Thread: goose loads

Hey I don't do a lot of shot gunning but have started goose shooting. We were using 40gm no2 lead but since we are shooting on doc land now no lead aloud. Have been using 32gms no3 3inch mag steel because that was all available at the time. Have had some good kills but more not so good ones and have even heard pellets hitting the birds and not dropping them. Bought a packet of 32gn bb's today and will find something to do a penetration test with them when I get a chance. Also did a quick pellet count and this is what I got [all steel];
2/34 35gm no2= 150 pellets
3inch 32gm no3=220 pellets
3inch 32gm bb's= 95 pellets

Roughly by going to 40gm of bb's I'd gain 30 pellets which isn't far behind the 2's. Trouble is finding such a load and then finding said load at a reasonable price. What do you guys use and recommend? My gun can go to 3.5 magnums but they are even harder to find than a load of heavier than 32gm in 3inch and I would guess be extremely expensive.

dont fark around...just go and buy steel #2s and go shoot some shit...... If I could only shoot one single load in the .12ga in lead it would be winchester superX#2s and in steel it would be winchester Xpert steel #2s have used kent and gamebore in same sizes with good results and would rank them in that order.
so 1 1/8th oz #2 at 1550fps or there abouts will kill every darn bird you after (Ive used them on mallards right up to black swan)
BBs are good but #2s have more pellets only slightly less potent. the 2 3/4" loads work just as good but the 3" are where its at for me. falcon also do great load with same specs.
best Ive managed (twice) is 5 geese from my 6 shots...done that with mallards too,talk about fast shucking of the rattlegun....man that feels good.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

dont fark around...just go and buy steel #2s and go shoot some shit...... If I could only shoot one single load in the .12ga in lead it would be winchester superX#2s and in steel it would be winchester Xpert steel #2s have used kent and gamebore in same sizes with good results and would rank them in that order.
so 1 1/8th oz #2 at 1550fps or there abouts will kill every darn bird you after (Ive used them on mallards right up to black swan)
BBs are good but #2s have more pellets only slightly less potent. the 2 3/4" loads work just as good but the 3" are where its at for me. falcon also do great load with same specs.
best Ive managed (twice) is 5 geese from my 6 shots...done that with mallards too,talk about fast shucking of the rattlegun....man that feels good.

ive done a 4 from 5 with my 16 gauge remy and 20 gauge.
but 3 from 5 was my best with the 12 cos theyre big awkward lumps of metal..
i found not to hefty a load was ideal in getting off that many rounds accuratly.
also given some of the odd angles you sometimes have to shoot at and get them close as possible.
the 2nd shot will be closer than the first with geese and in the 20 i use gamebore 30 gram lead 3,s and fiocchi 32 gram lead 2,s .
when it comes to steel for geese ive got 3 inch blackcloud 20 bore 2,s
not ideal but i,l use it if its all i can get
the gamebore steel 2 3/4 inch loads are quick and good vaLUE plus extremely effective in 2,s for geese

Winchester Xpert I hope these have improved since they first came out

The 3.5 inch shells are brutal to shoot, even in an auto. I prefer a 3 inch shell.

Ive done some goose shooting (canada gooses) 42 g no 2 lead very effective. Tried a few 50g 3 inch as well but a bit brutal on the shoulder there are evidently 65 g as well in 3 1/2 inch shells which should be as much fun as a couple of rounds with Joseph Parker. Clever steel is good in the 35 g as no2.
However thinking outside the square and non pc for canadas, a decoy packed with tannerite and shot from a blind 200 m away should give good results.

I wouldn't go any bigger than no.2, you still want to have a bit of density in your pattern for consistent strikes. I'd be focusing on having a good dense pattern at your intended shooting range rather than, shot size.

Originally Posted by FatLabrador

Winchester Xpert I hope these have improved since they first came out

fat lab..... you know the really funny thing about steel Vs lead debate??????
guys right from the very begginning have moaned that steel patterns too tightly because there is no shot deformation to make shot spread.
Xpert shot looks like welding slag for a percentage of it,has majority just normal and some in oddball sizes so it DOES spread out and it is a darn sight better than the early stuff as LIKE ALL OTHER STEEL LOADS it is now going fast enough to work properly...the early 11-1200fps loads were shite...no arguments there pure shite...
go up to 1500fps and they work and work well.
the early falcon steel loads were similar velocity and all they were good for was chucking in lake to make ripples!!!!!! now they are a great load and all some fellas use.
another funny thing...... the high price black cloud type loads....you have cube steel to make pattern spread and shot with a magic ring formed around it like saturns rings to make it "cut better" on impact
now what was it again that was "wrong" with the pellets in that XPert shell you opened up??????
lmfao.

Cheers @Micky Duck haven't used win expert before just the article in NZ Hunter awhile ago. All I use now is 1 1/4 of 4s 3 inch falcon out of a cyclinder choke kills well don't shoot anything out side 35meters

tannerite? is that similar to anfo? sounding very interesting ... and fun! But by the replys I should stick to a fast load of 2's or 1's which I haven't en counted yet?

yip that'll be just the berrys..them gooseys wont know what hit em.

As a disciple and cobber of GSPfollower my preferred load is stell3" no3.however barry foster at fosters shtilshop on benheim rd CHCH sellls "hull"ammo and his 34gm no3 solway magnum load is bloody deadly on anything that runs into it.Ive regularly nailed ferals ,ducks ,canadas with it. not for use on rabbits though ,tends to skin gut and mince all in one action.
interesting re steel pellets -first bird i ever shot at ellesmere was a feal goose -big plump bugger centre one of three .floded him in midair -when it came to processing autposy revealed a single pellet had gone right through his heart which ruptured!Ive never seen it again.
bloody devestating loads though.

Marksmanship @kotuku, all those other pellets are obviously unnecessary all you need is one. Of course it needs to be the right one.

Originally Posted by r87mm

tannerite? is that similar to anfo? sounding very interesting ... and fun! But by the replys I should stick to a fast load of 2's or 1's which I haven't en counted yet?

dont worry about steel ones the payload is f all and your close birds will be ripped apart
you have to be a fn good shot and using them a lot to be consistent with the big shot and big loads.
mostly theyre unnecessary if your a hunter not a shooter.

hmm-now Imjust used to steel and my attitiude is :its the workman .,not the tools. if Im on song Im more than capable of even suprising myself . otherwise frankly i class myself as a plodder-middle of the bunch.i like the camaraderie ,the environment but also watching how birds go about their lives ineteractions ,their risk management etc .
i really think we can learn a lot,a lot more honestly than these malfeasent greenies who sell their POV by investing human values in the birds,hysteria being the cheif one.