Steel Shot Supply

[landofficer]

Would anyone know where the steel shot comes from for the cartridges that are loaded in this country, is it made in the uk or is it all imported.  The lead shot that is made in house with Gamebore will give it flexibility on supply and saving some cost somewhere. But once steel shot is needed by the whole country it will probably cause supply issues.

[enfieldspares]

I understand that it mostly comes from China. So when lead is banned in accordance with the wishes expressed by BASC and by the Countryside Alliance and etc. then the next thing that those that wish to ban shooting will attack will be the environmental cost of steel shot and the plastic cartridge case. Yet paying Danegeld never worked even though BASC and the CA believe that it will.

But "Oh" they say we can use "eco wads". 

https://www.vintageguns.co.uk/magazine/safety-concerns-over-eco-wads

Edited May 19, 2022 by enfieldspares

[pigeon controller]

Back in the Dark ages when I was studying at college I did a project on the production of steel roller bearings and found that Sweden was the world biggest producer of ball bearings. I know China has now possible taken this roll but Sweden could supply the eurozone if they wanted perhaps.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

34 minutes ago, pigeon controller said:

Back in the Dark ages when I was studying at college I did a project on the production of steel roller bearings and found that Sweden was the world biggest producer of ball bearings. I know China has now possible taken this roll but Sweden could supply the eurozone if they wanted perhaps.

Yes Sweden have lead the way for years.

During WW2 there were regular Mosquito flights to collect them.

But there is a bit more to ball bearings than there is to soft iron shot!

[Fellside]

Apparently steel shot aren’t made like ball bearings. I have heard that for shot manufacturing - they cut sections of wire then roll them under pressure…?

I’m sure that if or when we end up using steel, market demand and competition (as we have with lead shot currently) will generate more availability. We just don’t have a mass market yet as there is little demand. 

[Poor Shot]

It's relatively soft steel and it's application does not require all that much accuracy in it manufacture. Therefore its probably stamped using a press from sheet or steel wire in the same way nails are produced. As this is quite simple and only requires someone to feed, empty and maintain the machine then it's probably produced somewhere in the third world where labor is costed in pence per day rather than pounds per hour and no one gives two ****s about the pollution caused during the manufacture of the steel.

Edited May 20, 2022 by Poor Shot

[deershooter]

Stephen Dales ex Gamebore director and owner of clay game reloaders owns the Steel Shot Company who produce most of the uk loaded steel shot . 

[rbrowning2]

3 hours ago, deershooter said:

Stephen Dales ex Gamebore director and owner of clay game reloaders owns the Steel Shot Company who produce most of the uk loaded steel shot . 

Indeed and it is made in China according to Stephen, he once owned a factory making it but has since sold the factory, so now just buys it as required. 

[derbyduck]

many years ago I worked for a Furnace manufacturing company ,we installed heat treat plants in loads of bearing factories and as Poor Shot says the balls were punched out of sheet metal then rolled between plate presses, I vaguely remember working at one place just off the A17  that was in some old air force buildings at the side of a river, 

Gawd it was 50 odd years ago 😟

[grahamch]

Gamebore also make bismuth shot in house

[Jimbo yorks]

Steel shot co (clay and game) supply the bulk of steel to manufacturers.

The warehouse had pallets with x4 55gallon steel drums full of shot, any size you want!

[Fen tiger]

If you want shot for pigeon or partridge  you can buy S7 Indi cast blasting shot . S7 is approximately 2.8--3.0Mm in size. Any blasting suppliers will sell it its about £50 + vat for 28 KGS.

[Sweet11-87]

On 03/06/2022 at 13:19, Fen tiger said:

If you want shot for pigeon or partridge  you can buy S7 Indi cast blasting shot . S7 is approximately 2.8--3.0Mm in size. Any blasting suppliers will sell it its about £50 + vat for 28 KGS.

as a cheap close range decoying load you may be onto somthing. anyone tried it? is it the same soft iron stuff?