Non-toxic pheasant whacking experience

[Jesse Jaymes]

Mac-

Your "scientific" evidence is pretty disappointing. I buy into the box images and hype of Bismuth.....looks pretty disappointing on paper.

I bought my first BOSS Bismuth a few years ago. Traveled to Montana. Had the waterpark all to myself. Set up my spread in the darkness and was "early" and all set up before the sun cracked. Perfect morning.

As the first birds worked into my spread...I think I literally talked shit out loud at the first birds and muttered "Bismuth Bitch !!!!" as my targeted drake failed to crumble to the water.

Nearly in tears with my $300+ mini case of Boss ammo in that cool waxed cotton sack.....didn't turn on God Mode for my VersaMax or myself.

I am not the serious shotgunner and bird hunt as I assume most of you are.

But it taught me that 30 yards....is 30 yards. Went 7 drakes for 9 shells or so a handful of times, and I think one of those was a double hit and needed to anchor a bird. This was with Steel.

If birds are in range and you hit them well....they fold with most anything.

But I WILL feel better having Non Tox for 100% of my hunts. And at least it's a few tenths more dense than Steel. Interesting notes tho. Thanks for sharing.

Now if Tungsten was affordable

 

[sndmn11]

Now if Tungsten was affordable

I've still got some 100% tungsten in my cart but I chose one step down so when I don't feather puff my rooster I can still blame the equipment.

 

[Macintosh]

@Jesse Jaymes YES…but also, bismuth is still 20% more dense than steel. While I think its a bit laughable the way it has been marketed as a miracle killer now that tungsten is apparently more valuable than gold, it’s still going to be better than steel in that regard. And I think that people have been largely happy with its performance and arent as a rule sizing up from lead to compensate for density speaks at least somewhat to the overkill that I think has been the norm.

 

[Slickhill]

THE miracle killer on birds of all sorts is a well fitting shotgun. Shot size, shot material, choke, etc, mean little if you cannot center birds in the pattern.

I have shot a good number of pheasants over the years with lead and steel, 20, 16, and 12 gauge guns, shot sizes from 2s to 7 1/2s. No preserve birds btw.

The load that consistently produces the least runners for me was the old Pigeon load, 11/4oz of lead 7 1/2s at 1330fps. If they’re in the middle of the pattern the odds are overwhelming that you’re going to get pellets in the head and neck. Downside is at close range they’re a meat grinder.

When forced to use nontox back in the day I used steel due to finances. I found 6s to be more reliable killers than larger pellets. You have a much better chance of getting hits in the head and neck with 30 percent more pellets in the payload.

Whatever you end up with will work if you put the bird in the center of the pattern. If you’re hitting them with the fringes then 2s or 4s may buy you a few more birds when you get a couple big pellets in them.