I would definitely open the choke up to at least an IC. IMO they look more like turkey patterns than a pattern for waterfowl. I think if you would center a duck in that 30 yard pattern it would be pretty damaged. I can only imagine what would happen if one caught the whole pattern at 20 yards.

PA Waterfowler

 

According to this info there are an average of 415 pellets in each shell.
Pellet Count
With the modified choke at 30 yards and 347 pellets inside the 30 inch circle, that's a 83% pattern. 68 pellets are outside the circle and do not contribute to killing a small duck.
Modified choke at 40 yards and 274 pellets inside the circle is only a 66% pattern. 141 pellets fall outside the circle.

A 66% pellet count would indicate you could actually go to a tighter choke and put even more pellets inside the 30 inch circle. But a tighter choke could be too tight and result in misses at 20 yards.

But here is the IC choke at 30 yards, 301 pellets inside the circle, for a 72% pattern. Over 100 pellets outside the circle.

40 yards with the IC choke put 214 pellets inside the circle for only a 51% pattern. About 200 pellets wasted outside the circle.

 

Why are you pattering #6 shot? Is that what you use for waterfowl? Ducks- Geese?

Is that target a plastic bag. Why do the pellets make slits instead of holes?

 

One less excuse you can use if you miss when were hunting....but there's plenty left, drank too much reserve the night before, didn't get my nap, didn't take my laxative, etc., etc...

 

Hevi shot is much denser than steel, #6 shot would compare to a #3 shot of steel. The target paper comes on a role, it's almost like a vinyl, it's used for on a table like at a party. And the slits are marks from the marker used to count pellet holes.

And I hardly ever miss a duck anymore!

 

very nice, I had a bunch of that wingmaster yrs ago. Good stuff, really puts em down.
Why I shoot IC as we rarely shoot 40 yards. Usually 15-20. Just what we do.
I do wish I still had some of that wingmaster...at the price I paid!

 

Charlie got 2 cases of 2oz copper coated daisy bb laying around the house. All hand loads from back in the day. My one buddy used them for fox a few years ago, said they work well just hard on the shoulder! Care to pattern some.

 

There are guys on here that use #6 steel and kill em fine!

 

Hevi shot is much denser than steel, #6 shot would compare to a #3 shot of steel. The target paper comes on a role, it's almost like a vinyl, it's used for on a table like at a party. And the slits are marks from the marker used to count pellet holes.

And I hardly ever miss a duck anymore!

Yea,but your going to be eating a lot of shot unless your a lousy shot. One thing I hate is BBs in my breast. Go with Full choke and BB shot and shoot them in the head or wing.

 

Thanks for all the advice men.
But...#6 steel shot runs outta energy to kill anything past 35 yards.
15-20 yard shots, most hunters under estimate the yardage they shoot. What they think is 20 yards is more like 40 yards.
At 40 yards #6 Hevi Shot has plenty of energy and passes right thru a small duck, no pellets in any part of the duck.
And BB shot thru a full choke for small ducks? I'm guessing your talking steel shot cause BB Hevi Shot is waayy overkill for any waterfowl.

So, why don't you men show us your patterns of what you say works.
Oh that's right, it's a fact that only a few guys on here ever pattern the gun, choke and load they are shooting.
You wouldn't be one of those guys that never pattern their gun??

 

One less excuse you can use if you miss when were hunting....but there's plenty left, drank too much reserve the night before, didn't get my nap, didn't take my laxative, etc., etc...

By the way, this is the best advice I've received so far.

 

If were being honest, i've never patterned my shotguns, ever. I shoot whatever I find works best, and I don't change, or rarely change.

 

Over the passed few years of competitive shooting in various trap leagues, I have learned a lot about shooting, missing, and why it happens. Trap shooters don't miss because of the shell they use. They miss because they lifted their head, weren't into the gun far enough, their gun doesn't fit them and a plethora of other mental and physical mistakes. And all that is from a mounted gun before you shoot! Not shooting from a layout or in s swamp with unsure footing.

I'm not arguing, I'm just making a point. I believe now, that when a hunter knows what they are doing, ie. Not taking stupid shots, the miss is because of one of the above mentioned problems.

I used to shoot the "premium" shells, because I thought I needed too. I don't feel as if I need too now. I have no problem in saying the birds I missed when I first started out with regular steel I straight up missed. I blamed the shells as many others do. Now, the blame is on me, not the shell.

So anybody can shoot whatever they want, I could care less. It's your money! If you have confidence in what you shoot your going to shoot better with it. Anymore though, I don't think you need a $2-$3+ shell to kill birds. Just my opinion.

PA Waterfowler

 

Trap shooting is practice, everyone should do it.
Missing is something everyone endures from time to time.
The price of ammo is your choice, nobody I know is using ammo that cost $2-$3 a shell anymore. It's just not needed.

The point is you should know what your gun, choke and ammo are doing at the killing end. With all the ammo choices out there it can become confusing and frustrating, that's why shooting at paper is so important.

If you have confidence in what you shoot your going to shoot better with it.

How do you build that confidence if you don't know what the killing end of your ammo looks like?

 

For me confidence in a shell comes from killing birds with it. If you have the best pattern in the world on paper but can't shoot your gun for one reason or another and can't hit the broad side of a barn with it you lose confidence. The easiest thing to blame is these junk shells your using. People don't even want to tell themselves they just missed. Is that right, no but people do it all the time. People then have good shooting days with expensive shells and think they need them.

Unfortunately I don't think enough of people practice in the off season to be proficient at shooting in September. It wouldn't make a difference if they were shooting lead shot.

There was a good article in pa game and fish or field And stream about using steel shot for doves and the results surprised me. I'm the blind study the testers were given either steel 7's or 8 lead I think, both hand loaded to the same specs. The people with lead hardly did better if at all.

PA Waterfowler

 

For me confidence in a shell comes from killing birds with it.

So you're saying that the plan goes like this.
Buy a box of any ammo, go hunting with the choke of your choice and blaze away.
Now if you didn't kill anything this hunt, next time out use a different choke tube. Burn thru the rest of the box of ammo and you're still not satisfied with the results.

Next hunt try some new ammo of your choice.
On and on, Hurry up cause the season will be over before you find a good shell.
Oh well, maybe you'll do better next year with a new gun!

Meanwhile your confidence has circled around the drain and is ready to be sucked away.

 

No that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm saying that people think they need the best fancy shot when you don't. It is all in their head. You don't need flight stopper pellets or square pellets, or hevi shot. And you sure don't need 1 3/4 oz of hevi shot to kill a wood duck.

As long as there are no fist sized holes in the pattern, I'm happy and that's all you need imo.