Help, question: Can this shotgun shoot steel shot?

[louthepou]

Hi everyone,

Here's a shotgun I'm buying. (Sears 66 12gauge semi Auto Shotgun)

But the seller and I don't know if it can shoot steel. That's the only detail to be figured out. Anyone can confirm?
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=508320

Thanks for any help,

Lou

 

[m777]

Just get a smith to hone out the choke.
Clunt

 

[Sharptail]

The gun is equipped with an older polychoke. While you may get away with steel shot if you crank back the choke, I would not try it - you could damage the polychoke. They were not designed for steel shot. Just my opinion.


Sharptail

 

[hunter5425]

They quit making the in 1962 I believe so it was not designed for steel. If you are going to use it on a limited basis for waterfowl you could go to Bismuth or some other wretchedly expensive substitute for lead.

 

[louthepou]

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

Lou

 

[iceman2]

Maybe I was lucky, but I shot a lot of steel out of an old Mossberg bolt with a poly choke. I just kept it between imp cyl and mod. Not compressing the shot much if any and the thicker wads in steel help cushion. I would not choke it much more than that. I had a good pattern and got a lot of geese just using 2 3/4" loads. Just my .02 and worth what you paid for it.

 

[pharaoh2]

One beautiful duck hunting morning several years ago, (Windy, cloudy and raining sideways) I lined up on a teal and promptly blew the Poly-choke on the end of my gun right into the pond...

 

[Shootshellz]

The late Stan Baker (famous shotgun gunsmith) once told me never to shoot steel shot through a 'wonder winder' (aka polychoke). Thus you are stuck with lead shot or the modern versions of same (such as bismuth or hevishot).

 

[M12shooter]

The late Stan Baker (famous shotgun gunsmith) once told me never to shoot steel shot through a 'wonder winder' (aka polychoke). Thus you are stuck with lead shot or the modern versions of same (such as bismuth or hevishot).

Why not email Polychoke and get their spin on it? They still make them ya know. Poly choke website claims they are safe for steel...may be the modern version though...but they still look the same.

 

[Turkeyslayer 1300]

Set it for Improved cylinder and shoot all the steel you like, I fired a couple cases of steel through one on a Mossberg 500.

 

[Ardent]

The late Stan Baker (famous shotgun gunsmith) once told me never to shoot steel shot through a 'wonder winder' (aka polychoke). Thus you are stuck with lead shot or the modern versions of same (such as bismuth or hevishot).

Hevishot is NOT safe for old guns like bismuth is, Hevishot is actually harder than steel.

 

[dutchhunter]

cut the muffer of the gun and shoot all the steel you want .open choke is great for pound shooting ducks DUTCH

 

[catnthehatt]

Set it for Improved cylinder and shoot all the steel you like, I fired a couple cases of steel through one on a Mossberg 500.

X2!
My hunting partner shoots his on IC, and has no problems whatsoever!
Cat

 

[Shootshellz]

Ardent: I think you meant to say Hevishot is heavier than lead shot (which it is) than harder than steel shot (which it is not). And I have my doubts whether Polychoke would give anyone a straight answer regarding the use of steel shot in their product considering they sell same. I will stick to the warning given to me by Stan Baker; he had no dog in the fight, as it were.

 

[Turkeyslayer 1300]

Ardent: I think you meant to say Hevishot is heavier than lead shot (which it is) than harder than steel shot (which it is not).

Hevi-shot is harder than steel!

 

[28 gauge]

I had a poly choke on one of the barrels for my Browning Aut0 5 shotgun.Uesd a setting of modified or less with steel shot.Never had any problems.