The quirks of steel shot

[Christopher Paddock]

So I’m hunting last Sunday with my cousin, and we happen upon a pond where we find 19 Canada geese floating merrily together about 40 yards from shore. We sneak up to the side of the pond and catch them off guard when we dash for the shoreline and start banging shots at them as they’re struggling to get airborne. There’s shotfall all around them, as well as beyond them, so we know they’re flying right through our shot string. And yet not one of them goes down.

 

We’re sure of the range (we looked at the pond from several different angles), so barring the possibility that geese have feathers made of Kevlar, we could only chalk it up to one of 2 things:

 

1) The performance of the steel shot loads we’re using. I’m loaded with 3” Federal Speed-Shok #2’s, while my cousin is using 3.5” Black Cloud BB’s (the fact that none of them fell to THAT load still blows my mind).

2) Our unfamiliarity with steel shot. My cousin and I have been partridge hunters all our lives, and only recently took up waterfowling. So while we know what we’re doing when it comes to lead shot, steel is quite new to us.

 

Replaying the whole scenario in my head time and again all week led me to consider both of these possibilities. Would we have had a freezer full of geese if we’d been using tungsten shot instead? Or is the second scenario more likely, that we were making mistakes when shooting, treating steel like it was lead?

 

Tungsten may be touted by its manufacturers as the ultimate non-toxic projectile, but the down side is readily seen when you go to buy the stuff. For what it costs, the shells should be filled with solid gold shot (which, ironically, is also non-toxic and would perform similarly to lead in terms of ballistics).  I went to Coastal the other day to price the stuff after last Sunday’s goose fiasco, and just about hit the floor. The Kent Tungsten Matrix and the Remington Wingmaster HD were similarly priced at roughly $60 for a box of TEN. That’s $6 per bang, so you’d better not miss. Meanwhile, on the very same shelf, I can get a box of 25 Black Cloud for half that price. (Darrell at Coastal told me that they are going to discontinue the tungsten stuff, as it’s just not moving. Small wonder.)

 

So here are my questions:

• Has anyone else had a similar experience where birds you’re sure you’ve hit have failed to fall to steel shot for whatever reason? Have you had better luck with tungsten? Is it really worth the jaw-dropping price?

• Are there any adjustments you need to make when shooting steel as opposed to lead (in terms of leading the target, elevation, etc) to compensate for the poorer ballistic performance?

[Scott Hudson]

I cripple two golden eyes in the gould a few week ago on the first 2 shots and took me the rest of the day chasing them around the pond and a box of black cloud 3 inch shells to finsh them off on the water. So 6 bucks a shot is not that bad IF you get a kill with 1 shot. Considering it cost me 15 buck each for those duck LOL. HOW MUCH IS A DUCK AT SOBEYS?

[David]

There is no other way to put it besides steel is JUNK, dont matter what kind it is or who makes it. I have seen more ducks get knocked down this year like a rock falling from the sky only to get back up and fly away, or to swim across the pond to were you cant get them. A couple weeks ago we had a single black swim right into the decoys, 2 people smoked him on the water and that duck kept goin, took 8 more shots to get him so the dog could grab him. And just today had another black come in droped out of the sky and swam to the other side of the pond, thankfully Ed had a dingy and went over and got him. I personally think that steel is partly the blame for the decrease in ducks, so many getting crippled and goin off to die.

[Fred Woodman]

My guess is that you were further than you think.While I havent shot the federal shells I have shot the Blackcloud. If he was hitting those birds with #BB Blackcloud at 40 yds they would have fallen if hit.

Best advice i can give is to shoot the fastest steel you can get and pattern your gun.Keep in mind that often what you have learned with lead in terms of patterning may not apply to steel.
Some of my best 40 yd patterns with stell comes from an improved choke.Most gun makers dont recommned full chokes and steel shot.
I shoot primarily Kent Fasteel ( 1550 in 3.5 inch or 1560 in 3 inch) it has no problem killing birds out to 50 yds.and with right conditions beyond.

[Christopher Paddock]

Here's something I didn't realize (being a relative "newbie" to steel shot): colder weather seems to degrade a steel load's velocity and energy. (I've seen this topic discussed on another shotgun forum.)
Cold air is more dense than warm air, and the result is more resistance/drag on shot pellets. Now this is certainly true for lead and tungsten shot as well, but those loads are affected far less due to their increased weight and superior ballistic properties (the effect is negligible). Steel's lightness, however, seems to translate to a drop in velocity (and subsequently energy) in freezing temperatures. The general notion is that the colder it is, the larger your shot size should be to compensate for air resistance when using steel loads.
Has anyone with more steel shot experience (which would be most folks on this site, I imagine) seen this effect?

[wayne]

i agree steel is junk dont make a differnce what size or kind  proven on salt water.  turrs 30 yards flying steel knock them down but not dead dive not see them again. while die.lead turkey choke 55 60 yards 3.5 remington stone dead lead is twice as good and dont criple up birds.

[paul sheppard]

Christopher I didn't like steel shot at first, but now there are some excellent brands on the market now . you mentioned Black cloud,I tried them and found them to be half decent but they made my gun so dirty I wont use them again. The steel shot I  use for hunting ducks is Heavy Steel in three and one half #2 once and one half load 1500 fps.I find I also get real good patterns.Apparently the shot are made af one half tungsten and one half steel, and the price is not too bad 34.95 for a box of25. you can usually get them at Blue Ridge  in Lewisporte.
Goose hunting is my passion. I use only the best, a tungsten made by Heavy shot in #2 and #4 in 3 1/2  1 3/4 loads.

 These are also usually available at Blue Ridge inc, between 32 to 42 dollars a box for ten depending on the US dollarbecause thats wher they get them. WE have rolled over geese on the bog at 80 paces stone dead with #2heavy shotand countless times have killed them at 50 and 60 yards on the water .As far as I"m concerned its the best shell ever put on the market bar none. When it comes to goose hunting after the investment  of time,rec vechile, decoys, etc the price of a box of shells is only a small investment.....you've gone too far to miss