Favorite steel shells??

Thats what I was trying to convey in my above post about Bismuth. It really is the closest thing to lead. I haven't seen ducks fall so dead since the old lead shot days of my youth. BTW I was shooting 2 3/4", 1 1/4 oz of #5 Bismuth at mallards, widgeon and sprig. To me the extra cost was worth it in improved performance plus I seemed to shoot better.
 
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I have an old Fox and shoot bismuith in it as well. The shell performs well, but the gun doesn't fit as well as my others. I used the bismuith in my SBE and 686 O/U which fit like a glove. I still believe (and its been a loooooong time) that shot for shot the knockdown power of lead (over the blocks) can't be duplicated. Maybe I have selective memory and I'm sure the "experts" and ballistic data would counter my opinion, but confidence is hugh in wingshooting and I knew if I had em in the blocks there was a great chance I would have em for dinner, can't always say the same thing for steel and other non-tox loads.




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China mines more than anyone by far and guess who is the leading user of tungsten......if you guessed the emerging Industrial nation of China then give yourself that last cheap Hevi-shot load.....

I got a big, and pleasant, surprise the other day when I found an unopened case of hevi-shot in the garage that I didn't know I had, bought in 05.....thats a pleasant present but I'll have to replace it eventually and the thought of the price of that in the coming year isn't a good one....

I call BS on the yearning for the "good old days" of lead shot....check the prices of "premium lead loads" these days....the same loads that we used to rave about...they aren't cheap any longer and there are steel loads that perform every bit as well as the old lead loads did when you stay within reasonable ranges....and if you want to stretch "reasonable" that are loads that will kick leads ass in the "knock their dicks in the dirt" department.....these are the "good old days" of shotshell options in my opinion.....and that comes from someone that fought the change of steel to the last breath after shooting lead for 20 years....

Steve
 
I undersatand what you are saying about these being the good old days of shell selection, and I prefaced my comments with the "selective memory" comment. I have shot tungsten (Kent, Federal) HeviShot, and Heavy Steel, and Bismuith as well as all the major Steel brands. But I do recall that I had fewer cripples with lead ,maybe more selective memory, or maybe my hand eye coordination was better in those days. Hell maybe it was that old sawed off 870! All shells are getting expensive, even AA target loads are up there. Time to dust off the reloader and crank out some AA hulls.



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prices of "adequate" lead loads for skeet I doubt the 12 ga reloader ever sees another round clicked through it....Stuff like the Estates and Rio's are just too cheap in 12 ga to mess with reloading....

I hear you on "selective memory" and when that is added to the equation I wouldn't argue at all...heck back in the good old days I made a triple every time I pulled the trigger three times, EXCEPT of course on those times when I missed the first two shots....

These days I can hardly remember the directions to the ramp if I haven't been there in longer than two days so remembering how effective the lead shot that I shot on ducks for the last time over 20 years ago was is all based on "fond memories" and I've found that to be less than perfectly reliable when carefully scrutinized.....

Steve
 
Steve its not just Tungsten that has gone up in price. Steel in general has sky rocketed, the company I work for processes 100,000 tons of roll steel a week to feed our presses. We watch steel prices like a hawk watches a mouse. China is consuming tons of steel causing a shortage. Plus one of the mills had a huge accident last year and the industry is still recovering. Expect steel shot to go up in prices, if you can find sales on shells buy em.
 
I was impressed with those Heavy Steel shells we shot at your place..but damn man..did they ever jack the price up on them! I was really happy this year with some 7.99 a box federal #3's and some 7.99 box Win. #4's. bothe were listed at 1550fps.
 
I sell semi trailers and the steel and aluminum price increases are insane.....

Some stuff goes up daily and just try to find 100K flange material in 53' lengths....I'm guessing its DU's fault for having sent China a catalog with stuff mad out of metal that they hadn't asked for.....

And like you said theres no indication that anything is going to change soon...anyone that plays the stock market these days that isn't heavy into "metals" and "mining" stocks is missing the opportunity to "cut a fat hog" for sure...

Steve
 
No modern (legal) shell kills like hevi-shot(imo). Trouble is...I miss! So all I gained is spending twice as much to miss. I guess the bottom line is you have to hit what your shooting at. The only time missing is palatable is when its your budies shells!
 
I shot lead for 3 or 4 years before the change. I was just a stupid kid so I didn't know any better. I just remember the first generation steel was pathetic. You couldn't shoot a sick coot off a stump with it. I'm fairly certain that DU planned it that way but who knows?

I have to agree with Steve. I've only been in the game for 24 years and I'm still just a stupid kid but I feel like the offerings out there are ample. I cannot afford the designer loads. I have shot just about everything and I'm very comfortable with steel. When I shoot Hevi I usually waste a few because I'm so used to steel leads etc. It takes me a couple volleys to remember.

This topic gets covered ad nauseum all over the place but I'm going to repeat my mantra one more time. I have a pet load...the Federal Ultra Shok Heavy High Velocity 3" 1 1/4oz @ 1450fps. I have settled on this load because it's fairly economical(usually cheaper than the Win. Supremes)and readily available and I happen to think it shoots better than any other steel load combo I've tried in my 870. I shoot it through a factory IC tube and the stuff is amazing. I have two friends that hated Federal like a Chevy guy hates Ford(you know, the one with Calvin sticker in his back window). After watching me shoot the stuff they reluctantly took my offering of free shells. They have switched. They are sold on it. If you can't kill a big fat greenhead stone dead in any situation with the 2's then something is wrong and it ain't the load. The BBB's, BB's and 2's are all killer goose loads depending on the situation. Great stuff for sure. Try it, I swear you'll like it.
 
I just returned from a trip to Currituck and shot more steel than normal, as I usually use a greater mix of Kent Matrix and Remington Hevi. I had remarkable results on ducks with Winchester SS BB's in my SP-10 and Kent 3 1/2" BB's in my SBE II. (I love my Remingtin SP-10!) However, I believe the law of diminishing returns applies to 3 1/2" 12 gauge shells and will buy Kent Fasteel 3" BB's when I restock. For the last few years I had good results on ducks, geese and swans with these steel loads.

The 10 gauge loads are 1 9/16 ozs at roughly 1350 fps and the 12 gauge Kents are the 1440 fps loading. I am convinced that heavier charges of big pellets (at modest velocities) out-perform light payloads of smaller pellets at fast speeds.

MagTen
 
I had been using the Kent 1 1/8oz 3" mag loads for several years with no complaints then latter part of last season I tried out the Federal extra fast 1 1/4 oz 3" in Vitamin 2 and was really impressed. If you shoot a box in a day you will have a sore shoulder but the stuff delivers and makes very clean kills for steel shot. Wish I could afford to shoot Kent Impact or Hevi-Shot all the time but I can't swing it. So the first choice for steel is Federal with the Kent as a close second. I'll save the Impact and Hevi for Geese. Eventually I'll get around to reloading steel but know I'll never find anything as effective as 1 3/8 of #5 nickel plated lead shot leaving the muzzzle at over 1300 fps. That old load was deadly on passing ducks and even short range geese. Oh well, the old days are gone forever.
Later,
Harry
 
Call me cheap, but I still kill birds. I usually end up buying shells by the case at the end of season on sale. Winchester Dry Loks, Remington Nitro Mags and Express Steel, Federal Steel. I usually wind up spending about $5/box. I would figure out which choke tube patterned it well and go shoot birds. If the birds are right (in range), you can kill them just fine. I like 3" 12 ga shells but shoot plenty of 2 3/4" shells that were $4.50 a box. In 20 ga I gave $5.00 a box for 3" Federal Steel and 3" Winchester steel #2 and #4. 3" 20 ga #4 works good in the little potholes and streams for woodies and teal.

From #4 steel to T shot, if the price is right I will shoot it. I did buy a case of RIO Royal steel 3" 12 ga 1 1/4 ounce at 1400 FPS from able ammo for $78.60 a case of 250 delivered. I am waiting for a warm-up to go pattern it.

http://www.ableammo.com/
 
my fav is 2 and 3/4 12 gauge 1550fps or better in number 2 steel
shooting a mod or improved clyinder outa my ol trusty 303 Berreta or my SKB ithaca xl300

prety much use it for everything
Shermie
 
I have always liked the Kent fast steels they are less expensive than the winchesters or the federals with the same velocities. We killed a lot of geese this year with the 3 1/2 1 3/8 #1 shot with a skeet choke or improve cylinder . That would be over decoys in lay out blinds under 20 yards, if I went out say pass shooting at 55 yards+ I would probably be saying steel sucks and you can’t kill a goose with it.
One thing I learn shooting large size, high capacity steel shot is a tighter choke constriction may not necessarily give the most desirable pattern. I tested cylinder , skeet improved cylinder and modified and the pattern master choke tubes in my sbe and at 40 yards. I found skeet and i.c. put 95 % in a 40 inch circle plus the core density was more uniform- kind of a surprise on my part I always thought tight choke =tight pattern.
Has any one tried the new remington “wing master HD”?
 
prices of "adequate" lead loads for skeet I doubt the 12 ga reloader ever sees another round clicked through it....Stuff like the Estates and Rio's are just too cheap in 12 ga to mess with reloading....

I hear you on "selective memory" and when that is added to the equation I wouldn't argue at all...heck back in the good old days I made a triple every time I pulled the trigger three times, EXCEPT of course on those times when I missed the first two shots....

These days I can hardly remember the directions to the ramp if I haven't been there in longer than two days so remembering how effective the lead shot that I shot on ducks for the last time over 20 years ago was is all based on "fond memories" and I've found that to be less than perfectly reliable when carefully scrutinized.....

Steve
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The more I thinhk about it the more I believe that the gun load combination was what was effective. I had better luck with those #5's than 4's or 6's. Of course back in those days I didn't bother to pattern anything other than where the girls were going to be on a Friday or Saturday night!



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Steve,

Same thing happened to me. Once I got my 28 ga. reloader set up I haven't touched the 12 ga loader. In fact the only shells shot through my SBE in the last year and a half have been shot at ducks. I use the 28 ga for everything else. With shot over $30 a bag in many places now it only makes sense to shoot 3/4 0z loads when ever I can. As you know, the store bought 28 ga. target loads are $7.50 - $8.50 per box. - I can reload for close to $2/box. It took me a little while but by the end of last summers sporting clays league, my average was back up to where it had been with my 12 ga.

I love my 28 ga. and only wish I had bought one 40 years ago.

Pete
 
Except when your shooting my "mystery"loads..mystery if they make it out the barrel..or whether there is any shot left in them from the crappy crimps.
 
It took me a while to get my loader adjusted. I won't say all my crimps are good but most are. It also helps to stick to all one kind of empties. I bought a case of Winchester target loads when I first got my 28 and have pretty much stuck to them. They are the AA-HS hulls and, so far anyway, have held up well. I have reloaded a few estates now and then and they seem to crimp up just fine. I think I reloaded hunting loads with them - 3/4oz of copper plated 5's. I'll never load 5's again for the 28, I was constantly getting them hung up in the drop tube and of course they don't decide to come out until AFTER the shell is moved to the next station. What a mess!
 
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