Doesn't matter much what size or type of shot one uses when you shoot them at 30 yards or less. Within reason, of course. I've double on geese with 3/4 ounce of steel 6's out of one of my 20 gauge O/Us. $6/box.
That's a nice pile Fowl! I usually don't shoot past 30-35 yards on anything but I do like having a heavier load as backup in case they keep going. I've killed geese with everything from steel 5's to BB's, I'm hoping the 2's will be the best balance of pattern density and pellet energy.
Fyi:
Yep, I'm the one who doesn't shoot many ducks.
You do with your camera!Yep, I'm the one who doesn't shoot many ducks.
I don't know why I thought I was responding to Fowlmouth, total brain fart on my part. (plus the really nice shotgun and photo quality should have been a clue that I was responding to Paddler) I must have been inhaling too much bismuth dust lately......
Wow!!! Those are amazing images! Please share what setup took these photos and how far away you were.
They were taken with a Nikon Z5, which is their entry level full frame mirrorless body,. The lens is the 500mm f/5.6 PF, which is a truly great lens. The fox was ~40 yards away, the robin was pretty close.
With today cost of components $0.28 per shell if you have the hulls or $6.95 per box of 25. At 5 years ago cost of components, it was about $5.50. I've shot a fair amount of #5 in the 28ga at ducks and they crap out at around 30-35 yards. Fine for close shots, but did not work well for jump shooting. I duplex 9/16oz of steel #4 with 1/4oz of TSS #9s in the 28ga and get 1300fps and 198 pellets in the pattern. I shoot it with an IM SK choke and it has 50 yards range, but works equally well at 10-15 yards with the open choke. The steel disperses quickly and the TSS stays together with that high density and has still has good pattern density at 45 yards. At close ranges, it can put a lot of holes if center patterned, but I took a greenhead at 50 paces today with that load. It dropped dead. At a cost of $1.05 per shell, I shoot more of these than anything else during duck season.
I may be up in the night, but for how I hunt, with open chokes for birds over decoys, it seems like ~150 pellets provides adequate pattern density. In 20 gauge, 3/4 ounce of 4s contains 143 pellets. In 28 gauge, 5/8 ounce of 6s has 199 pellets, but 5/8 ounce of 5s has 152 pellets. Thus 5s yield adequate pattern density but better retained pellet energy than 6s. Fewer pellets in the meat, too.
Best deal on Bismuth that I've found currently is $325 a case shipped for Boss 20 gauge 3". Not cheap but better than $400!
Happy to say I'm not in the market.
But aren't Boss cases only 200 rounds versus a traditional case of 250? If so, that would make them slightly more expensive then what Rogers has on sale. Very expensive either way though.
