Where to buy lead shot?

[user 50061]

So, I live in Massachusetts, which has a limit on the sizes of shot one can use for hunting certain animals.

Turkey cannot be hunted with anything larger than #4 size shot
Coyote can only be hunted with up-to-and-including FF buckshot, with single roundball only allowed during deer season
Deer can only be hunted by single roundball, no buckshot
Rabbit looks to only have a limit on snowshoe hare: nothing larger than #1 birdshot

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/wild-turkey-hunting-regulations#hunting-implements-https://www.mass.gov/info-details/coyote-hunting-regulations#hunting-implements-https://www.mass.gov/info-details/deer-hunting-regulations#hunting-implements-https://www.mass.gov/info-details/rabbit-hunting-regulations#hunting-implements-
I have a 20 gauge smoothbore, so I can pretty much shoot anything. My only problem is, I can't find any buck or birdshot safe for the gun. Can't find lead bird-or-buck shot anywhere.

Track of the Wolf has bird and buckshot listed, but both are out of stock, have been for a while, and are either too large or too small for my purposes.

From my research online, #5 birdshot seems to be a decent-enough middle ground for turkey, but I can always be wrong.

Any tips to the right direction would be appreciated.

 

[lonedave]

Rotometals.com has 25# lead #5 for $74.99, 10# bismuth 5 for $169, and 10# copper plated lead #5 for $49.99. Take your pick.

 

[olfuzzy]

Do you have a Basspro nearby? They don't carry a huge selection but ours normally has some in stock. Ours shows 4,6,8 and 9 in stock.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Ballistic Products should be with a look. Sorry, I can't post a link with the device I am using right now, but you could surely find their website with a Google search.

Ballistic Products specializes in reloading supplies for shotgunners. Last time I checked, they had all sorts and sizes of buck and small shot.

The last time I bought shot, #8 I believe, I bought it at a nearby skeet range, which had a very small "pro shop" with some reloading supplies.

Good luck! Please let us know what you find. This is good information to share.

Notchy Bob

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Call your local recycle company. Mine sells lead from old window weights for 2.00 a lb. They cut it up into small chunks for me. It's very soft and pure.

 

[Mad Professor]

Where in the Masshole are you located?

I can check some shops in Berkshire county if you are close. Also a few in S.Vt in Bennington area.

Do you just need shot or buckshot and PRBs too.

For deer lead conicals are legal too.

 

[excess650]

#4 or #5 should be all you need for rabbits, hares, squirrels, and turkey.

 

[user 50061]

Where in the Masshole are you located?

I can check some shops in Berkshire county if you are close. Also a few in S.Vt in Bennington area.

Do you just need shot or buckshot and PRBs too.

For deer lead conicals are legal too.

Down on the Southcoast, so about as far away in Massachusetts as one can get, unfortunately.

I've got plenty of RB, .600, thanks

 

[FishDFly]

Check with your local skeet/trap range for suppliers.

 

[nhmoose]

I been using copper plated 5's for all birdies and small game up to foxes. I get it mostly from Ballistic Products on line as cheaper than driving around in NH

 

[Hermit Tim]

I needed some shot back at turkey season and couldn't find any locally. So I took a bunch of old 12 gauge shot shells (4 and 6) and cut the end off. After a few minutes of quick work, and a half a box or so of each, had plenty of shot. Works great in my .56 smoothie. Desperate times require desperate measures I guess....

 

[Ponderosaman]

I second roto-metals. They seem to have more availability than earlier this year when I was looking. And I was able to scratch up what I needed from them at that time.

 

[rusticbob]

I needed some shot back at turkey season and couldn't find any locally. So I took a bunch of old 12 gauge shot shells (4 and 6) and cut the end off. After a few minutes of quick work, and a half a box or so of each, had plenty of shot. Works great in my .56 smoothie. Desperate times require desperate measures I guess....

I have done the same myself.

 

[SlidePicker]

So, I live in Massachusetts, which has a limit on the sizes of shot one can use for hunting certain animals.

Turkey cannot be hunted with anything larger than #4 size shot
Coyote can only be hunted with up-to-and-including FF buckshot, with single roundball only allowed during deer season
Deer can only be hunted by single roundball, no buckshot
Rabbit looks to only have a limit on snowshoe hare: nothing larger than #1 birdshot

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/wild-turkey-hunting-regulations#hunting-implements-https://www.mass.gov/info-details/coyote-hunting-regulations#hunting-implements-https://www.mass.gov/info-details/deer-hunting-regulations#hunting-implements-https://www.mass.gov/info-details/rabbit-hunting-regulations#hunting-implements-
I have a 20 gauge smoothbore, so I can pretty much shoot anything. My only problem is, I can't find any buck or birdshot safe for the gun. Can't find lead bird-or-buck shot anywhere.

Track of the Wolf has bird and buckshot listed, but both are out of stock, have been for a while, and are either too large or too small for my purposes.

From my research online, #5 birdshot seems to be a decent-enough middle ground for turkey, but I can always be wrong.

Any tips to the right direction would be appreciated.

Here's a suggestion for buckshot in a 20 gauge: Lee has a .311" round ball mold. Those will stack in layers of 2 size by side in a .62 caliber bore, just as 000 buckshot of .36 caliber stacks in a .72 caliber 12 gauge. In my 15 gauge .677" bore (sold as "69 caliber"), 3 of the .311" balls stack in layers of 3 as 00 buck of .33" do in a 12 gauge, and 00 buck will stack in 2s in mine as 000 does in a 12 gauge. Buckshot works best stacked in layers that fit the muzzle of the bore. You can put in balls that don't fit, but they'll get jammed down irregularly on firing and deform unevenly. Cast them hard to cut down on deformation.

 

[smoothshooter]

Rotometals.com has 25# lead #5 for $74.99, 10# bismuth 5 for $169, and 10# copper plated lead #5 for $49.99. Take your pick.

I still am shocked at the price of shot the last few years.
In times previous I bought it for $13 to $18 for decades.

 

[SlidePicker]

Lead mining and smelting is pretty nearly gone in the US. A lot of the stuff Rotometals sells is 2-3% antimony, likely recycled from wheel weights we used to collect free from shops, and reclaimed shot from trap ranges.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I've gotten shot from my local hardware store, but they haven't had any in stock in a good while. I've got enough #6, and # 8 to last me a while though.

 

[mushka]

Do you have a Sportsmans Warehouse nearby? They usually have various size shot.

 

[colimr]

Midsouth shooters supply ,Ballistic products , Rotometals , Precision reloading for lead shot and non lead shot I've bought from all of them I assume there is no difference between muzzle loader shot and modern no mention shot Bismuth is sky high #4, #6 was still in stock at most of them Friday

 

[maillemaker]

Lead mining and smelting is pretty nearly gone in the US.

I buy 60 pound pigs of lead from Sanders Lead in Troy, Alabama.