chacotawas Posted November 17, 2013 Report Share Posted November 17, 2013 Hi, A rookie, I've posted on this topic in the Bullets, Cartridges, and Reloading Section. The material I'm offering for the consideration of knowledgeable guns is based on the excellent book "Modern Wildfowling" by Eric Begbie and concerns the most effective combinations of load and shot size for goose shooting. I would much appreciate your observations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted November 17, 2013 Report Share Posted November 17, 2013 Unless I’m mistaken, that was written when you could use lead shot but it is now not really applicable with modern types of material. Unless this is a theoretical exercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted November 17, 2013 Report Share Posted November 17, 2013 Not such a modern tome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted November 17, 2013 Report Share Posted November 17, 2013 Good though Eric's book was wildfowling cartridges have changed so much since that was written. Steel is a very different beast to lead and different rules need to be used to be successful with it. Without going into detail you need to go up 2 or 3 sizes in shot , use faster shells , be very aware of the limitations imposed by normal chokes and be prepared to use after chokes if you are going to get the best out of steel shells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted November 17, 2013 Report Share Posted November 17, 2013 I'd agree with what anser2 says but I'd go up 3 shot sizes. Just my personal opinion I'm getting on good with 36 gram steel 3's for duck. In lead I would use a 32 gram no 6 normally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 The best steel loads are achieved through experimenting with many things and trying them on a pattern sheet. There are many variables. Some friends of mine developed a 1 1/2 oz buffered BBB load. Through tight chokes it patterns well enough to be effective up to 60 yards. There aren't that many pellets in the load, so it all comes down to choking to ensure there are enough of these pellets to connect at range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 (edited) Geese. Hevi Shot every time. Don,t use steel for geese myself but for off the shelf cartridges I read good things about Gamebore Mammoths in BB. Edited November 18, 2013 by scolopax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 I would agree with you Richard , hevi-shot is very good . The only problem is they are very expensive now and difficult to get hold of. I am on my last box of 10 and when they are gone that will bhe it unless they come back onto the market and at a reasonable price. For the last few years almost all the geese I have shot have been with steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chacotawas Posted November 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 Yes. I'd forgotten about the prohibition on lead, and in view of that the table provided by Mr Begbie is now out of date. However, since I don't (as yet) have access to the foreshore and am doing my stuff on inland fields, I've more interest in it than most, I suppose. Mind you, I think it still has value even if it's only to alert the uninitiated to the fact that the issue of best combination/choke is a deal more complicated than you might think. I agree that it would be fascinating to see the results of tests with the non-toxic shot-alternatives. Thank you, also, for the information on non-toxics; I think- in anticipation of an outright ban on lead- I'll start experimenting with them. Must seek advice on the suitability of my gun for steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 as a shot type medium, lead is pretty hard to beat. but as the laws require us to change, hevi shot is about the pinicle of performance, but it has one hell of a pricetag too. the next would be sinter type shot, niceshot because it requires no differential from lead. you can even use the same powder / wad / etc.... then there is steel, cheap if it is slow and small, expensive if it is big and fast. i believe that steel is killing the subgauges. but as you can reload niceshot, bringing back the 20gauge to still take geese.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 Hevi shot? It's far too expensive if you are regularly shooting geese! I'm going to start reloading for next year and think fast steel is definitely the way to go. The nice shot stuff is also pricey yeah? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 (edited) Hevi shot? It's far too expensive if you are regularly shooting geese! I'm going to start reloading for next year and think fast steel is definitely the way to go. The nice shot stuff is also pricey yeah? £73 a kilo from clay game. I've got some hevi shot here and some bismuth, but i wont buy any more at clay game prices. Steel homeloads will be all i use. Edited November 18, 2013 by Big Mat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 Ouch that must work out around £3 a pop for a 42 gram load? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratty1 Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 How does the "nice shot" perform. I presume its very similar to itm. I'm keen on getting an old type 10b with 2&7/8ths chamber. Bismuth and nice shot seem to be the only stuff available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakin stevens Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 I have a couple of kilos in 4.5mm, its not as hard as itm its much softer more like lead, but it is tungston based. Think it has tin in it as well not sure its been a long time since I read up on the stuff. I would still make sure it has a plastic wrap to protect your barrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 Yes. I'd forgotten about the prohibition on lead, and in view of that the table provided by Mr Begbie is now out of date. However, since I don't (as yet) have access to the foreshore and am doing my stuff on inland fields, I've more interest in it than most, I suppose. Mind you, I think it still has value even if it's only to alert the uninitiated to the fact that the issue of best combination/choke is a deal more complicated than you might think. I agree that it would be fascinating to see the results of tests with the non-toxic shot-alternatives. Thank you, also, for the information on non-toxics; I think- in anticipation of an outright ban on lead- I'll start experimenting with them. Must seek advice on the suitability of my gun for steel. Still in England and Wales no Lead allowed on any Wildfowl, in land means Nothing here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 Geese. Hevi Shot every time. Don,t use steel for geese myself but for off the shelf cartridges I read good things about Gamebore Mammoths in BB. I really like hevi shot, but not that many people are prepared to pay for it. I have had very good results with 4.5mm steel on the geese this season - mainly through my 10 and .705 Terror. My 1 1/2oz homeloads have done the business when I've pointed the barrel in the right place. At 1550fps (allegedly) they are certainly very potent at around the 50 yard mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted November 19, 2013 Report Share Posted November 19, 2013 How does the "nice shot" perform. I presume its very similar to itm. I'm keen on getting an old type 10b with 2&7/8ths chamber. Bismuth and nice shot seem to be the only stuff available niceshot is supposed to emulate high antimony ~5% lead. the density and softness are near identical. however there is about a gram discrepency between the 2, when 32grams is dropped by a loader. so niceshot is just a tiny proportion less dense. apart from that its discribes as barrel safe, to be used with fibre. it is designed to be used with antique guns, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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