Bismuth in a lead recipe

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Ronald Scott

Another myth probably but I've heard you should not shoot steel shot through a full choke because you could ring the barrel just ahead of the choke constriction. I am sure someone has tested this, I just haven't seen the results.

This is not a myth. Because in steel shot one is using shot two or three times larger to get the same killing power as lead. Thus if one liked BBs for geese, they now skip BBB and go to T which at 40 yards delivers 12.5 foot pounds of energy which approaches but does not quite reach the 13.8 of lead.

T steel is .020 which is approaching #4 buck of .024. When the full choke compresses the steel pellets which do not give any you can get bridging of shot, shot that is not going anywhere as they touch each other and the barrel may ring or split, especially if it is an older gun not designed for steel shot. The barrels that are designed for steel and have the thickness of a small water pipe will not ring or split.

The rule is for steel if one wants a full choke pattern, shoot modified because the pellets do not deform as lead does and the pattern will be denser.

[Mark Garrett]

"I don't agree that the pressure difference (if any) can be attributed to the volume of the shot column."

This statement could not be more wrong , especially when dealing with loads that are close to max pressure . It can get dangerous really quick.

In the case of Victors' loads he increased the column height in the lead loads with 2 16ga ocs cards to make the load crimp well . Now take the same lead load with extra filler and substitute bismuth and have it tested and the pressure of that will be greater than the original bismuth load .

[Ron Scott]

Originally Posted by Mark Garrett

"I don't agree that the pressure difference (if any) can be attributed to the volume of the shot column."

This statement could not be more wrong , especially when dealing with loads that are close to max pressure . It can get dangerous really quick.

In the case of Victors' loads he increased the column height in the lead loads with 2 16ga ocs cards to make the load crimp well . Now take the same lead load with extra filler and substitute bismuth and have it tested and the pressure of that will be greater than the original bismuth load .

I doubt it -- show me some data to support your claim. IMHO The filler would change the pressure only because the entire payload is slightly heavier but the volume being greater due to filler has very little effect. It's the weight of the payload that makes the most difference.

Try just light weight filler and no shot at all -- put a bunch in, try different amounts -- you'll see very little difference.