In order to ascertain their capabilities in bagging or crippling farm raised mallards, No. 4 copper, No. 4 steel, and No. 6 steel shot pellets were compared to a 2.75-inch (6.985-cm) magnium (Winchester-Western Super XX) loaded with No. 4 lead shot. A total of 2400 ducks was experimentally shot, fluoroscoped, and analyzed biologically. Classification of a duck into the categories of bagged, crippled, or survivor was not affected by age or sex in any of the shot types tested. No. 4 lead shot broke significantly more bones than No. 4 steel shot when the categories of bagged, crippled, and survivor totals were compared. The overall performance of No. 4 steel compared to No. 4 lead in this experiment indicated No. 4 lead to be the best shotshell. No. 4 lead shot bagged more ducks and crippled fewer ducks than No. 4 steel. No. 4 steel shot pushed significantly more feather wads into shot wounds than No. 4 lead. Biologically, under the conditions of this experiment, the best lead shotshell available outperformed the best steel shotshell in that it produced fewer cripples at normal shooting ranges (up to 60 m). Whether or not the increase of crippling with steel shot is a lesser malady than poisoning awaits more precise data on lead poisoning and evaluation as to what constitutes normal shooting ranges for waterfowl hunters. Without such data, a change from lead to steel would be an arbitrary trade off. 6 references, 1 figure, 11 tables.