# steel for pheasants



## doubledroptine08

does anyone use steel regularly for pheasants and what choke do u use. and what is about the maximum range on steel?. 

and what size of shot and length of shell :sniper:


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## Springer

Myself and a buddy use #2 3" all year long as we run into ducks frequently and it is just easier. I will use an improved modified early and switch to modified later in the year.

As far as range I usually never shoot over 30-35 yards.


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## Sparky477

2 3/4" #6 steel early in the season then I switch to 3" #4 steel when the birds get a little more jumpy. Improved cylinder choke all season.

I hate switching between lead and steel for areas that require steel only, and I think we're all going to be shooting nothing but steel in a few years anyway, might as well get used to it.


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## GW

For the last half dozen or so years, I've only shot steel for pheasants. I shoot the same load for pheasants as I do for ducks, 3 inch Kent Fasteel #4s, through an improved cylinder choke. This combo patterns very well for me.
For both pheasants and ducks, and can't remember the last time I've shot beyond 35 yards...most of the time its much closer.
GW


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## Aythya

I have used steel exclusively for many years. I shoot a BSS 12 ga, IC/M and use 3 inch 3 shot. As with all the hunting I do, I want birds close and really try to shoot at birds less than 40 yards, and I consider 40 to be a long shot for me.

I will use my 20 ga BSS earlier in the season but still use 3 inch 3 shot. For late season birds I use my 12 as I want more shot.


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## pointblankshot

3" #2 shot 1550's through an IC. I've been doing it for years so I can hunt ducks and pheasants without the worry of switching. I've also found that since the switch I don't have very many wounded and running birds anymore.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y

Call me crazy.... But I shoot 4 shot Black Cloud on pheasants. I have for the past two years. I have yet to loose a bird that I shoot due to running or sailing. I think it is well worth the extra cash for not loosing birds.

I have shot roosters out to 60 yards with it. Hits really hard!


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## mallykiller

don't even mess around shooting pheasants with steel, save your money and buy fiocchi 3 inch 6 shot golden pheasant lead


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## Sparky477

mallykiller said:


> don't even mess around shooting pheasants with steel, save your money and buy fiocchi 3 inch 6 shot golden pheasant lead


That's great if you can shoot lead everywhere you hunt, but I hunt some areas you are required to shoot steel, so I just shoot it everywhere. I don't have any more cripples or lost birds than the guys I hunt with that switch back and forth between steel and lead.


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## Nick Roehl

I would use lead if you can, it's cheaper for the most part. I use 4 shot out of a full choke all year round. But steel works for me too out of the same setup. I would prefer lead though.


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## treedaddy

I have shot 3inch # 3 steel shot in SD on nontoxic ares with great results.


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## jtillman

As others have said, use the same as I do for waterfowl. Modified Choke, and 4s, 2s, or even BB late in the year. We also hunt areas where we can often shoot a fly-by duck, or accidently jump one or two while pushing sloughs, so that's why we don't mess around with it.


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## JBB

There was a study done about 8 years ago comparing steel to lead. If I can find it I will scan and post it. The jist of the study was this. They took teams of hunters, they were given different color coded shells so they did not know what they were shooting. One group shot only 20 yards and under, one 20-40 yards and the last shot 40+ yards only. In each group there were #2 and#4 steel, #4 and #6 lead. They had all the results in the article, how many shots were fired, how many runners, how many drop dead birds etc. 
The final result was under 20 yards lead out preformed steel. From 20-40 steel was better. 40 plus yards steel was far better. 
I have been shooting #2 steel for at least 10 years, both at ducks and pheasants.I can buy by the case and get better prices. After I was reminded (by hitting a rooster REAL close) how much tighter the grouping 2 steel has I had no trouble shooting it. It makes it a lot easier not having to worry about going where lead is banned and switching for waterfowl.
As far as cost not much difference anymore. I pay around 75.00 for a case of Wincherter X pert with the rebates. Works well for me. The way things are going might as well get used to shooting steel. When steel first was required I almost quit hunting that first year. But just had to retrain myself.


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## justund223

i shoot 2 3/4inch #4s i used a full choke this year, but will go with a modified next year. I switch to just steel also becasause of hunting WPAs didn't lose one bird all year, but having a dog with a good nose probably helped there too


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## Dick Monson

This one is kind of interesting:

http://www.gf.nd.gov/multimedia/ndoutdo ... -shots.pdf

I was trying to find that study from NDGF on steel shot for pheasants. Extremely informative. If anyone can locate it, please post it up here and it could be made a sticky.


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## fetchingfloyd

where i hunt i have to use steel. i have come to love it if you find the right load. i have settled on kent faststeel 3" #4's going somewhere around 1400-1500 feet per second. steel patterns a bit tighter than led so open up the choke a little more than lead. as for distance, i have killed them out past 60 yards with steel but it is better closer as it loses killing power at longer range due to the lighter pellets.


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## lesser

I shot 28 boxes of winchester 3" BB 8.50 a box at pheasants, ducks and geese last year. I can't complain. Walk out grab three boxes of shells and go hunting for the day. Pretty cheap too.


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## southdakbearfan

I have tried it, but just hate steel on pheasants.


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## indsport

Don't assume that any one choke will pattern the same with steel as with lead. For my pump 12 gauge, using lead shot chokes, the pattern for steel shot through an improved cylinder lead shot choke tube is the same as the pattern for lead shot through a modified lead shot choke tube. For my S x S double gun, I have both lead shot and steel shot choke tubes. Steel shot through the improved cylinder lead choke has a much denser pattern than steel shot through the improved cylinder steel shot choke tube. As to shooting with steel, as most waterfowlers know, the speed and momentum of steel shot is quite different than lead shot. For the same size of lead and steel shot, steel leaves the gun faster but runs out of steam quicker. You need to shoot steel regularly and be able to adjust your swing and lead. Out to 20 yards, steel gets to the target quicker. Over 40 yards, steel is slower to get to the target than lead. This is why most recommend a steel shot 2 sizes larger than lead shot to get the same momentum and power at similar distances. If I am shooting 5 lead, I would shoot 3 steel, but still have to remember to change my swing.


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## Bug Guy

I shoot 3 in #2 steel for everything. Ducks, geese, pheasant, and anything else that jumps during the hunt. Early season close flushers I just let them fly a bit. IMO it is easier to pick a few larger pellets out of the bird then a whole bunch of smaller ones. In my scattergun this load can take pheasants down at around 35 to 40 yards cleanly. I don't shoot beyond that. I just look for the good deals on ammo at the end or beginning of the season and buy 2 or 3 cases. All I have to do then is grab ammo and go. 8)


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## Drakekiller

Hands down the best 12 ga. pheasant load for lead shot is #5 and load 2 3/4 1 1/4 oz. With high quality shot. If you like to have more holes in your meat go with 7 1/2s or 6s. 5s will penitrait pheasant as far as 45 yds easy. I always smile at the guys that shoot magnum loads later in the season. Pheasants do not get any harder to kill later in the season, just might have some longerr shots. They are not like Mallards that get a thick layer of fat and feathers later in the season. For steel # 2s in 2 3/4s 1 1/8 oz. I have been shooting pheasants for about five years with steel, and that load works great. Plus it is great for decoying ducks to 45 yds with the right choke. For twenty gauge I like 3" # 5s Golden Pheasants, same as 12 ga. load. Bank on these loads, you just need to find the right choke for them.
DK


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