doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Steel Shot in Vintage Doubles...

The short answer is NO!! Even if you place a liner (say mylar, or as I use, strips of old projector sheets) inside the shotcup to prevent steel shot from penetrating the pellet slits, there will be major movement in the shot column as it adjusts to the new bore size. It would be all too easy for a pellet to bounce out of the column ahead of the shotcup and scratch the barrel.The movement of steel as it adjusts is also a bouncing motion, which will happen again as it moves through the forcing cone and then the choke. Even if you don't bulge the barrels--which you probably eventually will, the patterns will go to pot. As stated the necessary speed for steel will exacerbate all problems. There is also the consideration that your gun is possibly overchoked for steel. Modified is effectively full when using steel. No shotcup I know of is actually thick enough to cushion at points of constriction, but if it was, it would also be effectively acting as additional choke constriction. Why not load other non-toxic soft shot??? Of course a full length insert solves all problems except the balance of the gun...and price. Good luck! Steve

Why even bother with steel, the stuff stinks ballistically and there is now better shot out there that is better than lead.

Expense...Geo

Good point Geo!!

Nice Shot is $60/Kilo. ITX at BPI is on sale for $117/7lbs. Nice Shot is offered in sizes down to 7.5; ITX down to 6. Besides cost, choice of size is limited. Both are soft shot and suitable for old guns. Certainly worth pursuing game with, especially the ITX as far as costs go, but I wouldn't want to shoot skeet with either. If one were to shoot 1 oz. loads of ITX, the cost would be about $1 per round, shot cost only. Stretching the shot to 3/4 or 7/8 would be worthwhile. Hopefully ITX will make a smaller shot.

I have seen many modern barrels that have been sent to Charlie Boswell that have been split, not just ring bulged, at the choke. Owners have requested that he cut off the damaged end of the barrel and re-thread for tubes. None of them were caused by steel shot. All were caused by Hevi-Shot, by owners' admission.

Charlie warrants his two lines of choke tubes, Comp-N-Chokes and Kick's High Flyers, with anything but Hevi-Shot. The point is that the same thing happens with steel in chokes that happens with Hevi-Shot........... bridging, leading to split chokes.

That said, Worth Mathewson wrote in his book BIG DECEMBER CANVASBACKS that he shot a tightly full choked L.C Smith for years with steel shot before taking it to a gunsmith for some other problem and finding that it was choked so tightly. He said the barrels never exhibited any problem.

I don't use it in my vintage doubles, but my BSS gets a regular diet of it every year during duck season. I won't worry Browning with it if I ever have a problem.

SRH

[quote=Adam Stinson]Thanks for the info guys! Well, how about this?

Can I put 20ga reducers in my 12ga (the chamber inserts... not the full length tubes)? Would it be okay then? It seems like the hardness of the shot doesn't affect the bore because of the wad. The biggest issue appears the be the choke. But if I am shooting a 20ga shell in a 12ga barrel, the choke shouldn't affect much, right?

Thanks
Wrong. If some of the pellets get past the 20br cup in 12ga bore damage to interior of the barrel is possible.
Shooting hard shot through choked barrel is equivalent to shooting hard slug or "solid projectile" through the barrel. This is bad idea in guns marked or designed 'NOT FOR BALL'. I hope that helps.

YES, Even worse!!! The hard shot would leave the protection of the wad and scour the barrels, YUK!!!

The lead shot issue has been running hot in England and parts of Europe for some time. Some companies, most notably Gamebore, have responded by developing light, less expensive steel loads designed for sporting clays. Even when made more affordable, there are still other issues with steel. First, clays courses have to be set up for closer shots. Also, I saw big signs in some English clubs warning tht steel was not allowed. When I asked what the issues was, I was told that courses close to residential areas are concerned about richochets and other problems related to harder steel shot.

Can anyone say unequivocally that he/she has witnessed the bulging of a barrel, when steel shot size 5 or smaller was shot thru a choke that was modified or looser?

I think this would be a great topic for "Finding Out For Myself" testing like Sherman Bell did.