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What is your gun,choke,and load for ducks this year?

20K views 145 replies 106 participants last post by  boatguy 
#1 ·
What is everyones "set up" this year for waterfowl???
 
#2 ·
12ga:

Beretta Urika, 28" Optima Plus barrel, LM Trulock

Teal #6 Steel @ 1537fps
Big Ducks #3 steel @ 1480fps

Factory loads #4 & #3 Federal Ultra-Shoks @ 1450fps

20ga:

Beretta 3901 28" barrel, LM Trulock

Timber or Layout boat:
Federal Ultra-Shoks #4 & #3 @ 1350fps

Open Water:
Kent Fasteel #4 & #3 @ 1550fps
 
#8 ·
Benelli M2,Carlson's IC extended , Black Cloud 3" #3's. I used this choke and ammo last year with my SBEII and had great results. After patterning my M2 with this combo I was more than impressed. So I sold my SBEII and will rely solely on my M2. Well that and the old standby Auto5
 
#11 ·
Benelli Vinci
Patternmaster extended range ported choke (I use the Modified Benelli choke until the wood ducks & teal are gone)
Woodies & Teal - Winchester Xpert Steel 3inch #4 (1550fps)
Big ducks & Canada geese - Kent 3inch #2

Just started shooting #4s last year and I was impressed at how effective they were for early season ducks.
 
#13 ·
It's early but I'd say I'll probably start the season with "old trusty" a Mod choked 12ga Wingmaster with some Federal 3s. Soon as the weather gets crappy and the hunting pressure increases I'll switch to my Versamax and some 3" Hevi-Metal 2s also choked Mod. Have a Pattern Master for the VM a buddy gave me but have yet to try it... It's a Ported Long Range. Anyone here use em? Is it worth wasting the shells and an afternoon at the pattern board? Just kinda skeptical..
 
#14 ·
Jon Bergren said:
Excell auto made in Turkey, extended IC choke, 7/8 oz of 4's at 1765 fps and 1 oz of 3's at 1650 fps. The 4 pattern is good to 45 yds and the 3 pattern to 50 yds. Ned S
An excell?? Did your mossberg with the large bore that patterns better than any gun ever made break in half?
 
#15 ·
Got back to the 3" 12ga last year after being forced to adopt the 20ga for two full seasons after spinal surgery in my neck. I'm going to go back to the 20 by choice.

1oz of 4s in 20ga for everything except big water publice hunting. 1.25 oz of 3s for big water public hunting.

A5s for pretty much all hunting. (The rear one, not the new pretender.)

I double and triple a significantly higher percentage of the time when shooting my 20ga. That's just the way it is.
 
#18 ·
hamernhonkers said:
I need to borrow a gun this year and by the looks of it one of you guys could loan me one :biggrin:
You can use my Sears & Roebuck bolt action .410 :wink:
 
#22 ·
MarkM said:
hamernhonkers said:
I need to borrow a gun this year and by the looks of it one of you guys could loan me one :biggrin:
You can use my Sears & Roebuck bolt action .410 :wink:
Sounds good to me :beer:
 
#23 ·
A400 Xtreme- Kent 2.75 #3s for early ducks, 3 inchers for mid to late ducks. 3 1/2 for the surprise goose on the river. (If time enough to switch) Factory Mod.
Mag 10 for geese (Honkers), shooting BBs now, but am considering #2s over decoys. Bored to Imp mod.

Outa the boat early, and some field shooting as well.
Field and possibly some spring creeks after freeze-up.
 
#26 ·
MarkM said:
Jon Bergren said:
Excell auto made in Turkey, extended IC choke, 7/8 oz of 4's at 1765 fps and 1 oz of 3's at 1650 fps. The 4 pattern is good to 45 yds and the 3 pattern to 50 yds. Ned S
An excell?? Did your mossberg with the large bore that patterns better than any gun ever made break in half?
I'll be 85 yrs old in Dec of this year and like the lighter guns because of age. I'll hunt ducks only twice during Christmas vacation and the Excell is a nice light handlilng gun. For dove I will use my Condor O/U. Last Christmas vacation with my Pastor Son here we killed are limit of mallards plus bonus ducks two days in a row and it was 10F at sun up. The Excell performed well. It also helped kill 32 Lessers. The dove are thick here already and I am ready. Dove shells, mosquito dope, dove spinners, stool, camo, colored glasses, thermos, gun and bucket are all ready. Ned S
 
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