Steel shot sucks even on small birds!

Wow, as of this year we have to use non toxic shot on state dove fields.

I took the SPR310 20 gauge and today was day 2 of the season.

Birds were kinda high and running the edge of the mowed section, so they were out of range for steel. Lots of birds later, brush higher behind, many blasting past because you never knew they were coming until it was too late.

50 shell limit, and my cuz and I both for the first time ever, used all our shells. We flubbed some stuff early, but didn't take hardly any stupid shots, heck we even let a lof of possible good ones go.

Birds started coming in around 5, they extended shooting 'til sunset (instead of 6 pm cutoff).

3/4 oz of steel 7's just didn't cut it. Didn't bring them down like lead, and when they did come down they weren't dead like lead either. I was very disappointed in it.

Looks like the 870 12 gauge is coming out, with steel 6's. If that doesn't help then I won't hunt the F&W areas anymore (sad). I've had a great time over the years but prefer killing birds, not wounding them.

The SPR310 was too jerky even though I shot 50%. I changed hand position and other, it still did not swing smooth on quick shots (often jerking so badly that I lost the bird and didn't fire). Might make a good rabbit gun, but for doves it sucked.

It needs more weight overall, and more up front. 26" barrels are OK, don't think it a length issue as far as sightplane goes. 28's would be better, weight and sightplane.