# high velocity vs. shot weight



## huntin' dog (Aug 22, 2005)

Well... I went out to buy some duck loads yesterday and had a hard time deciding what to put in my cart. I got thrown off by all the promotion/marketing of High Velocity shells. I am curious as to the opinions of other duck hunters. Let me know your thoughts...

I couldn't decide which way to go on the tradeoff between higher velocity or more shot in the shells. I understand the tradeoff pretty well. With High Velocity loads, the pellets that hit the bird will hit harder, and perhaps kill better at longer distances. But they have 1/16, 1/8, or even 3/16 oz. less shot in them (in order to accomodate the extra powder). But I don't think I lose many ducks because I don't hit them hard enough - not watching a lot of cripples fly away. And I don't shoot beyond 40 yards. So, I decided I was better of with Magnum shells that had more shot in them. I'd like to increase my chances of hitting them in the first place!

Which side of the tradeoff do you prefer for ducks?


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

It all depends on your shooting ability. I am not the best shot in the world so I prefer to have more pellets in the air and use a tighter choke. If you are confident enough with your ability to hit what you shoot at consistantly use the speed.

Bob


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## deafishunt (Feb 5, 2005)

I usually use Estate higher velocity 1 1/8 #4 for ducks and no plms on dead ducks and cripple less. best shot aim to heads more than wings. It depend how can you target at ducks. :wink:


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## Wild Thing (Aug 22, 2005)

If it's steel shot, go with the most velocity you can afford!!! The faster the better, and the more clean kills you'llhave. Cits down lead, too.
If youa re talking heavy shot or other tungsten, then don't worry about speed.
With steel, speed kills, all the studies show it.
FYI, I've found a very cheap load (major mfg.) with 3.5 inch 12 ga 1550 fps steel No. 2's that's been absolutely deadly. Just don't shoot at anyting beyond 100 feet and you can't beat it.
Good luck!


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

hd, do a search on this site using "consep". You'll find about a dozen thorough discussions and different view points, and you'll be able to make up your own mind.

IMHO, payload is the better trade off over speed, regardless of how good of a shot you are, unless you plan to shoot only at closer distances. By definition, whether any trigger pull from a "scatter gun" kills a bird is really just a function of the law of averages (we call it pattern). Whether a bird is quickly and cleanly killed depends on enough pellets hitting enough of the right places on the bird. No amount of practice or skill can make up for the undense patterns fast/light shells throw at longer distances. Slower (~1300 fps) and heavier loads with appropriate shot sizes and choked correctly will produce less cripples at all reasonable ranges. Speed is over-hyped today.


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## Ryan_Todd (Apr 11, 2004)

my buddy and i tried some of that hevi steel during early season and that stuff works pretty well. i too believe in the more pellets and more load concept.


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

Over the past few years on this site and others, the issue of speed vs payload has been debated.

What Dan points out is what I have been looking at. Having spent a good deal of time patterning different shells,loads and speeds with different chokes, I will take payload over speed.

Some of the guys that reload have posted up energy tables etc. The biggest thing I saw was down range speed. These guys where shooting 7/8 oz loads of 2's and 3's with muzzle velocity of 1600 FPS. Compare that to a MV of 1425 FPS with a payload of 1 1/4 oz.

At 35 yards they only had an additional speed of 30 FPS and an added energy value of .02 more. They where getting 75-80% patterns at that range with the chokes they where using. Now most people can get a 70% pattern out of their guns with the 1 1/4 loads at the same range. Thus the slower load puts more pellets on target and if you add up the energy level of each pellet, they exceed that of the faster loads.

More than anything else in this debate is to pattern your gun with the shells you plan to use. Win,Estate,Fed,Kent in the same load may not pattern the same. I shot the same brand of shells for a number of years, but this year they changed loads and speed. I am now shooting another brand of shell for this reason. They no longer patterned well with the choke set up I want to run.

Pattern your gun and you will have greater success with what ever you decide to use.


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## huntin' dog (Aug 22, 2005)

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the good information, and am glad to have the opinions too!

I think I am going with payload (more shot) for now. Good luck to all the boys in ND tomorrow!


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