Since the move away from lead, duck hunters have been faced with the problem of matching the right steel load with their gun to effectively down ducks. Thankfully the steel shot of yesteryear has been replaced with much higher quality loads on the market today.
To me it comes down to two things: speed and shot size. I am a big proponent of fast steel. I've seen the difference it makes when hunting ducks. I consider anything over 1,500 feet per second to be "fast steel". I only shoot steel that travels faster than 1,500 fps. I have found the Winchester Xpert shells traveling at 1,550 to work quite well, despite their relative bargain price. But enough about speed, you came here expecting a post on shot size. Well my unscientific response is 2 shot. I have run the full gamut of shot sizes over the years trying to find the "perfect" duck load. I have used as small as 6 shot for teal over decoys to as large as BBB. My experience has shown me that you can kill ducks with the smaller shot, but it 
will also lead to more cripples and birds that keep on flying. For this reason I have settled on 2 shot. When I hit a duck I want that duck to come down, there is nothing worse than being centered on a duck and watching it fly away hurt but not much worse for wear. 2 shot has been very good in this regard.
I encourage you to take some 2 shot to the duck blind with you the next time you are out. I think you will notice an improved kill rate if you have been using smaller shot sizes.
Is 2 shot good at killing ducks at short ranges as it would be for longer?
2 shot works well at close ranges assuming you actually hit the bird! Not trying to be a smart alec, just pointing out that it may be a slight bit harder to hit the bird when at 10 yards than at 30 due to the pattern being so tight.
Shot size does NOT have anything to do with pattern size. That is controlled by your choke. 2 shot works great at short range. I think I have settled on 2 or 3 shot for ducks.
Micah,
Perhaps I misspoke with use the term “pattern size” when I actually meant “pattern density”. Pattern density is absolutely a output of both the choke restriction as well as the shot size. Smaller shot size = more pellets = denser pattern. And this all falls back into what is important when out duck hunting. Denser patterns = more kills when it is combined with enough pellet energy to efffectively kill a passing duck. Thanks for the comment!
I shot a 10 gauge for years after the switch to steel. In the early days, steel shot was beyond poor and the extra payload and power of the 10 gauge helped to make up for that. #4′s would result in clean kills over dekes.
This year I switched to my old remington 870 express mag in 12 gauge. Even with the advancements in shot shell technology and performance (1550 fps), I’ve found the #4′s to be lacking. Currently using #2′s in 3″ with good results over dekes.
Brett,
I would tend to agree. I used to shoot 4 shot quite a bit and even went as small as 6 shot when targeting teal early season, but neither seem to have enough knockdown affect when it comes to steel shot. 2 shot has been a great load for my duck hunting since I switched some years back. Thanks for the comment!
I have grown up shooting Kent fasteel #2 3 inch for just about all the ducks I hunt. I have now started to shoot hevi-shot #4 and even #6 for teal and wood ducks. I have found that I get more pellets in every shot and therefore I get more pellets in the bird per shot. The only painful part is how much hevi-shot costs… I figure with all of the money that I have put into my boat, blind, decoys, gun, calls, waders, etc; I might as well go ahead and spend the extra money for more consistent clean kills with the more expensive shot.
Nick,
I hear you about the more pellets part, but the cost is so prohibitive with these non-toxic alternatives that I shy away quite a bit. The other thing is that over the years I have asked every guide I have ever used what type of shot they use and they all tell me the same thing: The cheapest they can find! Their theory is to get the birds in close for high quality shots and hammer them. The fact is that today’s steel at close ranges (<35 yards) is quite effective and there is no need to go with the more expensive hevi-shot/bismuth/tungsten matrix etc.
Thanks for the post!
I couldn’t agree more. I reload, which gives me a lot of room experiment. I have worked up all kinds of loads and killed tons of birds with them. However, I have come to the conclusion that a fast (over 1500 fps) load of straight #2′s is definitely the most effective load for mallards. Buy a good aftermarket choke to keep your pattern tight. I’m not a skybuster by any means, but when I’ve already shot one or two over the dekes and they are getting farther away, I can take a third bird with confidence. Also if someone wounds one I can reach out and finish the job. I don’t recommend #2′s for teal. It has been my experience that the pattern can get thin very quickly. You just don’t need that much energy to kill a teal compared to a mallard. #4′s seem to be best for teal in my experience.
I used to reload quite a bit, but with the super fast cheap steel that is available these days I have gone by the wayside and bought exclusively factory shells.
As for the #2′s being overkill for teal, you are right, but up here they don’t have a special teal season so it seems I am always mixing my teal with woodies and mallards. I wouldn’t want to be tangling mallards with #4′s. Just me I guess.
I recently switched from #4 high velocity steel to #2. After hunting alongside a friend that used #2 while I had #4s it was clear he had superior loads. The moment I truth that I realized #4 doesnt cut it was when a low flying duck cruised by a foot over the water. I shot him and watched my 4′s splash a circle around him and he didnt miss a beat. A second later my friend did the same with his 2′s and dropped him on the spot. After the switch I have had better kill rates (even with the smaller duck).
what shot size is best for cans and bluebills and what brand
I would stick with 2′s personally. I am a big fan of Winchester Expert shells for their price point, but really it depends on how your gun matches up with the load.
and how about for a 20 gauge
20 gauge I would go a bit larger in shot as a general rule due to less payload, but 2′s are likely still a good choice. Perhaps 1′s or BB’s.