# Federal BlackCloud Ammo



## quacker_attacker (Oct 16, 2010)

I was thinking of trying the new Black Cloud ammo made by Federal? I was curious as to the knock down power of the premium shot inside the shells. Do they live up to their advertisments. Has anyone used it or field tested it, any comments?

Thanks guys


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## SgtSabre (May 15, 2004)

If you search here, on Google, or on duckhuntingchat.com for that ammo, there is a _lot_ of reading on it. You seem to see the following themes throughout the discussion from people who have used it (_and my view on that aspect of the ammunition's performance in parenthesis and italics_)..:

1: The Flite-Control wad works. Too well, almost. In close, ducks are shredded by the dense pattern. (_I currently use a "regular" steel shot with an IC choke. My ducks go down bang/flop-style. I don't seem to need a tighter pattern. Although for high-flying geese, this might be an advantage_)

2: The shot seems to create more trauma than a round pellet. (_Yesterday I shot two mallard drakes with Winchester X-Pert #2 shells. The result was through-and-through penetration. The breasts had a few wound channels through them and a few spots were bloodshot, but nothing that would ruin them. Now, how much more trauma do I need? Both were one-shot kills, so you can't get better than that. With a more traumatic wound I may have ruined much of my meat. Combine that with the point above, that more pellets would have hit my duck, and I may have ruined all of the meat. Plus, and this is just conjecture on my part, more trauma means the pellets are doing more "work". Wouldn't that mean that penetration for those pellets would be less? I want *more* penetration on geese, not less. On my ducks, would I have also left pellets in my meat, in addition to burger-izing it?_)


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## firenut8190 (Jul 15, 2006)

I tried some during early goose season and they work great. We were killing them dead. Just remember DO NOT use a wad stripping aftermarket choke tube. If you do buy the that is made for Black Cloud.


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## Mr. Marley (Oct 28, 2005)

I use an patternmaster choke tube and can not use black cloud. If you use a choke, check and see if you can shoot it. I normally wait to shot the big $$ loads until later in the season , when my shooting is on. No reason to miss with a $5 load
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## quacker_attacker (Oct 16, 2010)

All good things guys. Thanks for the input. Happy warm barrels to all of you this season. 

mike


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## Beverly Hillbilly (Aug 30, 2003)

Worth every penny, IF you hit them, they are DEAD!! Been using it for 3 years, not one cripple yet, it really is potent


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## coachwandel (Oct 20, 2010)

I really liked it...maybe because I'm a crappy shot and it helped . Dropped birds like pancakes....yes a little tenderizing did get done.... I got a patternmaster as a gift and shoot cheaper loads and come out pretty much out the same???? less meat shredding though and I shoot to eat so I appreciate that aspect....


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## roughshot (Oct 25, 2008)

It is my preferred ammo yet I am usually too cheap to buy it. I've got some #3 for my bday that I will be trying out tomorrow. I did buy a pure gold choke specific for BC and it is a deadly combo. All steel kills if your shooting straight.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## earlfriend (Oct 21, 2010)

Shot it last weekend. The #3. I pegged a wood duck that was 40yds over top of me. Dropped it dead, one ****. It hit it everywhere (face, bill, eyes, feet, breasts) and the damage was more noticeable than other shot I've used at closer distances. If you want to make sure they die, use BC.


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## Zeboy (Oct 4, 2002)

earlfriend said:


> If you want to make sure they die, use BC.


. . . but if you want to eat the ducks you shoot you may want to use a different load. I bought one box. I didn't care how it patterned. When you hit a duck it turned them into hamburger. It's one of the few loads that I have ever thrown away. I got to the last 6 or 7 shells and just threw them in the garbage.


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## DICE (Sep 28, 2007)

all I can say is my bubby got some he loves it dont know to much
about it myself


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## E.S.Trombly (Oct 18, 2010)

This is one shot shell that I will live by. It is a good pass shooters shell without a doubt. I do agree it is a tenderizer and causes alot of big wholes but if you shoot a smaller shot size such as #2 and the new #3 Duck Commander loads then you will have less tendency to blow your birds to shreds. 

I shoot a Kicks Vortex choke when using Black Cloud. It has been specificaly designed to be used with this shot shell. It holds amazing patterns out to 50+ yards. If you are going to shoot Black Cloud then I highly suggest this combo... Black cloud+ Kicks Vortex Full= Dead Bird with every shot.

Good Luck Hunting,

*Erick S. Trombly*
_*S.W.A.T. Waterfowl and S.W.A.T. Outdoors*_
*Bring Em' Close Outfitters*
*Owner/Founder/Prostaff*
*Kicks Choke Tube Pro-Staff Director*
*Natural Gear Pro-Staff*
*Lynch Mob Calls Pro-Staff*
*Dakota Decoys Field-Staff*
*6298 Kilgour St.*
*Marlette MI, 48453*
*(989)-205-6075*
*www.swatoutdoors.farming.officelive.com*


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## Big Honkers (Dec 20, 2008)

anyone else have signature envy? 




:evilsmile


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Big Honkers said:


> anyone else have signature envy?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


:lol::lol::lol:

With a Sig like that, the "dead bird every shot" guarantee has got to be true right


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## MigratorMan (Nov 24, 2009)

I still shoot the stuff and look what it did!!


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## BFG (Mar 4, 2005)

I bought the Carlson BC mid-range tube for my X-2 and it has been a very good combo for me. 

You cannot use wad-stripping chokes with BC. I would like to know if the accident above happened on the first or second shot. 

I shoot 2's now for almost everything except for late season geese.


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## MigratorMan (Nov 24, 2009)

It was on the first shot. I was using a pattern master choke that was the one for black cloud. They were 3 1/2 - 2's Federal ended up reimbursing me for the barrel because they had no explanation.


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