Lead free shotgun shells

[Pedro]

Well I've tried steel on pheasants. At normal ranges and a bit longer. So long as you go up to the size required, normally 4, they do okay at reasonable ranges. But if you are going for longer range shots, that's when things get a bit trickier. I'm talking about the sort of high pheasants that you'd probably use No.4 shot 36g normally to be effective.

So the answer there, should lead be not an option, is to not shoot at them. At least, that is until more effective non-lead ammo becomes available. Of course that's easier said than done. If you are on a pheasant day and you see a challenging pheasant, it's natural that you want to challenge yourself, especially if you have been able to hit them consistently in the past. And the result is more pricked birds.

My view is that, although there's progress, more work needs done on non-lead ammo.

 

[Heym SR20]

As a wildfowler I have steel shot cartridges now for several years. The early steel cartridges of 15 years ago were crap.

But the latest generation hit hard and kill well. I am shooting ducks at good ling ranges - probably further than most phaesants and they work. Note I am using High Speed Steel out of a steel proofed gun in a 3” shell.

Like everything though its down ti the shooter rather than the cartridge.

Steel does have different velocity characteristics to lead cartridges so does take a little bit to dial in. No different really to any cartridge.

Gun fit of course is all important. Do is ability.

I can think of plenty of guns on the foreshore and in the gamefield who are quick to blame crap steel shot, or crap gun etc when firstly the birds are a good 200 yards up and when they are in range they are way off in technique etc.

Like any shooting let the birds get in close, then a bit closer and put in centre of pattern.

 

[Liveonce]

“Like everything though its down ti the shooter rather than the cartridge.”

yes and no, no shooter can shoot better than the cartridge can perform, energy and pattern kill and not even steel shot can beat the laws of physics.

Wild fowlers have always traditionally used heavy pay loads in 12ga or 10ga and fire relatively few shots compared to game shooting.

Extreme game days will require extreme cartridges and if that is tungsten based shot then will it really matter to the guns who are prepared to pay for that sort of game shooting?

 

[User00040]

Wonder if anyone has developed a steel shot version of the Cheddite Metri... acts like a slug till around 50 meters

 

[Liveonce]

Wonder if anyone has developed a steel shot version of the Cheddite Metri... acts like a slug till around 50 meters

Surprised they are not section 1 as they behave like a slug out to a 100mtrs.

 

[User00040]

Surprised they are not section 1 as they behave like a slug out to a 100mtrs.

How I discovered the Metri:

Me to RFD: 'Shame slugs are a separate slot, as I already have an FAC shotgun and forgot to ask for them'

RFD: 'Try these...'

 

[Kersnow]

I see browning are now offering over and unders in this chambering I wonder if that’s there thinking

Browning have offered 3.5 inch o/us for a long time now

 

[Pedro]

steel shot works for me....

 

[Smellydog]

Wonder if anyone has developed a steel shot version of the Cheddite Metri... acts like a slug till around 50 meters

Awesome, what a great way to circumnavigate the law. It is indeed loaded to within the law.

 

[si.b]

My friend Duncan Lawton had a day testing Hull cartridge standard steel on pheasants last season.
He said they did ok and out of the choices of #5&#4 shot he and others agreed that #4 definitely was the size to use.

Agreed.. 4’s are the one for me but they need to ditch the plastic and bring the price down!
Use these for the ducks as no plastic but pricey

 

[Magnificent 7]

Think they do a 60 metri also as my friend imports them and I’m sure he fetched some one day but we never tried them.

 

[Magnificent 7]

View attachment 264552

Agreed.. 4’s are the one for me but they need to ditch the plastic and bring the price down!
Use these for the ducks as no plastic but pricey
View attachment 264553

I’ve used the mammoth steel on geese I couldn’t get on with the bio wad game shells tbh I use the pro eco wad in lead offering of eley but have yet to try there steel offering tbh

 

[si.b]

I’ve used the mammoth steel on geese I couldn’t get on with the bio wad game shells tbh I use the pro eco wad in lead offering of eley but have yet to try there steel offering tbh

Mammoth steel work well, I’ve bought a fair few down with them.. I’ve just been testing all sorts for last few seasons and on the pigeons as the dogs and me eat a lot of them!
Bought some full on case melts bio stuff to but it’s not great and bloody expensive

 

[Tim.243]

I’ve used the mammoth steel on geese I couldn’t get on with the bio wad game shells tbh I use the pro eco wad in lead offering of eley but have yet to try there steel offering tbh

Steel has been used since 1999 so you have had 23 years to find something you can get on with...!
I use 36 4's in the top barrel and 32'4s in the bottom, decoy teal widgeon on the flood. A few of them on a flt with the dogs is enough....mind you most of the challenge is setting lines getting the right wind not getting cut off then getting some shooting...We go see lots of duck all flighting into a marsh...might get one or two...20 yards or 40 makes no difference the whole thing is why we go.

 

[Magnificent 7]

Steel has been used since 1999 so you have had 23 years to find something you can get on with...!
I use 36 4's in the top barrel and 32'4s in the bottom, decoy teal widgeon on the flood. A few of them on a flt with the dogs is enough....mind you most of the challenge is setting lines getting the right wind not getting cut off then getting some shooting...We go see lots of duck all flighting into a marsh...might get one or two...20 yards or 40 makes no difference the whole thing is why we go.

I’m not on about wildfowling though tim I’m on about shooting decent game birds yes I’ve used steel on ducks and geese and like you have already said at distances a lot less.And yes it is why we go nothing better than an early morning or late evening flight.I’m interested in proper fact against high pheasants towards the end of the season.I’ve yet to see any of these so called brand ambassadors jump on the bandwagon about it either.Carrie has gamebore make him bespoke loads for his game shooting stuff you can’t buy off the shelf.Mind you I have a friend that wiped his eyes sorry eye with a humble 34gr Hull from his side by side all day at a Betwss hall shoot.

 

[Tim.243]

I’m not on about wildfowling though tim I’m on about shooting decent game birds yes I’ve used steel on ducks and geese and like you have already said at distances a lot less.And yes it is why we go nothing better than an early morning or late evening flight.I’m interested in proper fact against high pheasants towards the end of the season.I’ve yet to see any of these so called brand ambassadors jump on the bandwagon about it either.Carrie has gamebore make him bespoke loads for his game shooting stuff you can’t buy off the shelf.Mind you I have a friend that wiped his eyes sorry eye with a humble 34gr Hull from his side by side all day at a Betwss hall shoot.

Ducks are wild fowl as it was a duck flight you posted about.
watched a film by Dave Carrie at Belvoir castle shooting ducks with steel

Best I can suggest is take a mix of steel stick the paten plate out a 50mts and have a go...
Find a high tower and give it ago..
Good luck

 

[Magnificent 7]

Ducks are wild fowl as it was a duck flight you posted about.
watched a film by Dave Carrie at Belvoir castle shooting ducks with steel

Best I can suggest is take a mix of steel stick the paten plate out a 50mts and have a go...
Find a high tower and give it ago..
Good

24gram will smash clay even less that isn’t a true test neither is your pattern plate what exactly does a pattern plate prove bar where your gun is shooting and how a particular cartridge patterns it will not tell you how it will perform on live quarry.That’s like saying shoot these new lead free bullets at that target oh they group brilliant they’ll be awesome on deer.

 

[Liveonce]

Steel has been used since 1999 so you have had 23 years to find something you can get on with...!
I use 36 4's in the top barrel and 32'4s in the bottom, decoy teal widgeon on the flood. A few of them on a flt with the dogs is enough....mind you most of the challenge is setting lines getting the right wind not getting cut off then getting some shooting...We go see lots of duck all flighting into a marsh...might get one or two...20 yards or 40 makes no difference the whole thing is why we go.

but you were not using bio wads from 1999 unless the very expensive gamebore cardboard tube wads.

littering the environment with single use plastic which will be around for what 400 plus years is hardly great progress given the now massive problem of plastic waste, micro plastic, in the ocean and land.

At least now the goal is non toxic shot and biodegradable wads.

 

[Tim.243]

but you were not using bio wads from 1999 unless the very expensive gamebore cardboard tube wads.

littering the environment with single use plastic which will be around for what 400 plus years is hardly great progress given the now massive problem of plastic waste, micro plastic, in the ocean and land.

At least now the goal is non toxic shot and biodegradable wads.

If your read the article by Peter Theobold in sporting gun some time back, we took 32gm eco wads in steel and had a steel only test on pigeons. Pig of a day as it rained on laid barley...Clean kills out to 45 yards on crossing birds.
I struggled more than usual but more as I had laid the day on and was letting it get to me...
However it worked well with a very fair test. I shoot fibre only for pigeons/rooks...

 

[Tim.243]

24gram will smash clay even less that isn’t a true test neither is your pattern plate what exactly does a pattern plate prove bar where your gun is shooting and how a particular cartridge patterns it will not tell you how it will perform on live quarry.That’s like saying shoot these new lead free bullets at that target oh they group brilliant they’ll be awesome on deer.

I see you use Yew tree 85gn .243 did you test the group while developing the load?
How did you find the first result after testing on paper to live quarry?

85 grain yewtree with my 243

You can't have it both ways lol