# UhOh!! I'm GUILTY!!



## mlandrum (Jan 29, 2015)

I was really worried because most of my hits with my new Steoger 3500 were only a FEW pellets in the duck--SO-- Today I went out and patterned my Steel 3's and 4's at 40 yards  and found out it was NOT the gun or shells, it was the 67 year old Preacher  behind the stock (First Picture- 3"4's and the Second Picture was 3"3's)


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## rnelson5 (Jan 29, 2015)

This is probably the case 90% of the time!!


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## king killer delete (Jan 29, 2015)

First Cav shooting


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## mlandrum (Jan 29, 2015)

BE VERY CAREFUL KILLER!!!!! This is your FIRST WARNING!!!!


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## T-N-T (Jan 29, 2015)

Do like me and dont pattern.  Then you can be Certain its the gun...


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## king killer delete (Jan 29, 2015)

mlandrum said:


> BE VERY CAREFUL KILLER!!!!! This is your FIRST WARNING!!!!


That looks like a recon by fire in mad minute


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Jan 29, 2015)

What choke you shooting with Preacher?


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## mlandrum (Jan 29, 2015)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> What choke you shooting with Preacher?



I was using my Modified Choke that came with the gun!!


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## tradhunter98 (Jan 29, 2015)

If they are in range it's the shooter 100% of the time.


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## g0nef1sshn (Jan 29, 2015)

TopherAndTick said:


> Do like me and dont pattern.  Then you can be Certain its the gun...



My strategy exactly! Also write the ammo company and tell them they are loading blanks or paper bb's.


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## ghadarits (Jan 30, 2015)

It can also be the situation. 

Most of the time I'm surprised seeing a bird and have to react fast I hit it. Its the ones I get to watch come in for a long time I seem to somehow miss.

It has to be the gun …… right???


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## WOODIE13 (Jan 30, 2015)

king killer delete said:


> That looks like a recon by fire in mad minute



Seen quite a few of them this year that lived by RBF or call it suppressive fire, birds got their heads down and never came back


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## T-N-T (Jan 30, 2015)

ghadarits said:


> It can also be the situation.
> 
> Most of the time I'm surprised seeing a bird and have to react fast I hit it. Its the ones I get to watch come in for a long time I seem to somehow miss.
> 
> It has to be the gun …… right???



I'm the opposite. If I have time to think, then I aim better.  If I have to throw the gun and fire I don't get down on the gun as will.


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## WOODIE13 (Jan 30, 2015)

Too much time to analyze the situation hurts me as well


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## Beta Tau789 (Jan 31, 2015)

Well I will say, and I have a witness that I shot at woodie swimming in the decoys this year at 25 yards and he flew off, and my follow up shot patterned around him perfectly on the water again. I swear some ducks wear Kevlar feathers.


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## Hunteradams (Feb 1, 2015)

We shot a gadwall this year, saw feathers come out 3 or 4 times. As the bird was still flying, i noticed blood dripping from the bird. You could see it on the water. The bird flew a couple houndred yards and finally bled out and died. I think this happens a lot more than you think. Steel shot sucks. I have watched a handful of other birds do the same, but this was the first time i actually saw blood dripping. I saw a picture of a bird in flight leaking oil i will try and find it.


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## WOODIE13 (Feb 1, 2015)

Steel passes though them so quick with no expansion, seen a few go a couple hundred yds and then just drop, grave yard dead or in about 15 minutes to half an hour, here they come floating down the river.  Seen it with HM  and HS as well, birds are a lot tougher than one would think.

Nothing compares to the black scoter we got into this year, buddy put it one the water and we commenced to shooting at that bird 13 times before it died, would shoot, it would dive.  We all three shot at the same time, pattern all over it, bird still dived.  Last shot was with some #7 steel.


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## Hunteradams (Feb 1, 2015)




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## WOODIE13 (Feb 1, 2015)

They will do their best to survive, being dead and not even know it, short of a good CNS hit, head shots or nothing boys and girls


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## ghadarits (Feb 2, 2015)

Hunteradams said:


> We shot a gadwall this year, saw feathers come out 3 or 4 times. As the bird was still flying, i noticed blood dripping from the bird. You could see it on the water. The bird flew a couple houndred yards and finally bled out and died. I think this happens a lot more than you think. Steel shot sucks. I have watched a handful of other birds do the same, but this was the first time i actually saw blood dripping. I saw a picture of a bird in flight leaking oil i will try and find it.



I agree with this.  Its well known that steel shot just doesn't carry the same stopping power. My daughters boy friend or the boyfriend in law however you want to look at it water swatted a drake mallard at 20 yards and after he got it from the dog shot was falling out of the feathers with only a few pellets (8-10) penetrating the skin.

No one can convince me there are less cripples or birds that just fly away with shot in them with steel than lead.

#6 lead does a number on crows and crows are tough birds.


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## Lukikus2 (Feb 2, 2015)

I've never ran stainless down any of my barrels. When they came up with that mandate I quit cold turkey.


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## Core Lokt (Feb 3, 2015)

One thing I catch myself doing from time  to time (on rushed shots) is not getting my cheek down all the way where it should be on the stock. This will = cripples and or misses for sure.


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## Silver Bullet (Feb 3, 2015)

I've tightened my choke up.  Knowing that I have to be more precise with my swing has lead to better shooting.  If I lead the bird right, it means more pellets in the head.  If I miss, it's typically a cleaner miss.  Sort of a self fulfilling prophesy...


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## MFOSTER (Feb 4, 2015)

Preacher look up shot stream and it will give you a better understanding of your pattern


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## Lukikus2 (Feb 4, 2015)

Are they coming in hot and heavy, fast flyby's or slow and setting down? You could be shooting a foot behind them or a foot to much depending on the situation. Your good on a quick trigger with a rabbit for sure and enjoy the posts. But birds are faster and you have to lead them pretty far sometime.


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