I picked these two boxes of Winchester Duck & Pheasant Load up at a big community yard sale today for $5 per box. Looks like the previous owner paid $5.90 per box some time back. I'm not sure what the original sticker says under the 5.90. The shells are modern shells, but I recall these from back when I was a kid if I'm not mistaken, definitely before steel was required for ducks.
I may shoot them at pheasant, but I may just put them up. Anyone know when Winchester was making these?
Old Win. Duck & Pheasant Load
- Shooter
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Re: Old Win. Duck & Pheasant Load
I remember my dad buying them in the very late 60s, and into the early to mid 70s.
- Hoobilly
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Re: Old Win. Duck & Pheasant Load
wasn't it in the late 80/s when they made the switch to all steel for fowl?
Re: Old Win. Duck & Pheasant Load
I believe hoobilly is right, I remember buying those but not sure when, I started reloading in the mid 70's.
I was not his father but he was my son,,MAK IV, 10-15-1993 - 4-22-2007
"Rest in Peace my Little Buddy"
"Rest in Peace my Little Buddy"
Re: Old Win. Duck & Pheasant Load
I may be wrong but It seems to me we only had to shoot steel if shooting ducks and geese over water. Was something about the birds ingesting the shot with the mud and other stuff the scoop of the pond and river bottoms. Then they changed it to field duck and goose shooting too because someone found shot ingested in eagles from eating the wounded ducks. I'm not sure what the dates to these changes were but I got damn tired of watching wounded geese fly off full of the steel shot, where lead would have brought them down. The new steel now seems good but that steel stuff when it first came out was junk IMO.
I was not his father but he was my son,,MAK IV, 10-15-1993 - 4-22-2007
"Rest in Peace my Little Buddy"
"Rest in Peace my Little Buddy"
- Spuriosity
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Re: Old Win. Duck & Pheasant Load
I shot quite a few of those in the 70s and probably into the 80s. IIRC, they were Winch's economy line. They were non buffered, unplated lead with cardboard wadding with a plastic shot wrapper. XX was their premium line with heavier payloads and CP shot. But as others have said, they still killed a lot better than the early steel loads. I have some old Rem. 2.75" steel 1s with 1&1/8 oz of shot at anemic velocities. Bounced off geese all day long. You could hear them hitting the geese, which kept right on going unless you broke a wing or made a lucky head or neck shot.
Those will still kill pheasants as good as they ever did, which is pretty darn good.
Those will still kill pheasants as good as they ever did, which is pretty darn good.
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Re: Old Win. Duck & Pheasant Load
Yup .. shot em' in the 70's till' I started to reload my 2 3/4" Herco 1 1/4oz loads for ducks & geese. Steel came out in the later 70's and voluntary usage in MI and a buddy said he wasn't going to get a new gun to shoot it, so he quit duck hunting altogether and I bought my 1st Rem. 1100 and later had all the 4 barrels reamed out for 3" steel when it became mandatory.
Now those 1st steel shells were nasty!!! Shoot a duck down and blood trail it into the standing corn and retrieve it .. dead!!
Now those 1st steel shells were nasty!!! Shoot a duck down and blood trail it into the standing corn and retrieve it .. dead!!
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
Re: Old Win. Duck & Pheasant Load
I bought those back in the mid 70's as well.
I may not be smart but I can lift heavy objects
I have no need for a 30-06, I have a shotgun
I have no need for a 30-06, I have a shotgun
Re: Old Win. Duck & Pheasant Load
That was our go to Turkey load back in the late 70's. Best shell on the market at the time.