doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com SHOOTING STEEL IN A SXS

One of my friends who shoots a Beretta Silverhawk and steel at Wildfowl now has ZERO chokes in his barrels ,but no bulges.
Another friend of mine who does the same with his Cashmore has a noticable bulge in his right barrel near the muzzle.

If we're talking waterfowl loads, then likely large size steel (4 or bigger) was used. In the case of the Cashmore, unless it has a high performance/magnum proof (1200 bars), then according to CIP guidance on steel used in guns proofed under their standards, American 4's slightly exceed the maximum size limit. CIP-approved steel loads for CIP standard proof shotguns are limited to British 4's maximum--which are just a bit larger than American 5's.

As for the "modern" loads in American guns that came with original short chambers, even if built to shoot smokeless . . . it's a pressure issue, the modern loads developing about 1,000 psi more (at max service pressure) than the previous loads in short hulls. I don't know how many guns were destroyed from a steady diet of overpressure loads, but I'd guess quite a few ended up shooting loose quicker than they would have if fed the proper ammo diet.

By the time the shot charge would get to the beginning of the choke section, pressures would have dropped dramatically. The only was pressure could increase enough to cause a bulge would be if there was an obsruction (snow, mud, etc) or there was a bridge of hard steel shot that couldn't wiggle its way through the choke constriction.

tudurgs, I was not implying that pressure is the issue where ring bulges are concerned. That has more to do with steel, especially in large sizes, not compressing well when it passes through a tightly constricted choke. Pressure, rather, is an issue for any gun with any type load: black powder, smokeless, lead, steel. Best to stay within the service pressure limits for which the gun was designed. Per Bell's tests, reported in DGJ, it's not likely that 1-2,000 psi in excess of service pressure max will result in a catastrophic failure. But it is certainly possible, perhaps even likely, that a regular diet of overpressure loads will result in a gun that shoots loose.

Ring Bulges are normally the result of a local "Pressure Spike" which has absolutely nothing to do with the max or chamber pressure of the load. It is brought on by the charge being "Checked" in its travel down the bore. This could be from an obstruction or from large shot bridging in the choke.

One other phenomenon which has been cited as a possibility of a ring bulge is improper ignition resulting in just enough force to drive the charge a bit down the bore & then the main charge igniting & catching up in which case the projectile itself acts as the obstruction. This of course would not likely be the cause of a bulge at the muzzle, but would occur much earlier in the travel down the bore.

A great reason for not mixing mild primers with low pressure loads of slow powders.

from a Savage/Stevens Model 612 owners manual:

Steel shot is substantially harder than lead shot. They
are enclosed in a plastic wad to help protect the barrel
from scoring by the hard steel shot. However, when the
steel shot charge passes through the choke constriction
in the barrel, the barrel or screw-in choke may be damaged
if a tightly constricted choke is in place. For that
reason, we strongly recommend that a choke of no
greater constriction than Modified (III) be used when firing
steel shot. Use of an Improved Modified (II) or Full
(I) choke when firing steel shots will void your warranty.


reckon they know from where they speak?

The factory information that came with Parker Reproductions recommended no steel shot in their full choke barrels.