doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Bismuth vs Kent Tungsten Matrix

Almost cheaper to shoot lead and pay the fine these days. Figure $3.00 a shell for the good stuff verses about a buck for lead. Shoot long enough and you could afford to pay the fine. Alright I am just dreaming. I miss lead. All these lead substitutes are like a substitute for food, sex or anything else. Just a sad replacement.

Many months back a thread was posted on how to make bismuth shot at home using a modified lead shot maker. It seemed optional then. Might be the only way, now, if the bismuth bars are still available from suppliers.

Mealman, my concern would be whether your 1911 Parker,especially in the light "0" frame was up to a diet of the pressures Kent Tungsten matrix shells generate and the old wood up to the recoil stresses. And, whether the gun is suited to 2 3/4" shells. If the Parker is in fact a 1911 dated gun it should probably have 2 9/16" chambers and would have originally been built for lower operating pressures than those we currently find in commercial shells made in the USA. Might be cheaper to get yourself an inexpensive beater like a used Rem 870 as a duck gun specialist and feed it whatever you like.

Jerry, I don't know about 16ga loads, but Kent's 12ga 2 1/2-inch one-ounce TM is 6500psi and its 2 1/2-inch 1 1/16 are 7500psi. Before I'd go to a beater---what's gunning without a good gun?---I'd be thinking of reloading for those great old American guns.

Better check your DNR regulations but repeated violations result in suspension of your hunting previledges.
I certainly agree about lead shot but this is the ECO world.-Dick

http://ecotungsten.com/online-store.html see also another thread on the board on Eco Tungsten Nice shot. Someone on the SSM BBS mentioned buying some and it costing about $1.50 per shell with this shot. I do not know what load data may be available - their web site says it is a bit harder than lead shot but considerable softer than the other tungsten alloy shot.

Does anyone have information about the "Vintage Double" product from Hevi Shot? I was looking at it this morning, and appears to be marketed at as safe in old barrels

With these prices, soon waterfowl hunting will only be for the very wealthy or for the recently divorced husband.
All the best

Let's say we shoot eight or 10 times for a limit of five blacks with a possession of 10---and maybe fewer shots. So a hunt with a limit of birds cost $30-max or so for shells or less if we reload. I'm shooting bismuth for $1.45 each. Either way, I can't see myself giving up duck shooting because of the cost of shells.

King I agree but Bismuth is gone or rapidly disappearing off the shelves.
All the best