Steel shot not up to lead

[PWK]

Good little article on steel vs lead shot.
http://www.shotgunreport.com/TechTech/TechnoidArchive/21-Dec-01.html
Be sure to read all the way to the end of the answer.

[C.R.Sam]

I concur with the reasoning and with the conclusion. Steel sucks.

sam

[Adamantium]

Interesting read and good info. Even though I saw the answer before even clicking on the link :).

Sincerely,
Adam

[PWK]

Well, if you change the parameters steel doesn't suck as much:
http://www.shotgunreport.com/TechTech/TechnoidArchive/16-Jan-02.html

[Adamantium]

I learned that the Federal (and the others)
new steel 3-1/2" 12 gauge load will launch 1 3/8 oz of steel shot at an advertised 1450 fps. This load gives you 172 #2 pellets, each pellet having 4.16 ft/lb of energy at 40 yards. That's every bit the equivalent of the old lead duck killing 2-3/4" load of 1-1/4 oz of #4s (169 count) at 1330 fps giving 4.17 ft/lb at 40 yards.

A 3 1/2 heavy recoiling shell, which you have to buy an extra gun to use roughly equals a "stiff" at worst lead shell? Hmmmmmm...

Sincerely,
Adam

[C.R.Sam]

Readin the specs hurts.

sam

[Dave McC]

These days my waterfowling tends to consist of a day or two each year wacking snows. Using an 870(of course), I find that I have to hit quite a few of them a second time, using a 3" load of BBB.

Back when both the world and I were young, I used the old Western 1 3/16 oz, 16 gauge load of 3s to do in a fairtomiddlin' number of Canadas. Even tho I'm a better shot these days,the load's coming up short.

The non tox lead substitutes like tungsten and bismuth have merit, but they cost a lot. If the price comes down, maybe we'll have a database to compare performance in the field.

[Poodleshooter]

My problem with steel is the difference in leads (no pun intended). The lead with low velocity (1300fps or less) steel when pass shooting at 40-50yds is unbelievable, compared to lead. Where exactly am I supposed to practice wing shooting with #1,BB or BBB steel shot? Sure can't do that on the trap or skeet ranges in my area, where we are limited to #7.5. My first time waterfowling with low velocity steel I had to learn the hard way that the lead distance was MUCH longer than I'm used to. I speeded up my swing and compensated enough to haul down a goose by the end of the day, but I'd rather not guess how many I might have wounded :mad: