Thread: 12ga 3" Steel

Visited Gunworks and got a box of Falcon Ultra Steel 35 and Super Steel 36, both #4's. Will see how they pattern.

Also got a box of Falcon Club 28 which I shot DTL with tonight. I like!! Will just check pattern when I get a chance then buy a case if its good.

The Falcon Elite didn't go as good which shitted me off. It's Gold. And it says Elite on it. God damn it!

Got some slugs too...looking forward to playing with them.

Great thread Matt, reminds us all each shottie versus ammo will give different results. ....being a tight wad I always recon I hit the bird with 'anything' but experience has told me different. ....

im a fan of Barry fosters hull "solway magnum"3"34gm loads 3 shot.they stop all and sundry.in the 2 3/4 line Im not overly fussy as the escort seems to go OK.Barry is stocking 2/34 Hull ammo now ,so will have to purchase some.his hull trap ammo is also good shit -and well priced.

GB at farmlands is the best ammo I've ever used. Sadly they didnt sell it this year they had falcon

For my 20g the best has been fiocchi

I haven't had much luck with hull. In saying that it's probably hard for me to truly tell what's decent just from shooting clays. But I didn't shoot very well with it. Haven't patterned it or anything - maybe I just shot poorly.

Have heard constant good things about Gamebore, will have to try some - next on the list. If that freak George Digweed uses it then what more is there to say I guess.

The Falcon Elite didn't go as good which shitted me off. It's Gold. And it says Elite on it. God damn it!

see funny how ones man gold is another mans poison
when i shot a 12 the falcon elite was my favourie first barrel pheasant load.
the beauty of the 2 3/4 inch steel is its fast in shot sizes down to 5,s i think and dont boot on the shoulder or wallet.
c404 at his peak was deadly with it in 3,s on ducks geese swans the lot

You mean I am past my peak, young fella?
I have news for you ha ha

Ok - did some testing. Please let me know your thoughts on the below seeing as I don't really know what a "good" pattern is!

I tested two loads:

1. Falcon Ultra Steel 35 #4's. 2,3/4 inch shells, 1460fps. Load of 35grams (obviously).
2. Falcon Super Steel 36 #4's. 3 inch shells, 1460fps. Load of 36grams.

Here are some photos.

ULTRA 35 AT 30YDS (1 SHOT):



SUPER 36 AT 30YDS (1 SHOT):



ULTRA 35 AT 30YDS (4 SHOTS):



SUPER 36 AT 30YDS (4 SHOTS):



Thoughts on how these performed at 30yds? To my mind I think the lighter load did better (35's). It has a more even coverage anyway. The 36's are a bit tighter together over on the left and on the duck picture, but there seems to be substantial gaps over to the right (top right, bottom right, even middle right). This is hidden a bit in the 4 shot ones, but still there.

Next at 40yds:

ULTRA 35 AT 40YDS (1 SHOT):



SUPER 36 AT 40YDS (1 SHOT):



Here again I think the 35's did better. It's not exactly a massive difference but that's what I reckon. Just a bit more of an even coverage. Thoughts? It surprised me that they seem to have outperformed the larger load but I guess that's why people go on about making sure you pattern. Am I misreading them?

Lastly, for good measure - ULTRA 35 AT 40YDS (4 SHOTS):



Again, seems like pretty decent coverage. Are these patterns any good, or rubbish?

relating that to autopsies Ive done breasting birds and processing mallards id say any of em would effectively"fuck a duck "finitoLooks at the spread around chest /neck junction-heart lungs etc will all be irreparably damaged.50/50 chance also of a wing break again terminal.

thems would be dead ducks. don't be afraid to try out a lod of #2s aswell....far better for parries and you may just be surprised.
the old plain Jane Winchester xpert loads are good killing loads....lumpy bump shot and all. infact I think that is part of reason why they work.

What you are doing is taking a snapshot of a random shot pattern but it is a 2 dimensional solution to a 3 dimensional problem. A pattern does not arrive flat but is elongated with pellets arriving first then last (obviously). If you fired five shots (at separate sheets) you're unlikely to get the same pattern. (shooting four shots at one sheet doesn't tell you much other than you were consistent with your deliberate point of aim)

For my mind a point of impact test is far more critical to good shooting with a shotgun as it is mostly about gun fit and impulse (as well as self control and shooting within your ability). To do your pattern test you deliberately aim (rifle) at the pattern sheet. An action that will see mostly misses on moving game.....

When I look at your sheets I think you have got your choke selection spot on from 35 yards and closer with around 20 odd effective pellets, though you maybe shooting slightly left. That same choke looks ok at 40 yards but will let you down occasionally at this range and beyond with around 9 effective pellets. Something also worth considering is that at 40 yards your pellets are doing a great job at punching through paper but will be loosing energy and penetrative power for game. If you feel you are a good enough shot to shoot regularly at 40 yards you might like to test the next choke down?

You can read too much into patterns. I pretty much leave my quarter choke in and rely on my ability select a target I know I can kill by putting the shot and target on a collision coarse. That 35 gram load of 4's you've tested has proved very effective on everything up to Canada's when shot in such a way.

Originally Posted by Tim Allen

What you are doing is taking a snapshot of a random shot pattern but it is a 2 dimensional solution to a 3 dimensional problem. A pattern does not arrive flat but is elongated with pellets arriving first then last (obviously). If you fired five shots (at separate sheets) you're unlikely to get the same pattern. (shooting four shots at one sheet doesn't tell you much other than you were consistent with your deliberate point of aim)

For my mind a point of impact test is far more critical to good shooting with a shotgun as it is mostly about gun fit and impulse (as well as self control and shooting within your ability). To do your pattern test you deliberately aim (rifle) at the pattern sheet. An action that will see mostly misses on moving game.....

When I look at your sheets I think you have got your choke selection spot on from 35 yards and closer with around 20 odd effective pellets, though you maybe shooting slightly left. That same choke looks ok at 40 yards but will let you down occasionally at this range and beyond with around 9 effective pellets. Something also worth considering is that at 40 yards your pellets are doing a great job at punching through paper but will be loosing energy and penetrative power for game. If you feel you are a good enough shot to shoot regularly at 40 yards you might like to test the next choke down?

You can read too much into patterns. I pretty much leave my quarter choke in and rely on my ability select a target I know I can kill by putting the shot and target on a collision coarse. That 35 gram load of 4's you've tested has proved very effective on everything up to Canada's when shot in such a way.

Thanks very much for that Tim.

Those shots were all fired with a Mod choke. I have not shot at anything live with my shotgun yet, so I couldn't say what ranges i'll be comfortable with. That is the tightest choke that I got with my Benelli M2 that is rated for steel shot though. Full and IM say no steel on them.

I have seen a lot of the aftermarket chokes advertised and may eventually get one of them, but I hear the problem then is that for regular range shots it rips things apart. I suppose that doesn't matter if you aren't going to eat whatever you are shooting at though!

I guess what i'm asking is are those patterns acceptable enough to warrant getting a slab of either of them - or should I do more testing with other ammo? Are they average patterns, bad patterns or good patterns? I have no basis for comparison so need you guys to chip in on that.

Oh and I better add that I shot one of the slugs at 100yds . That was super fun. Was only a couple inches off what I aimed at too - pretty impressed with the accuracy. I love these shotgun things .

Use the IC choke inside 30-35 yds and modified if you are on Ellesmere.

how did you find the recoil of both loads given shot wieght is relatively the same was there a big diff between the 3 inch and 2 3/4 ??
i know the light m2 is a kicker but the difference between the 35/36 gram loads and the 30 gram hi velocity2 3/4 gamebores is marked in the boot stakes without effecting bird taking ability.

You mean I am past my peak, young fella?
I have news for you ha ha

nah mate only that you,ve come to the dark [subgauge] side of the force well partialy