Steel Shot performance question

Joe Friday

Joe Friday

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I'm curious to hear feedback on hunters's preferred 12 gauge steel shotshell.

I have used regular Federal (blue box) and Winchester (silver box) steel loads.
Who has used the Blackcloud, Remington Hyersonic, or Kent Faststeel, and what do you think about how each of these perform? What do you like about the steel shot you may use?

this inquiry doesnt count bismuth, hevi-shot, or other non-steel options.

thanks for your thoughts.

Joe F.
Greenville, NC
 
I normally shoot Drylocks if I am shooting steel, but I have subbed Fasteel. They patterned and performed well, 2.75" or 3" 1.25 oz is my choice, as I generally try to keep the velocity below 1500, those really fast shells don't pattern as well for me.
 
I've used the basic Federal 3", 1.25oz #3 for the last 4 years ($119 case from Rogers, delivered). Same load in Rio before that. And same in Estate before the Rios.
For whatever reason, 1.25oz #3s perform really well in my Berretta 390.
So I stick with them.
I think that is the key, no matter what shells you use, find the ones that work for you and stick with them.
 
Joe,

First thing to bring up is that every gun/choke combination shoots differently and have the best patterns with certain brands, shot sizes and speed. Patterning your own gun with a variety of shells is the best way to find out what shoots best. The side benefit of course is that by seeing how it patterns may give you a confidence boost.

Me personally, my 1995 vintage SBE with a IM choke shoots Winchester Supreme 3" #3's @ 1450fps the best.

My SKB 20 ga. SxS with IC and Mod chokes really likes Kent Fasteel 3" - #4's @ 1550 fps.

Though I have shot hevi-shot, heavy steel, bismuth, etc. over the years I see no reason for me to shoot it on a regular basis. With the loads above I can stone a mallard size duck at 50 yds. 'on a good day', and that's all I need out of a load.
 
I might get blasted for this but I have not noticed a difference in shot shell performance at normal killing distance. I shot Kent for a few years and they started jamming my gun, I switched to black cloud because I drank the Kool-Aid and thought they would "drop ducks like rain". I switched to blind side, again because I thought I would get more consistent clean kills. I switched to Rio 2 years ago and have been happy with them. At extended range premium shells may due a better job, but I don't shoot that far to see a difference. I do see a huge difference in bismuth and other higher density metal shot but I cant justify the cost difference. Like others have said each gun will pattern certain shells and shot better or worse than others but Brand I don't think matters
 
I shoot anything on sale and frankly they all work fine at 30 yds. Fast steel seems to be oversized and jams in my x3 occasionally. But I hunt an over/under a lot and if I can stuff it in there it goes bang just fine.
 
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Matt, I completely agree: for decoying range, standard loads are all you really need. Pattern and shooting well are more important than expensive premium loads. IMO.
 
Funny that you bring this up. I just had this conversation with my buddy today. Everything above in reference to patterning your gun and the fact
that pretty much all factory loads will kill ducks at the proper range are all very true. However, my friend and I have been using different brands, noting the effects and sharing our result with each other. For the most part we have used whatever is on sale, mostly Winchesters mainly because they are on sale at Walmart and are very affordable. We both shoot the same gun, a Browning Gold with factory IC choke. 3" #2, 1 1/8 ounce loads or 1 1/4 ounce loads and we both like to try and kill our birds within 40 yards, but closer to 30-35 yards.
What we found is that Black Cloud patterns real nice with our guns and we have fewer cripples, it just seems to knock the birds dead and sometimes at a little longer range approximately 43-45 yards or so, but it is $22.00 a box. Kent shoots pretty good, patterns okay and gets the job done at an affordable $15.99 a box. However, we also experienced the same problems ejecting rounds on occasion as well a squib every once in a while. Heavy Metal is one of our favorites, but kind of expensive for us. We just bought some Heavy steel at Dick's the other night for $17.99 and are looking to give it a try this week. My daughter shot some in 20 gauge 3" #2 and made several clean kills at 30-35 yards. The Hypersonic loads well....are just that. They can reach out pretty far. We have had several ducks killed at around 70 yards which is a guesstimate based on using a range finder to mark where the dead bird landed as compared to where we could judge the distance was when the shot was made, but the are very expensive, $27.00 a box, they hurt my shoulder, and seem to be extra loud.
The Winchester loads get the job done at our preferred closer range, but as mentioned above we seem to have more cripples with those loads when we attempt to make the longer shots. At $12.00 - $14.00 a box they are affordable.
We are average shooters, shooting trap once a week with scores from around 18-21 on good days. Just to give you some type of idea of how we shoot.
I hope this conversation goes on as it will be interesting to see what other guys shoot...loads, chokes etc.

Regards,
Zane
 
I usually shoot cheap Winchester Expert High Velocity Steel, but I like Kent Fast Steel too. I have a hunch more expensive loads may reduce cripples.

I have a buddy who swears by the heaviest tungsten he can get his hands on and kills birds farther that I can ID them. Personally, I have no desire for that, but that's just me. I strongly believe bringing the birds in range is way more sporting.

Reminds me of a story a buddy and we're involved in quite a few years ago. Not long after non-toxic shot became law, I went out and bought the most expensive, high tech shot available. I Shit terrible, just awful. My buddy said to me- "it's all 8n your head. Everytime you point the gun, you subconscious screams HERE GOES $2.50, BOOM! MISS. HERE GOES $2.50, BOOM! MISS. HERE GOES $2.50, BOOM! MISS". I then switched over to the cheap stuff and improved my kill rate considerably.

I also know, without a doubt, gun fit, practice and confidence are just as, if not more important than what actually flies out of then of your barrel.

Jon
 
This is the shell I prefer to use. It is perfect for my setup. The majority of my shots are between 20 and 30 yards. Like they say, "Speed Kills"!

The duck must be coming into my spread of decoys before I will take a shot. Feed outstretched and back pedaling is what I am talking about.
Al

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This is an interesting topic. Like most I buy what's on sale at Walmart or maybe Dick's Sporting Goods. Our local Gander Mountain doesn't stock anything different than the other two unless your shooting exotic loads. I'm hard-pressed to pay $15 bucks for a box of shells so I stay out of Gander Mountain.


Holly smokes Al, that's what I use on Dove! Of course I'd rather use 9's but they're not available in steel.


I'm actually still shooting shells my dad had when he died in 2000. I Think I'm finally down to about 6 boxes of Winchester 3" -#4's and 4 boxes of Winchester 3" -BBB. The way the season is going here I'll still have shells for next season yet. As much as I got to hunt this year it's been great but I've shot less than a box of shells. Just no ducks here. Then an hour and half east on the Illinois River as witnessed by Pat Gregory and others there are ducks in Illinois. You never know where it could be hot. You just have to be there on the right day.
 
out of my gun in mild or less wind, fiocchi #5 through an extended briley cylinder setup is like putting avian cholera in their water.
If its more windy, it seems like that setup gets blown off target very easily (maybe I just miss), and I will switch to #4 out of a modified extended briley. I've found nice briley chokes to be an important part of the equation.
 
With 475 #7 shot screaming by them, the ducks probably just die from fright!
 
Joe~

Good discussion all around!

Kent Fasteel #3s for ducks The 3s - 1 1/16 ounce, 1550 fps - are a great match for my 1925 Winchester Model 12 - 2 3/4, full choke. Never a problem with ejection or the like.

My approach is simply to find something that works for my gun and me and stick with it. I believe I have enough on hand for another several seasons.

The scientist in me says very few of us shoot enough - and certainly not under controlled conditions - to observe results with any statistical reliability. I like to remove variables - and I subscribe to my partner's observation - which he usually repeats if a bird escapes: "It ain't the gun, it's the gunner."

I use BBs for Geese. I switched from Kent to Winchester just so that my silver-hulled 3s and red-hulled BBs are different colors.

All the best,

SJS
 
I'm curious to hear feedback on hunters's preferred 12 gauge steel shotshell.

I have used regular Federal (blue box) and Winchester (silver box) steel loads.
Who has used the Blackcloud, Remington Hyersonic, or Kent Faststeel, and what do you think about how each of these perform? What do you like about the steel shot you may use?

this inquiry doesnt count bismuth, hevi-shot, or other non-steel options.

thanks for your thoughts.

Joe F.
Greenville, NC
Click to expand...
I Tend to set my guns up to produce good 40 yd. patterns That will kill clean either duck or canada goose as am usually shooting both most morning once goose comes in. That being said Blackcloud 3" x 1 1/4 oz. #2 shot at 1450 patterns and more importantly kills clean thru Briley Extended LM in both my M-2 And Browning gold. The 1 1/8 loads with higher velocitys just dont pattern well for me. All Winchester , Remington, Kent 3" x1 1/4 oz. lds will pattern good for me but I do get cleaner. kills at longer range with the Blk Cld. which makes it a lot easier on the dog instead of having to chase cripples around the swamp. Prior to goose being in with duck I use same load with 3,s. For early teal and woodduck that load thru Briley Extended skeet just sweeps them from the sky if I do my part. Most important is to pattern, pattern, pattern. And not just at 40. Back down to 25 and make sure its not so tight as to make hitting harder.
Click to expand...
 
After finally getting my 12a Hellis set up, I tested 4 different steel loads (3 shots each barrel). Although the gun has 3" capacity, all four brands were 2 3/4" shells. Being a pellet count freak (200 pellet minimum), all shells were #4 shot with a max speed of 1400fps.

Winchester Super x, Rio Blue Steel, Federal Speed-Shok, and Remington Sportsman were the four shell types.

The Rio patterns were so perfect they looked fake. I retested and same results. Because of the lower price, Rio is mistaken as a budget shell, but it sure preformed in my gun.
 
Poor performance before even shooting a round. I was with R. Ligman on an opener 3 years ago and the new Winchester
Blind Side shells he was shooting were "leaking" pellets out of the front crimp. When we were checked by the local CO's in the field, and they found his partially loaded shells, they accused him of tampering. It was when he pulled the leaked pellets out of his coat to show them the manufacturers error, did they reconsider. Then to make matters worse Winchester's customer service was terrible in replacing the box of 25...
Too many other manufactures out there to put up with poor customer service. We use Federal Black Cloud now.
 
It depends what gun I am shooting. I have an O/U that doesn't like Kent and a Semi that loves them. I have another O/U that shoots exceptionally well with 2 3/4 X-Perts. Pattern the gun and go with what works.

I will say that my go to size is #3 for ducks although I also have some great luck with #4. For December and January divers on Lake St. Clair I will usually step up to #2.
 
Shot opening day this morning with mixed results. My nephew stoned a single goose at 40 yards, floating belly up. A few minutes later was swimming sloowly. Don't know what shells, but mixed results. I hit one with black cloud, wow. Still not impressed with steel shot.
 
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