Gun Dog Forum

what do you all recommend for non-toxic shot as far as minimizing the damage to a gun is concerned?? i have heard that steel can be pretty tough on the bore. any suggestions??

Steel is hard on guns not made to handle steel. I can't shoot steel through my early 70's era Beretta BL-4 o/u, but could shoot steel all day long out of the model that replaced it, the 686.

What kinda gun you talking about?

A bit of trivia. "Steel" is actually a misnomer. It's really soft iron. Can't shoot it through my beloved M-12.

Some of the alternative non-toxics are actually harder on barrels.

my only 12 gauge is a weatherby orion, field grade. thats the gun i am concerned about.

If it is of recent manufacture, you won't have a problem.

dog dr wrote:my only 12 gauge is a weatherby orion, field grade. thats the gun i am concerned about.

Com'on Doc. You can do better then that.

Sharon wrote:

dog dr wrote:my only 12 gauge is a weatherby orion, field grade. thats the gun i am concerned about.

Com'on Doc. You can do better then that.

huh?

Teasing doesn't come across very well on the forum.

I was just teasing you about your gun. I have one of those and I'm poor.
I thought you'd have a Benelli or something. ( Just kidding you.)

Sharon wrote:Teasing doesn't come across very well on the forum.

I was just teasing you about your gun. I have one of those and I'm poor.
I thought you'd have a Benelli or something. ( Just kidding you.)

His other gun is a K-80.

I saw that Krieghoff to-day for $17 000. used.

to be honest with you, i felt like i was splurging on myself when i bought that gun! i felt guilty for a week.

so you guys think this gun will be okay with steel??

Doc,

You can download the owner's manual here:
http://weatherby.com/support/ownersmanual

Assuming your gun is one of the Japanese-made Weatherby guns, you can shoot steel as long as you have a modified or more open choke tube.

When steel became available, the manufacturers starting putting so much extra metal in those barrels that you can shoot nothing but steel and you'll never wear out the barrel before you wear out the action.

There are certain situations where shooting another non-tox might be better from a performance standpoint, but from a gun safety standpoint shoot all the steel you want. As a guy who has bought 3 shotguns in the last year, and NONE of them can shoot steel, take advantage of what you got.

FWIW,
Dave

thanks!

Kent tungsten matrix may be shot out of ANY shot gun. Very pricey but worth it. It shoots just like lead.

Razor wrote:Kent tungsten matrix may be shot out of ANY shot gun. Very pricey but worth it. It shoots just like lead.

Just looked them up at Cabella's online. $41.99 for 10 shells, 12 ga, 3".

Greg Jennings wrote:

Razor wrote:Kent tungsten matrix may be shot out of ANY shot gun. Very pricey but worth it. It shoots just like lead.

Just looked them up at Cabella's online. $41.99 for 10 shells, 12 ga, 3".

holy crap!!!!!!!!!! i think i would just throw rocks at them.

If you are shooting high dollar doubles the price is irrelevant. I shot a goose last thursday, he was stone dead at 50 yards. I was hunting ducks, when this lone goose flew in and circled the pond I was on. I had 3" 4 shot Heavy Shot in my gun. These were the duck loads, one shot completely shattered the left wing bone and killed him dead. Fast forward to yesterday night. I shot a number of ducks with 3 1/2 inch #2 Faststeels. I shot a limit of ducks and had to hit a number of them with more than one shot. The plain truth is STEEL SUCKS!!!!! The other non tox options are much better and I find I use far fewer shells. I use Remington HD or Heavy shot the most. They are much cheaper than Kents but the shot is very hard compared to lead. They will damage guns not made to shoot steel.

If your guns are unable to shoot steel you have three options. Bismuth, Heavy Shot Classic doubles, and Kent Tungsten Matrix. The kent load is the best of these three, but they are not the cheapest. I used to use them all the time when they were much cheaper than they are now. I only use a SBE 2 when I have to shoot non tox now days. The Remington HD's are very tough to beat if you are able to shoot the hard alternatives.

I think all modern firearms can handle the steel or bistmuth, but what you need to pay attention to is the choke selection.
IE, a skeet choke would then become an IC if using steel. An IC choke would become a MOD. Somebody please correct me if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure that is how it works.

Charlie

...and I don't think it is recommended to shoot steel or bismuth through a full choke. Best bet I think is to go with an IC because then you are shooting a Modified.

...however if you are shooting at one of those upscale skeet fields that require bismuth, then go with a CYL choke then you're really shooting IC.