# Kent 3.5 inch #2's



## rbol121 (Dec 11, 2008)

Have a question for all of guys. I am contemplating switching from Kent 3.5 inch BB's to 3.5 inch #2's 1625fps. I will be patterning both here within the next few days. But I know they both already pattern pretty well thru my Wad Wizard Choke. I guess my question is, will there be enough knock down power with #2's if they are hanging up at 40-50yds. My thoery behind switching is they both pattern well, but obviously #2's have more pellets on target, should I make the switch?????


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

All I shoot anymore are 3" kent deuces. Works great on everything from mallards to big honks. Great on snow geese at all practical ranges. If im on, theyll kill em dead at 50 yards. Im a big fan of more pellets over bigger pellets.

No worries with deuces.


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## cattrapper77 (Feb 14, 2009)

i use kent dueces. they kill em out to 50 yrds easy


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## the professor (Oct 13, 2006)

wind drift comes into play with smaller shot size, but if you do some patterning on windy days you should be able to figure out if its negligible or presents an issue to deal with.

personally dont like the 1625 loads, but i do use the 3.5" 1's in the 1550 for honkers sometimes.


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## rbol121 (Dec 11, 2008)

Professor, why don't you like the 1625's, what's your reasoning?? I shot the 1625's this fall on duck and honkers, and did pretty well. I just feel that last year the birds were decoying pretty good and most shots were 35yds at most. I had a few misses (using BB's), probably all me, but I just started thinking if i had more pellets (2's), maybe would have had a few more in the bag. I understand the wind drift and the larger pellet theory. But seriously the dimension's/weight difference between BB's and #2's is very little. Im leaning toward's #2's, unless aomeone can pursuade me to stick with BB's. I am still kinda new to this Snow Goose thing, so anyone's in feild experience's are definately not ignored. Thanks to all.


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## the professor (Oct 13, 2006)

the 1625's just dont pattern as well out of my choke compared to the slower loads. if your confident in your patterns with the 2's then by all means hammer away! i used 2's a lot in 3.5" for honkers this year as well. but one thing to consider is how snowgeese can sometimes give you nothing better than the 45-55 yard shots. at that range, energy retention is a consideration to make. if i have a load of 2's and a load of bb's that pattern about the same at those distances, im going with the bbs for the simple fact that the bb will have more energy in it on impact. if im shooting a bird at 50 yards, i want it to fall right away, not sail another 100-200 and have to be chasing cripples all day.

i will post up some patterning results today or tomorrow; i just rounded up 16 different steel loads im going to run through 2 or 3 chokes today.


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## rbol121 (Dec 11, 2008)

Thanks for the insight professor. would be interested in seeing your patterns, let me know what chokes and gun you use also. I like to see what other people shoot, both shell and choke wise. Thanks again


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## jkern (Aug 10, 2005)

I have chased way more sailers with the bigger shot sizes than smaller sizes. Increased pellet count increases the chance for head/neck hits and broken wings. A Snow goose is not that hard to kill, any good Mallard load is perfect.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Snows are easier to kill than mallards IMO.


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## Save Hens (Mar 15, 2008)

barebackjack said:


> Snows are easier to kill than mallards IMO.


 +1, but if you are shooting a 1625 FPS, I would guess that its a light load like a 1 1/8 oz. load. If its windy, which it always seems it is in the Dakotas, the pattern won't be the same, Myself i would go with a bb size in a 1400-1500 fps in 1 3/8 oz. to 1 5/8 oz


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## honkerhitmen (Jan 20, 2008)

Im guessing that the 1625 fps is a lighter load so that mean you have less longt range knock down because of the energy behind the pellets. And i am a beleiver that more pellets the better but you have to look at the ounes for the knock down enery. The faster out the faster it slows down.


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

The slower the better pattern plain and simple! Think knuckle ball!


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

Once you get over about 1550 the larger pellets will really start to knuckleball, and if you look at the downrange ballistics, once you get over 1450-1500, you really gain very little in gained velocity and energy, and usually loose a lot of pattern for anything a lot faster.


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## duckmander (Aug 25, 2008)

> rbol121wrote:
> Have a question for all of guys. I am contemplating switching from Kent 3.5 inch BB's to 3.5 inch #2's 1625fps. I will be patterning both here within the next few days. But I know they both already pattern pretty well thru my Wad Wizard Choke. I guess my question is, *will there be enough knock down power with #2's if they are hanging up at 40-50yds.* My thoery behind switching is they both pattern well, but obviously #2's have more pellets on target, *should I make the switch*?????


YES AND YES!

more pellets on target is a plus. SPEED KILLS when it comes to steel shot.
I think you will be very impressed with the #2's. you may want to try some #1's and/or #3's aswell. If using the 3's I would limit them to 35 yards. maybe the first shot. then follow up with the 2's.

good luck they will work fine.


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

Did you know a 1550 load is going to be the same speed at 50 yards as a 1450 load? So how does speed kill? Pattern and weight kills.. Not speed! Now I have tried using 2's on geese. And only had limited sucess.. However BB for me is the ultimate load for me. Ducks all the way up to crane. It just gets it done. Well that and my Drakekiller choke.

Everyone would love shoot hevi shot? But most of us cant afford it? Why is hevi shot such a great product? One it has a high density in each pellet. Two most boxes of hevi shot are under 1450 per second.

The biggest misconception out there is that speed kills. And nothing could be farther from the truth.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

duckmander said:


> more pellets on target is a plus. SPEED KILLS when it comes to steel shot.


Speed and pellets doesn't always go together....for me, I only shoot Federal 3" BB's (blue box- 1 1/4 oz, not 1 1/8 ). The fast stuff doesn't pattern nearly as well as the slow stuff. But then again, that's my gun/choke which doesn't mean it the same for all.

My .02


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## CuppedAndComitted (Mar 3, 2007)

Chris Hustad said:


> duckmander said:
> 
> 
> > more pellets on target is a plus. SPEED KILLS when it comes to steel shot.
> ...


Yup, I only shoot the heavier "slower" rounds too. They pattern WAY better.


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## duckmander (Aug 25, 2008)

Guys I am very far from an expert on this but from what I have seen this past couple of seasons. I can kill or cripple birds with 3" #2's 1 1/8oz. @1550 FPS. recently I have reloaded some 7/8 to 1 1/16 oz. running from 1630 to 1775. These loads are killing birds dead with one well placed shot. very few cripples. when I hit with the 1550 and can see the hit from bill to tail, and he swims. not good. also when eating him I have found pellets. now take the 1700 loads with the same hit he falls without movement. and there is no pellets left in the bird it passes all the way through.

Which would you rather be hit with: a bowling ball moving at 40 mph,
or a golf ball at 140mph.

I did not get good patterns with a mod choke. switched to a IM. and big improvement on pattern.

And yes I have a couple loads moving along at 1865fps. but I cannot hold the pattern together. I'm still learning but so far something between 1630 to 1775 with smaller shot will kill better then slow bulky shot.

We could all take birds with 7 1/2 or 6 lead in light dove loads at 1200fps. but steel shot doesn't have the hit that lead does. So with steel faster is better, up to a point, then the pattern goes away.

And the only way I could even think about proving this to you is for you to try it yourself. that's the only way for you to figure out what I am saying.

A couple years ago I was knocking feathers off birds left and right with 2 3/4 #2. but nothing fell. switched to 3" #2's and they hit the ground. and swore to only use 3 inchers. since reloading I have found fast 2 3/4 " kill better than slow 3"ers.

just try it yourself. you will see.

give it a try. you will be convinced. with less chipped teeth. :beer:


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

Put it on paper. And shoot at a 30 inch circle. The faster the load the worse the pattern. The bowling ball at 40 would do way more damage then the golf ball.

The fact is that no matter how fast your pellet starts out the end of the barrel at 50 yards it is going to be the same speed no matter how fast it starts out. So if it is going to be the same speed wouldnt you rather have more pellets hit the targets?


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## duckmander (Aug 25, 2008)

Take your own advice.


> Put it on paper. And shoot at a 30 inch circle.


I have done the paper thing and will again this year with new loads.

you can argue with yourself. I know what works for me. The man ask a question. I gave my opinion. so did you. so take it with a dose of salt.

If we ever are hunting together and we both swing on the same bird your big slow shot will be hitting a dead bird from my fast small shot.

Where is it written that everything runs the same speed at 50 yards. 
In this case a .22 and a 30.06 over the chrony will both be moving the same speed at 50 yards. yeah right.

Most definitely put it on paper. then when you find the best pattern. put it to the real test and put it on birds. and watch your bird per shell ration go down drastically.

I know you know everything and nobody can tell you anything. I could careless if you ever figure it out. I know what works for me.

Oh and the bowling ball will hit and knock a person down. doing minimal damage on the outside only.
But the golf ball will hit and bounce off. doing damage not only on the outside but down deep inside. possibly breaking bones.
Now the question is would you rather have 3 of them bowling balls or 10 of them golf balls hitting your target. :eyeroll:

rbol121, Sorry for all the fuss. All I can say is give it a try. you will see.


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## rbol121 (Dec 11, 2008)

Thanks for all the info guys. I am leaning towards #2's all the way, but due to some people's opinions, when I pattern this week I will pick up some slower #2's and i even have some BB's left over from last Honker season. I will pattern all of them and see what has the best pattern. The reason I started this post is, I found most people shoot BB's and was curious if #2's were the way to go or not?? I am still undecided, I am by no means a expert and will never proclaim to be. I appreciate people's opinions and know that there is no steadfast rule. I guess I would have to see the difference on # of pellets between #2's and BB's. But thanks again for everyone's reply.


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## Herters_Decoys (Mar 1, 2002)

My best pattern I shot was 3.5 Kent 1625fps BB's out of a Nova and Patternmaster at 35 yards. The plain jane federal also patterned nicely. In the field the 1625 performed well, even out to the longer ranges.


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## marshman (Jul 8, 2005)

I have been shooting 3.5 Kents for about 4-5 years now. When I discovered them I decided I would never use anything else again. I've never patterned them before but I have to admit, since the 1625fps came out I have missed more often (which isn't a lot, I had to put that in there) to the point where I started questioning whether I was getting too old for this sport. Has to be some truth to it. This old timer I know (best duck shooter I've ever come acrossed) says more pellets are better. The name of the game is to let the birds work and get em' in close. I shoot 2's by the way. Last year I tried some 3.5 4's Black Cloud - it was a killer.


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

shooteminthelips said:


> The slower the better pattern plain and simple! Think knuckle ball!


Hey somebody right this down, Mike and I agree on something. The bigger the payload I can get for snows the happer I am. I love shooting the 2.75" remington 2's at 1290 fps. If I can find 1 3/8 oz 3inch loads at 1400 I am in heaven. They pattern great and kill like champs. Payload will outshoot speed 90 percent of the time. But I don't shoot enough at 50+ where I would need the extra velocity.


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## duckboy_390 (Mar 10, 2008)

Throw the fastest load you can provided you can hold it together at the range you are shooting.


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## mac_in_mt (Jan 23, 2006)

A couple years ago my brother and I were having this very debate so I decided to put my engineering degree to work. I developed an excel spreadsheet that compares each of the different loads for different speeds and different shot sizes. I assumed that their would be no cross winds and I did not pattern test the loads. Here is a simple summary:

1. Speed does kill. The faster the shot leaves the barrell, the more kinetic energy you'll have. If you fire the same size shot at 1300 fps against 1600 fps, the 1600 fps will hit with more energy, penetrate further and provide a better kill. The statement above that says that either load will have the same velocity at 50 yards is false.

2. Larger shot has less surface area to weight ratio, and therefore does not slow down as quickly as smaller shot. Therefore larger shot will retain the kinetic energy further downrange.

3. Denser (HeviShot etc) loads will also retain velocity longer for the same reason as number 2 above.

4. For the same shot size, moving up in muzzle velocity reduces the number of pellets in the shell. What you gain in speed, you lose in pellet count. This accounts for better patterns with slower shells.

5. For the same shot size, increasing your density (Hevishot etc) also reduces the number of pellets in the shell (assuming same shell size and same velocity).

Based on the spreadsheet my brother and I adopted the following practice. We always start the day with 3" #2 steel shot at 1625 fps (usually Kent Fasteel). We both find that we regularly crumple canadians out to 50 yards and snows out to 55 yards (we use a rangefinder). We still kill geese to 60 yards, but quite often they're cripples or sailers. When we feel that the geese aren't coming within 55 yards we switch to 3.5", #2, Hevi Steel. We chose Hevi Steel because it retains a large number of pellets and we can almost afford it. We decided that Hevi-Shot is out of our price range. By changing to Hevi Steel we found we could extend our crumpling range between 5 and 10 yards. By switching to HeviShot or a larger pellet, you can extend your range further but you aren't throwing as many pellets, which beyond 60 yards leaves large holes in the pattern.

Finally, on our last day of snows last year I was (for once) shooting phenominally. I tripled on snows at 72 yards with 3.5", #2, Hevi-steel. Distance was determined with a rangefinder, and the shot was recorded with video of poor quality. At the end you can hear me cackling.

For anyone who wants a copy of the spreadsheet, email me at the following address:
[email protected] 
and ask for the ballistic spreadsheet.

Thanks for reading!


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## rbol121 (Dec 11, 2008)

Thanks mc_in_mt, for the insight. Didnt get to get out today as I had planned to pattern. I plan on Patterning the following:

1. 3.5in 1550fps BB's Federal Blue Box
2. 3.5in 1550fps #2's Kent Fast Steels
3. 3.5in 1625 #'s and BB's Kent Fast Steels

I will let everyone know the results. Thanks for everyone's opinion, and yes i understand that each person's gun and choke will pattern different, but many of you with lots more experience than I, shed alot of light on the subject and made me think about some things I hadnt before. Thanks again to all.

***600,000 Snows at Sqauw Creek i.e. Mound City, MO***

2 MORE WEEKS AND SNOWS WILL DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :sniper:


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

marshman said:


> The name of the game is to let the birds work and get em' in close.


The most logical statement yet!

Everybody wants to reach out there, more range, more range! Well get with the program, the shotgun is a relatively CLOSE RANGE weapon!

"I want something to kill geese consistently at 75 yards"!

"I want a good load that will kill coyotes at 100 yards"!

Shotguns aren't meant for that, no matter what your shooting. Get em in closer, and what your spitting at em doesn't matter so much.


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