RC STEEL (wildfowlers)

[AberFowl]

RC AtomicLine

36g HP steel load

 

Anybody used them? How do they compare to gamebores 36g steel loads?

 

Also the 34g hyperfast load...they any good?

Edited May 19, 2016 by AberFowl

[anser2]

Both are good wildfowing loads. Comparable with Gamebore Mammoth 36 gr shells. The only trouble is its impossible to get them in BB loads for geese in my area.

[fenboy]

I have used the Atomic steel ,in 36 gram 3 shot , decent enough cartridge I thought for duck .

Not used gamebore 3" stuff so cannot say if the atomic are better or worse .

[tomaddy525]

I think they're excellent. Seem to be relatively fast and are better than any other factory steel IN MY OPINION. 34g no4 atomics for the duck, if they were cheaper I'd use them for game/pigeons too

[Tony G]

I got some of the 3 inch Atomics when I couldn't get any Mammoths Thought they were pretty good

[johnnytheboy]

The 3" 36g atomics in number 1 are a good cartridge for geese, better than the gamebore in my opinion!

 

As mentioned above the 3" 34g Hyperfast shot size 4 are a good duck load, there is loads of horrible reports about the 34g no2, they are to be avoided! Neither are goose loads!

 

The thing is though a few folk are reporting the 2 3/4" 34g RC technosteel are giving just as good results as the 3" Hyperfast for ducks, they are £30 per 250 cheaper than the 3" Hyperfast, they are slower but in practical use by Wildfowlers I know they are raving about them! Giving good patterns as well, maybe why they are so good!

[TONY R]

I have used The gameboere steel magnums they are a good reliable performer, Chedite cases A steel style powders and BP wads , they work quite well, not as many bigger shot sizes as typical USA ammo though, but over all they seem to do the job.

Never had the chance to try any RC atomics technos etc just never found any to buy.

A couple of points regarding johnyboys post above refering to RC hyperfasts in 2s, an observation on the faster steel loads, without you are using a tighter than full for lead steel compatable choke like a terror or Muller UFO Briley LF or jebs hv Indian creek BDS you are going to struggle to get faster loads like these to pattern at all well, the fact the slower technos seem to be working better hence patterning better sort of ratifys my point here.

Now another point of note, 2 steel in 12ga are notorious it would seem to get to pattern well for some reason, you read about this a lot on some of the American sites, and i must say personaly i tend to feel the same way about 2s in steel in 12 bores. In a ten they work great, but again some dont like BBs in ten and again i am of this school of thought too.

You may have a different opinion on the twos in steel or B Bs in the ten, but thats how i feel about them.

[figgy]

Friend used some RC Atomic Steel a couple of seasons back and liked them. I've got all the gamebore steel loads and sizes for fowling and can't fault them.

 

I also have Eley Lightning in 36g 1 and 3 shot both are very good. Just how much better can the RC carts be when using the same shot size and loads. Even if a 100 fps faster would we notice when shooting them, I don't think so.

 

Think of you can get them local at a good price worth a try.

[TONY R]

Friend used some RC Atomic Steel a couple of seasons back and liked them. I've got all the gamebore steel loads and sizes for fowling and can't fault them.

 

I also have Eley Lightning in 36g 1 and 3 shot both are very good. Just how much better can the RC carts be when using the same shot size and loads. Even if a 100 fps faster would we notice when shooting them, I don't think so.

 

Think of you can get them local at a good price worth a try.

Velocity in steel loads is often debated at length both on the WWW and even in literature, there are several schools of thought on what is and is not needed in steel shot waterfowl loads.

One school of thought is that steel can work acceptably at moderate velocity say 1250fps to 1400fps well of course if shot size pattern and range are appropriate for these speeds it will work fine.

This is probably all most wildfowlers want or need in a load, and the quest stop right there.

The other school of though is that steel is a less than perfrfect shot type, its light if compared to lead and its lower density needs to be compensated not just by a jump or two up in shot size but increased velocity, in principle this velocity results in more FTLBS per pellet potentialy thrown in to the overall mix of things.

But there is no free ride where balistics are concerned, increased velocity comes at the expence of pattern and is paid for in increased pressure.

Progresive powders can help keep pressure down up to a point but its inevitable at some point increased speed will increase pressure. And further to this at higher velocity patterns can become sparse and patchy, and this can in extreme cases render some loads inpractical for the task.

At what exact speed this errosion in pattern quality begins can vary from load to load and gun to gun etc.

But a rough set of figures i feel are pretty accurate for this, is around 1470 1500fps and above but as i said this is general and lighter loads can go as high as 1600fps or a little more with just std choking some times.

So handling these higher velocity loads is not guaranteed to be an exact science, thats why some guns ..hunters claim they work and some say patterns fail with the same load.

Guaranteeing decent patterns at higher velocity is acchievable, with various aftermarket steel capable choke tubes like UFOs Terrors Jebbs HV Kicks HF Indian creek BDT ETC Quite a few of these chokes will hold a decent acceptable pattern when the standard style choke give up the ghost completely.

Personaly i would use the higher velocity loads everytine over one of the slower loads, steel needs to be traveling as fast as it can creating reliable safe pressures and delivering uniform reliable patterns and acceptable recoilo in the gun of your choice, Remember just that a gun is super steel proffed does not nessasarily mean all the HP steel loads are going to be comfortable to use in a gun. i Have a 425 cammo waterfowl its 3.5 inch and i use 3.5 inch loads in it, but i would think twice before i used a 2.25 oz lead load in it on a day to day basis.

So in short the extra 100fps could prove usefull but its not an absolute pre requisit for an effective wildfowling load.

Faster loads scrub off more speed than a slower load is something often mentioned, and of course its true, but Faster loads will still get there with More FT LBS per pellet how many pellets you can get on that target and if you need this slight FTlbs increase with all the associated complications is up to you to decide for your self. But me i want it fast i know what works for me and its my choice to utilise it.

[widgeon man]

Game bore mammoth are a great shell for an 'all rounder' I use 3's and 1's for duck.. 3's for average shots, 1's for taller duck..... They work well.

3's in same weight home loaded however are FAR superior....... And these are not super fast, but 150fps quicker than gamebore. I can't make home loads for price of mammoths tho!

[TONY R]

Game bore mammoth are a great shell for an 'all rounder' I use 3's and 1's for duck.. 3's for average shots, 1's for taller duck..... They work well.

3's in same weight home loaded however are FAR superior....... And these are not super fast, but 150fps quicker than gamebore. I can't make home loads for price of mammoths tho!

True they are tempting, and untill 381 shows up or CSB0 we will not get near the price, i some times wonder if this is not all delliberate. Some other powders offer viable options but none are that ecconomical now.

[figgy]

After watching and reading everything I could find over the last few years on steel loads and speeds. Anything over 1450 fps and the patterns start to fail unless through a very good aftermarket choke.

 

I was all for the fastest cart I could lay my hands on untill I seen the results. Home loads don't count as I don't load my own so the manufacturers carts are all I got.

 

The Remington steel loads people rave over are slower than the Sportsman steel but give much better results. As you say each gun choke combo mat work with different speeds and loads.

 

If they are doing a true 1450fps that's a good chunk quicker than the lead game carts we shoot. I used to regularly shoot Canada gees at sixty yards with gamebore mammoth bb 3 1/2" carts using a Kicks high flyer and a SX3.

 

If I saw the RC in a shop I would try them as every little advantage helps.

Need to find a good aftermarket Wildfowl choke for my Benelli M2 now.

[FatFreddysCat]

After watching and reading everything I could find over the last few years on steel loads and speeds. Anything over 1450 fps and the patterns start to fail unless through a very good aftermarket choke.

 

I was all for the fastest cart I could lay my hands on untill I seen the results. Home loads don't count as I don't load my own so the manufacturers carts are all I got.

 

The Remington steel loads people rave over are slower than the Sportsman steel but give much better results. As you say each gun choke combo mat work with different speeds and loads.

 

If they are doing a true 1450fps that's a good chunk quicker than the lead game carts we shoot. I used to regularly shoot Canada gees at sixty yards with gamebore mammoth bb 3 1/2" carts using a Kicks high flyer and a SX3.

 

If I saw the RC in a shop I would try them as every little advantage helps.

Need to find a good aftermarket Wildfowl choke for my Benelli M2 now.

When I put my last lot of 10g home loads in for proof testing I put some 1 3/8th oz 10g Remington Sportsman Steel in too as they claim 1500fps and I wanted to see what they were really doing. Turns out they are actually above 1500fps and even failed on CIP velocity limit.

Proof cert attached below.

[figgy]

That's right the Sportsman steel are fast but poor patterns the Nitro steel are slower and preferred by most who like the Remington loads.

 

The Hyper steel are 1700 fps and useless.

[dodeer]

Has anyone tried the Rio blue steel? 32g 4 70mm 1525fps?

[TONY R]

I find the rio blue steels are ok, but the claimed velocity and what they acctualy acchieve are quite different.

[johnnytheboy]

I really liked the Rio blue steel, I'd put them on a par with gamebore super steel!

 

I like reloading the Rio hulls with my 28g lightening steel loads hence why I use them from time to time!

 

I do think anyone looking at 2 3/4" steel should be trying these 34g RC Camoflaged Technosteel unless your shooting over a wee flight pond then it doesn't really matter much

[figgy]

Camo cartridges crikey I have a hard enough time finding the red ones after the semi auto spits them out.

Edited May 31, 2016 by figgy

[Rimfireboy]

Camo cartridges crikey I have a hard enough time finding the red ones after the semi auto spits them out.

Same here, I'd be there for hours and still not find some of them...

[anser2]

I cant wait until they bring out Max 4 wads or maybe Advantage woodland camo pellets to go with their camo cartridge cases !!!!

[AberFowl]

I struggle to find the camo ones, hard enough finding coloured ones in the half-light

[figgy]

I end up picking up my missed empties next time I'm on before it gets dark. Camo ones I'd never find even in daylight in long grass.

[johnnytheboy]

Lol they are just green, Camoflaged is RC new brand line for high performance hunting loads