Shotgun proof info needed please
- Thread starter j200esy
- Start date
the_greenman
Well-Known Member
In short no because of your (fixed?) 3/4 choke.
The proof stamps are found on the flats (the bit underneath the chamber area that slots into the action or sometimes underneath the barrels.
You need to look for a kg stamp with a figure or tonnes to give you an idea on what kind of cartridge your gun can fire. That's if there is no fleur de lys present.
The proof stamps are found on the flats (the bit underneath the chamber area that slots into the action or sometimes underneath the barrels.
You need to look for a kg stamp with a figure or tonnes to give you an idea on what kind of cartridge your gun can fire. That's if there is no fleur de lys present.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
The shotgun is not “Steel” proofed so cannot use “High Speed Steel”.
Standard steel, which is loaded to the same pressures as standard lead cartridges may be used. However the recommendation from the proof house is that they should not be used in barrels with greater than half choke.
Most good gunsmiths can easily open chokes. Steel shot doesn't need much choke, as the pellets are not flattened by the barrels and thus do not fly out of the pattern. Steel shot shoots much tighter patterns than traditional lead. I am shooting I C and 1/4 choke in my old side by sides and with kill shot I am getting clean kills as far as I can hit birds.
Standard steel, which is loaded to the same pressures as standard lead cartridges may be used. However the recommendation from the proof house is that they should not be used in barrels with greater than half choke.
Most good gunsmiths can easily open chokes. Steel shot doesn't need much choke, as the pellets are not flattened by the barrels and thus do not fly out of the pattern. Steel shot shoots much tighter patterns than traditional lead. I am shooting I C and 1/4 choke in my old side by sides and with kill shot I am getting clean kills as far as I can hit birds.
timbrayford
Well-Known Member
It might be better to future proof the barrels by getting them multi choked, otherwise you're condemned to using steel regardless of any ballistically superior shot being marketed in due course.
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
The marking "High Alloy Steel" is a boast (a proud and a true boast) of the quality of the metal used in the barrels.
On FN made Browning A-5 guns, or some French guns, you see "Acier Special" on British guns in past times "Sir Joseph Whitworth's Fluid Pressed Steel" or "Jessop's Steel". German and Austrian guns might have used and thus so marked "Bohler Blitz" or "Blitz Stahl" translating as Lightning Steel. Winchester guns on the barrels used to say "Winchester Proof Steel".
These are all tell tales that the steel used can be known by the buyer that this steel is by its alloy composition (or by the process by which it is originally cast as a billet) of some better property than the steel used by a rival. This differentiation marking of the alloy or process and its properties is still with us long after WWII with British "EN" numbers.
Raleigh bikes used to, on some, boast "Reynold's 531" - as used on the Spitfire supposedly - or the later "Reynold's 735" steel used. See below:
en.wikipedia.org
But, as others say, although the OP's Beretta may be safe and usable, or not unless the choke and etc. is opened up, what it isn't is marked with a Proof House Fleur de Lys stamp to show it as proved for "High Performance Steel". So like the desired cachet of a "Reynold's 531" or "735" labelling it merely describes the steel used and not anything other.
On FN made Browning A-5 guns, or some French guns, you see "Acier Special" on British guns in past times "Sir Joseph Whitworth's Fluid Pressed Steel" or "Jessop's Steel". German and Austrian guns might have used and thus so marked "Bohler Blitz" or "Blitz Stahl" translating as Lightning Steel. Winchester guns on the barrels used to say "Winchester Proof Steel".
These are all tell tales that the steel used can be known by the buyer that this steel is by its alloy composition (or by the process by which it is originally cast as a billet) of some better property than the steel used by a rival. This differentiation marking of the alloy or process and its properties is still with us long after WWII with British "EN" numbers.
Raleigh bikes used to, on some, boast "Reynold's 531" - as used on the Spitfire supposedly - or the later "Reynold's 735" steel used. See below:
Reynolds 531 - Wikipedia
But, as others say, although the OP's Beretta may be safe and usable, or not unless the choke and etc. is opened up, what it isn't is marked with a Proof House Fleur de Lys stamp to show it as proved for "High Performance Steel". So like the desired cachet of a "Reynold's 531" or "735" labelling it merely describes the steel used and not anything other.
Last edited:
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Moot point. Modern cartridges, whether steel, bismuth or lead with shotcups etc shoot much tighter than old traditional cartridges with fibre wads where the shot comes in contact with the barrel walls. Modern shot is also a lot harder than shot of old with copper plating etc.
All this negates need for tight full chokes.
Adjustable screw in chokes will cost at least £500. You also need a reasonable level of wall thickness to accommodate screw in chokes.
Having two chokes opened up, will cost much less - last gun I had done was about £70 a barrel. And will you really ever need to go back to full choke, when 1/4 and 1/2, or IC and 1/4 will cover most eventualities. I suppose the choice is down to the owner.
timbrayford
Well-Known Member
There comes a point where its going to be less bother to use bismuth when the time comes rather than use something that your gun wasn't designed for. Its not just about chokes and patterns but chamber sizes, noise and recoil as well.
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
Yes. I had my 16 bore FN Browning Auto-5 done "in the trade" three weeks ago. To improved cylinder from full choke. Cost me £68.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
To be honest, unless you are shooting huge numbers of cartridges, the cost of modifying or changing a gun just so that you can use cheaper cartridges is probably not worth it. Several hundred pounds buys a lot of, even, bismuth cartridges.
No point in bothering. There will be no magic new material. The laws of physics do not change at the whim of the "useful idiots" who think this is progress.
Nonsense (as usual). Four slabs of cartridges is around £1000 more expensive in bismuth than steel. I'm out of date on the cost of altering chokes, but it's far less than that.
timbrayford
Well-Known Member
Well worth it if you don't like excessive noise and recoil!
Don't forget the classic 'Krupp' steel!The marking "High Alloy Steel" is a boast (a proud and a true boast) of the quality of the metal used in the barrels.
On FN made Browning A-5 guns, or some French guns, you see "Acier Special" on British guns in past times "Sir Joseph Whitworth's Fluid Pressed Steel" or "Jessop's Steel". German and Austrian guns might have used and thus so marked "Bohler Blitz" or "Blitz Stahl" translating as Lightning Steel. Winchester guns on the barrels used to say "Winchester Proof Steel".
These are all tell tales that the steel used can be known by the buyer that this steel is by its alloy composition (or by the process by which it is originally cast as a billet) of some better property than the steel used by a rival. This differentiation marking of the alloy or process and its properties is still with us long after WWII with British "EN" numbers.
Raleigh bikes used to, on some, boast "Reynold's 531" - as used on the Spitfire supposedly - or the later "Reynold's 735" steel used. See below:
Reynolds 531 - Wikipedia
But, as others say, although the OP's Beretta may be safe and usable, or not unless the choke and etc. is opened up, what it isn't is marked with a Proof House Fleur de Lys stamp to show it as proved for "High Performance Steel". So like the desired cachet of a "Reynold's 531" or "735" labelling it merely describes the steel used and not anything other.
Bismuth is dead, the price has increased so much that the cartridge manufactures are no longer loading with it.
May be by 2029 it may return to a sensible price, but don’t hold your breath.
I find it amazing looking at yesterday’s Chinese military parade and the world leaders that attended that we in the west want to rely on china for resources to manufacture ammunition, given 80% of the worlds bismuth comes from China and as far as i know 100% of steel shot is manufactured in China (a fact BASC has yet to prove me wrong).
The world is changing, how safe do you feel?
Another problem with bismuth is that it is produced as a by product of virgin lead production. If we want more bismuth supply, then we must increase the amount of lead going into the environment.....which rather defeats the point of the exercise.
timbrayford
Well-Known Member
Better stock up with lead then and hope that a change of government knocks the BASC/Wild Justice anti stuff on the head!
No point in stocking up with lead if its use is made illegal, better to stock up with some steel shot cartridges.
However at my advancing age I may come 2029 just call it a day with the shotgun and shoot only rifle FAC and airgun plus enjoy extra days coarse fishing.
Flash G 74
Well-Known Member
hello, get the 3/4 choke taken out , job done, no H/V cartridges
shakey jake
Well-Known Member
Id look at the value of the gun first, trade it for a gun with multi chokes or open chokes.
No clue what a gunsmith would charge butnif you go through a gunshop expect a markup and time without a gun
No clue what a gunsmith would charge butnif you go through a gunshop expect a markup and time without a gun
timbrayford
Well-Known Member
We are a long way off lead being made illegal despite the support for the ban from the antis!
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