Steel shot in a smoothbore...

[DGeraths]

How much damage do you think #6 steel shot will do to my smoothbore .54 cal? Now keep in mind, it is not going to be a common thing for me to fire out of it. Perhaps 6 or 7 shots a year if that. The place where I plan on hunting is a reserve and it requires non-toxic shot.

I know that steel shot can do some damage if used a lot but I have no clue as to what "a lot" would be?

Also, what is your opinion on load. I figured about 60grns of powder to 50 grns of shot? Sound about right?

Thoughts?

 

[Rebel]

I wouldn't use steel shot in it without using one of the special hard plastic steel shotcups.

 

[roundball]

How much damage do you think #6 steel shot will do to my smoothbore .54 cal? Now keep in mind, it is not going to be a common thing for me to fire out of it. Perhaps 6 or 7 shots a year if that. The place where I plan on hunting is a reserve and it requires non-toxic shot.

I know that steel shot can do some damage if used a lot but I have no clue as to what "a lot" would be?

Also, what is your opinion on load. I figured about 60grns of powder to 50 grns of shot? Sound about right?

Thoughts?

Good question...I've wondered myself as I have some #2 steel shot that I thought might be good in a .62cal flint smoothbore for calling in a coyote or something, but have always heard they must be used with one of those special hard plastic steel shot cups...lead won't mar the steel bore, but steel on steel is the problem as I understand it.

If you haven't already bought the steel shot yet, you might consider Bismuth shot instead...you don't need to buy a 25lb bag, just one of those few pound plastic bottles of it for no more than you'd need to sight in and hunt

 

[AJFedak]

DGeraths,
Actually the main concern is the pressure from the the steel shot. The steel shot will not compress at the initial charge and can cause your barrel to bulge.

If you are only going for a few (6-7) shots, why not just buy a box of bismuth shells in say 12 gauge 3

 

[BrownBear]

When steel first came on the scene a friend didn't believe all the fluff about special shot cups. He handloaded 3 rounds of 3" #2's using original Remington shot cups intended for lead shot. He then shot them through his 870. Scored the last five or six inches of bore thoroughly- so badly he hacked off the barrel to turn it into a "riot" barrel.

How hard is the steel in your 54 compared to the barrel on an 870?

 

[DGeraths]

I wouldn't take the chance with steel. Save your barrel and look into buying a factory load bismuth.

Sincerely,
AJ/OH

So to clarify,

The bismuth shot is non-toxic and can be loaded straight in the barrel like lead shot (without a cup) and will not harm the barrel? If that is the case than it sounds like the logical choice.

What kind of load should I use? Grains? How much shot? Should I use the cups anyway?

This is for a .54 cal smoothie.

Thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

So to clarify, the bismuth shot is non-toxic and can be loaded straight in the barrel like lead shot (without a cup) and will not harm the barrel? If that is the case than it sounds like the logical choice.

Yes, it came out after all the problems with steel shot, it's non-toxic, and it's weight it's performance is figured the same as lead shot performance...cups not required for bore protection like with steel...treat Bismuth like you would lead.

Should I use the cups anyway? (.54cal smoothie)

This is an area that you probably need to decide for yourself based upon what you're trying to accomplish.

For example, I just recently got a .54cal smoothbore myself and sighted it in last weekend...but I intentionally did so without the use of a modern plastic shot cups, because they old timers did not have them available back then, and I wanted to try to duplicate most of how they did it back then.

So in my .54cal Flint smothbore, I settled on 70grns of Goex 3F, 1/4" lubed wool wads (two 1/8" wonderwads), 1+1/8oz #6's, and a Circle Fly overshot card...beautiful even 25" pattern at 25yds, several pellets will hit a coke can at that same distance, etc.

In my .62 Flint smoothbore for turkey loads, I also do not use modern plastic shot cups...I do use home made paper shot cups because they could have done that back then if they wanted to.

So it's really a decision based upon what you want to accomplish...if you want the satisfaction of being able to say you've taken game with it "like they did back then", can you really say that if you use modern plastic shot cups, etc...
:m2c:

 

[AJFedak]

When I first started patterening for bismuth I bought 1 lb. each of lead in 2's, 4's, 5's, 6's, 7's, 7

 

[DGeraths]

Thanks for the great tips! :hatsoff:

Muffin mix eh??? this isn't like some snipe hunt is it? :hmm:

I won't really have time to experiment with my loads, so I am just going to go with 65grns of 3F, then use the same measure for my shot. I purchased a little 7lb bottle of Bismuth yesterday for about $35 and that should be enough to last me a lifetime. I go foul hunting perhaps two days a year if that. It is nice though that now I have a nice load for rabbit and small game as well.

 

[Dave K]

Where did you find Bismuth for about $35? Put my name on a jug of that stuff, I will take it!

 

[roundball]

Now AJ, we've TOLD you that Petting Zoo was off limits !!

 

[DGeraths]

Dave,

It was not a regular find. A local gun shop ordered the bottle for someone and they never came and got it, so they let me have it at cost. :winking:

 

[Muggsy]

Speaking of overpriced shot- does anyone have a good inexpensive source for Bismuth? Seems like $80+ for 7 lbs jugs are all I find.

 

[riarcher]

http://www.huntersbismuth.com/home.html

A little help,, but not much Muggsy.
Wish someone would come up with a 3 or 4 lb. package.

 

[AJFedak]

It costs more up front but considering the number of loads you get(about 70), cost tends to drop below the 3" modern loads. AS an example I found these prices in the latest issue from Ballistics Products:

Hevi-shot $23.95 / 10 shots $167.65 / 70
Kent Fasteel $ 9.95 / 25 shots $ 39.80 / 75
Kent Fasteel was the least expensive in their catalog.

Winchester $13.95 / 25 shots $ 41.85 / 75
SuperX Dryloc

Bismuth $19.99 / 10 shots $139.93 / 70
Tungsten $18.95 / 10 shots $132.65 / 70


The costs for bismuth loads:
Muzzie Loads
$ 8.99 FFFg
$79.95 7# Bismuth
$ 6.00 wads
$ 3.50 100 caps or 5 flints $4.50 total
$99.44 for 70 shots.

With the exception for the steel shot, which has come down over the years, it rather makes it very similar in final cost to other forms of non-toxic shot for the modern waterfowlers.

 

[BrownBear]

It's cheaper too, simply because you are a lot more selective in your shots and don't whang off three shots every time a duck comes almost into range. Especially in the first few minutes of legal shooting, reloading can be a challenge too. I get really selective about shots I take in those all-important first few minutes.