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Waterfowl Forums
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Weight
of Shot in Ounces (Grams)
Ducks Unlimited Web site the other
day, and the group had a
poll on popular shot sizes for steel shot. The poll was conducted during a
three-week period in late December, during the height of the waterfowl season.
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No. 2 -- 40 percent.
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No. 3 — 17 percent.
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No. 4 — 30 percent.
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No. 5 — 3 percent
Three
new nontoxic shot types approved for waterfowl hunting.
On Monday August 9, 2004, the Fish and Wildlife Service approved
tungsten-bronze, a new formulation of tungsten-iron, and
tungsten-tin-bismuth for use in waterfowl hunting. With these three new
nontoxic shot types, there are now 10 nontoxic shot types available to
waterfowl hunters. You can view the Final Rule approving three new shot
types as nontoxic for waterfowl hunting here.
BEST
VALUE - WOLF Performance Ammunition Shotshells offers
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Shotgun loads
Premier® HEVI·SHOT® Nitro Magnum
Waterfowl Loads
Remington has specifically designed its
new line of Premier®
Nitro-Steel™ High Velocity waterfowl loads to retain greater
long-range energy with larger-size steel pellets.
Kent's Fasteel® offers 30 different options in the 1400 to 1550 fps
range. Speed kills and Fasteel® provides the hunter with a wide selection
of high velocity non-toxic steel loads to choose from.
Nine models covering 12, 16 & 20 gauge provides exceptional down
range lethality. Impact is the only tungsten non-toxic product that allows
you to use your favorite shotgun without worrying about barrel damage
or choke restrictions
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Density and Pellet Count, Demystified
High density pellets provide better down range energy and penetration.
Federal’s tungsten-iron pellets are 94% as dense as lead and 10% denser
than bismuth. Federal steel is about 75% the density of tungsten. A given
shot size is always a specific diameter, regardless of material; a #2
steel pellet is .15"/3.81mm, as is a #2 lead or a #2 tungsten.
But, because of differences in density, there are 125 steel #2
pellets in an ounce, compared to 94 tungsten #2 pellets or 87 lead #2
pellets. Keep in mind that both steel and tungsten pellets retain their
shape better than lead pellets when fired ensuring tighter patterns.
Unless
a specified shot formulation is approved as nontoxic by the U.S.FISH
& WILDLIFE SERVICE, it may not be used for hunting waterfowl within
the United States.
Estate Cartridge
Estate
Cartridge, Inc. manufactures custom shotgun shells to the
customer's specification.This includes special shot weight and size
combinations, special velocities, etc.
Nontoxic shot is required for hunting waterfowl, sandhill cranes and snipe
in Alaska. It is a violation to have shells loaded with lead shot in
personal possession while hunting migratory birds. Shot sizes larger than
T (0.20" diameter) are prohibited. Nontoxic shot also is required for
muzzleloading shotguns. Current federally approved nontoxic shot types
include: steel, bismuth-tin, tungsten-iron, tungsten polymer, tungsten matrix
and TNI (HEVI-SHOT). Steel shot remains the most widely used nontoxic shot
and the only type tested extensively to determine its effectiveness in the
field.
SHOOTING STEEL SHOT
There are two major differences between steel and lead shot: steel is
LIGHTER and HARDER than lead shot. These characteristics affect both the
size of the shot cloud (string) needed to intercept birds and the energy for
penetrating birds down range.
STEEL IS LIGHTER
Steel pellets weigh about one-third less than lead pellets of the same
size. Hunters need to learn which loads help compensate for lower retained
energy down range. Hunters also need to consider that there are more pellets per
ounce and a larger capacity for shot in steel shot shells, compared to lead
loads. Loads with 1 1/4 oz or less of steel shot are effective and
economical.
USE A LARGER SHOT SIZE
To compensate for weight differences between lead and steel, and improve
downrange energy, use steel shot one or two sizes larger than the usual lead
load (see the chart “Proven Steel Shot Loads for Waterfowl” for exceptions
to this rule). Remember it is critical to have both enough pellets
in the load to adequately cover the target at a given distance, and to have
adequate retained pellet energy to penetrate the vital organs of the bird.
Selecting overly large shot sizes will create problems in hitting birds.
STEEL IS HARDER
Soft lead shot is deformed during firing and passage through the barrel,
forming longer and wider shot strings of irregular pellets. Annealed
(softened) iron used in “steel” shotshells is about three times harder than
lead pellets. Steel shot is nearly round and does not deform in the
shotgun or when it strikes birds. Steel’s more aerodynamic shape than
lead shot creates shot strings that are smaller in length and diameter,
delivering more dense patterns. However, the shorter narrower shot string
will make it more difficult to intercept moving birds--there is less margin for
error in gun handling and trigger timing skills.
USE A MORE OPEN CHOKE
To compensate for steel’s tighter patterns and shorter shot strings, use
more open chokes. Try using Improved Cylinder and/or Modified chokes
rather than Full, especially for targets at less than 50 yards. Even with
more open chokes, steel shot strings will be smaller than many lead loads,
requiring more accurate shooting. The answer is PRACTICE-PRACTICE-PRACTICE.
Shot gunners
have wondered how much displacement of the pattern is caused by the motion of
the barrel as the shot is fired. Everyone has noticed, when throwing an object
from a moving car, that its path has both an outward component from the force of
the throw and a forward component from the motion of the car.
This same effect
applies to shot patterns. If, for example, a shooter fired on a target crossing
30 yards distant with a load producing a muzzle velocity of 1300 f.p.s., and
swung the barrel at 10 m.p.h., the initial direction of the shot charge would be
altered by about 26 minutes of angle, or about 8" at 30 yards.
It readily can be seen
that this effect adds only a little to the forward allowance necessary to hit
the target. In shot gunning, there is no substitute for lead.
Federal
Remington
Nitro-Steel Magnum
Steel
vs. Lead: Differences you should know
Remington
Steel Load Selection Guide for Waterfowl & Upland Game
Winchester Ammo
Supreme®
HV Steel Shotshells
Super-X®
Game Loads
Steel
Steel shotshells are
the most common and affordable of the non-toxic options available. That’s a
reflection of the availability of steel—there’s lots of it and it’s
relatively inexpensive. From a hunter’s perspective, steel has its share of
pros and cons. On the upside, because steel shells have been the staple of the
huge American hunting-ammunition market for more than a decade, the majority of
the bugs have been worked out. As a result, today’s steel loads offer
consistency in both reliability and performance. Patterns are predictable and
for the most part excellent, especially when shot through more open chokes than
we would typically use for lead.
There is a great diversity of steel loads. Shells are
available from two inches up to three inches across the whole spectrum of shot
sizes, meaning there is a “best” load for virtually any hunting scenario you
can imagine. And retail prices today are not significantly more expensive than
comparable lead loads.
On the flip side, however, there are some limitations
to steel loads, as many hunters have discovered. The single biggest is that
steel, quite simply, doesn’t share identical physical and ballistic
characteristics with lead. Steel is much harder than lead, meaning there is a
potential risk to shooting steel through some older shotgun barrels. While that
is not news any longer, it should not be ignored by hunters who make the switch
from lead for the first time. Steel is also relatively lightweight for shot,
meaning that to attain similar energy levels as lead, a hunter must switch to a
larger shot size in steel. Steel also sheds its energy more quickly than lead,
reducing the ranges at which it is most effective.
But I would suggest that steel does not deserve the bad
rap that some waterfowlers have bestowed upon it. Lead certainly had its range
limitations, and while steel’s range may be less, even substantially less in
some situations, it most definitely is an effective shot when used within those
limitations.
I’ve shot steel on everything from decoying teal, to
big-water canvasbacks and goldeneye, to passing giant Canada geese. When I limit
my shooting range to inside 40 yards and use the appropriate shot size, I have
confidence in steel. When used at appropriate ranges, I haven’t seen
significant increases in wounded birds, as many hunters suggest. But step
outside of that 40-yard range and wounding problems seem to increase
exponentially. This is one performance characteristic of steel that may soon
improve, however. If we consider that downrange energy is largely a product of
pellet velocity and mass, effective ranges for steel shells will increase as
high-velocity steel loads, approaching 1,500 fps, become more common on the
market.
Of all the non-toxic
pellet material alternatives, bismuth is the one that until recently most
closely mimicked both the characteristics and performance of lead. Which is
hardly a surprise given that bismuth sits right next to lead on the periodic
table of the elements that we all learned and quickly forgot in our high-school
chemistry class.
Bismuth’s two most similar properties to lead are its
density and its relative hardness. It is roughly 90 per cent as dense as lead,
meaning that its ballistic properties are very similar to those of lead. This
means that few adjustments are required when switching from lead to bismuth.
Shot sizes appropriate for any given hunting situation are similar, and
effective shooting ranges are virtually identical. Bismuth is also a soft
material, like lead, so it can be safely used in any firearm that is safe for
use with lead.
When compared to lead, the only real drawbacks to
bismuth loads have been their relative cost and availability. When Winchester
partnered with Bismuth in the manufacturing and distributing of bismuth
shotshells a couple of years ago, the availability issue was resolved
considerably. And prices have come down since bismuth first appeared on the
shelves.
I’ve had the opportunity to shoot bismuth loads on
the skeet and trap range and in the field for some years now, and I must say
that I’ve been impressed. I learned very quickly that the adjustments required
for the lead shooter to shoot steel were not required when switching to bismuth.
Today, bismuth has a strong following, particularly among those duck hunters who
have never accepted steel’s liabilities and don’t mind paying a premium
price.
Tungsten--iron
Federal Ammunition’s
tungsten-iron loads hit the market with a bang just a couple of years ago and
have quickly established a strong following among waterfowlers who want the best
and are willing to pay for it. But it does have its liabilities.
Tungsten-iron loads are made by blending 40 per cent
powdered tungsten with 60 per cent powdered iron, then pressing them into the
shape of a pellet. A heating process subsequently bonds the materials, forming a
pellet that is harder than steel. This means, of course, that tungsten-iron
loads, like steel, can damage the barrels of some older shotguns.
Tungsten-iron loads are dense, fully 95 per cent as
dense as lead. Couple that density with steel-like velocities and you have a
shotshell that offers downrange energy levels surpassing those of lead. In
short, tungsten-iron loads offer high penetration and downrange energy with
tight patterns, perhaps the ultimate in current shotshell performance.
But, and there’s always a but, tungsten-iron shells
are limited to only a few shot sizes—BBs, 2s and 4s. So you’ll have to
compromise if you want to use tungsten-iron in many situations. They would
certainly be more than you need for most decoying duck situations, where targets
present themselves at distances of 30 yards and less.
The other drawback with these high-performance loads is
that they are the most expensive. Some shooters justify the expense by
suggesting that they require fewer shells than they would with steel, meaning
the price per bird is similar, but I don’t believe the difference in birds in
the bag would balance against the increased costs.
I am convinced, however, that when circumstances force
you to take shots at large ducks or geese at extended ranges, you can’t do
better than tungsten-iron. I’ve got quite a bit of experience hunting with
tungsten-iron loads, and I can say unequivocally that I’ve cleanly killed
birds using these shells at distances beyond which I’d shoot any other
load.
Tungsten-polymer
Tungsten-poly loads
are the new kids on the block, and they’re making quite an impression. When
you read or hear the word “poly” in reference to shotshells, think nylon.
It’s mixed with powdered tungsten and other metals, and then pressed and
heated to form pellets. Two manufacturers have brought tungsten-poly loads onto
the market in the past year—Kent and Federal. Kent is marketing their
tungsten-poly under the name Tungsten Matrix, while Federal calls their version
Tungsten-Polymer. Federal’s advertising slogan “the lead equivalent” is a
pretty accurate synopsis of both of the tungsten-poly alternatives. The reason
Tungsten Matrix and Tungsten -Polymer loads mimic lead so well is because they
have been designed and constructed to have the exact same density as lead, and
density affects downrange performance more than any other variable in shotshells.
In essence, a one-ounce charge of tungsten-poly #4 shot
contains the same number of pellets (135) as does a one-ounce charge of #4 lead
pellets. For comparative purposes, a one-ounce charge of bismuth #4 contains 157
pellets and a one-ounce load of #4 steel has 192 pellets. The tendency might be
to assume that the more pellets the better, but remember that if discharged at
equal velocities, the more dense the material, the greater its downrange energy.
And it’s energy that matters when shooting birds. The commonality of densities
between tungsten-poly loads and lead loads means that performance
characteristics are similar, though velocities from both Kent and Federal far
exceed those of traditional lead loads. Another of the advantages to
tungsten-poly loads is that they can be used safely in shotguns that you’ve
used for lead.
At this point, tungsten-poly shells are available
primarily as duck loads. Kent offers their TungstenMatrix in sizes 1, 3 and 5,
sizes that reflect Kent’s European ancestry. Federal’s Tungsten-Polymer is
available in the more traditional North American sizes of 4 and 6. Each company
offers their loads in two- and three-inch chamberings, with Kent’s loads
having a slight edge in velocity.
I shot both Federal’s Tungsten-Polymer and Kent’s
TungstenMatrix loads in the field this past season under a range of conditions,
from open-water diver hunts, to pothole mallards, to field shoots for Canada
geese. I must say I was impressed with both; they killed cleanly at all
distances where you’d expect lead to be effective, and bird loss was minimal.
I quickly learned to shoot them just as I would lead loads, and I used the same
shot sizes and chokes as I would have for lead.
If there is one downside to the tungsten-poly
shotshells, it is their cost. This is premium ammunition and is priced as such,
though improved performance over steel may result in fewer shots required.
Availability of these shells was limited this past fall, but representatives
from both Federal and Kent assure me that they’re expecting no trouble in
meeting consumer demand for their tungsten-poly shot in 2000.
Tungsten-matrix
Tungsten-poly loads
are the new kids on the block, and they’re making quite an impression. When
you read or hear the word “poly” in reference to shotshells, think nylon.
It’s mixed with powdered tungsten and other metals, and then pressed and
heated to form pellets. Two manufacturers have brought tungsten-poly loads onto
the market in the past year—Kent and Federal. Kent is marketing their
tungsten-poly under the name Tungsten Matrix, while Federal calls their version
Tungsten-Polymer. Federal’s advertising slogan “the lead equivalent” is a
pretty accurate synopsis of both of the tungsten-poly alternatives. The reason
Tungsten Matrix and Tungsten -Polymer loads mimic lead so well is because they
have been designed and constructed to have the exact same density as lead, and
density affects downrange performance more than any other variable in shotshells.
In essence, a one-ounce charge of tungsten-poly #4 shot
contains the same number of pellets (135) as does a one-ounce charge of #4 lead
pellets. For comparative purposes, a one-ounce charge of bismuth #4 contains 157
pellets and a one-ounce load of #4 steel has 192 pellets. The tendency might be
to assume that the more pellets the better, but remember that if discharged at
equal velocities, the more dense the material, the greater its downrange energy.
And it’s energy that matters when shooting birds. The commonality of densities
between tungsten-poly loads and lead loads means that performance
characteristics are similar, though velocities from both Kent and Federal far
exceed those of traditional lead loads. Another of the advantages to
tungsten-poly loads is that they can be used safely in shotguns that you’ve
used for lead.
At this point, tungsten-poly shells are available
primarily as duck loads. Kent offers their TungstenMatrix in sizes 1, 3 and 5,
sizes that reflect Kent’s European ancestry. Federal’s Tungsten-Polymer is
available in the more traditional North American sizes of 4 and 6. Each company
offers their loads in two- and three-inch chamberings, with Kent’s loads
having a slight edge in velocity.
I shot both Federal’s Tungsten-Polymer and Kent’s
TungstenMatrix loads in the field this past season under a range of conditions,
from open-water diver hunts, to pothole mallards, to field shoots for Canada
geese. I must say I was impressed with both; they killed cleanly at all
distances where you’d expect lead to be effective, and bird loss was minimal.
I quickly learned to shoot them just as I would lead loads, and I used the same
shot sizes and chokes as I would have for lead.
If there is one downside to the tungsten-poly
shotshells, it is their cost. This is premium ammunition and is priced as such,
though improved performance over steel may result in fewer shots required.
Availability of these shells was limited this past fall, but representatives
from both Federal and Kent assure me that they’re expecting no trouble in
meeting consumer demand for their tungsten-poly shot in 2000.
Remington for more than 30 years. You might say he's tested a good
many shot shells. So when he fired his first hand load filled with the
new-fangled Hevi-Shot, it's understandable that his expectations of how it would
pattern weren't real high.
The Sustained Lead After deciding how far to lead the bird,
the gunner starts swinging, always keeping muzzle the right
distance" and fires with the gun swinging
The Fast Swing, The muzzle swinging faster than the bird,
overtakes it from behind. When it looks to far enough ahead, the
gunner fires still keeping muzzle in motion
The snapshot Fast but relatively unreliable hence not the best
method to adopt for most shooting
