doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Don't stone me: Modern steel compatible SxS 12g?

BSS after 1975 were made for steel shot, according to Don Zutz, "except for those loaded with BBs, BBBs, Ts, and Fs", page 67, The Ducks Unlimited Guide to Shotgunning.

Geo, I miss more often with lighter duck guns. Weight is no penalty in a duck blind, carrying afield another thing.

King, was Browning especially prescient? I don't believe steel shot was a thing until the late eighties as I recall. Certainly after 1986.

This:


https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-f...un_id=101213066

Offer them $650. Open the chokes to CYL and IC CYL. Call it good. Not rated as a steel gun but, it will be cheap enough and used infrequently enough that you won�t hurt it. There is also a pistol grip version, of the same gun, on the same website.

Good luck

Best,
Ted

bczrx: it is already steel and bismuth only in California.

I echo George's comment on the CZ Hammer Classic. It is not pretty but functional, and has been my steel shot duck gun for several years. I got it for $900 out the door, dunno if the price has changed.

The triggers were awful until I lightened them, but I think I recall that CZ might do that for you free of charge. The trigger guard pounded my knuckle until I opened the pistol grip to a POW. I did have an issue with the left hammer, but CZ sent me a replacement right away. So mine was not without minor flaws, but nothing I couldn't deal with.

A friend is happy with his CZ Sharptail for ducks.

Brent, Zutz mentioned 1975 twice in the book. The BSS after 1975 were "stamped "'Made in Japan.'" A clue for steel introduction date may be his mention " Some of the first doubles made and advertised for steel shot were Winchester's Model 23 Heavy Duck Gun" and he later mentions Classic Doubles Model 201. "On the lower-priced end, Savage once made a Model 311 Waterfowler with 28-inch barrels choked for steel shot."

I've never shot steel although I'm interested in members' experiences with the older American classics choked IC/Modified. I have a half-dozen-or-so and would like to like to pass them along without worries.

I've never shot steel in any S x S except my old BSS. I never really cared if it was approved by Browning for it, in fact, I always was told it wasn't. Didn't matter, I believed it would handle it and it has. Most of what has been shot out of it is 2s, 3s and 4s.

Worth Matthewson wrote in BIG DECEMBER CANVASBACKS that he shot a L C Smith for several years, with nothing but steel. It developed an issue unrelated to the loads he used and he carried it to his gunsmith, who informed him the chokes in it were Xfull and Xfull. The old gun had handled big steel shot for years through those tight chokes without any damage whatsoever.

SRH

Thanks for the info. I did not think Steal shot was even being made in the 70s but could be wrong. Especially outside of the USA.

I rarely shoot steel anymore. I've got some old stuff to shoot up in my two or three guns that will handle it.

A few Merkel Model 8s. They would need their chokes opened a bit and they would be good to go. Mine has shot quite a bit of steel with Briley's chokes and blessings. Both well under $1k.

These are 12s, but there are some 16s also. I'm sure you can find more of them.

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-f...un_id=101196930

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-f...un_id=101196930

"Prescient" may have been the right word for Winchester, Brent. Google listed SI article in 2001 under section Vault:

"In 1976 the Fish and Wildlife Service took the first steps toward phasing out lead shot by designating steel-shot-only hunting zones for wildfowl---areas in which lead poisoning was causing the greatest damage." Further on, "In five consecutive court decisions since 1976---two federal and three state---justices have upheld steel-shot regulations."

Thanks again.