For shooting over decoys or jump shooting small tanks which steel shot is the most lethal. I used Black Cloud last year in a 12ga 2 3/4" #3 with great results. I see there are several new types of shot out there.

Perry

Ones with a velocity of over 1500fps. I found that high velocity and steel works well.

I like 3s and 2s 4s for the closer stuff

I will start out by saying I hate steel shot and don't use it any more. That said I have shot a lot of ducks with it in the past and before I moved on I found the heaviest loads of #1 of B shot would kill close in birds fairly well. On decoying birds I don't think the high velocity really buys you much, except a lot of recoil.
C.G.B.

I kill a lot of Mallards each year. I like 1 1/4oz loads of #2, 3, 4 shot at velocities of 1300-1400fps. I shoot Remington Nitro Steel, Winchester DryLok and Federal WingShok mostly. I don't use promo stuff like Winchester Xpert or Remington Sportsman stuff. I take shots to 40yds and decoying birds. I have not felt any need for shooting the hyper velocity loads or Black Cloud stuff.

I have shot several ducks with my Sauer 12x12x30/06 Drilling.

I have had great results with No 4 Bismuth

The best run I have ever had on decoying ducks was with Federal 1 Oz load of #6 steel. Nineteen ducks for 22 shells. Go figure!

465H&H

try some Rio's, you wont be disappointed, or Kent Fasteel both of them are the best for your money

Rio's killed most of these this morning

I hunt ducks a lot. For tight quarter shooting over dekes about any No4 load works fine. For bigger water and late season birds the fast 2 3/4" or 3" loads of No4 work well as do the fast loads of 3" No3's. For jump shooting I would use the faster loads since there are more variables.

I have found that going with shot sizes larger than No3 produces more work for my labs, with fewer dead birds and more strong swimmers.

The best non lead duck load I have found is the 1 3/8oz, 2 3/4" Kent TungstenMatrix load in No5 shot. Cleanly kills the ducks, also cleanly kills the surprise Canada's that come I to the spread.

JPK

Are you guys in the US allowed to shoot lead in 20 gauge, or do you still have to shoot steel?

Just curious as down here, we are allowed to still shoot lead in 16G and 20G (and smaller gauges), but have to shoot Steel in 12G

quote:

Are you guys in the US allowed to shoot lead in 20 gauge, or do you still have to shoot steel?

As long as you used non toxic shot.

quote:

Are you guys in the US allowed to shoot lead in 20 gauge, or do you still have to shoot steel?

All legal US duck shooting, regardless of gauge of shotgun, must be done with non-toxic shot, but not necessarily steel.

Bismuth, especially in SXS including older shotguns and drillings.
Jim

The best 2 3/4" 12 ga duck load "was" 1.5 ounces of lead #4. But that was the good old days.

the funny thing is that bismuth is also quite poisonous metal, especially in the form of dust.

In General the best is between 1/100 and 1 / 96th of the weight of the gun.

actually bismuth is used in pepto bismol and is a stomach relief agent.

steel #2's such as the fiocchi 2-3/4" round is adequate for everything out to 40 yds.
I have shot ton's of fiocchi 3" #1's and 2-3/4" #2's and use them for pass, jump, and, decoy shooting.
velocity in the 1400-1450 fps area is about the perfect balance for penetration, pattern, and range.

I have used lots of different loads, but always seem to come back to Winchester #2 Drylok

I've found #3 shot 1 1/4 oz over decoys deadly.
Winchester Blind Side an Black Cloud both are great loads.
I've also use a lot of Kent in #3s good stuff.

Before I gave up on the 12ga and went to a 20, I always used this load, even on decoyed geese:

AA hull, 28.5 grs Herco, RP-12 Wad, 1 1/4 oz #5 lead shot.