Best shot size for Ducks: A Comparison of different steel shot sizes

Table of Contents:
Unfamiliar/confused with how shot sizes work?
What does shot size mean?
How many pellets are in steel shot shells?

Have a grasp of the concept of different shot sizes?
Best shot sizes for ducks
Knockdown power of steel shot sizes
Density pattern of steel shot sizes
Is size 2 shot good for duck hunting?
Is size 3 shot good for duck hunting?
Is size 4 shot good for duck hunting?

Comparing knockdown power of steel shot sizes

In order make a clean shot on a duck, a shotgun pellet must have at least 3 foot-pounds of energy when making impact to penetrate the duck’s feathers and skin. We’re looking at distances of up to 40 yards because most shots occur within this range. Ducks can be shot from further away, but at that point chances of wounding the bird increases exponentially.

Key takeaways from the chart above:

• At 20 and 30 yards: Other than 6’s, all shot sizes shown have enough knockdown power to make a clean shot on a duck. (The size 6 at 20 yards is very close with 2.9, so with a little luck it might still get the job done at that range, but not consistently)

• At 40 yards: All shot sizes other than 4’s and 6’s still have enough knockdown power for ducks

• Size 6 shot is not a viable option for ducks further than 20 yards away

• Size 4 shot is not a viable option for ducks 40 years away or further

Pellets inside a 30” (pattern density)

While ducks cannot be harvested by pellets that don’t have enough energy to penetrate them (3+ foot-pounds), they’re also a moving target that can sometimes be tricky to hit. *It only takes 1-2 pellets hitting a duck in the head/neck with this amount of energy to make a clean shot*. The more pellets in a concentrated zone (30” circle), the greater the likelihood of at least 1-2 of them ending up in this critical area.

Key takeaways from the chart above:

• At 20 yards: #4 is the smallest shot size that has enough power to consistently bring down a duck (figure 2). At 20 yards, they have 52% more pellets within a 30” circle than #2’s have (figure 3)

• At 30 yards: 30 yards is the furthest consistent range for shooting ducks with 4’s (figure 2). #4’s contain 22% more pellets than #3’s do within a 30” circle at this range.

• At 40 yards: Of the lethal loads, #3’s contain the most pellets. They have 24% more than #2’s (which are the next smallest for this range) in a 30” circle (figure 3).

Is size 2 shot good for duck hunting:

#2’s Effective Range for Ducks

Size 2 shot is the best load for shooting ducks beyond 45 yards. Of all the shot sizes that have enough power to be effective at this range, 2’s have the highest concentration of pellets within a 30” circle (figure 1). For ducks closer than 45 yards, a smaller shot size is better.

Is size 3 shot good for duck hunting:

#3’s Effective Range for Ducks

Size 3 shot is the best load for duck hunting when shooting at ducks between 30 and 40 yards away. They still have enough power to bring down a duck at 40 yards, and still contain more pellets within a 30” circle than larger shot sizes.

Is size 4 shot good for duck hunting:

#4’s Effective Range for Ducks

Size #4 shot is the best load for shooting ducks up to 35 yards away. Of all the shot sizes that have enough power to be effective at this range, 4’s have the highest pellet density within a 30” circle. For ducks further than 35 yards, a larger shot size is required.

What do the different shot sizes mean?

If shot size concept is new (or still confusing) to you, we first need to be on the same page as to what the different shot sizes represent:

• Each shotgun shell shot size is assigned either a number or letter(s). The higher the assigned number, the smaller the diameter of the pellets within the shotgun shell. These diameters are standard and do not changed based upon shotgun shell maker or material the pellets are constructed of.

Diameter of steel shotgun shells

A larger pellet size (lower assigned number), means more power to make a clean shot on a duck or goose. If size was all that mattered, we’d all be shooting BB size shot at ducks and that would be the end of it.

But there’s much more to the story…

Total number of pellets in various steel shot sizes

Shotgun shells hold the pellets that shotguns use to shoot ducks with. All shotgun shells of the same length have the same amount of space within them. Example: all 3 inch shells have the same amount of capacity to be filled with “stuff” as all other 3 inch shells do. In order to fit inside a shotgun chamber, shells must all be the same diameter regardless of their length. This means the larger the pellet diameter within the shotgun shell (the lower the assigned number), the fewer pellets will fit into it.

It’s easier to shoot a flying object if you have more pellets per shell. So if all other variables were equal, it could be said that size 6’s would give hunters the best chance at making a clean shot on a duck because of the sizes listed in the chart, it has the most pellets per shot. But, #6’s don’t have enough knockdown power (figure 2) to bring down a duck at most ranges.

Per (figure 4), we see that more pellets in a shell means that each pellet has to be smaller. The smaller the pellets (higher assigned number), the less power there is per pellet. It’s also important to note that power of any pellet, regardless of its diameter, diminishes the longer it stays in flight (figure 2).