Will steel shot ruin my old double?

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vega

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I'm going to date myself with this, but the last time I was waterfowling, I was still legally shooting lead. I've never shot steel and am quite ignorant of it's demands on the hardware.

Looks like my buddy and me are maybe going to get a place to shoot geese this year and all either of us has for shotguns is doubles, the newest being a 1977 Ugartechea.

Neither of us is well-healed enough to afford the other non-tox offerings, and I'm wondering if steel shot in older soft tubes will do any damage other than opening the chokes up? Will I split the rib at the muzzle or do any other nasty things to the guns?

Thanks, and please don't flame me for being a dummy on this new fangled steel shot stuff.:redface:
 
I have read that steel shot in a full choke shotgun will damage and even cause your barrel to bulge or rupture. Most people say that you should have a modified choke and/or buy a new shotgun.

I have never shot steel from my old cooey and I dont think I will risk it. However, it is your shotgun and you are free to do whatever you want with it.

Good Luck!
 
steel shot .

Hi just was going to say if you take you gun to a gun shop they will tell you if it is steel ready or it might need to be opened up a bit cost around $75.00-$100.00. Better to be safe than sorry. Good luck on the hunt...:rockOn:
 
You may very well be asking for big trouble. Usually the problem with steel down an older non-steel rated shotgun is ring bulging at the choke. However, what many do not take into account is that with an older double one has soft soldered side ribs, vent or solid ribs and barrel spacers. There-in lies the most severe potential for very expensive damage. Slam too many steel rounds down the pipes and the above may very well start separating. This will cost far and away much more $$$ than a few boxes of bismuth or tungsten polymer. Are you prepared to risk that with your Uggie ?
 
Nay, I'm not, and thanks. No steel for me. Trying to get my unemployed pal who can't pay his mortgage to spring for the matrix or tungsten might be a heavy lift, but at least he's a good shot. Personally, I have a LOT of practice in store to make it worth the extra shekels.
 
hi well my uncle has been shooting steel shot for about 16 years atleast out of two guns one is a rem 1100 FULL choke and the other is a ithika FULL choke gun and has never had a problem with theme im not saying he wont but he must have shot about 3000.00 rounds out of each one over the years
 
12pointer said:
hi well my uncle has been shooting steel shot for about 16 years atleast out of two guns one is a rem 1100 FULL choke and the other is a ithika FULL choke gun and has never had a problem with theme im not saying he wont but he must have shot about 3000.00 rounds out of each one over the years
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Hi, yah well, an 1100 Remington is not a soft soldered double and Remington oks it barrels for steel usage up to certain sized shot. I suspect the Ithaca is a single barrel as well.
So, as far as what your uncle has done it just does not equate to the OP's situation of such as the Ugartchea made double. It is a Spanish made double produced with thinner barrel wall thicknesses to mimic the handling of fine British game guns. Not only can steel shot damage them to the point of not being economically repaired, but high pressure / high velocity heavy loads can subject them to too much stress over time and cause things like the barrels coming off face or stock breakage. An 1100 or Ithaca/SKB built auto just does not have the same concerns.

Tim
 
You have to ask yourself , which is cheaper , a box of good shells
or the barrels on a fine double shot gun?
and as said already , we are not talking about Rem 1100 pipes or
what ever the other one is.
You would be way better to try to borrow a gun that will shoot steel.
The price of a box or two is not all that much.
 
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