Don't worry KT, if thinking about a missing bead will cause you to miss a pressure shot, I'm sure you will be able to think of something else that will cause you to miss. You'll be thinking about the load being used, the range to the bird, etc. Just wait until the bird gets in real close, and you will have 3 shots to make good on the deal. On the third one though, you will probably be thinking about it being the last shot you have, so you might miss that one too. LOL

Let me see now, I think I can remember most of them.

Didn't follow through.

Pulled my head

Didn't get out in front

Gun just doesn't quite fit

It was a quick pull

Those are my top 5 favorites.. LOL

Had something in my eye.

My hands were sweaty.

A knat threw me off.

Did you see that snake?

The gun jammed up.

LOL

1) defective shells

2) the wind made it hard to follow through

3) high humidity/precipitation slowed the shot down

4) clothing binding won't let you swing properly

5) it's an optical illusion- that D*** bird is dead and still flying

6) this steel/hevi shot/bismuth (pick what's appropriate) stuff isn't as good as what we used to use in the Good Old Days

Yeah, I blamed a couple this year on some new Black Cloud stuff that I was shooting. Won't be buying that stuff again. LOL

Fabs, try some Hevi-Steel. It's about $23-$25 a box of 25. I know it's not as heavy as the really good stuff but it is noticably better than any other steel. It's about the same price as Black Cloud. I used it on geese in Canada last year and it killed them dead in the air and I'm used to chasing cripples. I'm used at at home in my duck sloughs and it was much better than the standard steel loads I usually shoot, no more finishing shots on the water.

Thanks MT,

I think I'll give Hevi-Steel a try for next season, unless I just up and decide to go the full Hevi-Shot route. I used to only use Hevi-Shot, and then got suckered into this Black Cloud stuff since it was cheaper. I'm always looking for cheaper, but I usually don't like to sacrifice performance for cheaper. Kind of tough to do, but I try.

I'm actually really diggin' the black cloud, wasnt at first the first day i used it i tripled on greenheads and had to chase all three. so i figured i would just put one in the chamber while hunting decoying canadas, with number 2 shot i never had a single cripple with the stuff and some passing shots were out to 40yds, i was impressed considering i normally shoot bbb 3" shells
kt

so to put this to rest, i decided to dremmel the damn screw a little at a time, the thing is perfect now although i expected the bead to be brighter as my last bead stood out at first light. no biggy, the original metal bead didnt glow at all.