10 ga for fowling

[Harry Collins]

Aaron,

Shortly after steel shot became manditory, some claimed that it would "rifle" the barrels of older shotguns. We were lucky the first year with a heavy VH 12 gauge with 32" IC barrels and never did it again. I guess you have been lucky with your Smith as well.

Harry

[MarketHunter]

Aaron,

Sounds like you and Bruce should get together for some waterfowling.


Destry

[C. Aaron Beck]

Does bruce shoot steel too?

[Bill Murphy]

Aaron, I won't address the Bruce Day question, but I have shot steel out of Foxes and AYAs for years and can't find any sign of damage. One of the Foxes was sold some time back and I am considering buying it back. The Fox was choked .040 in both barrels when I owned it. I have swallowed but not digested the "steel doesn't shoot well in full choke barrels" koolaid for years, but my AYA ten still shoots a steel pattern at sixty yards that would put a dozen number twos into a teal, well, maybe a mallard. It is choked about .043 in both barrels and doesn't seem to suffer from overchoking. The Fox shot the same sort of pattern with my old waterfowl loads of 1 1/4 ounce of soft lead fours at about 1200 fps. I never patterned the Fox with steel but shot lots of RSA mallards with cheap steel loads at extreme ranges.