sweepy Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hi All Right am getting confused with what chokes can be used with steel shoot.Iwant to use my sbs down the marshes but the price of bismuth is to much,have been told the chokes must be 1/4 at least to be able to use steel through it. No have just read somewhere that you can put steel through any choke with out any problem So does anybody on here have a definate answer or nowhere I could find out as I don't want go to the expense of having my chokes altered or keep buying bismuth or buy a new gun Sweepy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight32 Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 (edited) Hi All Right am getting confused with what chokes can be used with steel shoot.Iwant to use my sbs down the marshes but the price of bismuth is to much,have been told the chokes must be 1/4 at least to be able to use steel through it. No have just read somewhere that you can put steel through any choke with out any problem So does anybody on here have a definate answer or nowhere I could find out as I don't want go to the expense of having my chokes altered or keep buying bismuth or buy a new gun Sweepy Deffo not. Max half choke for steel. No if's and no buts. Old gun tighter than half= Big bang and bits of you all up the marsh. As a wildfowling club committee member I have had to conduct two enquiries regarding gun failures. Each time it has been down to mis-use of steel. If you really want to use steel and you are on a budget just buy an Escort semi-auto for your wildfowling. Dirt cheap and due the job with steel with no issues over safety. Regards starlight32 Edited June 1, 2008 by starlight32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hi All Right am getting confused with what chokes can be used with steel shoot.Iwant to use my sbs down the marshes but the price of bismuth is to much,have been told the chokes must be 1/4 at least to be able to use steel through it. No have just read somewhere that you can put steel through any choke with out any problem So does anybody on here have a definate answer or nowhere I could find out as I don't want go to the expense of having my chokes altered or keep buying bismuth or buy a new gun Sweepy Deffo not. Max half choke for steel. No if's and no buts. Old gun tighter than half= Big bang and bits of you all up the marsh. As a wildfowling club committee member I have had to conduct two enquiries regarding gun failures. Each time it has been down to mis-use of steel. If you really want to use steel and you are on a budget just buy an Escort semi-auto for your wildfowling. Dirt cheap and due the job with steel with no issues over safety. Regards starlight32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweepy Posted June 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Cheers Starlight many thanks for your help Sweepy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casts_by_fly Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 in addition to above, keep in mind that there are 'steel full' chokes for multi chokes guns. While they throw a full choke pattern, they are not the same constriction as the lead chokes. this is another circumstance where if you choke 1/4 and 1/2 you'll be in good shape. It is quite possibly the most useful choke combo for an all purpose double. With lead and game birds you are good for 35-40 yard shots which is more than a lot of shooters can shoot well, and for waterfowl it will give you tight patterns for steel at the same ranges. Thanks Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweedledee Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 guys i hope you can make this out i scanned it.i got this in the gunshop yesterday and it states it`s ok to shoot these loads with full choke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweedledee Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 that turned out not too bad for a scan job.i know these are`nt game loads but i`m sure you could possibly get info from gamebore`s website.i always wondered at dtl men using steel with the guns usually tight choked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Having seen no less than three different instances yesterday alone at two different gunshops of guns that have had the choke section (2No) or breech (1No) section blown by use of these particular steel cartridges, I would have to say that regardless of what it says on that box, I for one would not take the risk. One of the guys whose gun had literally lost the top barrel had tried saying he had used an open choke, but given that the bottom barrel was 3/4 and that the only choke missing from the complete box (He had only had it 2months from new) was the Full, they knew he was lying. The reason I was shown these guns were due to a recent increase of incidents involving steel shot at a certain clayground, after I enquired about a new Browning Gold Hunter S/A for a friend of mine who wants to use it for wildfowling. He had been told that the gun although 3.5" chamber was not suitable for 3.5" steel cartridges. I have the same gun albeit a slightly older model and have used 3.5" steel cartridges no problem, but was abit concerned at the advice given. I had to go to one gunshop (Not the one selling the gun my friend wanted) to pickup a gun they had been servicing and asked the question there of my gun's suitable proof, to be told the following; My gun does not have the fleur de ley proof mark as it comes from the Herschel factory, Belgium and they don't adhere to the same proof marks. However it does have the Superior proofmarks, which makes it ok for the cartridges I have been using Remington Nitro and Hi-speed Steel in 36g and 42g. I asked whether this would also apply to a new gun and was told that whilst the new guns would be the same as mine in terms of yes they could fire 3.5" steel loads, not all new guns had the fleur de ley proof mark, but they did have the superior proof mark. When visiting the gunshop where the gun being sold, I asked them the same question, and was told that they legally couldn't tell my friend that yes it would be ok due to the Proof marking when selling it, but because I asked if my gun was ok as it was already mine, they confirmed that it was indeed ok for the cartridges I use. I then asked whether the gun for sale was the same proof mark as mine and was told yes and that therefore it could handle the same loads no problem. So be careful when using steel cartridges and don't even think about using anything tighter than half choke and more open if possible after all Steel shoots a tighter pattern than lead anyway. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweedledee Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 fair enough suffolk shooter.i have 1000 plus steel carts in my cabinet and to be honest was scared of using them,i had tried a few but after some thought decided it could be sore on my barrels.all the same it`s a big endorsement when you read the first question on that gamebore sheet.i too always had thought half choke was the max but when i asked my dealer yesterday he handed me that sheet.if guns are being damaged by steel shot i doubt if gamebore has heard about it when you read the bottom section.i think i ll play safe and sell my steel and spend a few more quid and stick with lead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweepy Posted June 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 The article that Tweedledee has scanned is the article that I was first referring too which made me wonder about the chokes. Sweepy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweedledee Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 n ireland is the only part of the uk still using lead over wetlands but i was told yesterday that the powers to be are looking for a voluntary changeover before next year.if it does`nt happen a compulsary ban will be enforced at a later date. won`t affect me much i only shoot duck twice or three times a year.shell prices are high enough wanting to have to buy alternatives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Sweepy, Take a look at this link, CIP Regulations It explains all about chokes and gun proofing and what you should and shouldn't do. If your gun isn't marked steel shoot or the fleur de lys then high performance cartridges are a big no no. The Express Supreme Steel are 2 3/4" and no. 4 shot and are possibly the best standard steel cartridges . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markio Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 What's the superior proof mark? It's not SP within a circle is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayman Posted June 6, 2008 Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 I have just had some imported guns steel proofed at the London Proof house and they will not use tighter than 1/2 choke when proofing for steel. Express steel information sheet also advises not to use steel in more than 1/2 choke, and you will find that some manufacturers warranties also state that warranty is invalid if steel is used through greater than 1/2 choke. Seems like a fairly universal opinion from proof experts, cartridge manufacturers, and gunmakers : - 1/2 choke max for steel. Clayman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweedledee Posted June 7, 2008 Report Share Posted June 7, 2008 i think i`ll play safe and never use any more than half.it`s good to know that you won`t have a mishap.sadly due to the rising cartridge costs i admit i will probably have to use steel at one point or another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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