Any one shoot lots of steel shot?

[NoBodyImportant]

How does your barrels look after a few 1000 rounds?  The local grocery store always has there steel shot on sale for $3.50-4.00 dollars.  Comparable lead is $4.50-6.00.  This is the stuff I find on sale often.   My barrels are rated for steel but not sure I want to blast 1000s of clays with it.  By law in North Carolina we have to use steel when hunting over water so most barrels are rated for it.  But hunting is shooting a few boxes a years not cases busting clays. 

When we throw clays they are 90 to case and we will throw 4 cases on a Saturday.  So switching to steel will save 6-7$ every time we go out.  

Edited August 25, 2019 by NoBodyImportant

[strimmer_13]

Over here I believe the general rule is go the next size up. Use 7s on clays in lead try 6s in steel. Couple guys on here use it a lot, I'm sure theyll be along to tell you what the barrels are like. 

3 hours ago, NoBodyImportant said:

The local grocery store always has there steel shot on sale for $3.50-4.00 dollars.  

You always crack me up - The local grocery store - 😂

BTW $4 a box is cheap. Here it's roughly £6, or was last time I bought some. I've only used a few boxes, they killed the same, and that was through standard barrels 40+ years old. No damage. 

[NoBodyImportant]

2 hours ago, strimmer_13 said:

 

You always crack me up - The local grocery store - 😂

 

I think Walmart is called Asda in the UK.  But they aren’t like they are here.  Here  I can get our oil changed, buy a kayak all while the wife gets groceries.  They are cheaper then sportsman stores for the most part.   Around here no matter where you are you are only 10 minutes away from a Walmart.   The one in my town is called a Walmart neighborhood food market.  They are like a normal Walmart but the have larger grocery selection then normal.  The Neighborhood food markets have international food and all that organic bull**** the city folk buy into along with expanded bakery’s and delis.  The best part is the huge a huge wall of magazines. I go shopping with the wife just to read all the new hunting and gun magazines.  Lots of people hate on them because they kill the small stores out but I like them.  

[Saltings]

wildfowling loads work out a £ a pop on average  uk  just cartridge website   ,   in my opinion lead is the best alternative to non toxic shot if shop bought  ,  however if you home load steel the jury is out I find home load steel to Sami rules kills as good if not better than lead   ,   to reload something that shoots better than shop bought works for me , cheaper and tailor your own load to your needs depending on quarry , home loading non toxic means the right powder / wads etc are used  , as cannot trust mass produced types using the cheapest components possible for the greatest £    ,    I have some weld splatter heavy shot loaded in some  vp13 lead clay wads  by a reputable midlands manufacture already perforating the slits in the wads before being  used,  and  have not been  used  and are  still in a cupboard ,  however I  shoot steel home loads regularly,  I consider the way forward  anywhere around 1550fps shoots the same leed  at about 45yrds as lead ,     if going  to Scotland to shoot geese  I would bring 1 1/4 oz home loads steel   ,   dispute having 250    2 1/4 oz nickel lead in the cupboard for the last twenty years 

steel if  home  loaded properly will do the job way  better  than lead ,  shop bought ammo and not to mention non toxic  the morel of the story buy a chronograph and test the fps when written on the box they  lie    ,    and home load non toxics are superior ( sami regs  as opposed to cip regs ) sami is about chamber pressure cip is about muzzle velocity  about 1300 fps where sami with the same load and right powder can reach in excess of 1700 fps still showing lower chamber pressures.      Dooooooh  I use sammi data for steel fast is best  as long at the pattern holds together   

[Houseplant]

As with many things, NZ is halfway between the US and the UK. We don't have shotguns for sale in department stores, but supermarkets sell fishing tackle and there is a hunting shop in most towns. As for steel shot, I don't rate it for killing stuff, but we have to use it for duck hunting. I've moved up two shot sizes, switched to magnum rounds and buy the fastest stuff I can find, maybe that's just me though. I have a Browning Maxus which doesn't seem to mind the steel shot. I can't say I've put a thousand rounds through it, but a few hundred have done no damage.

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, like a lot of goods in the UK prices are a big rip off, Hull steel game 6s £276 a 1000, even the cheaper lead cartridges 28g 7,5s that i see many PW members use including myself are nudging £200, how can the likes of Federal make theirs and still have a profit selling in a Walmart store? 

Edited August 26, 2019 by oldypigeonpopper

[NoBodyImportant]

4 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, like a lot of goods in the UK prices are a big rip off, Hull steel game 6s £276 a 1000, even the cheaper lead cartridges 28g 7,5s that i see many PW members use including myself are nudging £200, how can the likes of Federal make theirs and still have a profit selling in a Walmart store? 

Walmart names there own price.  

[panoma1]

5 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, like a lot of goods in the UK prices are a big rip off, Hull steel game 6s £276 a 1000, even the cheaper lead cartridges 28g 7,5s that i see many PW members use including myself are nudging £200, how can the likes of Federal make theirs and still have a profit selling in a Walmart store? 

Economy of scale! Or so they would have us believe! ........but the UK ain't known as treasure island for nowt!

Steel shells have a totally enclosed wad, so should not have any detrimental effect on the bores!

[figgy]

I would use it no problem, federal makes a decent cart by what YouTubers have reviewed.

If your saving and have to use it to hunt with it will make you a much better shot shooting thousands at clays when you do go out hunting.

[Dave at kelton]

I was sceptical about steel until I moved up here to Scotland and was shooting a lot of shells a season on the shore compared to the handful I shot as a visitor in tungsten. I use home load steel and gamebore mammoth. I have patterned both and checked for penetration and they are excellent. I use large shot travelling fast and it patterns and kills. I use steel proofed 12 and ten bores and have seen no problems with my barrels

[NoBodyImportant]

3 hours ago, panoma1 said:

Steel shells have a totally enclosed wad, so should not have any detrimental effect on the bores!

That was my thought, wasn’t 100 percent sure.  

[NoBodyImportant]

2 hours ago, figgy said:

I would use it no problem, federal makes a decent cart by what YouTubers have reviewed.

If your saving and have to use it to hunt with it will make you a much better shot shooting thousands at clays when you do go out hunting.

90 percent of the time I hunt dove with lead,  just can’t shoot lead over water.  Steel and lead used to be the same price but lead keeps getting more expensive. I just have a hard time paying 6-10 dollars more per day of shooting.  That’s dinner at the end of the day. 

[figgy]

No doubt lead is better, if your using steel for other hunting it will shoot doves no problems. Same with clays and no harm in trying.

[panoma1]

A bit of clay practice would be good....after 55 plus years of shooting lead, I found steel did not shoot in the same place......or was it me? 🤔

[Alex1Nat2]

I’ve been shooting the Gamebore Whitegold steel (white case, not the cheaper clear cased one) for over 2 years now.

For your average shooter, on an average sporting round you will not tell the difference other than in your pocket at £165/1000.

I shot the 100 sporting round at Grimsthorpe last week & shot an 83.

Only 1 target on the round made we wonder if the cartridge was up to the job.

It was (unfortunately I wasn’t!!)

Usual rules apply about no more than half choke but I Shoot quarter & half anyway.

 

 

[motty]

On ‎26‎/‎08‎/‎2019 at 02:59, Saltings said:

wildfowling loads work out a £ a pop on average  uk  just cartridge website   ,   in my opinion lead is the best alternative to non toxic shot if shop bought  ,  however if you home load steel the jury is out I find home load steel to Sami rules kills as good if not better than lead   ,   to reload something that shoots better than shop bought works for me , cheaper and tailor your own load to your needs depending on quarry , home loading non toxic means the right powder / wads etc are used  , as cannot trust mass produced types using the cheapest components possible for the greatest £    ,    I have some weld splatter heavy shot loaded in some  vp13 lead clay wads  by a reputable midlands manufacture already perforating the slits in the wads before being  used,  and  have not been  used  and are  still in a cupboard ,  however I  shoot steel home loads regularly,  I consider the way forward  anywhere around 1550fps shoots the same leed  at about 45yrds as lead ,     if going  to Scotland to shoot geese  I would bring 1 1/4 oz home loads steel   ,   dispute having 250    2 1/4 oz nickel lead in the cupboard for the last twenty years 

steel if  home  loaded properly will do the job way  better  than lead ,  shop bought ammo and not to mention non toxic  the morel of the story buy a chronograph and test the fps when written on the box they  lie    ,    and home load non toxics are superior ( sami regs  as opposed to cip regs ) sami is about chamber pressure cip is about muzzle velocity  about 1300 fps where sami with the same load and right powder can reach in excess of 1700 fps still showing lower chamber pressures.      Dooooooh  I use sammi data for steel fast is best  as long at the pattern holds together   

Goose loads in steel may be more expensive over here, but not a quid a pop. Gamebore 3 1/2" loads are around 70p each. The 2 3/4" duck loads are more like 20-25p each.

Commercial loaded steel is more than adequate for wildfowl. My friends and I shoot a lot of ducks through the season, and we mostly use factory.

I think speed is way over hyped. 1300 - 1400fps is plenty.

Anyway, to the original question. My barrels show no evidence of wear, despite many thousands of rounds through them. I would use steel 3/4oz 7 for clays.

2 hours ago, Alex1Nat2 said:

I’ve been shooting the Gamebore Whitegold steel (white case, not the cheaper clear cased one) for over 2 years now.

For your average shooter, on an average sporting round you will not tell the difference other than in your pocket at £165/1000.

I shot the 100 sporting round at Grimsthorpe last week & shot an 83.

Only 1 target on the round made we wonder if the cartridge was up to the job.

It was (unfortunately I wasn’t!!)

Usual rules apply about no more than half choke but I Shoot quarter & half anyway.

 

 

The half choke "rule" is a load of bull!

[Alex1Nat2]

46 minutes ago, motty said:

Goose loads in steel may be more expensive over here, but not a quid a pop. Gamebore 3 1/2" loads are around 70p each. The 2 3/4" duck loads are more like 20-25p each.

Commercial loaded steel is more than adequate for wildfowl. My friends and I shoot a lot of ducks through the season, and we mostly use factory.

I think speed is way over hyped. 1300 - 1400fps is plenty.

Anyway, to the original question. My barrels show no evidence of wear, despite many thousands of rounds through them. I would use steel 3/4oz 7 for clays.

The half choke "rule" is a load of bull!

But why risk it if half choke does the Job?

[motty]

1 hour ago, Alex1Nat2 said:

But why risk it if half choke does the Job?

There is no risk. I shoot far bigger shot through far tighter chokes than half.

Half is fine for clays. I prefer a bit more for live stuff.

[Jaymo]

On 25/08/2019 at 23:29, strimmer_13 said:

Over here I believe the general rule is go the next size up. Use 7s on clays in lead try 6s in steel. Couple guys on here use it a lot, I'm sure theyll be along to tell you what the barrels are like. 

You always crack me up - The local grocery store - 😂

BTW $4 a box is cheap. Here it's roughly £6, or was last time I bought some. I've only used a few boxes, they killed the same, and that was through standard barrels 40+ years old. No damage. 

My hols in the 80’s in France were the same- mum getting the Vega and me staring at shotguns in Geant Casino supermarket

We still have carts for sale in Decathlon

[Saltings]

On ‎27‎/‎08‎/‎2019 at 23:11, motty said:

There is no risk. I shoot far bigger shot through far tighter chokes than half.

Half is fine for clays. I prefer a bit more for live stuff.

1/2 choke  is ok for slower steel  , American / Norwegian  faster steel   app1500 fps and beyond no more than 1/2 choke,   when you buy ready made shells  put them  through a chronograph it does not do what it says on the tin  , been loading all sorts  for over  20 yrs and collating results with many others ,  steel,  lead (home made lead} heavy shot spherical and weld splatter ,bismuth ,tungsten matrix  , copper to name a few ,  all loads have their sweet spot for speed and pattern  , have also shot off the shelf stuff was not happy with the amount of cripples  which pushed me towards reloaded and tailored loads re-  speed/ pattern less cripples more dead in the air    every one has an opinion , if you don't try something different ,  how will you know if its better or worse than what you are using   

last box of 3.5" steel I bought  a few years back was £32.00 for 25     just cartridge  about £1100 a thousand better deals can be got depending on where you live  supply on demand 

Edited August 29, 2019 by Saltings

[Dave at kelton]

On the issue of choke I use off the shelf  Kiks full choke in both 12 and 10 bore with shot size BB and BBB on the shore. No problems with barrels or pattern at range to 60m.

[motty]

9 hours ago, Saltings said:

1/2 choke  is ok for slower steel  , American / Norwegian  faster steel   app1500 fps and beyond no more than 1/2 choke,   when you buy ready made shells  put them  through a chronograph it does not do what it says on the tin  , been loading all sorts  for over  20 yrs and collating results with many others ,  steel,  lead (home made lead} heavy shot spherical and weld splatter ,bismuth ,tungsten matrix  , copper to name a few ,  all loads have their sweet spot for speed and pattern  , have also shot off the shelf stuff was not happy with the amount of cripples  which pushed me towards reloaded and tailored loads re-  speed/ pattern less cripples more dead in the air    every one has an opinion , if you don't try something different ,  how will you know if its better or worse than what you are using   

last box of 3.5" steel I bought  a few years back was £32.00 for 25     just cartridge  about £1100 a thousand better deals can be got depending on where you live  supply on demand 

You are not the only one that has played around with different loads and speeds.

The faster you throw steel, the quicker it slows down, meaning you don't gain much by the time the shot reaches the target. The main thing you will be getting is increased recoil.

I put fast steel through full chokes, too.

[figgy]

I used some atomic steel 34g 3 on some clays at ranges I will shoot ducks.  At 45 to 50 yards it was still getting some smoke of the clays if I centered it. Half choke in a Benelli nominal bore barrel.  As a duck and chance at geese load it's great. Will have to try it through my extra full Briley on a pattern board.

Loaded up some 3 1/2" 42g BBB steel with 40grains of A Steel with bp 44s wad slit 4 ways chef case cx2000 primer. Need to chrono it as it kicked like a donkey. No signs of over pressure due to spinning a crimp closure rather than a roll turn over. As Mitty says speed isn't all, I tend to shoot high when it kicks lots as muzzle rises, so lose any advantage that speed may give.

Checked my barrel after firing no sign of marks it damage. 

Edited August 29, 2019 by figgy

[NoBodyImportant]

I bought a few boxes.  I going to run some this weekend. Any sign of wear on the chokes and I switch back to lead.  

[widgeon man]

Figgy be careful that load IS over pressure!!!