Hi I live in New Zealand and this year is the first year that we must use non-toxic shot for waterfowl hunting.
I am having problems with steelshot available as it patterns badly and I cant find a load that would kill a bird cleanly at 40yards.I am useing a 3/4 choke Beretta A303.
You guys are light years ahead of us as far as non-toxic shot goes and I was hoping to get some info on what types you use-steel,bismuth,tungstin polly etc
Which performs the best in your opinion?

Regards
Keen1

Try opening up the choke - steel doesn't need as tight of a choke as lead. By 3/4 I would take that to be improved-modified; if you are using choke tubes it's easy to step down to modified.

The substitues are popular here - but I have not shot enough of them to form a real solid opinion. Bismuth is supposed to pattern much more like lead than steel.

The only gripe I have with the non-steel loads is cost - so if you shoot a lot, might be worth a bit of experimentation to see if you can make steel work. If it's just a few boxes a year, then I think I'd look at something else.

Hi I live in New Zealand and this year is the first year that we must use non-toxic shot for waterfowl hunting.
I am having problems with steelshot available as it patterns badly and I cant find a load that would kill a bird cleanly at 40yards.I am useing a 3/4 choke Beretta A303.
You guys are light years ahead of us as far as non-toxic shot goes and I was hoping to get some info on what types you use-steel,bismuth,tungstin polly etc
Which performs the best in your opinion?

Regards
Keen1

Check to see which ones are appoved for your use...just becasue the US appoves it isn't a good guide.

Stell can be picky...choose shot two sizes larger than you would for the same game with lead, try LESS choke, and contact Beretta for the "ok" for steel use. The only real "plus" to steel is taht it pretty much exits a barrel round and seems to lpattern a bit better than lead for the same choke...but can be "over choked" into a spotchy uneven pattern.


Steel is cheap in comparsion to tungstin or bismuth...of the two, bismuth is the choice for older guns not rated for steel. Haven't had enough experinece with some of the exotics to form an opinion, but the heavy shot buckshot is impressive.

Thanks for the replies,I will switch to a mod choke and try that,Im useing shot size 4# as I would use size 6# lead.
Theres alot of unrest here due to the change over from lead to steel and alot of the hunters I know are going to carry on useing lead.I myself dont like the idea anymore than they do but am willing to give steel a go as it is the law, and what is good for the hunted is good for the hunter.

Cheers
Keen1

Thanks for the replies,I will switch to a mod choke and try that,Im useing shot size 4# as I would use size 6# lead.
Theres alot of unrest here due to the change over from lead to steel and alot of the hunters I know are going to carry on useing lead.I myself dont like the idea anymore than they do but am willing to give steel a go as it is the law, and what is good for the hunted is good for the hunter.

Cheers
Keen1

Hi I am from New Zealand to have used steel shot for three years now.I use Modified Choke in a Berretta 391 or a choke that is very open.I have used skeet choke the shot size u are looking at is 4 shot steel go for a 2 shot steel even if u use 6 lead.It is not weight of shot but the speed u are better to use 32 grm loads if they are faster than 36 grm slower muzzle speed.I shot parries on the river on opening day last year out side my decoys which were 40 metres from my hide. Dont get discouraged with it give it good go it will kill if it has a lot of speed.2 of us shot 50 Mallards and parries on open day this year with steel and have shot about 50 mallards on grain padocks since then with lead and find not to much difference.

Thomas thanks for that,I shot 5 parries last weekend with steel,they died in flight at about 35yards.
I have shot and killed parries at 40-45 yards with 11/8 lead 7s 1330fps,this was not intentional as the shot was labelled as 6s,this took me by surprize as I did not think it was possible for lead 7s to do this.The things you learn by mistake ha ha.
The season closes next weekend.
Good luck!!

Regards
Keen1