shells for duck hunting

[EastTx]

Kent or Xperts for me. I hunt too much to be buying rich man shells.

Same here. I use Xpert 3" #2's all season.

[EastTx]

They go bang and kill ducks, no doubt, but they are the most inconsistent and dirty shells that I have seen.

What do you mean by inconsistent? Just curious because I have went through cases over the years and have had only one misfire that I can recall. Also have never had any problems with them cycling or patterning good. As far as the dirty part, it is the least of my shotgun's worries with all the new mud, water, and scratches it picks up with each season. I think it adds character.

[SwineAssassiN]

I've killed a ton of ducks with xperts. Lol but kent fasteels are a great load for the money.

General season I normally shoot 2's or 3's

[rebelmdb69]

I shoot xperts and will put around 1000 birds to rest this year (ducks and geese). Have for years they pattern good kill birds and haven't had a misfire yet. I'm one of those all I do is duck hunt types and just haven't bought into the high end hype. I've shot them and keep going back to the cheap stuff. Just my .02

[Bccamp2]

Federal works for me.

Lead shot! They go down the best with that! Also its wayyy cheaper

First off you can't use lead... The game warden will give you a nice ticket if you even have lead in your bag or car. Second, I always use Federal #4 for ducks and #2 for geese. #4 steel shoots 1550 ft per second, and they are $14 a box. My buddy and I limited out opening day in 25 minutes.

Our second day the game warden showed up as we were pulling the decoys. He checked our license, stamp, guns, shells, bags, birds, and made sure there was no "bait or feed". We were legal by the letter of the law, but he said he gives tickets to almost all duck hunters because many times they are not fully legal. So be careful and follow the law. It's not worth the fine and possible confiscation of the birds or gun.

[troop4]

Kent for sure. might want. to get. a 12 gage.mallards are far from a dove

[westtexducks]

I shoot the cheap xpert 12 gauge 3" #2s all year every year and hundreds of birds have died to them. I will say I do like the kent a little bit better when I have been able to find them at a really good price, but when you are going through cases of shells a season it is a lot easier on the wallet to get the xperts.

[Bruce]

Federal 3"#4. Steel for me. Know yourself & your pattern

[Thumper71]

If you cut a expert shell open and look at the bb's you will see that they are not perfectly round . So they don't fly right and pattern like crap . The bb's are the not so round rejects for the more expensive drylocks . I've shot just about every round made and I've shot experts when I couldn't find anything else. I shoot Remington sport men's or Kent or rios in 3 in. # 2 or 4's . You don't need the high dollar shells to kill ducks if the ducks are in you face over Deeks . I've been duck hunting for 35 years . Calling is more important than what shells you are shooting .buy a good call and learn when and how to blow it and you will experience one of the most amazing and beautiful things in nature . When they are lock and going to land it's a beautiful thing and then you let then have it .......lol......

[Blue Tick]

The geese I shot Saturday didn't seem to notice they were shot with cheap Xperts. I preference though is Kent or Federal. When I was looking for BB's, no one had my top 2 in stock, so the Xperts got the call and they did well. They do run a bit dirty, but if you take care of your equipment they work just fine.

[Blue Tick]

If you cut a expert shell open and look at the bb's you will see that they are not perfectly round . So they don't fly right and pattern like crap . The bb's are the not so round rejects for the more expensive drylocks . I've shot just about every round made and I've shot experts when I couldn't find anything else. I shoot Remington sport men's or Kent or rios in 3 in. # 2 or 4's . You don't need the high dollar shells to kill ducks if the ducks are in you face over Deeks . I've been duck hunting for 35 years . Calling is more important than what shells you are shooting .buy a good call and learn when and how to blow it and you will experience one of the most amazing and beautiful things in nature . When they are lock and going to land it's a beautiful thing and then you let then have it .......lol......

That's funny.....Black Cloud and Blindside have made their niche marketing not so round pellets as duck killers. As stated above, choke and checking your gun is your best bet.

[simsknives]

If you cut a expert shell open and look at the bb's you will see that they are not perfectly round . So they don't fly right and pattern like crap . The bb's are the not so round rejects for the more expensive drylocks . I've shot just about every round made and I've shot experts when I couldn't find anything else. I shoot Remington sport men's or Kent or rios in 3 in. # 2 or 4's . You don't need the high dollar shells to kill ducks if the ducks are in you face over Deeks . I've been duck hunting for 35 years . Calling is more important than what shells you are shooting .buy a good call and learn when and how to blow it and you will experience one of the most amazing and beautiful things in nature . When they are lock and going to land it's a beautiful thing and then you let then have it .......lol......

blind sides are not perfectly round either

[Thumper71]

If you look at blindside and black cloud every pellet is uniform and if you open a expert you will see some of the pellets are not round and some are missing half or a quarter of a pellet and some mite have a flat side . Don't get me wrong a choke matters but if you can call you won't half to worry about a good choke just put it on there head and pull the trigger . I'm talking about shots 10 to 20 yards from your face . I use brilley chokes . But if your going on your first duck hunt don't worry about a high end choke . Just put a modified in and go have fun . As far as blindside goes they are not round so they can fit more pellets in the shell. They are good shells . I used them all season the first year they came out . But are they worth it ? That's up to you.

[Frederick D. Be]

Make sure your chamber will accept a 3 inch shell before you put one in or you will jam the gun. 3 inch #2s are a really good choice.