2 3/4 shells

W

Worth Mathewson

Active member
Regarding the current lack of 12 bore shells, I wonder how many on this site depend on the 2 3/4 size? As for myself, 3 inch shells for ducks over decoys is an overkill. Back in the 1950s one of my favorite loads for decoying ducks was 20 bore 7 1/2. And during a period I shot my Ithaca side by side 10 bore for ducks I used the 2 7/8 shell, as the 3 1/2 was too much for that type of shooting. Then there is the fact that I shoot old doubles. Most of these are chambered for 2 3/4. I do have two guns, a Charles Boswell and a W&C Scott that are chambered and were made for 3 inch shells. I use the Boswell as my go to gun, but only put 3 inch shells in it for geese. Several of the guys I shoot with all use 3 inch. Frankly I have often wondered if they really need them. Am I wrong with this line of thinking? Be interested if what you guys think. Thanks.
 
Worth,
Good question.

Back in the early 80s, as a kid, we used lead "duck & pheasent" high-brass 2 3/4 #6s for everything : ducks, squirrels, grouse, pheasants & rabbits.

Since I re-started waterfowl hunting in 1996, I have (almost) always used steel 3" shells for ducks. Most of my hunting is open water where shots vary from close range to 35 yards. And species on any given day can range from teal to canvasbacks and Canada/snow geese and everything in between. So I've stuck with 3", in 1 1/4 oz #3s to be exact.
That said, for 90% of my shots, I think 2 3/4" loads would be just fine. And I had a few small tidal creeks that I hunted back in Mobile that I used 2 3/4" #6s for woodies and ringnecks.

I shot 2 boxes of 3.5" for snows & specklebellies in Texas one morning. That cured me from ever buying another box of those shoulder killers.
 
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The time was that all a hunter needed was 2 3/4" shotgun shells. They worked just fine, and still do.

Then came the decline of the 16ga. and the 3" 20ga. to replace the 16ga. and very poorly so.

Magnum 3" 12ga, "Waterfowl shotguns" and shells became more popular in the 60's & 70's with lead shot. Full choke "far reachers". We were told, more is better, more powder, more shot.

With the advent of steel shot shells that were very poor ammo in the early days of it's use. 3" shotguns became the norm, to try to make up for the shells dismal performance. 2 3/4" chambered 20's and 12's were in decline, as was the ammo.

Then along came the 3 1/2" 12ga. The abomination that would try to replace the 10ga. and made for a mighty fine "flinch maker" and expensive conservation tool.


Somewhere along the line the skill of waterfowling became smothered by Bigger is Better.

The gun industry sold it, and folks sucked it up. Killem at all costs, and the guns and the ammo do cost much more than what is really needed for successful hunting.

A entire generation has no idea how good 2 3/4" shotguns are. They are not easy to find these days, and when ya show someone a 2 3/4" 20ga. and 12ga. they shake their head in disbelief....


my 2 cents
 
I don't own a gun that will chamber 3.5" shells. I'm a small frame guy and don't care for multiple shots in 3" shells, not bad for turkeys with a normal one shot.
Still my 20 gauge outperforms my 12 in most things excluding geese. So I stick with it unless I feel like using my 16.

The 2 3/4" shells I have had no issues in lethality. I guess mindset wise I still choose the 3" for my 20 when shooting bigger ducks just to be sure I have enough but really can't say it makes a difference.
 
Worth
I have a 10,12,16 and a 28. I just assumed a size 4 shot at 1200fps that it didn't matter what gauge it came out of, if your on target it will kill the same. The only thing is bigger bore or longer shell gets you more pellets, same shot size and same speed, as the smaller bore or shell. The only thing is extreme cold and wind the 10 seems work better.
That's my 2 cents
 
It mostly depends on your opportunities.

If you have abundant opportunities relative to the number of ducks you?d like to eat, there?s no real need for 3? shells. You?ll be able to wait for the shots that are lethal with 2 3/4? shells.

I don?t think there?s any question that a 3? shell with its added powder and shot is able to extend one?s lethal range and if combined with the appropriate choke and shooting skill, one can achieve more opportunities? which is nice if one isn?t blessed with an abundance of them.

There are also places where the ducks or geese simply aren?t going to come close. Such as a certain dry land point I like that is fringed by bulrush for 10-15 yards. Without that aquatic vegetation I would imagine the ducks would come 10-15 yards closer.

I love to shoot 16s and 20s but I have enough skill and experience to know there are shots I could make make with a big 12 that I won?t try with the smaller guns.
 
I hunt an older Remington 1100 IC, what is this 3 inches you are talking about?

I do tend to be careful of what shots I take, but I find that every duck or goose I hit in the lips falls down just fine😋
 
Worth~


I do not own any guns chambered for larger than 2-3/4 - and have no desire to do so. I have been concerned for a while about the scarcity of these "standard" shells. My plan is to get at least a couple more cases to last me until my shooting days are over. It'll be a sad day when perfectly good guns are retired for lack of ammunition.


All the best,


SJS









 
Boss shells has several bismuth options in 2 3/4 that I?ll be trying out this year. #5s, #4s, and a 3/5 combination. I have no experience with the company or with shooting bismuth, but I?m hoping it lives up to the hype.
 
I until 3 years ago, I was shooting 2 3/4 #3 Black Cloud and had plenty of success. I then started loading my own tungsten.2 3/4 #6 using HW13. My source is out of #6, but I have enough to get through this year.... That being said, just be safe... I picked up a case of Boss 2 3/4 #5 this week. Bismuth... not as good as HW13. But far superior to steel
 
I have been ducking for many years. I still use 2 3/4" for over decoys. I use mostly #4-6's. My friend friend has a saying, shoot them in the peeper, not the pooper. If you look at most of the ducks shot, you'll see body shots. HATE watching sports shows on tv and seeing tail feathers [ puff puff ] and all the high fives and screaming. Did you do that in your blind? Over the years I changed how I shoot. I shoot the pull away method, mount the gun on the bird, when you can see the bill clearly, pull away from the bill, head shot. If you look at the body, you're going to hit it. If you're shooting cripples, use #7 steel trap loads, shoot for the head, mass coverage.
 
Steel shot 2 3/4" cartridges are all I have used in my 1954 A5 since steel became law back in the 1960's. My Browning 12ga full choke did o k with those early steel loads. Then about 1980 I bought a skeet choked A5 barrel and noticed a better kill rate then with the full choke barrel. Last time I duck hunted, I used my imp cyl16ga Ithaca mod 37 and with steel 4's , I did very well on wood ducks and mallards. View attachment 1627051617242-881588861.jpg
 
I goose hunted with a older friend that shot a A5. He was a good shot, one day he had trouble folding a goose. Had him shoot a shot in the snow, then I shot near by. My pattern was over three times his width. Sold him a new screw in choked barrel. He told me to put in the mod choke, I put in a improved cyl, he was a happy camper.
 

When turkey shoots were very popular (good fund raisers for clubs). Some folks showed up with a old, full fixed choke 12ga. A5, and Model 12, and everyone took notice.

Most times at the end of the shoot, those folks had turkeys, and hams to put in the cooler to take home.

One shot, with a low brass, 2 3/4" #8. Winner winner turkey/ham dinner!
 
Brownings were noted for having tight chokes. Many I've checked were tighter than marked. One lady had a browning double auto 34' extra full. Was later banned from our turkey shoots. Can't beat those old Brownings, just keep on ticking.
 
I only use 2-3/4 shells for duck hunting, but I generally use a heavier specific gravity non-toxic shot. I have never liked steel for the type of marsh hunting I do. I actually prefer not to use steel at all, I see way too many birds hit that fly off only to die elsewhere as mentioned above. If you wait for shots at 10-15 yards feet down in the salt marsh, you aren't going to take many shots in a season. The absolute best shells I ever used, even better than lead, were the Remington Wingmaster HD and the Winchester Extended range that were available several years ago. Almost never a cripple or a bird lost.
 
I do not view 3" 12 ga steel shotgun shells as over kill. For years we shot 2 3/4" 12 ga lead loads of 1 1/4 ounces of #4, 5, or 6 shot at 1330 fps. A 3" steel shotgun shell shoots 1 1/4 -1 3/8 ounces of shot at ~1300 to 1400 fps. I do not think the recoil is noticeably different with a 3" steel load compared to the high brass 2 3/4" lead shells I used to shoot.

I am cheap. I used to buy my shotgun shells after season when the stores had them on clearance. When buying shells on clearance you take what is leftover. Many of the shells I shoot were $5-7/box for 2 3/4" and 3" steel in everything from #6-T shot. They all kill birds just fine if you match the shot size to what you are hunting.
 
My dads' old Ithaca M66 Super Single won many turkeys and hams back in the day!
 
Worth,
When I was shooting a lot more I looked to reloading after having some disappointment with factory steel loads. This was in the 90's.
After some time reading Tom Rosters excellent work on lethality I settled on a 2 3/4" shell with 1 oz of steel shot using Alliant powder. Those RSI wad loads patterned much better than the Factory shells I had bought before. These home rolled killed ducks really well when I put them on target.
I see a lot of guys trying to buy skill with bigger shells. Slo motion video of recoil shooting these is impressive.
I know some really good long bird hunters. And a bunch more that have not mastered it at all.
I am glad I still have all the components to load for the season ahead.
But I do regret not trying to lay in a supply of the better shot (vs Steel) thats now on the market.
Enjoy the Fall ahead.
 
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