Non-toxic shot

[Slash]

Hi,
I had a person ask a question (one of many) that I don't know the answer. He has a 20 gauge smoothbore and is planning on duck hunting with it. He needs a non-toxic shot to use in it. Does anyone have any experience with it? What would you recommend?
Thanks, Slash

 

[Black Hand]

I would have them call the manufacturer of the gun and ask. Many guns ARE NOT made to shoot steel shot without shotcups, as they will score the barrel. Bismuth is another option and there are a few others. But please have then call before they experiment.

 

[Robin Camp]

Steel shot is not the only option. Heavy shot is softer than lead, yet heavier, and is safe to shoot in any shotgun....rlc

 

[AdirondakDD]

Shotcups"wads" for steel are not the same as for lead. I would call the gun maker. A little info is at this site. See the shotcup[url] http://www.ilstu.edu/~taparme/steel.htm[/url]

Remington makes Hevishot. I have had luck with them by going to their site and asking questions about their guns, they reply quickly. They may be help.See the FAQ at site below[url] http://www.hevishot.com/faq.html[/url]

 

[16gauge]

Hevishot is NOT softer than steel! It is just as hard, if not harder, than steel....it is loaded in modern ammunition in shotcups similar to those used for steel shot loads.

Tungsten Matrix is safe to use, but to the best of my knowledge, it is not sold here as a reloading component....right now, the only nontoxic alternative for muzzleloaders not wishing to use steel shot is bismuth, and it is no longer being manufactured and supplies are quickly running out.

Ecoshot may be an alternative, but I hate to use it as there has been no testing done with it yet, to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Russianblood]

S Heavy shot is softer than lead, yet heavier, and is safe to shoot in any shotgun....rlc

Heavy shot is WAY harder than even steel shot! Never use it without the proper plastic wadding. Unfortunately, with the demise of Bismuth, waterfowl with a muzzleloader is going to be either very expensive or forgone.

 

[AdirondakDD]

Hevi Shot[url] http://shop2.mailordercentral.com/bpicart/products.asp?dept=67[/url]
From Ballistic Products

 

[mmahlock]

I haven't tried this stuff but it their advertising is not bull :hmm: it may be an alternative.

Ecotungsten

 

[tamara]

That looks very interesting. $20.60 a pound, sold by the kilo. The shipping is another ~$10. So an order of 2.2 lbs will cost you about $55. I've never bought any non-toxic shot. How does that compare price-wise?

If it really is just a little harder than lead, I wonder if it could be shot out of a Peder SxS with chromed barrels without plastic shotcups?

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu want to use the heavy plastic shotcups in your chrome lined barrel, too. The chrome is not that thick, nor is it very hard. you can easily ruin the barrel using non-toxic shot without the cups.

As to price, all the stuff is high. There was discussion earlier, here, about buying cheaper shotgun shells, and using the shot from those shells for the limited amount of shooting you will do with a ML shotgun. It all depends on how many days you will spend in the field hunting Migratory Waterfowl. You certainly don't want to shoot the stuff,at those prices, at clay targets. You can use lead shot for that practice.

 

[colt100]

I don't use plastic shot cups in my pedersoli SxS with lead or bismuth. If the ecotungston is just a bit harder then lead, I would like to know if you have to use shot cups for it or if you can load it like lead/bismuth.

If you have to use shot cups, I'll forget about it in a hurry.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Well, tungsten is harder than lead, for sure. I have not seen a sample of this " Ecotungsten", so I can't give you an opinion on the particular product. Google it, and read what is available from the manufacturer, and commentators. The manufacturers don't want to be sued by people who have ruined gun barrels using their products without Shotcups, so I suspect that you will find a manufacturer's warning someplace if the shot can damage a soft steel barrel.