doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Bismuth?

What's the latest on availability of bismuth shotshells? And if they aren't on the market, what's the possibility of making your own bismuth shot? What equipment is required? This shotshell dilema is rather tiring. It seems to me that some folks are trying to put us out of the game of waterfowling and upland game hunting. Chopperlump

I do not know about making non-toxic shot but the good news is that Hevi Shot has introduced Classic Doubles shells; http://www.hevishot.com/products_doubles.html
They state this shot is "26% denser than steel but soft like lead."

I haven't been able to locate any at shops. I've been meaning to order some of the "easy pour" bismuth, but just haven't gotten around to it.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Has anyone dissected one of the Hevi-Shot cartridges? I did this afternoon to load some 10 bores. There are different shot sizes, fine polymer as well as polymer twice the size of the stated shot size. Ideas anyone?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

I see that RST has some non-tox loads listed now on their website in 10,12,16, and 20 ga. I believe they are using the Eco-tungsten/Nice shot, that is supposedly fine for older doubles. $75.00 for a box of 25! I think all are listed at 2.5" with the exception of the 10 ga 2 7/8" shell.

I've been searching for some non-tox shotshells for the past week or so, prior to heading out to South Dakota on a pheasant hunt next week, and was lucky to find three boxes of Bismuth 16 ga shells-#6 shot at the local Cabelas marked down to $13.00 for a box of 10. I tried to talk them down in price for the four boxes of 12's they had, but no dice.

Last I knew, or thought I knew, Hevi-Shot is an all-metal concoction -- not a polymer -- that is even harder than "steel" and requires barrels at least suited for "steel". Or, did you actually get some "Classic Doubles" shells and raided them? Lots of us are still waiting for some independent assessment of hyped shot in Hevi-Shot's "Classic Doubles" ammo.

Niklas

Possibly, I should have phrased it better: inside were some #4 shot and smaller shot also along w/ finer than powder polymer and larger than #4 shot polymer, so volume wise there was more than just #4 shot space. I'm defining polymer as some type of clear plastic sphere. Any more ideas? From what I know about it regarding carbon fibre and polymer, which could possibly be penned on a cocktail napkin, it looks as if they are attempting to buffer the shot. The 1st shot might be OK, but what happens when it all heats up?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

There are 2 different Hevi-Shots. The one called Classic Doubles is a different mixture than regular Hevi-Shot. Haven't tried them just know what I've read. Thankfully I stocked up on both bismuth and Kent TM several years ago when they would go on sale. At$75 a box of 25 either my shooting skills on waterfowl has to improve or I'll have to use some of my steel capable SxSs.

But still in either, why is there spherical polymer, 2 diameters, mixed in with the shot?

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Just tried to order some of those "easy pour" bismuth-tin alloy pellets and got following machine return response ...

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN ORDERING FROM HUNTER'S BISMUTH. WE REGRET THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO TAKE ORDERS AT THIS TIME. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON OUR PRODUCT PRODUCTION FACILITIES AND METHOD. WE HAVE ADDED YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO OUR DATA BASE AND WILL CONTACT YOU ONCE WE HAVE PRODUCT TO SHIP. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND PATIENCE!

SINCERELY,

HUNTER'S BISMUTH"

SO, unless Eley gets going, bismuth is a "sometime in future, maybe" thing.
Niklas