Steel or bismuth

[whitey]

Just wondering if anybody has a place I can by bulk Bismuth or steel shot? Also would like to find some good loads for waterfowl. Went up to the sportsmans warehouse yesterday bought some lead for shooting clays just about crapped my britches. $50.00 for 25 #s. The cost now works out to .24 a shell, I can almost by new shells for that. The bulk non tox might not be close to cost effective. Thanks to all who respond

[Stape]

I reload all my steel shot for waterfowl because price per box is ridiculous.  I buy in bulk once a year from precission reloading, and for about 80-100 dollars I reload enough to last me and my few hunting buddies all season.  I would like to try some bismuth loads but at 115.00 per 10lbs for the stuff I guess I'll be waiting a while.  I get my #2 zinc plated steel shot from precission or BPI for around 13.00 for 10 lbs.   A box of 3in mag #2 steel loads runs me about 3.00 a box.

[Intruder]

Go for the steel if you can is ok to shoot it.  Based on the density figures I've seen Bismuth is only marginally better than steel.  It is (or at least it used to be) substantially more in cost.  Based on what Stape posted it looks like its still really expensive.  You'd think for that cost you could get heavy shot or one of the other tungsten prodcuts.

Precision Reloading is about the best source if you can't find it locally.

[Intruder]

Sorry.... I need to re-read before posting.  My first sentence should have read:
Go for the steel if your gun is OK to shoot it.

[Stape]

Bismuth is right there with lead in the periodical table of elements, almost if not damn exact charachteristics of lead as far as performance, the difference being is that it is not toxic such as lead.  I shot some 3in bismuth 2's on some geese early on the season, I can't really ever remember seeing canadians crumple like that.  It was amazing in the difference, those geese folded like a champ, but at 2 bucks a shot, I gotta find another way to get em, dead is dead, but more impressive with loads like bismuth, just too $$$$$$$

[sisu]

The last time I talked with Keith at Precision Reloading in South Dakota bismuth was not available.  The problem has to do with the death of the owner of the business that supplied the bismuth shot. His widow assumed ownership of the business and has curtailed all bismuth business because it's not financially good for her company. From what I was able to gather from Keith is the owner of the bismuth company who died was an avid bird hunter and was willing to break even supplying bismuth, but his wife is not.

I was trying to order BB bismuth when I learned all this information. After talking with my buddies in Michigan I'll stick with zinc coated steel when reloading because of it's performance differences over plain steel. As for Hevi Shot, which by the way when looking at buying the shot bulk, it was a few bucks more expensive than bismuth but besides that from what I've read about the Hevi-Shot a fella better make bloody sure his or her shotgun is up to snuff to handle the stuff.

[Stape]

   I like bismuth because I have a few older SxS shotguns that fit and swing like a dream, and occassionaly I will hunt them for a recolection of fond memories so to speak, and bismuth is non-tox and safe in my older shotguns that used to see lead shot.  I reload it on occassion but not often, more so for the sake of using an old Parker or Fox.

[M_59]

 I would say a more realistic cost of reloading steel shot loads run around $6 per box. A 10# bag of shot is running at least $15 a bag and that is before tax or shipping. A 10# bag will only load approx. 140 shells at 1 1/8 oz. or about 6 boxes. Plus you need a $7.95 plus tax or shipping bag of wads (150), primers @ approx. $4 for 150, and approx. 1/2# of powder @ $20 per pound.   So with a total of about $36 for 6 boxes that works out of course to about $6 per box.  So depending on how much shooting you plan to do, it may be more cost effective to shop the sales and stock up when you get in on a good one and also to do some off season practice shooting to make your shots count more during the season.  Kesselrings has lead shot for $39.95 a bag if you happen to get up that way.

[whitey]

Right on everyone, thanks for the info. I will be making it up to kesselrings right after christmas for some of the lead. Thanks again have a good holiday..
P.S The Index sportsman club will be open in january Hope to see some of you there for some clays..

[Intruder]

Here are the published density figures for some of the things being discussed:

1. steel:about 7.9 g/cm.3
2. bismuth: about 9.4 g/cm.3
3. lead: 11.0 g/cm.3

Something else to consider regarding Bismuth is that it is that it can be brittle.  As a result it can deform during the shot and not pattern as well.  Additionally it can break up on imipact.  So, the density increase over steel is often lost with these other factors.