples and folds them like no other. Lighter payload, but higher velocity=less lead and more dead birds. And the #2s are not too big to handle those tiny bottle rocket bufflehead on the deck or a fleeting black duck...

The Kick's Xfull High Flyer choke tube screwed on the front end probably helps too.

My buddy was shooting that Black Cloud stuff but his 935 froze up (literally) and was relegated to a single shot. (Another sensless plug for Benelli /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif)
 
my buddy guides on the eastern shore of MD. For the past several years, they've used nothing but Kent Faststeel. Mostly BB's and 2's. Last year he tried the new Federal Black Cloud. I was hunting with him that day. OMG. That stuff is NASTY. It is so tight a pattern that geese over decoys looked like hamburger. His buddy shot the head clean off one with it. It is working extremely well for them at longer ranges as well, but more expensive than the Kent.

You might not think it, but a lot depends on you choke tube as well. Pattern your gun like you would a turkey load. Try a couple different chokes and shells and let your gun tell you what it likes best. I got a HS Undertaker waterfowl choke that's designed for large steel shot. It fits my Stoeger and for years I've used plain ole Winchester High Velocity steel BB's. The gun really likes this combination. I do plan on trying out the Black Cloud with it as well.

bownut
 
Thanks,
Guys I just picked up Box of Kent Fast Steel and Fedral Wing-shok in 3'' BB's . I beleive in pattering my guns and will test it out like you said and let my Benelli tell me the best choke and load Combo.

Thanks again !!!!!
 
I just patterned the above loads , both were very similar patterns and penetration.

I had some thick cardboard, 5 gallon plastic can lid and 1/4 plywood underlayment at 45 yds the BB whent right through all of this. Not real scientific but i was pleased with the result.
 
Kent patterns well out of my gun, so that's what I use. I usually shoot Winchester dryloc's for ducks as these pattern good as well.

I usually buy a couple different boxes and see what patterns well and go with that.

Though I'm not a fan of black cloud. From what I know, its unfinished steel shot, sold at a huge mark-up. That 'band' is present on all steel shot, but is removed by most manufacturers, before being put in a shell. The only real innovation black cloud has brought is the flight control wad, which keeps the pattern real tight.

I've never seen steel shot that didn't pattern tight, and don't see a reason to want it tighter, and only see draw backs if your hunting over decoys. Though if they would put that wad in large heavy shot, or buck shot I'd be the first customer.
 
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