I have not done any duck shooting for over 10 years. Now my 15 & 12 year old kids have persuaded me to get a duck season license.

My situation is as follows
1. I am not a very experienced wing shot but do ok and used have some fun on opening weekend of duck season.
2. My shotgun is a SKB 100 SXS with 2.75 inch chambers and it is not meant for steel shot.
3. Since 2008/9 NZ laws have made it mandatory to use steel and I have never used steel shot before.

I have got a can of Bismuth #5 shot & was planning to just replace the lead shots in my old ammo. I plan to pattern the ammo to see how it shoots.

Q1. Is this ok?
Q2 Are there any issues that i need to be aware of?

I would appreciate any help.....opening day is 7th May & one box of Elley Bismuth ammo cost $60 to $75 - depending on the grade!!!

We must use non-toxic shot,there are other options other than steel.

Another option is to buy 20GA inserts and keep using lead shot.

What are the chokes? steel is usable through 1/2 choke or less. Take it to a gunsmith and get it rechoked, dosn't cost alot.

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:

Q1. Is this ok?

Well, no. Component substitution in shotgun shells isn't at all a good idea, because it can easily send pressures outside the safe range. The Lyman Shotshell Reloading Handbook 5th Ed has test results for the effect of some primer and wad substitutions.

Much better to load from scratch, using pressure tested data for given component combinations.
I know there's no Bismuth data for ADI powders in their Guide, but the Lyman Handbook above has a few using AP70N [as Hodgdon Universal]. And some that use Alliant Blue Dot, too.

Some of the blokes in Oz, before bismuth load data was available, loaded using lead data and the same shot volume [i.e. loaded v/v not w/w]. The lower bulk density of bismuth shot gave a lighter charge [by around 15%], but I don't know of any pressure testing having been done on those.
Not the way I'd go, with fully tested data available now.

quote:

Q2 Are there any issues that i need to be aware of?

As well as the pressure issues, it's very difficult to get a decent crimp on a shell that's been opened up, rather than fired.
Do you have a shotshell loading press or hand loading kit [Lee used to make those]? Just about impossible to crimp without bulging the case mouth, without the right gear.

quote:

I would appreciate any help.....opening day is 7th May & one box of Elley Bismuth ammo cost $60 to $75 - depending on the grade!!!

At least you can get bismuth ammo; supplies dried up very fast here, at the start of duck season last month.

Nakihunter, try googling the matter or look at this site:

http://books.google.com.au/boo...#v=onepage&q&f=false

According to the above website (Reloading for Shotgunners By Rick Sapp and Kurt Fackler, if the shortened version shown here gets you there) Bismuth produces higher pressures than lead.

So there might be a problem with just replacing the lead with lighter bismuth shot, though maybe they are talking about trying to throw the same weight in bismuth as lead.

How much did you have to pay for the bismuth shot? If the matter can be sorted out I might try it myself for use in my AyA 117.

Cheers
- Paul

Thanks for all the help guys. I got a small can which weighs 3.30 kg on my electronic scales. So I guess I can load 28 gms to 30gms max for volume to volume replacement for lead, provided other components check out. Yes I plan to use a friend's shot shell loading gear to prevent bulging etc.

I still have a few days to decide. If i have second thoughts, I'll just go and by a couple boxes of the ammo. This lot of bismuth shot will give me 100 loads and it cost me NZ$135. So the factory ammo is about double that.

Let us see what happens....

Well....I have removed the lead shot from 6 Perrazzi rounds of 36 gram No5s. These are 67 mm loads and equate to about 1 & 1/4 oz shot for a 2.6 inch shell.

I compared the weight of equal volumes of lead & Bismuth shot and it came to 32 grams of Bismuth - about 1 & 1/8 oz.

I am going to pattern these rounds & see how they work. The shotgun can handle 1 & 1/2 oz magnums. So the pressure should be ok.

I agree with Gadge.
"Well, no. Component substitution in shotgun shells isn't at all a good idea, because it can easily send pressures outside the safe range. The Lyman Shotshell Reloading Handbook 5th Ed has test results for the effect of some primer and wad substitutions.

Much better to load from scratch, using pressure tested data for given component combinations."

Much safer to follow tested load receipes that help keep pressures safe and you safe.

Tested loading data is available from Ballistic Products in the US.
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/products.asp?dept=16

and Precision Products
http://www.precisionreloading....ry_Code=REL_MAN_SHOT

I tried to pattern the load of 32 grms of Bismuth shot replacing 36 grams of lead - the pattern at 40 meters was not good. I had 3 or 4 gaps a big as 6" with in a 30" circle. The density of pattern in the middle was also poor.

I have loaded up some more with 34 grms of bismuth in the same original Perrazzi ammo. I also replaced some Winchester 36 gram lead ammo with 30 grams for Bismuth shot as that is all that the case would take!

I am surprised at the volume difference for same load in 2 different brands of ammo.

I might just get a box of Elley ammo.....

Went out today in terrible weather to start with - walking along a river bank 30 feet high. My first shot was at a flock of ducks that surprised me by flushing from below the bank. I pick up on one bird and "Bank" dropped it at about 25 meters. My first shot at a flying duck in 12 years. I shot another mallard drake at more like 35 to 40 meters calling the flock as they circled. I missed a few and that was the day - 2 hours out in the morning with my boy & his buddy.

Bismuth shot was fine. I could not tell the difference. Both birds were multiple hits. Next time I'll try a pond with decoys for a more focussed effort.