What does nickel plating do for shot?

[FirstFreedom]

Why nickel plated lead?

[mikejonestkd]

nickel or copper plating is supposed to make the shot pellets harder and less likely to deform on their fast trip down the barrel and through the choke tube. If it is rounder then it will tend to fly straighter and give better patterns.

A good number of turkey loads are plated and it seems to help.

From remington's website:

Utilizing a specially blended powder recipe, Remington's advanced Power Piston one piece wad and hardened copper plated shot, these new high velocity loads result in extremely dense patterns and outstanding knockdown power at effective ranges.

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/shotshell/turkey/high_velocity_magnum.asp

[banditt007]

aside from starting w/ hard lead to begin with, the best coating that i've read about is nickle, copper being second. and yes, its to keep it as round and true as possible so is flys truer.

[WIN71]

I've been using it for years. First copper now nickel or copper. It may be psychological but it seems to knock pheasants down better at range. I shoot either a 20 ga. double or a 28 ga. O/U. In the 28 I usually use 3/4 oz. # 6 lead out of the first barrel, choked skeet. The second is a 1 oz. load of plated 6's modified choke. The plated shot seems to work better at the longer ranges.

[Brad Clodfelter]

Well guys, what has been said is true. I seem to have better results with copper plated shot shooting better patterns at 40yds than the nickel plated shot. Also plating shot will give somewhat better penetration because the shot stays rounder while penetrating game and not flattening out as just lead shot alone, thus improving penetration.

I also will tell you that the Hevi-Shot shells that Remington loads will throw this round shot theory out the window. I have shot some of these in the 1 and 3/4oz #6 loads with I believe 3.5" shells out of my Browning Gold auto using I believe a .670 Comp-N-Choke choke tube and got a 98% pattern at 40yds. These loads shoot tighter than any lead shot. And they are irregular shaped and oblong shot. :confused: But seeing is believing.

Brad

[TexIndian]

I've always heard that plated pellets give better penetration through feathers and stuff, but I've never tested it. Anything that reduces deformation of the shot during its trip down the barrel is a good thing. Soft shot comes out like a bunch of frisbees. Just try some of those Dove & Quail Specials that are always on sale in August and you'll see what I mean. That stuff is junk.

[Jeff Mulliken]

I've dressed out and eaten a lot of ducks and geese shot with lead and copperplated lead.

The soft lead gathers a ball of feathers that reduce the penetration and make for a messy ball of feathers stuck in the meat.

Copperplated shot seems to get through the feathers without gathering a ball of them and cut right through he muscle. It was rare to find a ball of feathers in the muscle of birds shot with copperplated shot.

None of this matters now when waterfowling.....

Jeff

[waterhouse]

That stuff is junk.

It isn't junk, it is just soft. If you want a wide pattern out of a tight choke, the promo dove stuff works great for that.