Bismuth shot?

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GummyMonster

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Good evening.. was wondering if anyone knows where I can find Bismuth shot as a reloading component? I am in western Canada.
Was also wondering if reloading data for lead shot shells work for use with bismuth shot.
Thanks Ken
 
Will Bilozir in Dewinton (Calgary) used to carry it on behalf of Ballistic Products.

Ballistic Products does not carry it in it's line up anymore though.

Bismuth does not load like lead. Uses it's own data.

You can try Nice Shot - you can use a lead recipe, as long as it is a lower pressure one.
I forget the exact pressure threshold.

(Edit- Hodgdon states that the pressure must be 1500 PSI below the maximum allowable for any particular gauge. So 12 ga loads under 10,500 PSI for the same weight of lead)

Both Nice Shot and bismuth can be ordered out of the states from Precision Reloading.

Will also carries the Nice Shot.

I recently ordered bismuth from Precision Reloading...no problems...except customs likes to hold onto it longer than they should. :(

Cheers!
Ken
 
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Other substitutes for steel???

Thanx for the info guys. I was hoping to save a bit of money loading my own since the bismuth shells I have seen were over 3 dollars a round, pretty pricey to hunt geese and ducks with. All my shotguns are older, and it is my understanding that steel shot will ruin them. Is there any other lead substitutes that are reasonably priced?
Thanks in advance,
Ken
 
Nothing "reasonably" priced. Right now Bismuth is around $8 to $9 a pound. Meaning that a 1-1/2 oz load costs just under a dollar for the raw metal in ingots.

We have been using Kent Tungsten Matrix in a couple of fixed choke SxS shotguns. Apparently it is safe for older, fixed choke guns. The "matrix" is soft and will deform, unlike Hevishot or other tungsten shot.

If you are going to shoot the gun a lot, then why not have a removable choke installed? They can be installed on any shotgun. There are even special thin walled screw in chokes for thin barrelled double guns. Having a choke installed will pay for itself in a year or two.

You can also have the choke opened up to use steel, but then if you target shoot with lead, it would be like shooting Improved Cylinder.
 
Mucking around with this problem in my old guns just wasn't worth it, so i bought a modern 3 1/2" semi and use steel in it, I use my old guns for skeet, upland game, just not ducks and geese, I load lead in them and mostly black powder.
 
GummyMonster said:
Thanx for the info guys. I was hoping to save a bit of money loading my own since the bismuth shells I have seen were over 3 dollars a round, pretty pricey to hunt geese and ducks with. All my shotguns are older, and it is my understanding that steel shot will ruin them. Is there any other lead substitutes that are reasonably priced?
Thanks in advance,
Ken
Click to expand...

Unfortunately $3.00 per round is the going rate for non steel types of shotshell ammo. I was very fortunate to be able to buy quite a bit 5 years ago when it was much less expensive. FS
 
Thanks!

Enening,
Thank's a lot for all the info guys . I will be looking at getting at least two guns fitted with removable chokes asap.Looks like I might even get in some goose hunting this fall yet!!
:DKen:D
 
Phil Lund 507-228-8972 manufactures Bismuth and will ship into Canada No hassle shipping because it is a eatable product.I use it in my Model 12's and a few other old shotguns works great if you are thinking you are going to save money you may want to go the new gun with steel shot it works out to about $45.00 a box but for me its not about saving money its about shooting nice old vintage smooth bores.
 
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