Lagopus,
Your experiment with the Ithaca 37 duplicates what I also found to be true with steel. I do suspect one could make an argument that steel works very well for clay pigeon sports, but, the range it is useful on with actual birds is a pretty narrow band....
I think if just a single load with a single shot size is considered, this may be true, but steel can be plenty enough for a wide range of conditions. I'd very much rather use lead, and actually miss it some on ducks, but any game bird well centered up with lead isn't any more appealing than with steel shot.
For me too, waterfowl are still just way too much fun to walk away from. I appreciate that Lagopus, like some of the other folks that comment from his neck of the world, is willing to share how little it takes to make folks give up.
I was suspect of steel right from the get-go, and didn't spend a lot of time testing different loads, just the 4s and 6s we were told should replace our lead 5s and 7 1/2s when it first came out. The possible "damage to our guns" thing came about later. I moved on from waterfowling pretty early on after lead became verbotten, for reasons that had a lot more to do with the Setters that I came to own and love, and the doubles I came to own and prefer to use.
My Dad spent a lot more time experimenting with steel loads, and I'm left with a motherload of steel 3 1/2" ammunition and a gun I won't likely ever use (SBE 1) but, Dad was willing to play the "do as I say" game with the powers that be, inspite of the science being questionable.
I don't think I am able to play that game. The older I get, the more I resent the near orgasmic thrill some people get in telling me what I can and can't do in my free time.
Best,
Ted
