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Yeah, steel works if you get the birds in really close. If not, good luck using steel.
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Actually, I don't know what you mean by 'really close', but I've done O.K. with handloads out to 40 yards and killed birds dead. I've also had some close in stuff that was crippled by bismuth and hevishot.
I think that the key to killing birds with steel is A.) get the fastest load you can B.) drop your payloads a bit and C.) open up your chokes a bit.
A should be obvious; B & C I've found to be true while patterning....we've all heard how a full choke will "blow" a pattern of steel shot. Well, it's true with modified chokes and heavy payloads of steel as well. With some experimentation, I've found that the best combination (for me) is a 1 oz load of #3 steel and a modified choke. If I increase the payload, the pattern goes all to hell. Also, my reloads chronyed out at 1480-1500 fps. They've dropped all manner of ducks out to 40 yards (dead) consistently, and that's as far as I think anyone should be shooting at waterfowl anyway.
.....but then again, I pay attention to what I'm putting in my hulls: weigh each powder and pellet charge, make sure the pellets are ROUND and of UNIFORM size, ect., ect, ect.........
