steel vs lead

[BLACKJACK]

He wasn't stationary, he was running down the trail --- but he couldn't outrun the two shot steel!!!

At forty yards I wouldn't even think of using two shot steel on geese, theres alot of difference between a 6 pound cat and a 16 pound goose, I'd upsize to T or F shot.

[Sartell Angler]

T or F? those sizes are practically obsolete.

The vast majority shoot geese with BB and I agree that it is the ultimate shot size size for geese.

I shoot Fasteel for ducks and this time of year I just use 1 shot...if geese come in I don't bother changing shells because 1 shot will do just fine out to 45 yards or so.

Worked just fine Sunday morning on a couple of BIG geese!

[Flatlander]

1 1/4 oz. steel #4's, out of my Berreta 20ga. o/u- 13 roosters dead, 2 roosters missed and ZERO lost birds. And, my buddies dog, who has the greatest nose I've ever hunted over, will not retrieve a bird. So, I'm chaulking up another zero for birds that were run down and retrieved by superdog.

[BLACKJACK]

Quote:

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T or F? those sizes are practically obsolete.

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Until I use up the 6 boxes of F shot that I have in the basement, they're not obsolete!! But I was thinking of using some of the steel BB shot that I have on late season pheasants, just to use it up, its been sitting their a few years....

[walleye vision]

So....has anyone tried Remington or Federal's new non-toxic loads this year? I've only seen the Federal shells in stores (about $2.50/shell). They're expensive, but I'm sick of Steel and want to try something that can maintain it's fps.....There is an article in this month's Wildfowler magazine that has some interesting stats on steel shots performance. It's amazing how fast steel loses its energy, most loads are down to 600fps at 60yds - not much knock down power.

-WV

[Guest]

I dont shoot at birds at 60 yards.. and I am sure not going to pay $2.50 per shell to make an attempt to sky-bust

Thats an expensive lesson.

My #2's at 1550 fps havent been doing a very good job on the northern mallards other than knocking feathers off them at 20 yards... I moved upp to BB's and the birds are falling.

I have been eye-balling some of the non toxics out there at about $25/box of 25. Its still expensive, but so are spent shells that arent dropping armor plated birds.

Non toxics have been on the market long enough, you would think the price should be dropping.

[walleye vision]

That Guy, I don't shoot birds at 60 yards either...just making a point...I dug out that magazine to get the numbers for you guys. Tungsten BB (1500 fps): 916 fps @ 40yds, 600 fps @ 80 yds. Steel BB (1500 fps): 823 fps @ 40 yds, 603 fps @ 67 yds. Steel #4 (1529 fps): 667 fps @ 40 yds, 600 fps @ 47 yds. Unfortunately the didn't compare to lead. You can see that steel slows down pretty quick. If you estimate the numbers for steel #2 (between BB & #4) you could guestimate where it would line up. Another thing the article was saying is that steel shot exits the barrel in a long cigar shape (narrow killing band), whereas lead/bismuth/tungsten leaves the barrel in a wider oval shape - putting more shot on the target at one time (moving target). Just some food for thought.

-WV