I was new to it when I went west last. It was called "catch and release" there. Be were peening birds naked on breast shots and they were runnung across the field featherless. With super magnumitis buffered #4 or 3 with 3 or 3 1/2,,ALL the bells and whistles what is the reasonable kill distance. I dont mean like when you tell me your rifle shoots dime groups cause it did it one time in ten yrs. I mean what can you bet your next pay check on for a pretty sure kill???Buddy wants me to get back into river hunting which would mean a new gun for moi cause all mine are antiques which I dont mind, I just gotta see things get killed beyond 15 yds
practical steel shot range?
- Thread starter blindside
- Start date
I shoot 90% of all my ducks with 2.75 inch #6 steel inside 30 yards with a modified choke. I use 2.75 inch #4 hevishot for geese out to 50 yards and keep # 6 hevishot on hand for water swatting cripples of both flavours. Steel (even the big stuff) is not much good beyond 35 yards and I won't shoot geese with it -- the 6 steel absolutely crushes ducks within the ranges specified above.
Hevishot, and bismuth are infinitely better but come with a huge price tag too.
Hevishot, and bismuth are infinitely better but come with a huge price tag too.
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
Now this was a very lucky shot, 3 geese in tow 3 feet apart , 15 off the deck , and 60 meters out. I pulled on the lead goose , follow through , standard procedures. Anyway the last goose folded up , and dropped like a stone (head shot) . I know lucky , but still an example of range . Gun, 870 mod choke, ammo , win 2 3/4 " high brass # 2 
Should have passed on the shot
Should have passed on the shot
M12shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- East St. Paul, mb
Steel,is not a ballistic material. Gone are the glory days of waterfowling...
- Location
- calgary, AB
So would lead go farther then steel?
savage17hmr said:
yes and retain more energy out to all but the closest ranges. To exagerate think of lead shot as a golf ball and steel as a ping pong ball. Wind up as hard as you can and throw both at a person. Which will hurt more. Same initial velocity when thrown but the golf ball has much more momentum when it hits.
The density of the lead allows it to retain more energy over longer distances and hit harder out past 25 yards.
Also an often over looked aspect of lead is its malleability. Steel is rigid (as well as light) and does not deform so if it hits a glancing blow at a bone it will likely deflect off that bone. It may still rip through organs and kill the bird by bleeding but in a manner similar to a deer being arrowed through the lungs and only after a few hundred yards of flight-- nearly always resulting in a lost bird. Lead (tungsten matrix and bismuth) being denser and softer transmits more energy to the bones and increases the chance of a break in the wings (which aside from head shots is what brings the bird down folded and falling).
Tungsten (Hevishot) while harder than steel is also much denser and compensates for softness with a density greater than lead and is a SUPREME killer. BBB steel will patter around a wounded goose at 65 yards with no effect while 4 Hevishot kicks up water like a rifle shot and sounds like an axe biting into wood when it pole axes the same bird.
6 steel because of its smaller diameter is less likely to deflect at SHORT ranges and will break bones that 3 and 2 won't. Also unlike the larger shot sizes it is more likely to penetrate the thick down of waterfowl and make it to the vitals. Additionally a much denser pattern makes it much more likely that you will sink a pellet or two into the spine or brain at which point all other ballistics are pointless.
NOW that said, if you can't hit moving targets reliably with a shotgun, stick to larger shot sizes. You will hit less but cripple less too. Using small steel necessitates getting out in front of the bird and trying for the beak. Ass shooting a bird with 6's isn't going to make anyone happy. Better yet, pony up the bucks for bismuth at least, it will make your pocketbook lighter but your kill percentage go way up.
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
Great reply
MauserMike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
I agree - there are great modern substitutes for steel shot as long as you don't mind the sting to your wallet.
Has anybody heard? The government is starting to fuss about lead fishing tackle... As if the studies concerning steel vs lead shot weren't done poorly enough! I wonder how many birds end-up crippled vs dead from ingesting lead pellets?
Has anybody heard? The government is starting to fuss about lead fishing tackle... As if the studies concerning steel vs lead shot weren't done poorly enough! I wonder how many birds end-up crippled vs dead from ingesting lead pellets?
M12shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- East St. Paul, mb
Using lead fishing gear is illegal in all Canadian NATIONAL PARKS... There was strong movement to ban it (lead tackle) nationwide outside of federal parks. Apparently some loons died due to injesting lead sinkers. The idea has likely been put on a back burner until this spring when the Libatzi Party once again takes iron fist control of the nation.
blindside said:
If you are shooting Bismuth you don't need to buy a new gun, if your antiques will shoot lead they will shoot Bismuth (someone correct me if I am wrong).
Being able to use your old (familiar) guns might make Bismuth a financially feasible, unless of course, you are like the rest of use and are looking for a reason to buy a new gun.
B-N said:
The thing of it all is though,if I'm out there blastin it might has well be with something that can handle anything, cause sooner or later we all know I'll be slipping some cheaper steel in for a jump shoot or some cripples
- Location
- calgary, AB
Thanks for the reply sjemac, maybe I'll actually get some ducks this fall! I don't really care how much the stuff costs, if it hits like a brick, I likes it!
