Thread: Ammo advice for the new duckshooter...

Guys, I am confused...I have the opportunity to do more duckshooting this coming season...as you know I have only shot one Malllard so obviously my knowledge fits on a pinhead...I do not want to use steel anymore through my Beretta Super Special 686, over and under. So I have been talking with my shooting friend about using the tungsten. I rang the Rivers to Ranges guys who were most helpful but no they were not going to supply it on account of the price ... $4.00 a cartridge...which makes sense of course. One source fell through...

The options as I see them are...

give duck shooting away
be the bacon and egg pie maker
just use steel and be done with it
worry about what damage the tungsten could do, if any to my gun
get the dogs and go pheasant shooting instead...

I would be so grateful to any advice or opinion you may wish to share...

Do you have access to paddocks that get surface water with a bit of rain? Or small farm ponds? Then you can use lead.

Or possibly buy another shotgun get a u/o 20g only problem will be you might start leaving the beretta home more often

Thank you, Toby...yes I have been thinking about getting a 20g but financially it cannot happen, well certainly not in time for this season!!

What chokes are in your gun? Is it multi choke or are they fixed

I can't wait for duck shooting. Me and my Y banger are like peas and carrots,

No they are multi choice...which is great...

Why can't you use steel then?

If its a reasonable quality MultiChoke and proofed for steel I would fit i/c and 1/4 or 1/4 and 1/2 and get some 28gram hispeed steel loads so it don't boot so much.


Will work just as well.

heavi shot leads are too expensive to shoot a lot and bloody hard to find too in the shops.

I hate to say it but NZ Hunter had some good articles on ammo types,steel,tungsten,bismith?

More important would be to get ammo that patterns well in your gun, from what I have read it is just like rifles where one will love a ammo type and the next will hate it.

This is from someone who doesnt hunt birds and doesnt use a shotgun

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

I hate to say it but NZ Hunter had some good articles on ammo types,steel,tungsten,bismith?

More important would be to get ammo that patterns well in your gun, from what I have read it is just like rifles where one will love a ammo type and the next will hate it.

This is from someone who doesnt hunt birds and doesnt use a shotgun

Yep most non-tox but not steel is actually very good ammo but the cost is horrendus. And you need to do some practice with it.
But if you use steel you don't need to use the heavy heavy loads.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

More important would be to get ammo that patterns well in your gun, from what I have read it is just like rifles where one will love a ammo type and the next will hate it.

@veitnamcam, thank you. I have found for lead that the Eley, 36 g does a really nice pattern...I tested it up to 35 metres which is about the range where I shoot...find it strange how each gun can be made exactly the same but they can pattern differently...

I d say just use steel but pattern your gun so it's works well and you ll enjoy it more . Ask all your duck shooting mates for two or three rounds get as many different makes and models of "bombs" and have a session with a pattern board then you ll be away with steel
Helpful to think about your most common shooting distance and set yourself up for that. You know Mtr x mtr board bits of paper circle off a saucer or side plate etc etc We use a roll of the paper that they use on picnic tables. or used to .. It's a really worthwhile thing .

Cheers Happy

Thank you, @mikee, hmmmm, might just bite the bullet and stick with the steel...it is not as if I am going to be limiting out everyday...I would just like a few for the freezer!!!! I just personally think that the steel is ultimately more toxic than lead, but we won't go into that

Thank you both again. Do appreciate your thoughts.

Originally Posted by Happy

I d say just use steel but pattern your gun so it's works well and you ll enjoy it more . Ask all your duck shooting mates for two or three rounds get as many different makes and models of "bombs" and have a session with a pattern board then you ll be away with steel
Helpful to think about your most common shooting distance and set yourself up for that. You know Mtr x mtr board bits of paper circle off a saucer or side plate etc etc We use a roll of the paper that they use on picnic tables. or used to .. It's a really worthwhile thing .

Cheers Happy

Yes, I could do that, thank you, @Happy...it has not occurred to me to do test patterns with steel...but I do have a small selection of steel that I could test my gun with. Thank you.

You can get Carlson steel shot choke tubes that are compatible with a Beretta 686 and eliminate barrel damage you would need two so be about $100, The Beretta Benelli Mobil Extended Super Steel Shot Choke Tubes, You would want one close range one mid range, They sell them at H&F but you may need to get the ones you want ordered in. Then use Winchester super x 2 3/4 inch 1 1/6 oz in 3 shot costs about $21 a pack

yes,eeebees,i have a B 687,chambered for 2 3/4,i shoot steel through it, but i use patternmaster extended chokes. tom rooster did a series of articles on steel shoot through older barrels.the conclusion, as the steel is encased by a plastic wad it causes little problems with barrels that are it good condition,ie free of dents etc.yes i would go with aftermarket steel chokes if i was doing a lot of steel shooting.but if you are shooting around ponds,use your two most open chokes,pattern your ammo,and don't go for steel faster than 1450 fps. faster than that will pattern poorly.the steel in beretta barrels is the best, so i doubt whether you'll damage them with steel.keep your chokes lubed with a choke lube, because steel does not compress and will bruise a choke thread if the choke is too restricted.also make sure the chokes are firmly in and they are not shooting loose. so as i see it no problem shooting a bit of steel in the beretta if you use the right ammo and beretta chokes. should you decide on a 20ga. the best gun for you is a benelli m2 20ga ,a 24 or 26 inch barrel. you can get a wood version if you don't like plastic,or you can buy aftermarket wood stocks,if you purchase 2nd hand plastic.i shoot what is basically an m2 24inch, it is the ultralight benelli, and it is a versatile and a pleasure to shoot.at 5 1/2 lbs you can carry it all day,and no i never notice recoil but then i don't shoot more than 30 gms,usually 24gms.