The seasons endlessly follow one another, year after year, and that means hunting seasons also fall in endless sequence. For a lot of American outdoorsmen, that means dove hunting is just around the corner, and in the weeks ahead of this year’s dove season, there’s a new selection of Stratified loads specifically for this purpose from Apex Ammunition.
Apex Ammunition specialties @ TFB:
What’s different about dove hunting?
Doves are migratory birds, but they can be hunted with lead shot, unlike waterfowl such as geese or ducks. But although many hunters believe lead shot is superior to steel shot in many ways, the reality is that modern shotshell design can find performance advantages to new non-toxic pellets as well.
Why use Stratified loads?
When we look specifically at the new dove-hunting loads in the Stratified series from Apex, we see a layered shot payload of hardened L3 high-antimony lead pellets in different sizes. This is supposed to provide optimized pattern and hitting power at either close-in birds or those further-out fliers. Improved shot density is supposed to get more of your pellets on-target.
Even though non-toxic loads aren’t required in many jurisdictions, some hunters are regulated to use them, and others prefer them. Apex Ammunition also offers steel dove loads with S3 zinc-plated steel pellets.
Apex Ammunition says they made these shells off real-world feedback from the field, not the mind games of a bunch of nerds in a lab.
“Our move into lead and steel dove loads is the result of tremendous demand from retailers and our customers in the upland community who want Apex’s consistent quality and performance in loads for smaller, more fragile game birds like dove and quail,” said Jason Lonsberry, the big boss at Apex Ammunition. “We are excited to now offer affordable, high-quality lead and non-toxic steel options for these hunts.”
See pricing below (MSRP per 25-round box):
Apex Ammunition Dove Stratified L3 Lead
- 12 Ga, 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #7 and #8 L3 Lead Shot – $19.99
- 12 Ga, 2 ¾” 1 ⅛ oz #7 and #8 L3 Lead Shot – $18.99
- 20 Ga, 3” 1 ⅛ oz #7 and #8 L3 Lead Shot – $18.99
- 20 Ga, 2 ¾” 1 oz #7 and #8 L3 Lead Shot – $16.99
Apex Ammunition Dove Stratified S3 Steel
- 12 Ga, 2 ¾” 1 oz #6 and #7 S3 Steel Shot – $18.99
- 20 Ga, 2 ¾” ¾ oz #6 and #7 S3 Steel Shot – $16.99
Keep an eye on ApexAmmunition.com for more details in the weeks to come.
