waterfowlers

[bhasty0]

What setup do you use for waterfowl. I'm sure this is a common topic but I need some ideas and starting points.

 

[stinkyfeet]

What setup do you use for waterfowl. I'm sure this is a common topic but I need some ideas and starting points.

I swap the 50 cal double barrels out for the 12 ga barrels. And use steel shot

 

[dbutch]

10,11,12,ga. persuction and flint single and ddbls
Non Toxic shot...Itx,steel,Hevishot
Protective wads for steel and Hevi-shot
Black powder,flint and musket caps
Call them in close and hit them hard!
Think head- neck shots!

 

[Joel/Calgary]

Brad - 16ga double w/ no chokes, 1.1/4oz bismuth #4s over 2.3/4dr of CTG or FFg, for potholes or jump-shooting ducks. One of my partners uses 1.1/4oz of NiceShot #4s over the same volume (3dr) of FFg in a choked 12ga double for ducks, snows, and lesser Canadas. I use a 2-petal paper or light card shotcup because my bores are somewhat rough, and he doesn't use any shot protection.

2-Tall - What loads do you use with steel shot for which birds, and what has your experience been with them?

Regards,
Joel

 

[bhasty0]

What is CTG or ffg? Im assuming this is powder? Can you break this down for me please? I am getting things narrowed down. Hoping to buy a gun next week.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Ffg (2Fg) refers to the size of the black powder granules. The granules in ffg are larger than fffg which is larger than ffffg.

CTG refers to a black powder that was developed by GOEX for black powder cartridge rifles. It is about 2 1/2 Fg or a little finer then ffg but not as fine as fffg.

The "g" in ffg stands for glazed. In other words powder that has been polished after it has been made to knock off the sharp corners and improve uniformity.

 

[dbutch]

Brad what information are you looking for?? be specific!

type of guns?
type of loading components?
what loads we use?
Non-Toxic shot that works best is not cheap!


Give us more detail..we maybe able to help?

what gun do plan on using..?
what type of ignition?
choked or non choked bore?
what will be the guns use?ducks?geese?over decoys? jump or pass shooting?

 

[laufer]

does anybody use 20ga for bp waterfowl? (and what and hoe much?)

 

[BrownBear]

does anybody use 20ga for bp waterfowl? (and what and hoe much?)

I most certainly will when I finally get a 20 gauge SxS. For over 30 years my go-to modern gun is an O/U 20 gauge, and I've never felt handicapped.

BUT!!!! And it's a big BUT. I'm prone to hunting in close quarters with my decoys at 20 yards (and often 10 yards or less) rather than 30 or more, and all shots inside 30 yards. A ML 20 will fit hand-in-glove with my established hunting methods, but I most certainly would not rely on one in open country with typically longer shots.

My choice of loads would probably settle down around 1 oz of shot and the best powder charge for the best patterns.

 

[Bretwalda]

I prefer my original 16 bore 42" barreled percussion fowler...no choke. I use 7gr. of Swiss 1.5Fg topped with 70gr. of 1Fg Schuetzen. I then load 2 over shot cards and a 12 ga. lubed felt wad (or 1/2 of a 16ga. fiber wad...but I think the 12ga felt wad gives me more consistent results), stiff brown paper bag "X" shot cup and 1.25oz of #4 Bismuth shot, followed by 2 overshot cards to keep it all "in place". Deadly good to about 25-30 yards! :thumbsup:

 

[laufer]

thank you kindly.
a friend of mine hunts ducks with 20ga bp, he makes rolled tubes with shot and sends a plenty their way from his gun. 12ga for geese though, he did not have a good experience with several different loads he tried, so he uses 12ga.

 

[vthunter52]

I have hunted the last 4 season's with a 20 ga. perc. sxs, and have good success.Before attempting any steel or non-toxic load, check your chokes, you do not want full choke. My shotgun is open cyl. both blls. and shoots #2 steel very well to 20 yds. Good luck, you'll have a blast.....Gary

 

[Joel/Calgary]

My shotgun is open cyl. both blls. and shoots #2 steel very well to 20 yds.

It's been hard to get good information on successful use of steel in M/Ls. If you would please, what's your load, what birds have you hunted, and what terminal performance ("mostly pass-throughs" or whatever) have you obtained?

Thanks,
Joel

 

[Flintlock58]

I use an 11 ga jug choked flinter. Load for Canada Geese is 90 grains of FF Goex,one overpowder card, one lubed felt wad, 2 oz. of BB and #2 ITX shot covered by one over shot card.

Same load changing up the shot to 1 5/8 oz of #6 ITX for ducks.

I encase the shot in a heavy paper cartridge, made up before I go out.

 

[vthunter52]

Joel,

The load that I use in my 20 ga. is 70grs,2f with # 2 steel measured with same setting, approx. 1 oz. lubed felt wad over powder, and same over shot. Shoots right on to about 20-25 yds. which is my limit over my decoy set.

I don't have a lot of pass thru shots with the exception of those in the head and neck area.
Steel shot has a very short shot string, unlike lead. The higher velocity, due mainly to less deformation in the barrel, allows for you to come up from behind the crossing bird, and harvest cleanly with a quick shot. With practice, you can actually see the shot sting in the air. I will also state here that this works in my gun, which is open choked, and have heard others say steel doesn't shoot in their guns. Hope that was helpful......Gary

 

[vthunter52]

I forgot to add, that here on lake Champlain we hunt both puddle and diving ducks, as well as Canadian geese....which I'm chasing this weekend!

 

[newtewsmoke]

what are you usin for a wad or shotcup?

 

[Joel/Calgary]

Hope that was helpful...... Gary

Yes, thank you, Gary. By the way, that 70gr powder measure full of shot would give about an ounce with lead shot but only around 3/4oz with steel. That's probably why you're getting enough velocity to get the penetration.

Regards,
Joel