# Worst Steel Load



## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

What is the worst steel load that you have ever used and why? 

Mine would have to be Remington Sportsman Steel. Somebody left a box of BB in the trailor. I shot a few and couldnt knock crap down and they hung up and such. 

One day gave them too a buddy and he couldnt knock crap down either. Maybe just us.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

only steel i don't like is duds...if it fires i will shoot it. for all you guys that have boxes of shells that you don't "like", feel free to forward them to [1320 ames, saginaw MI 48602]


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## mwakely (Jan 7, 2004)

I've shot Kent,Winchester,Remington,Federal and Ficchio and I have patterend most of them. They all kill ducks out of my gun. I shoot the Winchester XX pert and have no problem killing ducks!


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## duckbuster808 (Sep 9, 2005)

everything that shoots and is steel, works for me...I've had a few shells hang up from a couple different companies, but if it kills birds, it's good enough for me!


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

The Remington is slightly longer and well known to hang in lots of guns. Remingtons have issues throwing the spent shell for sure.

Winchester Drylock is junk in my gun as well. 

Everything else I have tried I liked. Winchester Xpert and Kent are my go it. I have two new cases of Kent Fast Steel #2 waiting for season.


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## mudplunger (Jan 13, 2006)

Ones that are duds are the only ones I avoid also and that means Remington Nitro-Steel for me. The only time I was drawn to hunt at Shiawassee on opening morning(2001), I spent the first hour trying to find a stick long and stout enough to dislodge the wad from my gun barrel (I bought the shells the weekend before the opener). That happened 2 more times that year so I switched to Winchester Drylock & Federal Speed/Ultra Shok and also started carrying an old 6 piece barrel cleaning rod in my box. I've never had to use that rod.


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## ds541 (Dec 3, 2004)

my favorite load for waterfowl hunting is cheap and on sale.all brands included.


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## Bill Collector Bob (Sep 9, 2007)

I'm not a fan of the Winchester HVelocity rounds... They kill ducks but we seem to have a lot more cripples with that stuff compared to Kent (majority of shells), Blackcloud and Hevi-shot


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## Swamp Boss (Mar 14, 2003)

Remington nitro mags-too many squib loads- plus they hung in the chamber.

Use mainly Kents now and very happy with their performance.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Bill Collector Bob said:


> I'm not a fan of the Winchester HVelocity rounds... They kill ducks but we seem to have a lot more cripples with that stuff compared to Kent (majority of shells), Blackcloud and Hevi-shot


At $20/box for Blackcloud and Hevi, I sure hope you have less crippes then a $5 box of Winchester HV:lol:

I'll shoot anything cheap. 

IMO, is it really a problem with the shell if it doesn't pattern, eject, etc... or the gun/choke?


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## GoneFishin (Jan 11, 2001)

mudplunger said:


> ...... and also started carrying an old 6 piece barrel cleaning rod in my box. I've never had to use that rod.


Start carrying a few dowel pins or ball bearing of sufficient weight and size to fit down the barrel of your gun and into the wad and use as a thumper to knock the wad out (pocket knives have been know to work in emergencies). These objects take up little room in your pocket or blind bag and your not out much if ya drop 'em in the water.

Modern steel shotshells all shoot fairly well but some seem to do a better job in some guns/chokes than others only trial and error will tell ya which is best for that gun/choke combo. If ya woulda shot some of the first steel loads on the market back when we first had to use steel ya would know what junk really is.


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## muliefever (Jul 2, 2007)

I think that the estate loads are really bad... I shoot kent faststeel and I have really good luck with them.


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## pikenetter (Mar 28, 2009)

that old benali i got free from the du dinner five years ago will throw any shell. never had a pump jam get rid of those auto you need two shots to get a double:corkysm55


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## Bellyup (Nov 13, 2007)

Is all steel shot. Give me lead anyday. Cheap, kills better, less cripps, cheap, good patterns, cheap. 

Now then, we are stuck using only non-toxic shot, and for good reason, but it still does not mean we have to like it ! You only asked what the worst steel load was.


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

xpert or sportsman steel is the worst for me
hevi shot and any other HD round coming in a close 3rd... stuff is completely useless.


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## lab1 (Aug 31, 2004)

Remington steel!


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## UKLABMAN (Dec 6, 2003)

A friend bought several boxes of Wolf-I think made in Russia or Hungary-they were terrible. I have had no issues with Drylock, Rem Nitro, Federal Hi-shock or Kent. I've never used the cheaper loads but am going to use them this year for cripples.


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## White Pine (Mar 26, 2009)

Remington Sportsman steel is the worst steel for me got jammed in my pump that was the 3 1/2 but never had a 3 jam but don't throw a good pattern


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## SWMIH20FOWLER (Nov 17, 2005)

With steel we should all know by now that speed kills...

That being said....Xpert #2's 1625 fps...deadly!

Great thing about it, I can shoot those in this [email protected][email protected]##$@

Any remington loads suck..

If I were rich, I would still buy the Xperts, and take the saved money and buy more decoys.....or a new gun, boat, truck, etc.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

DEDGOOSE said:


> What is the worst steel load that you have ever used and why?
> 
> Mine would have to be Remington Sportsman Steel. Somebody left a box of BB in the trailor. I shot a few and couldnt knock crap down and they hung up and such.
> 
> One day gave them too a buddy and he couldnt knock crap down either. Maybe just us.


I'm very glad to hear this! Here all along I thought it was just me and the way I aim/shoot! LOL! :help:

I have found I have better luck with cheaper loads by using my improved choke tube over the modified one. Of course that means my range is compromised as well. I was told a long time ago it was not a good idea to use full chokes with steel.


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## KLR (Sep 2, 2006)

Agreed- It is pointless to continue the debate. If you feel undergunned shooting anything less than a 3 1/2" load of 1 3/8 oz #2's @ 1625 fps on birds inside 25 yards- by all means, carry on.


FYI- In the future, you may want to avoid posting links to prove your point, and then telling people that you hope no one buys the story- kinda erodes the validity of the point you're trying to make



SWMIH20FOWLER said:


> http://www.cabelas.com/story-123/ca...520%2596%2520Which%2520is%2520better%3F.shtml
> 
> Good article on speed vs size/load.





KLR said:


> From the article-
> 
> " but at ranges beyond 35-40 yards, the amount of additional energy each pellet delivers to a target isn't much more than conventional loads, according to articles I've researched that were written by professional ammo experts. That's because forces of deceleration working on the individual pellets seem to come together around those ranges when comparing high-velocity and standard loads. This may sound contradictory, but the faster the shot leaves the barrel, the faster is slows down until a point is reached (35-40 yards) where there is little added benefit to shooting high-velocity shells"





SWMIH20FOWLER said:


> I really hope no one buys into this one.........


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

give me a shell that shoots at 800fps and i will kill just as many birds as i would have with 1650fps. it will just take me a few birds to get the lead down. Many on these boards have gunned with me and know i kill. if anyone thinks speed is everything, they really need to go read up.

btw for the record as i don't usually care too much about shells. I love shooting the ol' federals 3" 1-3/8's(silver) i forget the name of em. I have more birds in the bag from that shell alone than any other shell.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

SWMIH20FOWLER said:


> I really hope no one buys into this one.........
> 
> at 40 yards they are going to equal out.................WHATEVER!


I don't know. I do seem to recall reading not too long ago a ballistics expert say that the faster the load the quicker it loses speed. Maybe in a vacume, it would not, but in the real world, I'm betting he was correct.

Now your saying that you meant inside of 40yds? Seems to contradic the above.

What is wrong with just saying, "hmm, looks like I was wrong, I would never have guessed that at 40yds, a 1550fps round is going roughly the same speed as a 1325fps round."


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## smoke (Jun 3, 2006)

Who cares, shoot what you want, whatever works best for you. 

Wow it must be getting close to killin time. Way to go branta you got everybody fired up earlier!  Not going to touch this. 

I thought the post was about the WORST STEEL LOAD, *in your opinion*? It turned into a ballistic arguement, pun intended. 

So with out further adue, my worst load ever was a remington nitro mag 2 3/4" in 1978 or so after the steel shot law went into effect. I shot a drake mallard and defeatherd his enitre chest and neck, he flew away! So I cut open a shell and what I found was amazing. Daisy BB's when they were called #5 shot???????? Plus they were like shooting a cut load, ie; solid mass of rusted shot! :lol: I brought out the twenty after that episode. 
Smoke popping the corn and gettin me a soft drink!!!!!!!!


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## Branta (Feb 6, 2002)

Smoke, you know how it works; every once in a while, you have to turn the water over a bit on the pond or else it goes stagnant!


I can see guys are ready and chompin on the bit for things to get rolling! :evil:


~~~~
worst load? the name escapes me right now - got them up in canada. I want to say champion? OG, is that right?

primers weren't seated right (dud fires, pin just dimples the primer) undersized; I didn't know if it was a big 2.75 or an undersized 3", crimp flars on some so that they wouldn't feed into the tube...rattled like a baby toy, different size shot that looked like they dredged a marsh to collect it all.... they suuuuucked!

sorry my canadian brethern! your shells suck! :lol:

anyone shoot that remington UMC, OMC stuff? think gaylans/dicks carried it. the 20 pack, yellow box stuff.


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## SWMIH20FOWLER (Nov 17, 2005)

KLR...I should have known you were right all along and I was wrong...do you feel better about yourself now...I sure hope so.

Only problem is, until someone shows me proof, I don't believe it....I want to see ballistic gel shot at 40 yards with 1300 and 1625 fps loads and show me which one is going to penetrate deeper, further, etc.

Like you said, it doesn't sound true..............................so?????????

When will it be proved.

Oh an by the way, undergunned...that is hilarious....I have shot my same loads at the same ducks with the same gun for the past 10 years, and before that I shot a different gun with smaller shells, and had more cripples.......so maybe that is why I shooot the cheaper, faster stuff...

If it were a marketing ploy to put out the faster shells, then why are they cheaper????....less shot....go ahead and take your more shot shotshells and shoot them slower...make sure you lead your bird farther and have fun with your second and third shot on the water to kill it dead.

I prefer to see them on thier back with their feet kickin a few times while my swamp collie is barking because she cannot swim fast enough to get to the bird to satisfy her desire........

Can Sept 1 get here any faster.......Saw over 300 geese today in the lake that I will more than likely be hunting on the opener...was a beautiful sight!!!!..


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

SWMIH20FOWLER said:


> Only problem is, until someone shows me proof, I don't believe it....I want to see ballistic gel shot at 40 yards with 1300 and 1625 fps loads and show me which one is going to penetrate deeper, further, etc.


http://www.thebullettesttube.com/TurkeyTestTube/instructions.html

http://allaboutshooting.com/index.php?cPath=58&osCsid=e876fd097a2690d02492e2cca6f968c9

Here, not exactly how I would have designed it as I would have made it longer to measure actual penetration. Buy one of these shoot load and count number that entered and exited to get percentage of pass throughs. 

Than shoot the other load and do the same. 

Look forward to your findings


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

SWMIH20FOWLER said:


> go ahead and take your more shot shotshells and shoot them slower...make sure you lead your bird farther


The other urban duck legend that you need less lead with a faster shell. In reality yes, but it has been proven that at 33yds the lead difference between shells shooting 200fps difference is only an inch or two, which a human is not capable of adjusting for at 33yds. Lead is the same no matter how fast the shell.


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## KLR (Sep 2, 2006)

SWMIh20Fowler- 

I can see that you're taking all of this very personally. Shoot what you want, believe what you want- we disagree, so be it.

Just make sure you're posting pics of limits come 9/1


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## UKLABMAN (Dec 6, 2003)

Guys this started as just an opinion thing. You have the right to purchase and shoot whatever loads you like-its a free country last I heard. There ar more important things to get uptight over.


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## Zeboy (Oct 4, 2002)

OK - I'll bite.

I think the worst steel load I've purchased is Black Cloud. 

I believe the object of waterfowl hunting is to be able to eat the birds after you kill them. I tried one box. I didn't feel that it brought any additional birds into the bag. I will say that it sure did mutilate some of the birds that it did bring down. I guess it's OK if you turn your waterfowl into sausage, but I didn't like the way it turned ducks into hamburger.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

Branta said:


> anyone shoot that remington UMC, OMC stuff? think gaylans/dicks carried it. the 20 pack, yellow box stuff.



ah yes, you are referring the PMC's right? shot a case of it back in the day....ya not very good shells.


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## SWMIH20FOWLER (Nov 17, 2005)

We rarely shoot many ducks, or geese.........................................

So I doubt I will have pics of a limit on 9/1....that will depend on if I can get to hunt where I scout...Shooting them will not be a problem, as you can see below....

Make sure you read the bottom, and remember that we are here to help each other out....Not give fuel to anti hunters, and other idiots.

Enjoy the pics...



























































































Now that should get your blood pumpin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Branta (Feb 6, 2002)

UK is right, there really is better things to argue about vs. flicking each others ear on what you're shooting. who cares? it was an opinion thread.

To each their own - have some fun - and be safe


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## SWMIH20FOWLER (Nov 17, 2005)

Anyone have this book????

http://www.amazon.com/Shotshells-Ballistics-Ballistic-Different-Manufacturers/dp/1571572627

I think I will order it, should be very interesting.


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## jdawg240 (Oct 1, 2007)

Remember the old Gamester loads???? All plastic..They sold it a meijer for 5 bucks 20 rounds. About 1/3 would fail when you tried to shoot them. Havent seen them in years.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

I found a old Active hull in the boat the other year.... Can't imagine any one on this board would still be shooting those. Hello Russell, 1985 called and wants it's shells back


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## Bill Collector Bob (Sep 9, 2007)

Zeboy said:


> OK - I'll bite.
> 
> I think the worst steel load I've purchased is Black Cloud.
> 
> I believe the object of waterfowl hunting is to be able to eat the birds after you kill them. I tried one box. I didn't feel that it brought any additional birds into the bag. I will say that it sure did mutilate some of the birds that it did bring down. I guess it's OK if you turn your waterfowl into sausage, but I didn't like the way it turned ducks into hamburger.



That's why you gotta shoot 'em in the head! :lol: Only used a box or two of BC's myself but my hunting buddy had them when they first came out during early goose and he was folding 'em like teal. They do open up the meat a little more though, you're right.


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