Joe, you can't compare rifle ballistics and shotgun ballistics. You start doing that and you start thinking that the best pellet is the softest one . . . expands, like bullets, thus more damage. Doesn't work, because you go too soft and the pellets deform, fly out of the pattern. With shot it's penetration that kills . . . reaching something vital. So we compare retained energy. Lead retains more than steel because it's heavier; HS retains more than lead because it's heavier than lead. Thus more penetration. Thus, the reason you can shoot smaller HS and get the same results as with larger lead pellets is the same reason you can shoot smaller lead and get the same results as with larger steel pellets. Consistent reasoning, right down the line. Not to mention that HS patterns tighter than lead (due to hardness). You can thus use a slightly lighter load of HS in comparison to lead to get the same results, because you need to use larger lead pellets to make up for HS's greater retained energy.
