Without spending a fortune on all the options available, and wasting a lot of valuable time and wildlife assets, what is the best alternative to real lead shot? Cost is not the main issue for me. I have tried several types of steel as well as Kent tungsten Matrix and Heavy shot options. Before I buy several cases of this stuff, what is the verdict? I want to be able to use some of my vintage shotguns as well as Beretta and Benelli options. I have been using Kents tungsten matrix #3 $ #5 and am fairly satisfied. Have some B for geese when I get the chance. Is there anything else to look at and try???

Best but also the most expensivve, heavyshot.....

Best, most expensive, but can shoot in your old guns, heavyshot classic doubles....

Heavysteel is also good but pricy....

Me personally, I shoot whatever is on sale, and shoot lots of it.... Winchester xperts and kent regular steel both work really well, and for 12 to 14 dollars a box can not be beat.....

A friend in ND, one in ID and I all love Blackcloud. We all shoot 3" #3 or 4's and find it works very well on ducks and big geese. Most of our shooting is at close range over decoys but I've scratched out a few big geese at ranges I shouldn't of tried at. I'm looking forward to trying the Blackcloud Close Range model.

I prefer HeviShot. It is expensive and the price goes up when you least expect it. I am glad I bought it when it was $31/box(10ga 1-3/4oz). Now it is $56/box. $3/shell was tolerable. $5-$6/shell is insane. I'll use steel for shooting over deeks and the pricey stuff for late season or long range.

thanks all!

+2 for Hevi Shot, especially for pass shooting & the big birds.

Cheap steel with proper choke for up close & decoying shots...IME.

After shooting Steel, Heavishot, the older federal tungsten polymer, and tungsten matrix, personally, I prefer bismuth.

The biggest advantage that it has compared to hevishot (or steel, for that matter) is that it will not shatter your teeth if you bite a pellet by accident.

It will not damage gun bores. Hevishot will. Tungsten is harder than barrel steel, so regardless it can damage the barrels. The usual way Hevishot avoids damage is extra heavy shotcups on the wads. Tungsten Matrix/ tungsten polymer has the tungsten in a plastic pellet- it works, but I have seen one extra full gun with a bit of ugliness at the choke from it- but it did not affect the shooting ability of the gun- the owner said the damage was caused by the pellets though.

Hevishot will perform better at extreme ranges and generally pattern better. Bismuth will work with identical chokes to lead, while heavishot usually chokes like steel.

Supposedly the new ITX pellets are between bismuth and steel for hardness, and act close to lead. I have not tried them though.

Bismuth you can use identical number size to lead. I usually use Bismuth #4 for ducks and pheasant when I have to use non toxic for them.

The tungsten pellets generally you can get away with dropping a pellet size or 2- to me hevishot 7's work as well as lead 5's for penetration, although the birds don't seem to drop as fast.

They are all expensive compared to steel. I handload the bismuth (and heavyshot when I used it) to get the shells I want, but if you want to buy factory only, tungsten matrix is the safest offering for vintage guns, unless you can find some factory bismuth (I haven't seen it in a long time.)

Unless it has already been addressed by the manufacturer, the problems I have experienced with Bismuth is the shot was alloyed with tin and it was quite brittle. The Classic Doubles from HeviShot performs excellent and the shot is relatively soft.

Hevi-shot for guns capable of shooting steel.

Hevi-shot Classic Doubles for older guns.

That's as good as it gets.

I have been using Kent Tungsten matrix 5's and bismuth 4's and have no complaints with either. Much prefer them to steel.
C.G.B.

I shoot WW expert high vel steel now 1550fps kills will.

I like Hevi shot but it really cost to much.