toxo Posted July 9, 2016 Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 I've acquired a slab of clear pigeon and a quantity of Win Universal, both 32g 6s. Firstly, how do I know if they're steel or lead? Can I assume that if it doesn't say steel on the box, it's lead? Forgive the numpty questions but I'm new to shotguns and know nothing. Having recently bought a Hatsan semi chambered for 3inch I'm told they don't have to be 3inch. Can someone tell me the practical differences in cart length when the charge and the shot are the same? My recently acquired carts are 2 1/4 inch wil they be ok in my semi and are they better or worse than a longer cart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted July 9, 2016 Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 (edited) They are both lead loads , any steel will say on the box. Most auto's and particularly the escort's prefer cartridges of 70mm or over so you may get some feed issues , other than that the only practical difference is they will fit guns with shorter chambers , bye the way case length is measured on a fired case , so yours are likely to be more than 2 1/4 inch I am guessing 65-67 mm , the newer clear pigeon are 70mm Edited July 9, 2016 by fenboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow white Posted July 9, 2016 Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 If not sure put a magnet against one if it sticks it steel if it dose not stick its lead . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycho Posted July 9, 2016 Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 Remember if steel you can fire on and over water if lead you cant,steel beware of ricochet with steel..they will probably be lead as with steel you go 2 sizes less a 6 In steel would be 8 or dust in lead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewluke Posted July 9, 2016 Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 Remember if steel you can fire on and over water if lead you cant,steel beware of ricochet with steel..they will probably be lead as with steel you go 2 sizes less a 6 In steel would be 8 or dust in lead i'm pretty sure that a size 6 steel is the same size as lead 6,it's the density of the shot that requires you to go up 2 shot sizes in steel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxo Posted July 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 Thanks guys. Some useful info there. You're right fenboy, I was measuring a fold cart. Snow White, why didn't I think of that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted July 9, 2016 Report Share Posted July 9, 2016 Remember if steel you can fire on and over water if lead you cant,steel beware of ricochet with steel..they will probably be lead as with steel you go 2 sizes less a 6 In steel would be 8 or dust in lead You can fire as much lead over water in England ( other than the foreshore and ssi sites) as you like as long as you are not shooting at wildfowl. As already mentioned a steel 6 is exactly the same size as a lead 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycho Posted July 10, 2016 Report Share Posted July 10, 2016 (edited) Thanks for the info on shot size and density and following from above can I fire lead at a rabbit on the edge of a lake knowing that some shot may go in the water of the lake as at this time I would use steel as its a rabbit and not waterfowl and or can I fire over the lake at a rabbit on the other side or water fowl on the other side again at this time I would use steel Edited July 10, 2016 by psycho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted July 10, 2016 Report Share Posted July 10, 2016 In the interest spicing up this topic, a 2 shotsizes increase is only size not ballistic performance. For better go up 3. At 40 yards there is a big difference between lead and steel. I would like to advise you to use #2 on duck /BB on geese. The sizing of shot is based on lead, small increments of dense lead is a big change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted July 10, 2016 Report Share Posted July 10, 2016 Thanks for the info on shot size and density and following from above can I fire lead at a rabbit on the edge of a lake knowing that some shot may go in the water of the lake as at this time I would use steel as its a rabbit and not waterfowl and or can I fire over the lake at a rabbit on the other side or water fowl on the other side again at this time I would use steel If you are in England then yes it would be perfectly legal to shoot a rabbit sitting on the edge of a lake using lead shot , you can even shoot a rat swimming across the water , you cannot however shoot a duck with lead that's a mile away from the nearest water unless you are using steel or other non toxic . As they say the law is an ****. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycho Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 Thanks fenboy nice easy answer for even me to understand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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