Waterfowl season is in full swing across North America (although a lot of waterfowl hunters might have put their duck shooting on hold while they chase a buck for deer season). Apex Ammunition has partnered with 24.7 Hunt to outfit waterfowlers with a new ammo design. They call it Cold Front, and it’s supposed to offer better patterns. Bird blasting @ TFB:[SHOT 2021] Stoeger Snow Goose Hi Cap Shotgun Fudd Friday: Pump-Action Or Semi-Auto Shotgun For Hunting? Fudd Friday: Your Allegedly Outdated Shotguns Are Still Usable Building A Hemingway Hunting Arsenal - Broke/Woke/Bespoke! Hitting high-fliersThere’s a near-bewildering assortment of high-performance shotshells on the market these days, with small-to-medium manufacturers bringing out new-and-improved hunting loads every month, it seems. What makes Apex’s new Cold Front shells different, and why would you want them? As their press release says:“Featuring Apex’s premium graphite-coated, zinc-plated steel shot and a Limited Bore Contact WAD System, Cold Front is designed to maximize velocity retention, improve pattern consistency, and reduce energy-robbing friction as the payload travels down the barrel. The result is a cleaner launch, more uniform patterns, and greater confidence when birds commit.”These aren’t exactly new ideas. Overbored shotgun barrels have been around for a long time, aimed at the same goal: reducing friction on the shotshell’s payload as it works its way down to the muzzle. And the fact that overbored barrels are still popular—even going to the extreme of the Mossberg 835, which is essentially a 10-gauge barrel on a 12-gauge chamber and frame—means that a lot of hunters do believe this works. Having the shot hardened, but also given a slick coating, might actually prevent some deformation in the barrel, which should help improve patterns, and that in turn should make it easier to down birds if you actually know how to shoot. Ah, there’s the rub. Of course, an improved wad also sounds like a good idea, although it’s hard to say how good Apex’s ammo is for you without trying it in your specific shotgun. The new Cold Front ammo comes in both 12 gauge and 20 gauge offerings. Both gauges are only available in 3-inch shells, with a duplex load of #2 and #4 shot. The 12-gauge loads have a 1 ¼-ounce payload ($31.99 for a 25-round box) and the 20-gauge loads have a 1-ounce load ($29.99 for a 25-round box).If this post has you ready to hit the range, head over to gunranges.com - a free directory to help you find shooting ranges near you, wherever you are in the United States.