Non toxic shotgun shells

[Mosby]

I am buying some non toxic shot shells for Pheasant. There are a number of relatively new shells out on the market that include steel, bismuth, tungsten and some with both steel and bismuth. Price is less for steel and a lot more for Bismuth.

Browning and Hevi have some combination or layered shot shells with both steel and bismuth. In my 12 and 16 gauge, I normally shoot lead #6 on preserves and #5 on wild birds. When using steel I normally go with #2 shot in my 12 gauge but this year I am going to try some #3 steel. In many cases all that is available is by the case, so I can't buy a box or two and pattern them, so I thought I would ask what people have tried and like to hunt with.

What brand nontoxic ammo are you guys using for Pheasant , shot size and are there any that you have found to be more consistent than others?

 

[Danimal]

I used a 30% bismuth blend last year for the first time during the end of season. Pure anecdote but I felt like the blended stuff just hit harder with less cripples. Especially liked the performance during windy hunts. Haven't used it on sea ducks yet which will be the real test. Overall I'm a fan so far even with limited use. I think "heavi metal" was the one I was using.

 

[KurtR]

i use 2 shot steel or what ever is handy in the pick up. I might try some boss 3/5 blend this year for ducks/geese but that is to expensive to waist on chinese chickens. Mostly hunt private land now so 5 shot lead

 

[Superdoo]

Early season is 2-3/4" 5 shot. Late season when they like to jump further out I switch to 3" 3 shot. I shoot steel and whatever is on sale.

I bought some more expensive stuff whether it's the type of pellet or the advertised speed. There was no improvement noticed in either to bring down birds better.

 

[Mosby]

I used a 30% bismuth blend last year for the first time during the end of season. Pure anecdote but I felt like the blended stuff just hit harder with less cripples. Especially liked the performance during windy hunts. Haven't used it on sea ducks yet which will be the real test. Overall I'm a fan so far even with limited use. I think "heavi metal" was the one I was using.

I found some Hevi Metal earlier today and bought a case. Glad you liked it. It gets good reviews. Made me feel a lot better for what I had to pay for it. LOL. Right now I have a single box of bismuth and a ton of lead ammo for the season, so I decided need to get what I can get while I can still get it. Not going to find any bargains in this market.

 

[Warmsy]

I shot 2 buffleheads and 2 geese two years ago with 2 steel shot, 3" both were about 20 yards away. My buddy shot a goose with 4 shoot 3.5" steel. He shot it once, then again in the neck once it was on the water. About a dozen pellets we found stuck under the feathers. My birds flew away.

Ive been shooting bismuth and I love it. I have some hevi shot, but I can't use it with all chokes. I can use bismuth in all my chokes, and I haven't lost a bird or rabbit yet, various shot size and she'll length.

I'm pretty well sold on bismuth. I don't find it to be that expensive.

 

[Davidson51]

I've used several different brands and a couple blends. Lately I've been coming back to Winchester Blind Side steel. Like others have said, mostly personal preference, I've shot #5s at quail and #2s at ducks with great results. Picked up some #1s for late season ducks when I can't call them in as close. Probably just a gimmick but that dice shaped shot knocks em down pretty good... easier to find quail when they're dead.

 

[Mosby]

I shot 2 buffleheads and 2 geese two years ago with 2 steel shot, 3" both were about 20 yards away. My buddy shot a goose with 4 shoot 3.5" steel. He shot it once, then again in the neck once it was on the water. About a dozen pellets we found stuck under the feathers. My birds flew away.

Ive been shooting bismuth and I love it. I have some hevi shot, but I can't use it with all chokes. I can use bismuth in all my chokes, and I haven't lost a bird or rabbit yet, various shot size and she'll length.

I'm pretty well sold on bismuth. I don't find it to be that expensive.

I bought a case of bismuth today for my old A5 16 gauge that was made in the 1950's. I can't use steel shot in it and I only have lead right now. My son uses a 16 gauge most of the time, so I needed to get some for him to use too. Trying to find 16 gauge bismuth has been difficult and it was not cheap but I went ahead and got it anyway. I should be good for this year.

 

[Ohio3561]

My bird hunting buddy and I have been using Boss ammo the last couple of seasons. We are planning on using it again this year. It’s a smaller company based in MI. He is upland only but I do both upland and waterfowl. It’s copper plated bismuth and should work in older guns as well.

we primarily travel and hunt public land in IA for pheasants. I hunt the ducks in the marshes on Lake Erie.

been shooting 12 ga 2 3/4” #5 and 3” 20ga #for everything. No switching during any season or between nontox and lead areas. I have had good results at normal ranges for both ducks and upland

 

[Mosby]

My bird hunting buddy and I have been using Boss ammo the last couple of seasons. We are planning on using it again this year. It’s a smaller company based in MI. He is upland only but I do both upland and waterfowl. It’s copper plated bismuth and should work in older guns as well.

we primarily travel and hunt public land in IA for pheasants. I hunt the ducks in the marshes on Lake Erie.

been shooting 12 ga 2 3/4” #5 and 3” 20ga #for everything. No switching during any season or between nontox and lead areas. I have had good results at normal ranges for both ducks and upland

I have a ton of lead ammo to go through and as I use it up, I am going to switch over to non toxic for everything. Hard to beat #5 for pheasant.

 

[slvrslngr]

I shoot Kent 3” #4 out of a 20ga for wild pheasant and whatever brand #6 for planted birds. Maybe I’m lucky or just don’t know any better but I’ve not felt handicapped shooting steel.

 

[Fogalo]

I go through at least a case of federal speed shock 3” #2s hunting ducks from early season to late. Choke is more important than shells. Bottom barrel modified-full top xtra full snow goose. Both Briley chokes although I don’t think they still make either of them.

 

[AroaniaPass]

The Remington Nitros are clean.

 

[KurtR]

I shot 2 buffleheads and 2 geese two years ago with 2 steel shot, 3" both were about 20 yards away. My buddy shot a goose with 4 shoot 3.5" steel. He shot it once, then again in the neck once it was on the water. About a dozen pellets we found stuck under the feathers. My birds flew away.

Ive been shooting bismuth and I love it. I have some hevi shot, but I can't use it with all chokes. I can use bismuth in all my chokes, and I haven't lost a bird or rabbit yet, various shot size and she'll length.

I'm pretty well sold on bismuth. I don't find it to be that expensive.

No way it was 20 yards unless those birds had armor plating. I have shot hundreds of big geese with federal blue box 2 3/4 2 shot steel and between me and hunting partners thousands of mallards. I have killed coyotes who walk in the spread at 50 yards with same shells verified with a range finder. I do believe the other shot types do have an advantage once you hit that 40 yard mark but up to there it’s all the Indian not the arrow. Pattern has more of a factor than shot regardless of type.

side note any one looking to get boss better get it now and listening to the owner on a podcast the supply of hulls is running short and they are out of 3 inch now and 2 3/4 will go fast

 

[T28w]

No way it was 20 yards unless those birds had armor plating. I have shot hundreds of big geese with federal blue box 2 3/4 2 shot steel and between me and hunting partners thousands of mallards. I have killed coyotes who walk in the spread at 50 yards with same shells verified with a range finder. I do believe the other shot types do have an advantage once you hit that 40 yard mark but up to there it’s all the Indian not the arrow. Pattern has more of a factor than shot regardless of type.

side note any one looking to get boss better get it now and listening to the owner on a podcast the supply of hulls is running short and they are out of 3 inch now and 2 3/4 will go fast

Lol. That ain’t happening. Unless you want 20 gauge shells. Be at least another month and a half last I talked to them.

 

[WCB]

The biggest I have ever shot for Upland in a non toxic is #4 steel. Unless it is late season with wild flushing birds I mostly use #6 steel out of a 20 GA (pheasants/sharptail).

I also shoot A LOT of waterfowl. I hardly ever shoot anything bigger than a #3 Steel and even with geese I shoot a bunch of #4s. 40 yards and in no issues with killing geese. Killed a pile of geese at 50+ with #3 Federal Black Cloud...by a pile I mean hundreds. Quality pattern and getting the lead right is the key.

 

[Warmsy]

No way it was 20 yards unless those birds had armor plating. I have shot hundreds of big geese with federal blue box 2 3/4 2 shot steel and between me and hunting partners thousands of mallards. I have killed coyotes who walk in the spread at 50 yards with same shells verified with a range finder. I do believe the other shot types do have an advantage once you hit that 40 yard mark but up to there it’s all the Indian not the arrow. Pattern has more of a factor than shot regardless of type.

side note any one looking to get boss better get it now and listening to the owner on a podcast the supply of hulls is running short and they are out of 3 inch now and 2 3/4 will go fast

The bufflehead a probably closer, but it was exciting and we were in kayaks. My buddy saw it flinch and keep flying.

Your probably right about the Indian not the arrow. That was my first year waterfowl hunting. Since going with bismuth I haven't had that happen. Hopefully I'm getting better!

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I like that Boss stuff because I don't have to worry about breaking a tooth on it. It worked well for me on some ducks and geese last fall. Tooke a couple honkers 40 yards up with 3" #3 Boss Bismuth. Can't say they wouldn't have been just as dead with steel. I stoned several geese around the same range with steel #2's the day before.

 

[spur60]

I shot a lot of roosters with Hevi-X this past fall after buying a bunch on clearance at Fleet Farm. Piled plenty of ducks with it too. If I shoot 5's for lead on roosters, I'll shoot 4's in HX or bismuth. Not quite the same energy, but close, and better than steel.
Just found cases of Hevi Bismuth for $290, which is well below retail at any store around here so I'm picking up 2 cases of that to try out this fall along with the 7 or 8 cases of steel I've already got.

 

[Spoonbill]

I am buying some non toxic shot shells for Pheasant. There are a number of relatively new shells out on the market that include steel, bismuth, tungsten and some with both steel and bismuth. Price is less for steel and a lot more for Bismuth.

Browning and Hevi have some combination or layered shot shells with both steel and bismuth. In my 12 and 16 gauge, I normally shoot lead #6 on preserves and #5 on wild birds. When using steel I normally go with #2 shot in my 12 gauge but this year I am going to try some #3 steel. In many cases all that is available is by the case, so I can't buy a box or two and pattern them, so I thought I would ask what people have tried and like to hunt with.

What brand nontoxic ammo are you guys using for Pheasant , shot size and are there any that you have found to be more consistent than others?

I have had good luck with 3” #4 blackcloud 20ga. May be a little big for pheasant but I hunt where there is a chance of jumpshooting ducks so it works. Not sure on how black cloud prices compare to others mentioned but it works well.