welshwizard Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 When I started shooting shotshells mostly had fibre wads or some type of card material and hulls were card ,then came the plastic shot carriers and how good they were for patterning and even extending your range ,now environmentally there,s been pressure for quite a while to change back to fibre wads and steel or bismuth shot ,not knowing if my barrels on my current guns will take steel I have never tried it but have used fibre wads with no noticeable effect on the pattern or range . Wondered everyones opinion on these factors and how you decided it safe for no bore damage if you use steel shot , have you found any difference in your pattern with fibre wads and steel or bismuth , I remember bismuth was expensive when it first came out here (UK) has it come down in price ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 steel should only have a protective shotcup. the primary candidate for this is high density polymer plastic, with some elastane properties. i have never used a steel / fibre shell. i have not noticed any patterning differences generally shooting. but i have only analysed #4sub homeloads extensively. bismuth is probly the worst value shot type ever. it offers, poor ballistics, poor performance, and it costs a shed load. would recomend niceshot as an alternate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 I have just acquired some of the relatively new Baschieri & Pellagri PHOTODEGRADABLE steel wads. They are a dirty yellow/ochre and look as if they have been in the house of a heavy smoker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 I have just acquired some of the relatively new Baschieri & Pellagri PHOTODEGRADABLE steel wads. They are a dirty yellow/ochre and look as if they have been in the house of a heavy smoker! cool, are the starch and UV degradable? could you send me one? B&P have some awsome steel wads that are not on the market sadly. it is the mythos steel line and the wad looks like the best i have seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwizard Posted March 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 (edited) Have not heard of this niceshot ,is it widely available ? Or this new biodegradable wad ,must be really behind the times with my reloading . Edited March 27, 2013 by welshwizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 nice shot is an expensive alternate to lead. it is classified as nontoxic so can use for waterfowl. it is loaded by homeloaders, it is loaded like for like in lead recipes under 10000psi. it is slightly less dense, than lead. it is so close that the difference can be ignored. it can be used with normal fibre wads and plastic. it is also "damascus" safe. cook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwizard Posted March 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 nice shot is an expensive alternate to lead. it is classified as nontoxic so can use for waterfowl. it is loaded by homeloaders, it is loaded like for like in lead recipes under 10000psi. it is slightly less dense, than lead. it is so close that the difference can be ignored. it can be used with normal fibre wads and plastic. it is also "damascus" safe. cook. All sounds good except this part -"expensive alternative " to lead , will have a look in sportsman store see if they stock it and how much ,lead has gone up a lot anyway though since i last bought it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00buck Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 Only loaded lead shot I was thinking of loading steel for clays in 20 bore But never have I load with plastic and fibre wads in 20 But only fibre in 410 Can you load steel in 410 not seen any data for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 All sounds good except this part -"expensive alternative " to lead , will have a look in sportsman store see if they stock it and how much ,lead has gone up a lot anyway though since i last bought it ! Steel is the only comparable alternative to lead with regards to price, all other non toxics are much more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwizard Posted March 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Never tried steel shot in my reloads in any calibre ,but I think the two most negative points of steel have got to be damage to a barrel and density of shot compared to lead i.e. knoockdown power , so although price might be comparable the other factors make it second choice ,don,t know of any clay grounds that specify steel only but know of some that specify no plastic wads unless bio. , and although non lead is not compulsory inland most wetland area,s and below highwater estuary fowling don,t allow lead , I can see it eventually going lot further but its taken long time to get here . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00buck Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 have used steel for clays but my guns are steel proofed I have been told that steel home loads are better that shop loaded ammo But that I don't know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Never tried steel shot in my reloads in any calibre ,but I think the two most negative points of steel have got to be damage to a barrel and density of shot compared to lead i.e. knoockdown power , so although price might be comparable the other factors make it second choice ,don,t know of any clay grounds that specify steel only but know of some that specify no plastic wads unless bio. , and although non lead is not compulsory inland most wetland area,s and below highwater estuary fowling don,t allow lead , I can see it eventually going lot further but its taken long time to get here . I think you'll find lead is illegal inland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwizard Posted March 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) I think you'll find lead is illegal inland. Only if you are wildfowling i.e. flight pond , where it is banned is below high water mark of estuaries or foreshore . No ban inland on rough shooting ,driven,etc ., unless its an area of S.S.S.I. Just noticed where you are - Norfolk , same ban there because of the area - wetlands and waterways ,away from there inland ok . Edited March 30, 2013 by welshwizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) Only if you are wildfowling i.e. flight pond , where it is banned is below high water mark of estuaries or foreshore . No ban inland on rough shooting ,driven,etc ., unless its an area of S.S.S.I. Just noticed where you are - Norfolk , same ban there because of the area - wetlands and waterways ,away from there inland ok . Lead is illegal to use on wildfowl inland or on the foreshore unless you are inland in Scotland. I think thats what motty was getting at as your post about steel would presume you are shooting wildfowl. Edited March 30, 2013 by Big Mat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwizard Posted March 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 No gave up fowling some years back well before the lead ban came into force , talking of these factors regarding reloading as I,m doing more of it and some of the clay grounds specify fibre wads and steel shot anyway ,nothing to do with wildfowling unless a rabbit decides to goes for a dip Lead is illegal to use on wildfowl inland or on the foreshore unless you are inland in Scotland. I think thats what motty was getting at as your post about steel would presume you are shooting wildfowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 I can't really see anyone saying steel with fibre wad only, steel will score barrels and needs a plastic wad. I think there is a fibre shot cup available now though. All the lead loads i use are fibre wad, and the bismuth i have i believe. Anything steel has a plastic wad and any that i'll be reloading will have plastic wad. All the other alternatives like bismuth, nice shot and the tungsten based shots are just too expensive to use for clays or pigeon shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwizard Posted March 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 Yes I only used lead for pigeon shooting and rabbiting only once ever tried steel in a factory load still got a few shells left but can,t use it in my old guns . I can't really see anyone saying steel with fibre wad only, steel will score barrels and needs a plastic wad. I think there is a fibre shot cup available now though. All the lead loads i use are fibre wad, and the bismuth i have i believe. Anything steel has a plastic wad and any that i'll be reloading will have plastic wad. All the other alternatives like bismuth, nice shot and the tungsten based shots are just too expensive to use for clays or pigeon shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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