Non toxic shot

[Popgun]

I had an invite to shoot duck on a inland marsh so off to the gunshop for some advice, try Eley Maximum Bismuth no5s he said so i came home with a hundred for £1 each. try them on the marsh anything over 30yards they were **** and there were to many crippels for my liking,is tungsten matrix any better

[starlight32]

I had an invite to shoot duck on a inland marsh so off to the gunshop for some advice, try Eley Maximum Bismuth no5s he said so i came home with a hundred for £1 each. try them on the marsh anything over 30yards they were **** and there were to many crippels for my liking,is tungsten matrix any better

 

Bismuth is an extremely poor in comparison to Tungsten or Hevi-shot. Hevi shot is superior to Tungsten and cost is comparible. Most gunshops push first time buyer's of non-toxic to Bismuth purely because it is a softer material and can be put through more or less any gun whatever the choke.

 

I have found 30g of Hevi shot 4's to out perform 53g of bismuth 3's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[anser2]

I agree with Starlite , bismuth while being better than non magnum loads of steel is not as good as tungstun or hevi shot. Even so I have killed a lot of duck with bismuth at ranges up to 40 yards with no problem. But you do need to use a shot size larger than lead. For geese I have found them effective ( in 1s or BBs ) only at short range.

 

For duck I use

Steel in 36 gr load 3s or 2s.

Bismuth 32 gr load 4s

Tungstone 32 gr 5s

Hevi shot 31 gr 5s

[mudpatten]

I`ve used bismuth factory loads on and off for some years and found them to be acceptable for duck out to about 35-40 yards, which is about as far as I can hit them. Some years ago when the mandatory use of non toxic shot was still over the horizon my fowling club carried out extensive field testing of bismuth. The majority of testers were quite happy with the results and, once used to it, I`ve seen fowlers kill some spectacularly high duck absolutely stone dead.

 

My point is this, I`ve seen 45 yard birds killed consistently so the stuff must work if pointed in the right direction. And yet a small number of the testers found it impossible to get on with and had many cripples.

 

I can offer no scientific explanation for this other than to speculate that it might be something to do with pattern placement, or that most elusive quality of all, confidence.

 

Although it is`nt what you asked, homeloaded bismuth, travelling a bit quicker than the "detuned" factory stuff is very good.

 

Personally I can`t get on with tungsten slapstick but Hevi shot, if you can afford a second mortgage, is devastating. On a personal note, I`ve gone over completely to steel for all my fowling and found it perfectly acceptable when used through a modern, long chambered gun.

 

Nick.

[dodeer]

I shoot plenty of ducks near Wareham with the same Maximum cartridges but in 4 shot, never had a real problem with them except the price.

[henry d]

I use bismuth and TM and I feel I need to give more lead with bis than TM.

[Whitebridges]

I've used quite a few Bismuth Eley Maxiumum 4's on Ducks and they are fine out to 40 yards. I prefer Alphamax though.