Non toxic shotgun shells

[Nillion]

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.

I'll second the Boss stuff. I switched to them last year and while unfortunately I didn't get to use them as much as I'd like, everything I shot was done for. I'd like to say I had less cripples but that's all anecdotal.

 

[Rodneyag09]

Usually shoot Kent's #2 or 3. A little worried as I am just about out of shells for everything except Dove. Anyone having luck finding anything recently?

 

[Mosby]

Usually shoot Kent's #2 or 3. A little worried as I am just about out of shells for everything except Dove. Anyone having luck finding anything recently?

I found both #2 Federal steel and #3 Hevi metal online for 12 gauge. Also got some #5 Kent bismuth for my old A5 16 gauge. Nothing is cheap right now.

 

[Smallie]

I have played around with every kind of non-toxic shot shell from different brands and sizes for several years and none of it really mattered until I improved my choke tubes and pattern. Once I dialed that in I no longer had cripples anymore. Shot cheap Dryloks 3" #3's all season last year at ducks and geese from 20 yards out to 55 without issues

 

[Billinsd]

I've been using some Boss bismuth with good results.

 

[Mosby]

With the price of shells these days I am going all in. Ordered some extended choke tubes and going to pattern all my shotgun ammo through a few different chokes. I need to figure out proactively what combination gives me the best pattern at different ranges. I've never done it before but I want to dial everything in so I know what to get more of or what to switch out.

 

[Mike76]

Wow Guys! I guess I have heard about or just about every steel shell out there with many using the same Brands.
The one thing I'm hearing more about is the Bismuth shells. Some with the Boss copper coated Bismuth and some with the Hevi Bismuth.
Bismuth being more attractive then steel simply because even with a full choke Bismuth copper coated is like shooting lead. Therefore able to use the older shotguns that are not choke equipped. Along with thinking of harm to the Barrels when not using the Bismuth
This too me is a huge, huge ordeal as I have an old Browning auto 5, 32 in full choked barrel, I just will not shoot steel thru it at all.
Now with the Benelli its a different story as I have the chokes to play with for the best patterns i can get.
But! then again even with the Benelli I can put in the Full choke and go on hunting with the Bismuth copper coated Boss shot shells.
One more thing that makes it nice, I do have options with the Boss Bismuth copper coated shells and that makes a huge difference for the way I'm thinking.
The other thing is sure the Boss Bismuth copper coated shells are much more expensive, But! If your killing your birds with the one shot instead of taking the 3 to cripple or kill your birds then in the long run the cost is pretty much equal to the way we shoot now.. Less shells, less cripples, and kill more birds theory.
Gawd I guess the thing Ill do is purchase a case of Boss shells which will put me with three cases. 1 being, federal steel 3 inch 2 s, the other being Hevi steel number 3 s 3 in.
Thinking over deeks with the steel 30 yrds and under and the Boss with 30 plus yrds.
I do a lot of sculling and the steel will work well for that also.
Well gentlemen thanks for all the advise and some great advise at that. I'm convinced that the Boss Bismuth copper coated might be the best all around duck, goose shells to use
hunter73 gentlemen much appreciated!

 

[Zappaman]

I reload TSS #9 (smaller amount) on top of steel (or sometimes HW) for waterfowl-where I often pass shoot. it's a very effective duck and goose duplex load from Hal (who has sold a lot of us TSS for many years now on several forums- great dude to work with if you look him up). He shares tested loads with his buyers and I've drank the cool-aid. My hit rate on hunts has almost doubled and I now will try a duck or goose past 40 on the "cherry" shots (*but I practice more now that I'm making up rounds that still cost about a buck-fiddy each time I pull that trigger)

I also make up a few turkey loads each year with the same #9 TSS too (also a duplex WITH more TSS in it). With the right choke, TSS kills further than lead (with more pellets filling patterns when they are out there at 60 yards). I never find a TSS pellet in a bird since it goes THROUGH the birt completely. Used sparingly... a few lbs. has lasted me years in my several loads of his that I use. I hunt twice a year though- not a hardcore waterfowler. But these loads help my "handicap" as a fair-weathered waterfowler.

But for upland, I usually use lead #5 out of my old Baker Batavia (1913) double (full-x-full choked). That old 2 3/4 chamber could use some bismuth if I ever wanted to goose hunt with it (what it was really made for). But ya... I'll hold off on the bismuth case until I run out of TSS as it all money- right now especially.

Hope everyone has a great season!

 

[Zappaman]

With the price of shells these days I am going all in. Ordered some extended choke tubes and going to pattern all my shotgun ammo through a few different chokes. I need to figure out proactively what combination gives me the best pattern at different ranges. I've never done it before but I want to dial everything in so I know what to get more of or what to switch out.

I found a big roll of butcher paper (bought at the local restaurant supply house) is handy to use over a good thick/larger cardboard box when shooting patterns. I have shot more patters than ducks I use a roll of packing tape and haul it all out 30 yards or so and just walk out and cut/tape up a new target out of the roll (which is in a box keeping it together and easy to roll out as much as needed at a time). Use the BACK (non-waxed) side forward on the tartget so you can write notes. Tape it together down the seam if you need a BIG pattern test (and find a BIG box or plywood there too.) I have about 20 "scrolls" in my collection with the load data written all over it. I pull them out each year to use a "templates" for future reloads. Yes, I suck at taking notes in notebooks .

 

[grossklw]

I gave the BOSS's 3" #4 a go this year for pheasants since I couldn't find anything else non-toxic and I mostly hunt WPA's. I was very happy with them, rolled a lot of pheasants at 50+ that I probably should not have killed. Even on close 15-20 yard shots birds that I normally would have pillow cased ended up being in pretty decent shape when they got brought back. I'll likely make the full-time switch from steel.