# 2 3/4 Steelshot



## steelshotslayer (Dec 2, 2014)

Seen an add in either a Rogers or a Macks Pw catalog (I dont remember which) for 2 3/4 steel shot.  Thoughts? Opinions?  Anyone shot it yet?


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Dec 2, 2014)

I picked up some I found last year cheap.  My intention was to use it to finish cripples, but I've just never tried it.


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## king killer delete (Dec 2, 2014)

Teal


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## Gut_Pile (Dec 2, 2014)

Every duck in this picture was killed with 2 3/4 #7 steel shot.


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## Scrapy (Dec 2, 2014)

I ain't even got a 3" gun.


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## king killer delete (Dec 2, 2014)

Scrapy said:


> I ain't even got a 3" gun.


Yea and I aint got a 2 3/4 inch gun


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## steelshotslayer (Dec 2, 2014)

I'm seriously contemplating ordering some if they can do the job.


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## jeremyledford (Dec 2, 2014)

They can certainly do the job. I've killed a butt load with 2 3/4 shells.


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## Duckbob (Dec 2, 2014)

I use the Winchester Xpert 2 3/4 cause I still shoot an 1100. They work just fine. Pull the trigger they go bang. Ducks seem to be deathly allergic to them.

DB


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## Duckbob (Dec 2, 2014)

I bought a case from Macks cause the shipping is free in cases. But I paid $112 on sale. They're even lower now.

DB


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## WFL (Dec 2, 2014)

It works just choke smaller.


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## trophyslayer (Dec 2, 2014)

Great for timber and smaller swamps.


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## trophyslayer (Dec 2, 2014)

Really any time you know your finishing them within 20 yards in my opinion.


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## SC Hunter (Dec 2, 2014)

I shoot wood ducks every year with 2 3/4" shells.


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## g0nef1sshn (Dec 2, 2014)

ive only hunted with a 20 guage rem 870 wingmaster last 20 years. 2 3/4 full choke barrel. dropped them as good as my dads 12. #4;s to 6's shot. bigger gives you more, but 2 3'4 gets em when the aims right


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## lonedrake (Dec 2, 2014)

Why would you use 2 3/4 if your gun can shoot 3"????


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## mlandrum (Dec 2, 2014)

I got these with 2 3/4- 6's, they never knew what hit them, "Drake" and I were Bank jumping them!!!


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## steelshotslayer (Dec 2, 2014)

lonedrake said:


> Why would you use 2 3/4 if your gun can shoot 3"????



Save money yo.


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## welderguy (Dec 2, 2014)

I personally hate em.After getting dialed in and deadly with my 3" #2 blindsides,I cant make myself shoot anything less,no matter what the cost difference.I'll skimp on waders,coolers,boats,decoys,even calls,if I have to,but I wont skimp on my shells.EVER.I figure I owe it to the ducks.


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## steelshotslayer (Dec 2, 2014)

welderguy said:


> I personally hate em.After getting dialed in and deadly with my 3" #2 blindsides,I cant make myself shoot anything less,no matter what the cost difference.I'll skimp on waders,coolers,boats,decoys,even calls,if I have to,but I wont skimp on my shells.EVER.I figure I owe it to the ducks.



Price is not really a big deal I was just cutting up with Dalebert  I was mainly curious as to what everyones thoughts on them were I might try out a box on woodies on the creeks around here.  From what I have seen though the speed differences between a 3" and the 2 3/4"  with the exact same weight of shot you are only losing about 125fps  which really isn't that much of a difference if ya shoot one or two.  So to save a few bucks and only lose that much speed really isn't a bad trade off.


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## Scrapy (Dec 3, 2014)

Scrapy said:


> I ain't even got a 3" gun.


 started off with a 16 single shot Ivey Johnson shooting lead that kicked like a mule on clays but sweet as my girlfriend on ducks . The best wood duck hole gun I ever had was a 12 guage Ithica, I think it was, skeet gun. All aluminum , fiberglass 26" improved barrel. Could paddle the boat in the salt marsh with it and never rust. Used it in salt marsh too till I beat it to death with highbrass shells.  Started getting flakes of aluminum in my eye. It was quick. But I also carried a western auto 2&3/4 full choke 32 inch for the passing ducks. Never had more than three shells in either gun though. I figured back then it was like fishing with two poles  and if I got checked I'd just say my buddy jumped out de bote and got alligator ate tryin to fetch a duck.


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## andyparm (Dec 3, 2014)

I've got an old Beretta 2 3/4 gun with a modified barrel. SWEEEEEEEEEET gun that kills ducks


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## king killer delete (Dec 3, 2014)

They work good on teal and woodys in your face. 2& 3/4, 7s kill them over decoys all day long . I do not shot scooters at extended range with them. Its all where you hunt and just a bit of history back when we had steel shot zones I saw chunks of down float down from wounded  woodys that had been shot at very close range with the best 2 &3/4 inch steel shells you could buy , just fly away. That is the very reason you have 3.5 inch guns because steel was so poor when it came to killing back in the early 90s. Allot of waterfowlers shot the 10 for that reason. Now steel is 100 times better that it was at first. No the 3.5 inch gun is not here for the turkey or deer hunters. It was brought on for duck and goose hunters.


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## Silvereyes (Dec 3, 2014)

2 & 3/4 number 5 kill woody's in my area all day long. However, these are all in your face less than 15 yard shots.  I have a 2 & 3/4 only shotgun so when I bring a guest with no gun it gets used, but other than that I wouldn't suggest it if you can chamber 3".


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## krazybronco2 (Dec 3, 2014)

welderguy said:


> I personally hate em.After getting dialed in and deadly with my 3" #2 blindsides,I cant make myself shoot anything less,no matter what the cost difference.I'll skimp on waders,coolers,boats,decoys,even calls,if I have to,but I wont skimp on my shells.EVER.I figure I owe it to the ducks.



might want to pick you a different shell then buddy. blind sides are notorious for getting lodged in birds and not killing them.  just this year i was cleaning a wood duck that i know i shot (i was shooting kents) and found a blind side pellet in the bird. that is my one exeriance but if you do research on blind sides you will see similar stories.


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## krazybronco2 (Dec 3, 2014)

also 2 3/4in shells are what a lot of guys are using to reload with. they make some very fast rounds over 1600fps with a 1oz load of shot.

we actually put together a rio 2 3/4in shell that was HOT. 1650fps 1oz load it would have been a great timber hole or very close swamp shell just woundnt pattern very well out to 40 yards so you couldn't get the birds trying to get out the hole.


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## Scrapy (Dec 3, 2014)

killer elite said:


> They work good on teal and woodys in your face. 2& 3/4, 7s kill them over decoys all day long . I do not shot scooters at extended range with them. Its all where you hunt and just a bit of history back when we had steel shot zones I saw chunks of down float down from wounded  woodys that had been shot at very close range with the best 2 &3/4 inch steel shells you could buy , just fly away. That is the very reason you have 3.5 inch guns because steel was so poor when it came to killing back in the early 90s. Allot of waterfowlers shot the 10 for that reason. Now steel is 100 times better that it was at first. No the 3.5 inch gun is not here for the turkey or deer hunters. It was brought on for duck and goose hunters.



X2 all the way through.


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## welderguy (Dec 3, 2014)

I wonder if the reason for the lodged shot is due to bad shooting (out of range, or simply bad aim).I would speculate that there are other brands of shot getting lodged in birds as well, but you wont hear about them because the birds are being killed with similarly shaped shot.That's just my reasoning.Yall dont have to agree.


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## tgw925 (Dec 3, 2014)

lonedrake said:


> Why would you use 2 3/4 if your gun can shoot 3"????


So if they made a gun that shot 4" should everyone shoot 4"? I shoot 2 3/4 90% of the time. A lot of people jump the gun and just go for the biggest round they can find. If im in the timber im shooting 2 3/4 low brass #6's. You wont find a cripple. Even when im in a pit expecting to shoot birds from 30-40 yards, I use 3" #4's and #5's. 3 1/2" is highly overrated, the only time I would shoot them is for canadas.


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## steelshotslayer (Dec 3, 2014)

tgw925 said:


> So if they made a gun that shot 4" should everyone shoot 4"? I shoot 2 3/4 90% of the time. A lot of people jump the gun and just go for the biggest round they can find. If im in the timber im shooting 2 3/4 low brass #6's. You wont find a cripple. Even when im in a pit expecting to shoot birds from 30-40 yards, I use 3" #4's and #5's. 3 1/2" is highly overrated, the only time I would shoot them is for canadas.



The greatest advantage I know of in shooting the larger shells is the larger amount of shot.  More steel= Greater Chances.  Not that you can't kill birds with 2 3/4  or that 3.5 kills birds better but more steel in the air does give more opportunity for more steel in the kill zone. Which if you are dialed in and are a good shot you could hit em with a sling shot.


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## OILMAN (Dec 3, 2014)

I've been shooting a 20 gauge O/U lately- 3" 4 shot, or 3 shot. Takes care of the birds just fine. I have an SBE 2 I used to use religiously, but I just don't see the need anymore. Unless you're hunting a flooded field with shots at 40+ yards.


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## grouper throat (Dec 3, 2014)

Heck we sometimes pass shoot woodys with those 7s when the nearby ponds were too thick to get in them. I'd rather shoot those 2 3/4 low brass 7s than the 3" junky steel we had 15 years ago any day. It was all bark and little bite. We had to chase down a lot of cripples on the big water.


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## tradhunter98 (Dec 3, 2014)

I have got where I would rather shoot 3" 4s  I think it kills better vs. just breaking them down with No.2s


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## reelsouthern1220 (Dec 3, 2014)

I have shot both. I usually stick with 3 inch just because price wasn't that different and it does it all as far as big ducks, small ducks and anything in between. But I took down just as many with some 2 3/4 Rios I bought a couple of years ago.  I just ordered a case of 2 3/4 heavy steel. Going to see how they do on the divers this year.


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## krazybronco2 (Dec 3, 2014)

reelsouthern1220 said:


> I have shot both. I usually stick with 3 inch just because price wasn't that different and it does it all as far as big ducks, small ducks and anything in between. But I took down just as many with some 2 3/4 Rios I bought a couple of years ago.  I just ordered a case of 2 3/4 heavy steel. Going to see how they do on the divers this year.



make sure you check the lot number of the heavy steel and make sure they are not the bad ones. from what i have heard they have been replacing all shells purchased.


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## Headsortails (Dec 3, 2014)

1 1/4oz of #3 shot going 1400 fps is the same load whether 2 2/4" or 3".


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## king killer delete (Dec 3, 2014)

Headsortails said:


> 1 1/4oz of #3 shot going 1400 fps is the same load whether 2 2/4" or 3".



yep your right


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## steelshotslayer (Dec 3, 2014)

Headsortails said:


> 1 1/4oz of #3 shot going 1400 fps is the same load whether 2 2/4" or 3".


I doubt you'll find anyone argue that with ya.


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## welderguy (Dec 3, 2014)

If 1 1/4 ounce of shot is good at 1400 fps,wouldn't 1 3/8 ounces at 1400 fps be even better?


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## krazybronco2 (Dec 4, 2014)

welderguy said:


> If 1 1/4 ounce of shot is good at 1400 fps,wouldn't 1 3/8 ounces at 1400 fps be even better?



doesnt always mean it will be better.


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## king killer delete (Dec 4, 2014)

welderguy said:


> If 1 1/4 ounce of shot is good at 1400 fps,wouldn't 1 3/8 ounces at 1400 fps be even better?



Being an old reloader it depends on allot of factors. I also depends on your gun. some guns shot one load better that it shoots another. Allot of factors go into a good pattern and killing power or down range retained energy. That is why I roll my eyes when some body says what is a good choke. What is a good load, what kind of shells do you shoot. Each gun may or may not handle a load better or not on another load. One gun shots better than the other and then you add in the human factor. Some experts will say I am full of it . But that is the way I see it.


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## krazybronco2 (Dec 4, 2014)

killer elite said:


> Being an old reloader it depends on allot of factors. I also depends on your gun. some guns shot one load better that it shoots another. Allot of factors go into a good pattern and killing power or down range retained energy. That is why I roll my eyes when some body says what is a good choke. What is a good load, what kind of shells do you shoot. Each gun may or may not handle a load better or not on another load. One gun shots better than the other and then you add in the human factor. Some experts will say I am full of it . But that is the way I see it.



i completely agree even the same model gun with the same exact shell can pattern differently. what people also dont see or think about is how different wads work in certain guns like alot of mossbergs are over bored and you loose alot of velocity. so then you are not getting the full potential of the shell.


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## Core Lokt (Dec 4, 2014)

They kill ringers on big water over decoys just fine. 3's and 4's is my liking.

Heck I shot my daughters new Ydiz 20 on every hunt the first split. Sweet little gun.


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## UpSouth811 (Dec 4, 2014)

a lot of people get caught up with using the same load without testing others. Just because the work good for someone else doesn't always mean it's a good fit for your gun. 2 3/4 I've shot with plenty of success. I know people that's all they shoot. Personally my gun shoots drylok 3s and heavy metal 2s the best out of the loads I've experimented with. Just try some different loads til you find what's right with your gun.


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## fowlplay87 (Dec 4, 2014)

X2 on the blindsides i have picked up birds (i shoot 20ga 3in hevi metal #4) with little square pellets lodged in the breast and trying to heal over and ruining the meat. But i will say my grand father shot a Franchi 20ga (his quail gun) with a kicks full with 2 3/4 kent #4 and has laid out a may on migratory mallards in Oklahoma!


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## king killer delete (Dec 4, 2014)

The blindsides are an attempt to make steel work like the old deformed lead shot which made lead such a killer.


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## king killer delete (Dec 4, 2014)

krazybronco2 said:


> i completely agree even the same model gun with the same exact shell can pattern differently. what people also dont see or think about is how different wads work in certain guns like alot of mossbergs are over bored and you loose alot of velocity. so then you are not getting the full potential of the shell.



No two race cars run the same. All the specs can be the same but one will still run faster than the other.


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## deast1988 (Dec 4, 2014)

I've shot woodys with 2 3/4in #3s and #4s.

My dad has an A5 2 3/4in chamber we set him up with 2 3/4in #4s and he was tagging gaddies on his gun barrel. I view it similar to why I shoot turkeys with a 20ga. A #4 or anysize for that matter running 1400fps Carrys the same as a bigger shell or smaller shell with the same pellet at the same speed. 

I like blindsides if distance is reasonable strech your shots bad things happen. Dense brutal patterns 30yds or less I like them. More shot denser patterns.


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## welderguy (Dec 4, 2014)

killer elite said:


> The blindsides are an attempt to make steel work like the old deformed lead shot which made lead such a killer.



I think the reason for the shot being square is so they will stack tighter inside the casing,therefore they can fit more pellets in there.They also put more powder charge in there as well.The big key to all of that working(in certain guns) is the special wad that flies further with the pellets, holding them together longer.Even with that though, blindside shells arent intended for shots out past 40 yards or so. (Different guns/chokes may vary that slightly).


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## g0nef1sshn (Dec 4, 2014)

I miss with them all the same.


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## krazybronco2 (Dec 4, 2014)

welderguy said:


> I think the reason for the shot being square is so they will stack tighter inside the casing,therefore they can fit more pellets in there.They also put more powder charge in there as well.The big key to all of that working(in certain guns) is the special wad that flies further with the pellets, holding them together longer.Even with that though, blindside shells arent intended for shots out past 40 yards or so. (Different guns/chokes may vary that slightly).



you do understand that there are not more pellets in the shell.  it is the same number of pellets in a blind side shell as there is in any other hull with a 1 3/8oz load. also the square pellets are the same size and weight as a normal steel pellet of the same shot size.

and the reason for the wad is just the same as it is for the black clouds it keeps the pattern tighter because odd shaped steel pellets dont fly straight, so the longer they can keep the wad around the pellets theoretically you should get the same pattern as a normal wad with normal steel shot. 

not sure about the power weight because the blind sides use a different hull than the drylocks.

there is a reason i quit shooting the "marketed" shells and started hand loading my own.


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## deast1988 (Dec 4, 2014)

I cut a 1 1/4 #2 129

To the blindside 1 3/8 #2  179

Does 1/8oz of #2 give you 50pellets??


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## krazybronco2 (Dec 4, 2014)

deast1988 said:


> I cut a 1 1/4 #2 129
> 
> To the blindside 1 3/8 #2  179
> 
> Does 1/8oz of #2 give you 50pellets??



well first off your pellet count for the 1 1/4oz load is wrong because for a 1oz load of #2s there should be around 125 pellets. a 1 1/4oz load of #2s is around 157 pellets and a 1/8oz difference in load of #2s is about 16 pellets. all these numbers are appoximent becuase the densities of every batch of steel could be slightly different.

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Shot-Information-and-Data-Tables/products/595/


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## Potlicker60 (Dec 6, 2014)

His pellet count might be right and the manufacturer may be shorting what they put in the shell.  What shell was it?


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## wazman19 (Dec 7, 2014)

I picked up a box of 2&3/4 inch black cloud #3's at cabelas yesterday. I plan on trying them out on wood ducks.


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