The Winchester ranger is a great auto, it will take the steel shot but dont go any tighter than half choke. But there is no need to use the steel anyway you just need a 30-32g cartridge size 5or6 i.e Clear Pigeon - by Express or high pheasant by Hull will kill cleanly. If you had trouble with your other cartridges Im afraid to say that it was almost certainly where you are not use to where the winchester puts its lead to yet. You need to put it on a pattern plate or put a piece of card about a metre square against a wire fence or tree and put a black dot of pen in the center as big as your nail. Stand back about 25 yards, put your sight bead on the barrel on the dot and fire. Check to see where the lead actually goes to.