Author Topic: Lead free shot for a fowler?  (Read 3194 times)

Online Justin Urbantas

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Lead free shot for a fowler?
« on: February 05, 2017, 05:21:04 AM »
I am thinking about some waterfowl hunting with my fowler, and trying to figure out what kind of shot to use in a typical smoothbore barrel. Colerain, Rice, Rayl etc... I am pretty sure that steel shot is unsafe.
Any suggestions for me?

Offline Matthew1969

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Re: Lead free shot for a fowler?
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2017, 08:01:17 AM »
Is Bismuth an option?

Online Justin Urbantas

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Re: Lead free shot for a fowler?
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2017, 10:43:36 AM »
That's what I am trying to find out. Something that won't hurt the barrel, and still shoots well.

Smoketown

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Re: Lead free shot for a fowler?
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2017, 05:26:12 PM »
This is the place I bought my supplies ...   ;D

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Shot-Slugs/departments/63/

Cheers,
Smoketown

Offline Hungry Horse

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Re: Lead free shot for a fowler?
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2017, 06:32:02 PM »
If your Fowler is unchoked you can shoot steel in it if you use a shot cup. It will make your pattern a little tighter as well. If your gun is choked I would go with Bismuth.
  I have a shot maker I inherited from a friends estate. It uses rods of lead, slowly melted with a stationary propane torch, through a very small nozzle. The shot drops into a can of water. I make my own tin shot with this device. This contraption has no label, or any other markings, and I have never seen another one. Somebody told me there was an article about them in an old Buckskin Report, but I've never been able to find it. The shot turns out looking like little raindrops, but the critters can't tell the difference.

  Hungry Horse

Offline Mauser06

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Re: Lead free shot for a fowler?
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2017, 06:40:06 PM »
I've read ITX and Bismuth were both safe as well as NiceShot. 


Like was said, if in a shot cup, steel or any other shot can be fired...The issue is hard shot will score the bore if not in a shot cup. 


I really want to shoot heavier than lead tungsten based shot for turkey. In a Colerain turkey barrel I haven't come up with a good shot cup...If I had a jugged bore, I believe a shotcup defeats the choke...So it's probably not great for my needs....



Still pondering ways....

Offline Daryl

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Re: Lead free shot for a fowler?
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2017, 09:10:37 PM »
If using bismuth- load as normal. If using iron of any type, including heavy shot, or other glued up sintered tungsten, I'd use a steel shot cup, with card wads between the cup and powder.  BP WILL melt the plastic and spread it on your bore.

It can be a chore to remove if the plastic was not protected from the flame.  This happened in BP loads in a SXS breech loader. I firmly suspect the very same would happen in a ML.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Scota4570

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Re: Lead free shot for a fowler?
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2017, 08:15:25 PM »
ITX or "Nice Shot"

Steel has insufficent sectional density to be effective at ML velocities.  I have tried, on ducks, it is like shooting blanks.  Imagine the absolute worst first genertion steel shot shells. It is like that.   

Online Justin Urbantas

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Re: Lead free shot for a fowler?
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2017, 09:12:34 PM »
For $39 a pound for the shot it might be cheaper to raise ducks than go out and shoot them.

Offline WaterFowl

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Re: Lead free shot for a fowler?
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2017, 05:10:15 AM »
Justin.... iffin your making noise about 39 bucks for shot stay home....
               When you get serious shoot Hevi shot with a protective shot wad.
               You will never get the speed of cf shells shooting black powder.......
               but you will get the weight of lead with Hevi shot.

               Call them in close and hit them hard!!!!


« Last Edit: February 11, 2017, 05:12:17 AM by WaterFowl »