Favorite shotgun?

[Gander]

We're glad you passed them without much discomfort. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Carla Dee]

:lmao: [img]graemlins/lol.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/lol.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/lol.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/lol.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/lol.gif[/img]

[Fish]

Aren't you clever. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Swamp Rat]

I have several shotguns that I like...

My favorite duck gun is my Beretta AL391 Optima 12 gauge (3") that I got earlier in the year. It rocks and is as close to 100% reliable as I have found in a semiautomatic shotgun. I thought about the Extrema,and agree that it's the option to take if you are shooting 3½" shells, but I didn't need that option. (I still have my Super X2 for that, anyway, and sometimes carry it for geese...)

For smaller birds (quail, doves, etc) I like my Beretta AL391 Urika in 20 gauge. It went through over 2000 shells in Argentina with two hang-ups, neither of which was major.

With all that in mind, I am a big fan of double guns... just can't afford really high-end stuff at this point with other stuff going on. I am also a big fan of the 16 gauge guns, having cut my teeth as a teenager shooting an L. C. Smith 16 gauge at doves and quail. I currently have two - an old Remington 1100 and a Savage Fox B side by side (which I got for $20).

For ammo, I still experiment some, but typically like:

</font>

• 7½'s for doves. Period.</font>
• All around STEEL load for ducks would be a 1¼ ounce load of #1 or #2 (#1 if geese are around) at high velocity (over 1450 fps if I can find it)</font>
• Sometimes I use high-velocity #3 steel if I will be shooting in close timber (read: woodies) or at teal in the early season.</font>
• For pure goose shooting with steel: BB</font>

I like the high-end non-tox stuff, and will try to shoot more Kent Impact (Tungsten-Matrix) this year... I like that I can shoot it in my older guns without risk of damage. In that loading I would use the #5 for ducks and #1 for geese, and go with a higher payload instead of velocity. With lead (or lead equivalents like Tungsten Matrix), you want pattern density. With steel - speed kills.

Hevi-shot - I like it and will likely reload some when I get my shed up and my workshop in place.

Hevi-steel: Real new, will likely try some. Heck, why not?

Anybody considered what this new "Dead Coyote" Hevi-shot would do to a goose at long range?

[Fish]

Very nice discussion there Swampy. I really like the Kent Tungsten Matrix as well. I used some of it in Chincoteague several years ago and found it to be a deal closer even at longer ranges.

[Gander]

Total agreement Swamp. I too like Matrix, but I can't find it locally at a reasonable price. Hevishot is more widely available, so I shoot that most of the time. Moslty #2's since I'm almost always in for geese at the same time. I just bought 2 boxes of Hevi #B to see how it works. Should be a real goose killer.

I'll leave the dead coyote alone. Hevi #2's will kill as far as I'm comfortable shooting. I'd be just a little concerned with bridging as it passes through the choke.

I really like Kent Faststeel. At 1550 fps it seems to do real well. I used some BB's in Nebraska and it dropped some pretty long honkers.

I saw some of the Hevi Steel during my visit to Cabelas and I was real tempted to buy a box especially considering the price, but I felt that steel would take care of the medium range stuff we were likely to encounter. If your gonna go long, bite the bullet and get the good stuff (Hevi or Matrix).

[Carla Dee]

Just curious guys, why would you shoot Matrix over Hevi Shot? Has anyone spent a lot of time comparing HS and Matrix on paper at the range?

[tradorion]

THE GURU has spoken!! For those of you who do not already have the wisdom and insight to appreciate just who is who on this site and what minds are truly great- Snake and Swamp Rat RULE THE ROOST!!! At least on matters of ballistics, projectiles, etc...

The rest of you can have all the opionated discussion you desire and tell us what you think and like... just please shut up when it is time for the guru's to pontificate on their given areas of expertise! (You better know i am laughing my ass off on this one!)

Guns- love them love them love them!!! I am always gun poor and finding ways to be poorer!!

I cut my teeth on A-5's and love their history but do not shoot one particualarly well.

I shoot Remington style (1100/870) guns MUCH better... and love the fact that an 870 can be a paddle, an anchor, covered in mud- rinsed off and shot- cleaned with a water hose and WD-40 and still be kicking.

The guns i shoot the very best of all are cheap Mossberg pumps... Walmart brand Model 500's turn the trick best for me...

and for all you Benelli snobs- go piss up a rope, you high class pot metal fanatics [img]graemlins/fu.gif[/img] !!

Now for shells- I SUCK ASS when it comes to hitting ducks so 3.5in #4 or #2 steel gives me every available pellet in their general vicinity and i take all advantage i can get...

for everything else from doves to deer it is
2 3/4 variants of some shell... and turkeys i do 3" 7.5 as my "chin shot" backed by #2's if i botch the chin shot... haven't used the backup yet!

So there- you got my OPINION and it counts for no more that the next fellows- except i will shoot with rock salt the first jackass to disagree with my "Snake and Swamp Rat are gods!" theory...

[img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/fu.gif[/img]

T

[Gander]

The benefit og Matrix is that it reacts like lead, so it can be choked down with no harm to your barrel. You can also get them with payloads up to 2 1/8 ounces. With the designer no tox shells, you don't need velocity, so payloads can be increased.

[JPC3]

I am not nearly as knowlegable as some on ballistics, but I will promise you that Kent FastSteel #2's and a pattern master choke will kill mallards consistently inside of 50 yrds. We killed some in Canada this year that were as far as 60+ yrds. Best waterfowl loads ever, hands down! They are cheap, and kill ducks just as well as the expensive tungsten matrix loads.

[JABIII]

Snake and Swamp Rat may be the "gods" of ballistics, and we all know Gander is the Man when it comes to smoking clays. But when it comes to putting the green on the ground you better pay attention to what the killers are shooting... Kent Fasteel #2's. It is hands down the most deadly duck load EVER loaded in any factory. The proof is in the pictures. Go ask Duckman #1 what he is shooting, go ask JPC3 what load is filling duck straps day in and day out with cripples rare as hens teeth. The boys that are shooting 3 cases a year at mallards and will spend any amount to get the very best and go to any amount of trouble to gain the edge. You boys that are switching back and forth between hevishit and steel and fucking yourselves up. Shoot the load that eliminates leading a duck, #2 Fasteel tied to a wad shredding choke. Then you will know what the rest of us have known for years...

[SCSeaCraft]

I concur doctor,
#2 fasteel out of a Benelli.............

[Turd Ferguson]

somebody call my name? Thats my set up.

[Snake Jenkins]

Fish HS in a 16 ga is a handloading proposition only at this time (Remington is rumored to bring out a 16 ga HS load but hasn't done so yet). In factory loads you have steel, kent matrix, and bismuth.
I do like and have used the Kent matrix. However being a handloader (and reloading junkie ) I can't get matix shot to load, so my choices are HS, steel, and bismuth. Out of these choices HS wins hands down IMHO.
When I was loading steel I was loading a one oz. load of #3's at 1550 in a 2 3/4" hull for all of my duck gunning.
Geese are a different bird and I like and use #2 HS (gotta be SC legal even though #4 HS will fold a goose up)
As far as the big 10 ga and 3.5" 12 ga goes. For geese yes for ducks no. The 10 ga will out pattern the 3.5" 12 any day of the week and if you handload the 10 ga you can have a 1 1/2oz load of shot (steel) running 1675-1700 fps easily.

Snake

[Fish]

Originally posted by Snake Jenkins:
The 10 ga will out pattern the 3.5" 12 any day of the week and if you handload the 10 ga you can have a 1 1/2oz load of shot (steel) running 1675-1700 fps easily.

Snake

Whoa pardner...1675 to 1700...holy schnikeys Batman! Thats fast. Talk about doing away with forward allowance. Is this a typical 10ga Snake handload?

[Snake Jenkins]

I have loaded steel BB's that fast out of a 10 ga and killed geese with them. These are long (for steel shot loads) range goose loads. Since HS is available and works so good, I haven't shot any steel.

I do wish Kent (or someone) would market a tungstun polymer shot to handloaders.

Snake

[JPC3]

Amen JABIII! People don't realize just how awesome Kent FastSteel is. All we can do is show them the results. Trip after trip after trip.

[Snake Jenkins]

I'll still stick with my Hevi Shot 7.5's

Snake

[JABIII]

Stick with what works for you, just be extra careful you don't occupy the same blind as a duck killer shooting Fasteel.... [img]graemlins/2ar15.gif[/img]

[Swamp Rat]

I have to agree that Kent Fasteel rules the roost when it come to steel shot. It may be what I end up taking to Mississippi.

I need a good wad-shedding choke in my Beretta - it uses Optima Plus tubes, and I'm not up on who makes the better tubes. Pure Gold is a SC outfit and they make one I know. The other I would consider is Patternmaster.

I'm about to order some Fasteel over the net.