Nice Shot on Sale

[Marc Retallack]

For anyone interested, Precision Reloading has the kilo packs of Nice Shot on sale for $53.99 http://www.precisionreloading.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=PRE&Category_Code=NICE_SHOT Use coupon code PRFREE for free shipping if the order totals over $100.

FYI-Direct from Nice Shot (Ecotungsten) it is up to $69.99 kilo:eek:.

Cheers
Marcus

[Mark Ouellette]

Marc,

Thanks! I previously ordered ITX #2 and BB which were on sale at BPI. Today I ordered Nice Shot #2 and BB from Precision Reloading.

This season I'll have the means to conduct a "barrel by barrel" evaluation of the effectiveness of ITX as opposed to the champion, Nice Shot. Anyone seen any Canada Geese flying?

Mark :)

[charlie cleveland]

mark have you ever figured the cost per shell you have in loading niceshot or simeral loads...i was wondering how much one could save versus buying factory loads...i will probably just stick to loading steel.... charlie

[Mark Ouellette]

Charlie,

Yes, I calculate the price of each loaded shell before I purchase any non-toxic shot. My favorite Short 10 load for Canada Geese and large ducks is:

1 3/8 oz Nice Shot #2
SP10 Wad
35 grains of 4756
Cheddite Primer
Overshot Card
Roll crimp

I reduce costs by buying everything in bulk and on sale when available.

The non-toxic shot is the most expensive component which thanks to the sales at BPI and Precision Reloading will this year cost me per shot:

ITX: Sold at $17 per pound plus about .50 shipping per pound = $17.50 or a little less than $1.10 per ounce.

Nice Shot: Sold at $25.55 per pound with free shipping or $1.54 per ounce.

IMR 4756 cost me about $20 per pound. At 35 grains there are 200 round in a pound. Powder costs $.10 per shell.

Today I bought 1000 SP10 wads at $.058 each. The overshot card cost $.012 each. Primers are $.03 each.

$2.1175 = 1 3/8 oz Nice Shot
Or
$1.5125 = 1 3/8 oz ITX
$0.06 = SP10 wad
$0.03 = primer
$0.10 = 35 gr 4756
$0.012 = overshot card

Total cost per shell Nice Shot = $2.3195 or $57.99 per 25 rounds
Total cost per shell ITX = $1.7145 or $42.86 per 25 rounds

Last year’s Nice Shot loads were shot sparingly with devastating effects of Canada Geese and Mallards. My kill ratio with this load was high because I waited for easy shots. The reward was the performance of lead from a 115 year DH which I dubbed my “Big Friend Ten”. I let geese come in over decoys at 60 yards and laid them out with every shot!

PS: One ounce of Nice Shot will kill Mallards at long range. An ounce and an eighth will kill certainly geese. But my Big Friend Ten likes to throw a little shot more down range. One must respect their favorite gun!

[Mike Shepherd]

Wow! That is getting down near the price of lead, or lead is getting near the price of Nice Shot.

[John Dallas]

Recently, the price of lead in the world market has been falling, and is now about $1.15/lb.
http://www.kitcometals.com/charts/lead_historical_large.html

Add packaging, shipping and markup and you can easily see on the order of $35 for a 25 lb bag of lead

[Dave Suponski]

John, I would be happy to pay $35.00 I bought lead two weeks ago for $37.00 a bag and that was from an bulk order of a ton.

[charlie cleveland]

mark thanks for the run down on the price of these shells..one things for sure theres a lot of satisfaction in bring down a goose at 60 yards with your own loads...and using a 100 year old plus gun...it dont get any better the way you are doing it.... charlie

[Marc Retallack]

Mark

What load data are you using for your ITX shells? I have a bag of ITX BB's I was trying to get rid of due to the lack of lower pressure load info. I might change my mind if you could point me in the right direction. Thanks.

Marcus

[Mark Ouellette]

Marc,

Contact BPI for their "10 GAUGE - 28 GAUGE LOW PRESSURE LOADS", Library # OOBLowPSI. Their loads for lead start at 7000 PSI.

For Nice Shot I selected a 6500 PSI load and added 1500 PSI due to shot hardness as advised on the Eco Tungston website. I need to contact BPI for the ITX safety factor. This is the fun part...

This ITX load is hot for old guns but my Little Friend Ten, a straight grip Damascus GH 10 was proofed in England for 3 1/2 tons or 10,500 PSI. This Parker is full pound lighter than my aforementioned DH 10. The DH of course has thicker barrels. Barrel thickness (and condition) is the key.

BPI L0AD#100907-2465-4/2/BB
HULL: FEDERAL 10ga. 2-7/8” (2.85”)
PRIMER: FED209A
PROPELLANT: HODGDON UNIVERSAL CLAYS 33.0 Grains
WAD: Helarco VP100
SHOT: 1-1/4 oz ITX #4 or #2, or BB (546gr.)
BUFFER: none
ROLL IMP: For over shot card use a COS12 or a N710 card.
Result: PSI 10500 FPS 1435


Wow! 1435 FPS...that's fast! So, back it down a few grains and switch to a Cheddite or Win 209 primer to lower velocity to 1200 FPS. The pressure should drop.

Mark

[Mark Ouellette]

Here's another ITX load from BPI:

BPI Reference: 90109 333
10 ga
2.88"
Federal hull
Fed-209A
PB 30.0
VP100 wad
OS Card: N710
1 1/4 ITX #BB
PSI: 9500
FPS: 1325
Mica dust wad
Roll crimp

A Federal 209A is a hot primer. Swapping it out with a cooler primer such as a Win 209 or Cheddite will reduce pressure. Please review Tom Armbrust's analysis of primers in relation to pressure and decide for yourself:
http://www.armbrust.acf2.org/primersubs.htm

I contacted BPI for more ITX loading data. They presently only have what is listed in their ITX Loading Maunal #3.

[Marc Retallack]

Thanks Mark. I might have to play around with those two loads over the winter. I'd be interested to hear the results of your Nice Shot/ITX face off.

Cheers
Marc