Casting bismuth for shot?
So I plan to test some heavy bismuth loads this year in 10 ga 3.5" and I will probably end up buying a T shot mold from Martys. Every 10 ga ive owned both 2 7/8"s and the 3.5" magnums have always patterned T shot well in lead and steel(3.5"). I have seen some guys hand load large bismuth shot by casting their own and looking at the cost you can either buy 99% bismuth and mix it with tin to get the 94/6% ratio for about $12/lb. Or I could buy 10lbs of reject 94/6% bismuth shot to melt down for $12/lb so I dont see a reason to mix the bismuth and tin myself as there doesnt look to be a cost savings just adding more work/time to reloading.
I think a Bismuth T at 1200 fps will pass through a goose or probably any bird hit by one and a Bismuth T fired at that velocity is moving faster and carrying more ft/lbs of energy at 40 yards vs a Steel T fired at 1500 fps so I think the killing power is definitely there. The real question is finding out what grade of felt I will use for punching wads the price varies greatly depending on the tensile strength of the felt. |
If my memory serves there was a guy on the castboolits forum dropping his own bismuth shot . You might search there and see what you an find .
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go for it milt and keep us up dated on the progress....what mag ten will you shoot this load in....charlie
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Good luck, Milton. I'm a big fan of bismuth for ducks and have loaded it for my 3" chambered, 32" HE Fox for years, loading 1 1/4 oz. of 4s. In the last couple years I've bought bulk lots of BOSS factory bismuth, one in the lower pressure loads without a plastic shot cup, and the other with the shot cup and higher pressures. I'm very impressed with their loadings, though I haven't had a chance to try the higher pressure loads yet on ducks.
Those Ts ought to be big medicine on geese, for sure. How big a payload are you "shooting for"? |
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I have a old Ithaca mag 10 of my dads it has downed a many of turkeys I still hunt with it some...with lead bb s it is a hammer on any thing with in 70 yards....your load of 2 1/4 ounce bismuth should be what all of us big bore shooters have been looking for...it should be a turkeys nite mare.waiting on the pattern tests results.... charlie
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Yards fps ft/lbs 40 706 7(steel #bb 1200 fps mv) 40 780 8(steel #bb 1500 fps mv) 40 796 11(bismuth #bb 1200 fps mv) From what ive added up I can load 2oz bismuth 10 ga loads for $2.66/rd the cheapest factory bismuth in 10 ga is currently $2.80/rd but im not reloading to try and save, the factory offerings just arent interesting to me. Charlie we have tons of geese down here year round actually we do have a early goose season that starts the first week of September. Though I dont know anyone who would want to goose hunt in 110F weather lol. |
at 110 degrees we can shootem and cook them at the same time ...ha I ve beeb on some teal duck hunts that were in the upper 90 sas you said no fun getting cooked with the goose... I too believe your loads will go clean thru a goose of average size....some of them giant canadas would be the tickit to try them loads on....charlie
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