SA has had a lead shot ban for waterfowl for a while after some other states.

I don't use steel shot I buy bismuth shotshells for ducks. Almost the same as lead in practice.

While we are on the subject of alternatives what about Hevi-shot? Seems to be harder hitting even than lead according to reports, due to tungsten alloy 10% heavier than the above.
I aksed Ballistic products about price and from memory it was around $40 per Kg to get here!
The stuff I was interested in was the buckshot which apparently patterns 40% better and penetrates 18 % better than lead.

Anyone here used it yet?

Karl.

If anyone's interested, I have tossed up my article on making your own Bismuth shot at home, reproduced with the kind permission of Guns & Game magazine and Safari Publishing. If you want it, copy it off now as I will have to remove it soon to make space for other 'stuff'!

http://www.hotkey.net.au/~orrs/BismuthArticle/index.htm