Favorite Duck load?

[btag601]

The clouds hit hard. I love them but they do leave my gun. I clean it after every hunt though so it dont matter much to me. 3.5in #2s

[Greenhead329]

Black Cloud is a dirty shell, however saying that its dirty to them ducks too I was skeptic when I bought my first box, I had heard it was just a bunch of hype, but figured what the hay Id try it. My gun LOVED it..one of hte best patterning loads Ive shot and I seemed to have a better shot to kill ratio with it.

This was only my first season with blackcloud. For the past 4.5yrs Ive shot Kent Fast steel #3's. It has been a very good and reliable round for me. I wouldnt hesitate to shoot them any day. Only had one missfire out of a case and half of Kent shells!!

[Bonecollecter1111]

I know the Black clouds are dirty, but they are bad to the bone, i shoot 3 in with mod chock and killin ducks stone dead at fifty, was using 3.5 in kent 3's with extra full choke to get the same kill consistency at 40 yards, shooting the 3 balck clouds are not nearly as dirty as the 3.5 in, has less powder waste, and much less punishing, i seen guys cryin that had pump gun that were shooting the 3.5" shells

[rustypjr]

Which load is better Remington HD, Federal Black Cloud, or something else?

Something else!

[KWAKHED]

estate 3" #1's

[GulfCoast]

I had 3 squib loads out of probably 5 shells from one box of Black Clouds the first year that they were out. Had to take the gun apart multiple times, since the wad bridged at the choke tube. I ptiched that box. Copiah Creek was laughing at me until it happened to him, from a different box. I blew a couple pretty close ducks to goo with BC's in the timber, so I dropped the experiment. I have not found the Black Clouds to have any real advantage over Kents/Fiocchis either on paper or real ducks. 2 3/4 HD is a no-brainer, but its $3 a pop.

[BR549]

[quote="hntrpat1"]I loved estate 3 1/2 1/2oz 1's but they don't make em anymore.:


Ahh that's now the black cloud load! Same company, same components only difference is the way they are makin the shot. They are running steel thru heavishot grids. It looks just like heavi but it's actually steel. But other than that it's the same ole load we used to get in Estate. Or at least the last 2 years you could get that load. This was part of their maketing strategy when they pulled the 1 1/2 oz load off the market. They waited till the next hunting season and brought it back as the blackcloud. Some of the last 1 1/2oz estates were actually the same way. I still don't like the load though. Had way to many problems with Federal Ammo in the past. The black cloud is just an overpriced piece of junk IMO. They could sell this ammo way cheaper than they do. It doesn't cost them anymore to manufacture than it did the estate. Why pay for a premium grade shell when it's not? It's higher than Drylocs for god's sake. Not nearly as good!

[hntrpat1]

UMMMMMMMMMMM the estate load shot 1400fps black cloud 1500fps. Estate had a regular four split wad, black cloud has a flite stopper wad(no splits). Not the same load.

[BR549]

Whatever I buy 2 pallets a year from em! The very last 1&1/2oz estates where exactly like the blackclouds. Shot, wads, velocity and all. I may still even have a box a 2 left. Most of them never made it to the stores. There weren't many pallets shipped. If you didn't buy factory direct you couldn't get em at all. All of em gonna be hard to come by this year. Federal was sold out of this years production back in March when I talked to my distributer. Gonna have to go thru a wholesaler this year to get the Fed/Estate loads.

[champcaller]

kents #2s and #4s 1 1/8

[Greenhead22]

I know where there is one case of the Estate 3.5" 1 1/2 oz left. He won't sell them, but I'm about ready to offer some drylok's in trade.

[BR549]

I'll trade ya drylocs for some! You give me yo drylocs and I'll give you them damn estates!

[hntrpat1]

Cut open the shells take pictures of the wads and post em on here if they are the same I'll give you a hundred bucks. YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT TOTALLY DIFFERENT SHELLS!

[ducman77]

Bismuth 3" #3's or Winchester Supreme 3 1/2" 1 1/2 oz

[black lab 89]

I do not like Black Cloud. I mean dont get me wron...they patterened pretty well in my Benelli but they are very dirty. I only shot abt 5 boxes through it and i didnt buy another box. Im a Winchester person anyway. Normally I shoot Winchester Dryloc 3 1/2 in #2. they are 1 9/16 oz. i promise you that at 50 or 60 yards with this load shot through a Patternmaster, your gunna kill whatever your aimin at.