Chris Ingram for SPLIT REED
Choosing the right shot size and proper shotgun shells should be easy and intuitive. There has been a commonly accepted standard and preference for quite some time now –#4 for big ducks, #6 for teal, and #2 or BB for geese. But times are changing, the demands of hunters are shifting and there is a growing trend toward newer non-toxic shells for wing shooters. To better understand how we got here, where we’re at now, and where we’re going, let’s take a brief look at the history and evolution of waterfowl shot.
GET THE LEAD OUT
For many, many years, lead shot ruled the marsh, preferred in a #6 load for its high density, tight pattern performance, and lethal killing power downrange. When the ban on lead went into effect in 1991, it sent ammunition manufacturers and hunters scrambling for suitable alternatives. Steel (iron) being cheap and readily available as a non-toxic material, quickly became the default substitute. After some trial and error, hunters soon realized that to obtain the same punch of #6 lead, they had to adopt the slightly larger #4 steel. Or, if #4 lead was your choice for shooting geese, #2 or BB size steel was your new go-to round. But steel is lighter and much less dense than lead, and with lighter and larger pellets that encounter more wind resistance and bounce around in-flight, steel shot retains less energy and less knockdown power at longer ranges. This, combined with fewer larger pellets stuffed into a hull, means fewer pellets are hitting birds in the vitals, leading to a significant reduction in both performance and effective killing power.
Most likely by now, you’ve had a personal experience with shooting steel loads when hunting ducks and geese. Steel loads are produced by a long list of manufacturers and available on nearly every sporting goods store shelf in almost every combination of gauge, length, weight, and shot sizes you can imagine. As the most economic shell available, your wallet thanks you. On the other hand, you’ve undoubtedly experienced the shortcomings of steel shot in action at least one time in your hunting career, wounding birds and chasing cripples across the marsh. Birds are getting away, the dogs are overworked and you’re missing opportunities with new incoming flocks while running down injured birds.
BIGGER ISN’T BETTER
Since the implementation of steel shot, many additional non-toxic materials have been tried and tested in shotgun rounds with a few top-performing materials that have stuck around, namely bismuth and tungsten. Performing better than steel with denser, heavier, and more preferable physical characteristics, these materials pack a real punch in a small package.
Having greater densities than steel, these alternatives come in smaller shot sizes which means more pellets getting downrange and into the kill zone, with less wind resistance, less scattering and fliers, and retaining energy and lethality at longer distances. Bismuth has become a popular offering by many ammo makers and with a density in between that of lead and steel, many bismuth shot sizes are being sold in similar sizes to steel. Tungsten is about 1.7x denser than lead and 2.5x denser than steel, meaning tungsten shot sizes are often 2-3x smaller and that much more lethal, like the popular and powerful Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) shells from Apex Ammunition, available in #7.5, #8, and #9 shot. Yes, these small pellets deliver a whooping on ducks and geese due to the extremely efficient performance of tungsten.
THE CHOICE IS YOURS
Choosing your shot size for waterfowl hunting is not always as simple as just picking a number. Hunters need to think about a few other factors such as the species they plan to shoot, the timing of the season, gunning range, and other considerations into the shot size equation. Keep in mind this is a brief overview, if you want to geek out over the science of shot and ballistics, there is a ton of information out there. It boils down to personal preference – and what works for others may or may not work for you. And we also cannot overlook or ignore the importance of practicing your shooting and patterning your gun in the off-season. Shoot some paper targets and bust some clays while trying out different shot sizes, chokes, as well as distances before the season to give yourself the confidence you need to kill birds and enjoy your time in the marsh.
Some non-toxics come at a premium price tag and are better suited for the selective shooter or when you need better results at longer distances. Steel is cheap and great for closer range gunning and high-volume shooting. If you’re on the fence or having trouble making a choice, get the best of both worlds with a blended shell like the Tungsten Super Shot/Steel (TSS/S3) offering from Apex Ammunition, with each shell containing its BB, #2, or #4 steel load with an additional ¼ oz of #9 tungsten pellets that finish the job when the steel drops out of the pattern, essentially eliminating cripples.
And for you nomadic, run-and-gun, all-purpose wing shooters and mixed bag hunters, you may elect to carry a case of non-toxic shotshells with a size that’ll cover your needs all season long and keep you legal and lethal when a duck blind morning turns into an impromptu afternoon pheasant shoot or you flush a woodcock or cottontail on the way back to the truck.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
With a nationwide ban on lead for all waterfowl hunting, and many states adopting bans on all toxic ammo for any type of hunting, it is clear that a non-toxic ammo world is in our future. The time is now to take a good hard look at your shotshell selection process and start testing out your options.
Choosing the proper shot size comes down to creating the most effective and enjoyable hunting experience for yourself. There is nothing worse than wounding and sailing birds, searching in vain, and exhausting your dog when recovering cripples and runners. Take the academic approach, evaluate your situation, and consider the deciding factors and available ammo options when selecting your shot size. There is no longer a standardized shot size adage and with so many options out there, you’re bound to find the right fit for you and give it your best shot.
