Mallard — Steel #2 Performance at 40 Yards (Free Access)
What this page shows
This free page illustrates one specific ballistic scenario for mallard hunting:
a 12-gauge high-velocity steel #2 load evaluated at 40 yards, using the same anatomical and ethical framework applied throughout the Premium database.
It is not a recommendation, but a reference case showing how penetration, pattern density, and choke choice interact on medium-sized ducks.
Mallard — Physical Constraints
Target surface
Based on anatomical modelling, the effective frontal vital zone of an adult mallard is approximately:
- 45 in²
Compared to geese, mallards present a smaller target surface and shallower vital organs, reducing penetration requirements but still demanding sufficient hit density.
Lethality requirements (Mallard)
To reach a lethality probability approaching 95%, ballistic modelling indicates that the following conditions must be met simultaneously:
- Minimum penetration: ≥ 1.5 inches
- Minimum vital hits: ≈ 6 pellet impacts within the vital zone
Failure to meet either condition results in increased crippling probability, even if the other parameter is exceeded.
Load Evaluated — Steel #2 (12 ga, 1⅛ oz HV)
Reference configuration
- Shot material: Steel
- Pellet size: #2
- Payload: 1⅛ oz
- Muzzle velocity: High-velocity (HV)
- Approximate pellet count: ~155 pellets
- Choke: Full choke (100% pattern density @ 40 yards)
This configuration represents a very common duck load used by North American waterfowl hunters.
Ballistic Performance at 40 Yards
Penetration
At 40 yards, steel #2 pellets achieve approximately:
- 1.9 inches of penetration
This comfortably exceeds the minimum penetration requirement for mallards, providing reliable access to the heart–lung complex under normal impact conditions.
Pattern density
At the same distance, pattern density reaches approximately:
- 7.6 effective impacts within the vital zone equivalent
This is above the minimum hit requirement, confirming that lethality is achieved with margin.
Ethical Interpretation
At 40 yards, a 1⅛ oz HV steel #2 load is fully ethical and effective on mallards.
However, when combined with a very tight choke, this configuration can become slightly overloaded:
- Penetration is more than sufficient
- Hit count exceeds minimum requirements
- Pattern core may become over-concentrated
In practical hunting conditions, this means that lethality is excellent when the bird is perfectly centered—but forgiveness decreases if the shot is slightly off-center.
A more open choke (e.g., Modified instead of Full) often provides a wider, more even pattern at 40 yards, increasing real-world margin of error without sacrificing penetration.
Key takeaway (Free Access)
Steel #2 HV at 40 yards is solidly ethical for mallards, but pairing high velocity with an overly tight choke can reduce forgiveness.
Many hunters gain consistency by opening the choke slightly rather than pushing density further.
About the Premium Database
The Premium Mallard Ballistic Database documents all relevant scenarios, including:
- Different steel payloads and velocities
- Choke sensitivity and pattern tolerance
- Distance thresholds where lethality becomes margin-dependent
- Comparisons with bismuth, HEVI-Shot, and TSS
This allows hunters to distinguish robust setups from loads that work only under ideal conditions.