Looking Ahead to 2018-2019...

[Rick]

That’s not that teal steel is it? Who makes 20 gauge 5’s,regular Kent?

Kent's Upland Steel. But at least a couple of our marsh guides have shot or are shooting Kent's 12ga teal steel 5s.

Have u tried the rio’s in same configuration?

Haven't seen Rio 5s in anything but have shot their 4s in both 20 and 12 and been happy with them. One of big parties gives their guests 2 3/4" 12ga Rio 4s, including a box each for the guide, which leaves me with boxes of 12ga Rios to burn. (Which I used to use part of when hunting alone during the goose-only season, until I was given a Model 12 16ga that's done what little goose hunting I have since.) That, and I couldn't pass on giving the $9 Rio 2 3/4" 20s a whirl. The only problem I've had or seen with either has been some slow burning powder being blown back into my eyes when shooting into the wind. Small thing for many, as Federals seem worse for it and still sell well, but it bugs me enough that I only put one case through my 20.

[Darren]

There’s a lot of young guys who shoot full and xtra full that I hunt with and they are hurting themselves when they hunt with me because I’m getting them inside 30 before I even think about shooting, and most of the time inside 20.

I actually had a guy complain last year about getting them too close l. He was wanting to shoot at them as soon as they got inside 50 yards because he had 3.5” hevi metal 2’s and a super full choke.

Decoying birds were not the goal for him, it was shooting as often as he could.

He’s not going to be hunting with us anymore though.

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Have seen my share of the extended super tight chokes making shooters look silly at close/reasonable ranges, leaves me looking bewildered when they clean miss close birds. It then leaves me, on occasion, bewildered when a Hail Mary third shot clean folds a distant bird, and of course they get to smiling like "yea that's what i'm talkin about, that's why I shoot these chokes". Two guys I've spent a lot of time in the blind with over the years do this.

No thanks

Big fan of Briley and Carlson, favoring Carlson from a price point perspective. Prefer to go IC or even Skeet for Sept teal, and Light Mod for regular season with occasional Improved Mod late. All are extended in black, do like the extended to keep tabs on tightness in the threads during the hunt.

[Ericdc]

That’s not that teal steel is it? Who makes 20 gauge 5’s,regular Kent?

Kent's Upland Steel. But at least a couple of our marsh guides have shot or are shooting Kent's 12ga teal steel 5s.

Have u tried the rio’s in same configuration?

Haven't seen Rio 5s in anything but have shot their 4s in both 20 and 12 and been happy with them. One of big parties gives their guests 2 3/4" 12ga Rio 4s, including a box each for the guide, which leaves me with boxes of 12ga Rios to burn. (Which I used to use part of when hunting alone during the goose-only season, until I was given a Model 12 16ga that's done what little goose hunting I have since.) That, and I couldn't pass on giving the $9 Rio 2 3/4" 20s a whirl. The only problem I've had or seen with either has been some slow burning powder being blown back into my eyes when shooting into the wind. Small thing for many, as Federals seem worse for it and still sell well, but it bugs me enough that I only put one case through my 20.

I have not figured out a make of shell that doesn't does this to some degree---the federals definitely do it but I live with it for the price and they still perform well. Even Winchester dryloks in my 10 do it

I like the price and performance of RIO's but the BB sized steel shells sometimes wont chamber---the pellets slightly swell the hull in places---I have to test chamber the entire box the night before to make sure all chamber---I thought gun related but it does it in all my guns---sometimes as bad as half the box hangs

Ridge (lease member with me) had all sorts of trouble with them doing that in his beretta.

That’s what keeps me from buying a case.


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[Ericdc]

I’ve had enough misfires from Remington nitro steel to keep me from buying anymore when I finish off the 3 cases I bought in 2015.

I use them for teal season and cripples since they seem to misfire when it’s really cold. No such problems with federal BCs.


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[Rick]

Ridge (lease member with me) had all sorts of trouble with them doing that in his beretta.

Pretty sure the Italian guns are tighter chambered than most US spec ones, as none seem to like big, lumpy shot. Know my old HK import SBE refused to chamber several shells out of each box of Nitro steel BBBs, as did my Montefeltro 20 when I tried 1s in it.

If Bruce happens to see this, he might speak to the trouble he and his son had getting Federal 4s to chamber reliably in their, I think, Berettas this past January. Know Justin handed me one that was mighty misshapen. Maybe just a funky batch, as I'd not noticed Federal woes of that sort with relatively small shot before. (Think but don't recall with certainty that the lumpy 1s my 20 didn't like were Federals.)

[Ericdc]

Ridge (lease member with me) had all sorts of trouble with them doing that in his beretta.

Pretty sure the Italian guns are tighter chambered than most US spec ones, as none seem to like big, lumpy shot. Know my old HK import SBE refused to chamber several shells out of each box of Nitro steel BBBs, as did my Montefeltro 20 when I tried 1s in it.

If Bruce happens to see this, he might speak to the trouble he and his son had getting Federal 4s to chamber reliably in their, I think, Berettas this past January. Know Justin handed me one that was mighty misshapen. Maybe just a funky batch, as I'd not noticed Federal woes of that sort with relatively small shot before. (Think but don't recall with certainty that the lumpy 1s my 20 didn't like were Federals.)

It was the rio’s that plagued ridges beretta


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[Rick]

I have not figured out a make of shell that doesn't does this (slow burning powder blow-back) to some degree---the federals definitely do it but I live with it for the price and they still perform well. Even Winchester dryloks in my 10 do it

I switched from Federals to Estates because of it, until Federal bought Estate and screwed them up, too. Don't recall it ever happening with the Kents I've shot or, for that matter, with the two cases of $100 rebate Nitro Steel I shot this past season.

Eric, I didn't have many Nitro Steel misfires but enough to be irritating and make me glad to get through them and back to Kents - and question whether I'd ever bite on that $70 a case Remington deal again.

[Ducaholic]

Me thinks they are all prone to misfires and hang ups every now and again. I have shot Kent's and Federal's exclusively over the last 10 years. Both are dirty and both will hiccup every once in a while.

[Rick]

It was the rio’s that plagued ridges beretta

Gathered that from your quoting John. Also guessed from that that it was larger shot. Know that our Rio party brought 2s this year, and guys running out or having trouble with other shells shot most of what I was given without incident I was made aware of.

[Ericdc]

I have not figured out a make of shell that doesn't does this (slow burning powder blow-back) to some degree---the federals definitely do it but I live with it for the price and they still perform well. Even Winchester dryloks in my 10 do it

I switched from Federals to Estates because of it, until Federal bought Estate and screwed them up, too. Don't recall it ever happening with the Kents I've shot or, for that matter, with the two cases of $100 rebate Nitro Steel I shot this past season.

Eric, I didn't have many Nitro Steel misfires but enough to be irritating and make me glad to get through them and back to Kents - and question whether I'd ever bite on that $70 a case Remington deal again.

Yea it was a heck of a deal but dang it cost me a few mallards and specks on a few beautiful cold mornings in January


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[Rick]

I have shot Kent's and Federal's exclusively over the last 10 years. Both are dirty and both will hiccup every once in a while.

Perhaps I should knock wood on my good experience with Kent powder, as nothing spoils my favorite wind like burning blow-back.

[aunt betty]

Have shot a lot of winjunky shells. They seem to always go off.
Cut one open and be disappointed. Slag.
One of ten pellets is kind of sort of roundish.

[SpinnerMan]

Have shot a lot of winjunky shells. They seem to always go off.
Cut one open and be disappointed. Slag.
One of ten pellets is kind of sort of roundish.

Lead deforms when you shoot it. I'm not convinced perfectly uniform shot is best. Then again, I have no desire for a 9" pattern at 80 yards. I'm looking for a decent enough spread so I'm not shooting slugs at 'em. A little deformity will help open up the pattern.

Last year on our diver hunt. The one guy's shells must have rusted together or something. He gutted a merganser at about 25 yards. I was in the other layout when he shot the bird and I saw this big red mist The next day he blew they head off a bird at about 30 yards. I'm amazed he hit the birds, but there is no way, I don't care how tight his choke to do that to those birds. The pellets had to be fused together somehow.

[Darren]

I will say this,I know we all cant afford the high dollar stuff and do the best we can with what we have---but that hevi "x" in smaller shot---my God that stuff is terror---I have not shot any--I am basing this on geese I have skinned for taxidermy purposes and the trauma seen once on the other side of the feathers---wow---bird looks decent on outside then once skinned damage all over---and smaller shot in this stuff--like 3's

No way I can afford multiple dollar per round shells---but apparently this stuff does as it says

If I could afford it, I shoot that stuff in like 4s or 5s, would be nasty with that many pellets on target carrying that much oomph.......so basically like the old days of lead.

[Ericdc]

As far as trying to keep birds as pretty for the table as we can, what do y’all think about bigger or smaller shot size?




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[Ducaholic]

I have shot Kent's and Federal's exclusively over the last 10 years. Both are dirty and both will hiccup every once in a while.

Perhaps I should knock wood on my good experience with Kent powder, as nothing spoils my favorite wind like burning blow-back.

Burns like fire and I get it more than most. Shooting a right handed gun from the left side in to the wind almost guarantees an eye full of residue at least once a day. But if I'm shooting I'm happy so I take it in stride.

[Darren]

As far as trying to keep birds as pretty for the table as we can, what do y’all think about bigger or smaller shot size?

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Just as John said, the taxi that's done most of my work pleads with his customers to use 4's instead of 2's or larger. Much easier to patch holes in feathers with spare parts, I'm told.

[aunt betty]

About the rusty lump of steel...
Shoot a few deer slugs then some everyday waterfowl loads and compare. Should notice the deer slug makes a bigger boom. Sonic boom that is. You'll learn to notice when someone is shooting steel that's lumped into one hunk. Time to ditch all the shells and get new ones if it's you. I've had to do it too.

If you notice that "gee that one was louder than normal" it's time to cut up some shells and look.

[aunt betty]

Today is special. City has a big hole cut in the street in front of my bee yard.
One lane traffic on a busy bus route by the fire station. Three signs in my yard warning of the workers but two blew over in last night's storm. Work goes on...
They've got a pretty good traffic jam going on, nobody directing traffic and two chuckleheads in the hole. (no steel cage) Seems like an OSHA gold mine if they'd just take a look. Of course it's the city and they've been warned not to.
Gee God how come I can't get away with shit like that?
I get fined for a cord or something every damn time.

[Ericdc]

About the rusty lump of steel...
Shoot a few deer slugs then some everyday waterfowl loads and compare. Should notice the deer slug makes a bigger boom. Sonic boom that is. You'll learn to notice when someone is shooting steel that's lumped into one hunk. Time to ditch all the shells and get new ones if it's you. I've had to do it too.

If you notice that "gee that one was louder than normal" it's time to cut up some shells and look.

My brother had the opposite last year when he had one sound like a pop gun and I knew what happened immediately. Thankfully there wasn’t a 2nd shot because the wadding was half way down the barrel.