Waterfowl hunters take note: Federal Ammunition this year will add to its Ultra Steel lineup four double-stack 10- and 12-gauge 3 1/2-inch loads. Those loads will be stacked with No. 1/BBB, 2/BB and 2/4.
Federal Premium Ultra Steel in 12- and 20-gauge 3-inch features the company’s rear-opening FliteControl Flex wad behind a single-stack or double-stack payload of zinc-plated steel. In either gauge, it’s available loaded with a single stack of No. 2 or a double stack of No. 2/BB, 2/4 or 3/5.
In a double-stack load, says Federal, hunters should expect a denser pattern because more pellets are present compared to a single-stack load. Hunters can also expect more energy on target because of the larger shot size in a double-stack. This is a great option in the field when hunters can expect ducks or geese in the same morning.
Federal Premium Ultra Steel shares with Federal’s famous Black Cloud shotshell the company’s rear-opening FliteControl Flex wad, but the unique payloads of each lead to differences in patterning. Black Cloud carries a 60/40 blend of round steel and FliteStopper steel. Ultra Steel is 100-percent premium-grade steel shot that is incredibly round and concentric. In front of the FliteControl Flex wad, an Ultra Steel load is designed to provide hunters with not only a super-consistent pattern but a very tight core of the pattern as well. Unlike many steel loads, Ultra Steel is zinc coated to guard against corrosion. Also, the absence of FliteStopper steel makes Ultra Steel considerably less pricey than Black Cloud.
The best waterfowl loads balance manageable recoil, cleanliness and power. Propellants used in Federal Premium Ultra Steel cover all three. Federal engineers have chosen just the right powder to deliver a balance between payload and power. But while speed is everything in waterfowl shotshells, more is not always better for pattern efficiency. Federal picked the payloads and velocity of Ultra Steel to maximize pattern efficiency and pellet count, while never losing sight of the ability to reach out there to bring down a bird. In 12-gauge loads, that sweet spot is a muzzle velocity of 1450 fps with an ounce-and-a-quarter payload that doesn’t hammer your shoulder.
MSRP for Federal Premium Ultra Steel is $42.99 for a box of 25 12-gauge shells, and $37.99 for a box of 20-gauge. Look for comparable prices for the new 10- and 12-gauge 3/12-inch loads coming soon at federalpremium.com.
