Differences between how pellets are made?

[Jack321]

I don't reload, so maybe someone can help me understand.

What's the difference between shot pellets. I don't mean the size differences between #7.5 vs BB. I get the sizing perfectly fine.

But when I look at different manufacturers loads, I see different prices for the same size, FPS, charge etc.

Like I can get Rio 3.5" BB gosse loads for $240/case: 1-3/8oz load, ~1550fps

And the same thing in Kent for $260.

I understand components, primer, powder. Etc.

But I've heard that shot is made different ways. I understand the difference between steel, bismuth, lead, copper plated, tungsten and TSS.

But I'm talking MAKING the actual pellets....


Do some manufacturers pour hot metal thru a cheese grater type and "cut" the pellets as they drip? Are pellets made in like egg crates? Poured in casts and then cooled to make round pellets?

Like I hunt with guys who use Boss (and I also sometimes use Boss) but they swear that Boss pellets are "made different" and are "rounder copper plated pellets" and because of that they "fly straighter" as opposed to th÷ "Cheap BBs" of Rio/whichester grey box/Federal Blue box/Hevi-Steel/Kent.....

So are pellets made differently that effect pattern and shot strings?

(Again I understand weight differences between materials) but Hevi Steel vs Xpert steel or
Boss Bismuth vs Hevi Bismuth or
Federal TSS vs Apex TSS

 

[MallardSX2]

Research “shot towers”

Shot tower - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I use an electric 220v ladle to drop mine into antifreeze.

 

[Billy Goat]

Different amount of antimony in lead affects the hardness. Then you have copper and nickel coated.

Steel shot is pretty universal, aside from some coatings.

Bismuth is a lot like lead, hardness changes with makeup.

The tungsten shot has all kinds of different methods. Some of the Hevi stuff looked like welding slag, tails, not round, etc. Some is made in molds, just depends on if talking 12-18 stuff.

 

[Jack321]

Research “shot towers”

Shot tower - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I use an electric 220v laser and drop mine into antifreeze.

Ok--so when I hear of guys $hit talking Hevi-Shot for pellets that aren't perfectly round, they're basically saving/believing Hevi-Shot doesn't quality control their pellets & doesn't pull the "deformed " pellets out?

So how is Hex-Shot made like Winchester/Browning?

 

[MallardSX2]

Ok--so when I hear of guys $hit talking Hevi-Shot for pellets that aren't perfectly round, they're basically saving/believing Hevi-Shot doesn't quality control their pellets & doesn't pull the "deformed " pellets out?

So how is Hex-Shot made like Winchester/Browning?

I have no idea how they make steel shot in the other nontoxic. I can only assume that the quality control is limited to rolling the nontoxic in a string down a flat plane of glass and whatever roles off is bad and whatever makes it to the end is good. That’s how I sort mine anyhow . Well that and through a set of screens.

 

[Billy Goat]

So how is Hex-Shot made like Winchester/Browning?

Hex shot is just incomplete process of making round steel shot. It doesn't get finished in the rolling process.

Gimmick, and cheaper to produce.

I forgot about that junk.

 

[WCB]

Ok--so when I hear of guys $hit talking Hevi-Shot for pellets that aren't perfectly round, they're basically saving/believing Hevi-Shot doesn't quality control their pellets & doesn't pull the "deformed " pellets out?

So how is Hex-Shot made like Winchester/Browning?

Boss and Hevi SHot use the same machines for making pellets. Boss copper plates their pellets not because it is better but because it covers flaws in material. Pellet shape to a point does not greatly effect patterns...again to a point.

The lead shot tower someone referenced is not the standard any more. Most companies or shot is made from a machine called a Bliemeister. Lead bars melted through holes drops into tanks of water cooling at the bottom. Rolled down and sorted into different grades by the machine. Different amounts of antimony changes the hardness of the pellet (general more premium shot is harder. As far as sorting these pellets it is company to company what they accept.

Most steel shot is purchased not made by the individual companies. Same with components. Companies like Boss by hulls, primers, wads...Large companies make and are in control of many/most components.

When you talk about cost there is more to consider than just components like shot. Obviously in general lead is cheaper than steel is cheaper than makeing bismuth etc.

 

[Dos Perros]

Even harder lead can deform as it's being accelerated in the barrel, packed in tight with several hundred buddies. If you ever inspect shot you take out of birds you can see some of them are cubic in shape, even though you know they went in shell round.

There is a way to test the "straightness" theory: shoot at a piece of paper.

 

[Jack321]

Boss and Hevi SHot use the same machines for making pellets. Boss copper plates their pellets not because it is better but because it covers flaws in material. Pellet shape to a point does not greatly effect patterns...again to a point.

The lead shot tower someone referenced is not the standard any more. Most companies or shot is made from a machine called a Bliemeister. Lead bars melted through holes drops into tanks of water cooling at the bottom. Rolled down and sorted into different grades by the machine. Different amounts of antimony changes the hardness of the pellet (general more premium shot is harder. As far as sorting these pellets it is company to company what they accept.

Most steel shot is purchased not made by the individual companies. Same with components. Companies like Boss by hulls, primers, wads...Large companies make and are in control of many/most components.

When you talk about cost there is more to consider than just components like shot. Obviously in general lead is cheaper than steel is cheaper than makeing bismuth etc.

Well I guess that's why I'm asking the Q.....

I have buddies that are obsessed with Boss (I have no issues shooting Boss or any other manufacturers load for that matter. )

But they swear that the Boss is better cuz it's perfectly round and thereby produces more consisten patterns.....

If shot everything under the sun at waterfowl and upland from hevi, to Winchester, Boss, to Federal, Rio, bismuth and tungsten etc....and I don't notice much of a difference.....

If I do my job, the ammo produces good results.....yes like everyone I've crippled geese/ducks. But I've never been like "Dang. If I'd had been shooting Boss/Tungsten I would have done better."

So if I'm shooting my 12ga. I shoot cheap steel. Sub-gauges I'll shoot bismuth or Tungsten.....

But I just can't seem to notice a difference between different manufacturers.....if I get em in range and aim accordingly, then I usually have a dead bird on the ground.....

That's why I wanted to know and understand that some of this BS is just that....BS.

 

[WCB]

Well I guess that's why I'm asking the Q.....

I have buddies that are obsessed with Boss (I have no issues shooting Boss or any other manufacturers load for that matter. )

But they swear that the Boss is better cuz it's perfectly round and thereby produces more consisten patterns.....

If shot everything under the sun at waterfowl and upland from hevi, to Winchester, Boss, to Federal, Rio, bismuth and tungsten etc....and I don't notice much of a difference.....

If I do my job, the ammo produces good results.....yes like everyone I've crippled geese/ducks. But I've never been like "Dang. If I'd had been shooting Boss/Tungsten I would have done better."

So if I'm shooting my 12ga. I shoot cheap steel. Sub-gauges I'll shoot bismuth or Tungsten.....

But I just can't seem to notice a difference between different manufacturers.....if I get em in range and aim accordingly, then I usually have a dead bird on the ground.....

That's why I wanted to know and understand that some of this BS is just that....BS.

Be interesting to see your buddies patterns with different shells. My feeling is that they tried other stuff without actually patterning it. They tried Boss and stumbled upon a load, velocity, etc that happens to pattern well.

I hear guys all the time say X shell patterns like crap out of their (name gun brand) with (name a single constriction) and Y shell patterns awesome with that same gun and choke so it is WAY better. When you shoot enough birds at varying distances and use your brain (not directed at you but hunters in general)...you realize 30yds and in really and shell and shot material will kill birds dead when the shooter does their job. Beyond normal distances (lets say 35-50 yards) yes shot material has benefits BUT pattern density and shooting play a bigger role. Beyond 50 yards and really outside 35 yards MOST guys aren't good enough day to day to know the difference.

Biggest thing is pick a few loads you want to try and pattern with multiple chokes and find what you want/like in a pattern.