Plated Shot...is the good Winchester 'Lubaloy' copper p

[roundball]

I've really come to appreciate the benefits of copper and nickle plated shot as I use no shot cups in my smoothbores and the plating does improve patterns, I assume through less pellet deformation as advertised.

However, with my last remaining bag of old Winchester 'Lubaloy' copper plated #4s two thirds gone, I decided to start looking for some more in #4s, 5s, and 6s.

Cannot find Winchester 'Lubaloy' copper plated shot anywhere anymore in any size, so unless someone on here knows of a source, I assume it must no longer be made.

So I tried a bag of lawerance #6 copper plated and it was junk in my opinion...very inferior to the Winchester of old...like they used the cheapest softest plain lead they could and simply ran a copper colored wash over it.
The reason I say that is because just pouring it into and out of a metal coffee can, where ever the copper wash hit the can, the wash comes right off and you can see the lead showing.
Also, lawerance CP #6s doesn't pattern even close to as well a Lawerance's own hard magnum #6 lead shots.
Then I tried a bag of #5s...same sorry quality and performance.
The difference between the original Winchester 'Lubaloy' copper plated and the Lawerance brand is incredible...the Lawerance copper plated is junk.

Then I tried a bag of nickle plated #6's from Ballistics Products and it was better...more expensive of course...but patterned every bit as well as hard magnun lead 6's, also putting a few more pellets into the turkey target at 40yds.

The nickle plated shot is advertised to be harder than the copper plated and has a little better penetration...if that's true, it would be interesting to run some "tuna can penetration tests" at 40yds using nickle plated 7.5's...if they'll carry enough energy to penertate that heavy can, the increased pellet count should really saturate a turkey head sized target...may have to test those this spring.

At any rate, does anyone know if the original Winchester 'Lubaloy' copper plated shot is still made, and/or still available anywhere?

 

[Tom Black]

I'm kinda new to the fowler thing but I have a British style fowler made by my friend Mike Miller of Paducah, KY. It has a 44" Colerain full choke turkey barrel on it. I too have been unable to find any of the old Winchester plated shot. I did cannabilize several loaded Win. shells with plated #6's and they patterned not one bit better than did plain lead #6 shot made by Lawrence. I don't load with shot cups and leading was very nil, just a bit near the choke. The folks at Colerain didn't reccommend using plated shot in their barrels due to a chance of scouring the soft barrel. You might find some of this old Win. shot at a gun show.
Tom Black
Cantucky

 

[Tom Black]

Correction. That was nickle plated shot that the folks at Colerain said not to use. Copper plated was OK.
Tom Black
Cantucky

 

[renovato]

I see bags of it at gun shows with regularity. You might hit shows in your area and see. I only hit shows in the southwest, so it might just be a few local dealers who are selling it, but it's worth a try.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Here is a site for the Winchester Western Components catalogue. According to this, the Lubaloy shot is no long offered.
http://www.chinapdf.com/PDF-samples/product-brochure/reloadersmanual.pdf

 

[roundball]

Tom, Plink....hitting the gun shows may well be the last best idea because I don't think its made anymore or Google would have turned it up...thanks

 

[wtilenw]

I just placed an ad in our local "Free" weekly classifieds circular, under "Wanted to Buy". Maybe some old stuff will turn up. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[16gauge]

As you have found out, Winchester "Lubaloy" copper plated shot has not been available for quite a while...best bet is to hit the gun shows, flea markets, ect as others have suggested. However, be prepared to pay through the nose for it.

I have it on good authority that the problem with current batches of shot is not so much the copper coating, but the hardness of the shot itself....plating 'chilled' shot does not make it harder or pattern better. Have you tried 'magnum' shot? Unfortunately, it's largest available size is #6, but it has a higher antimony content and is supposedly superior to chilled shot.
Also, I'm told that the current nickle plated shot that is sold is coming from Europe....It is magnum plated shot that is plated and is used by the European trap shooters because of it's excellent qualities of hardness & uniform roundness....may be worth the extra cost.
Having found the same issues that you have, I am switching to magnum #6s for most of my game shooting, and nickle plated #5s for those instances where I need tighter patterns at longer ranges (turkey, long range pheasants, ect).

 

[roundball]

Yes, except for a few old bags of chilled shot I've occasionally bought at low prices from local individuals here and there, I've always bought / used the hard magnum shot for hunting, trap, and skeet.

My experience with the nickle plated is that its much harder than today's copper plated junk, and it does puts a few more pellets in a 40 yard turkey head target than magnum #6s...probably try the nickle for this spring's turkey season.

 

[Rat Trapper]

Roundball,
After having to test fire and sight in plenty of custmers gun while work in the local gun shop, I have found in modern shotguns (non ML)#4's never patterned well, #5's patterned better and #6's did better yet. In the field I have learned after shooting over 50 turkeys #6's will kill turkeys farther than anyone should shoot at a turkey. I have also seen birds killed with # 7.5 (410 ga) and #8's (20 ga). Inside 30 yards the small stuff will work very well. When using #6's you can shoot a little farther and are the best choice in my opion. I do like nickled shot even though as you said it is costly. Other wise you need magnum shot the harder the better.