doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Steel for pheasants?

Used steel in the wma's in the Dakotas and 3's or 2's work fine. Remember the pattern will tighten, too, and it seems, like with ducks, you might get a few more delayed deaths since the steel doesn't deform like lead, so keep an eye on them even as they sail over the next field. Sometimes they'll fade and the pooch can make a 300 yard retrieve! Steel is lighter so gets to the bird faster but slows down faster at distance , so for the most part, on the regular shots you won't notice much difference, the longer shots maybe a little less oomph hitting the bird.

sorry; should have mentioned that I shoot a 16 ga O/U....

Definitely the way to go if the bank balance permits: no need to go crazy in terms of heavier loads and you don't have the choke restrictions associated with steel (i.e. you can safely put bismuth though 3/4 or full chokes) and you can use with damascus.

Nice overview of the options here https://basc.org.uk/lead/ (the Lead Shot Alternatives guide is pretty comprehensive).

We have to use non-tox for 'fowl over here so have put a good number of bismuth through. Never had any problems with cleanliness of kills and, if lead were banned for other game (fortunately not on the cards at present) I'd have no concerns using bismuth.

I also use Bismuth for pheasants. I have had great success with Eley fiber wad, 1oz., #5's. I usually shoot less than a flat per season so it doesn't add that much to the cost. Waterfowl are an entirely different story. I would go broke shooting Bismuth at them.

Dennis

Roster's study, mentioned above, is pretty old. Steel loads are much better now than they were when he did that study (I think about 20 years ago). And he also used 1 oz loads, assuming that most pheasant hunters would go with the cheap stuff. (And back then, steel was significantly more expensive than lead.) It was a blind study (shooters didn't know what they were shooting), and compared shot sizes 2, 4, and 6.

One interesting result from the study was that there were almost no birds lost with any of those loads inside of 30 yards. Beyond 40 yards, different story. Wounding loss rate on those longer range birds was something like 15%.

Comparing to today's loads is difficult because of the improvements in steel shotshells. I have a friend who shoots nothing but steel at pheasants. He's a decent shot, but not outstanding. Certainly misses from time to time. Uses 1 1/8 oz 4's, shoots dozens of wild roosters in a season, and seldom loses a bird. I would add that he hunts over a very good wirehair.

Steel is of course much lighter in weight than lead. The going up two sizes is to bring them to similar weights per pellet. Going up 3 sizes brings them much closer ballistically. Having less sectional density steel of course "Sheds" velocity much quicker than does lead. This is why it has to be started faster. It Doesn't "Get to the Target Quicker" because it is lighter. If started at similar velocities the lead will get there quicker because it is "Heavier". Although admittedly much more drastic but throw a golf ball & a ping pong ball with the same force & you will very quickly see the difference sectional density makes.

This works for me very well in my Merkel.

I will add, open up your chokes one level as well. Modified or improved modified will shoot tighter than they would with lead.

I've never seen factory 16 ga steel? Anybody make it?

FEDERAL makes it.

Unless it can handle modern steel or HeviShot loads I would trade this for light weight 12ga or 20ga. You will be better off in the long run. Now is not bad time to do it. I predict there will be a flood of used 16ga guns for sale in near future.