Steel shot for upland game

[9x56MS]

With the current ammo shortages has anyone used steel shot for upland game? If so what choke or choke tubes did you use and how would you rate its performance? Good hunting.

 

[Armored farmer]

Steel is quite inferior in performance.
Tighten your chokes.
Upsize your gauge if possible.
Take closer shots.
Don't expect much compared to lead.
Imho

Oh, and be careful with 'extra-full' tubes. Some are not to be used with steel.
(I'm talking about special extra tight choke tubes) they can.......*choke* on steel

 

[jmr40]

So far I've not noted any shortage of shotgun shells other than buckshot. The only time I've used steel is on waterfowl.

I don't agree with this.

Tighten your chokes.

IME steel patterns tighter anyway. For most of my waterfowl hunting I used Improved cylinder and got patterns closer to modified. Most of my shots were pretty close and often fast while shooting on a beaver pond. For longer shots I moved up to a modified choke, which gave essentially full choke patterns. Most steel shot, and shotguns, advise avoiding full choke with steel. They do make some aftermarket tubes designed for steel optimized for better patterns. You absolutely do not want to use the extra full tubes designed for turkey hunting.

Since steel is lighter than lead it is a good idea to go up in shot size. If you'd traditionally use #8 shot, then you want #6 steel. I was mostly hunting small wood ducks with the occasional mallard and goose. I used #4 or #2 steel most of the time, with a handful of BB shot in case a goose showed up. Although I have killed a few geese with #2 steel when I didn't have time to change loads.

Since you'll either have lighter steel pellets of the same size, or fewer larger pellets with steel it is a good idea to limit ranges.

 

[FL-NC]

Very interesting to me. I'm not very educated at all in duck hunting- I've only been once. I shot a couple of them with that steel shot (saw feathers fly off of them) and they didn't drop. My friends that are serious duck hunters hate using steel shot due to its lack of performance. I would think on quail and the like at shorter ranges it would work better than it does on ducks. Maybe not.

 

[Barbaroja]

It’s effective within its limitations which are...a lot. That said I only use it where required as lead is far superior. I’ve shot squirrels while trying to jump ducks and the #2 shot only penetrated into the body cavity but when I shoot lead #4s at squirrels they pass through completely or are stopped by the hide on the opposite side of the animal. So I feel the “ drop two shot size” rule is only kind of right.

What is it your hunting?

 

[Chuck R.]

I use steel for upland sometimes when we hunt the state wildlife areas that mandate it. I've used steel on pheasant, quail and doves. I've also used it extensively for wildfowl since it was mandated. My normal procedure is to up the pellet size a couple and open the choke size a couple. So for Pheasants I use #4 steel Vs. 5 and 6 Lead, doves and quail I use #6 steel VS 71/2 lead.

Where I'd normally use a modified I go to IC and where I'd use a full I go with Modified. IMHO steel works, you've just got to cut back on your distances.

 

[George P]

Rule of thumb is to use 1-2 constrictions more open with steel than lead, not tighter. That said, most Mod chokes should do the job but you DO need to keep the distances shorter. If you want lead distances, you might want to go to the more expensive Hevi-Shot or the ridiculously expensive TSS

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

The first thing you need to know about steel shot is, IT SUCKS.
Steel does pattern tighter than lead in any gun I have tested it. In general it patterns one choke tighter, imp. cyl. shoots mod. patterns, mod shoots full patterns, full shoots tight but irregular patterns.
Larger shot sizes retain more energy but also restrict penetration. On ducks I use mostly 2 or 3 shot and have to pull clumps of feathers out of the breast that have been shoved in by the shot.
Occasionally retriever field trials are held on grounds that mandate steel shot, so we have to use it to shoot fliers. 6 and 7 steel shot will kill a duck or pheasant at 15 - 25 yards, I have seen it done hundreds of times. Improved cylinder or skeet chokes are used.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

The first thing you need to know about steel shot is, IT SUCKS.
Steel does pattern tighter than lead in any gun I have tested it. In general it patterns one choke tighter, imp. cyl. shoots mod. patterns, mod shoots full patterns, full shoots tight but irregular patterns.
Larger shot sizes retain more energy but also restrict penetration.

AH..., therein lies the key..., you should pattern the shotgun, especially if you go to something like steel shot, or bismuth, or even something like copper plated over lead. The stuff all flies differently than chilled lead shot. This may be a little and not make a difference in your particular gun, OR it may be a LOT and make a huge difference, and reports are that steel is usually quite different. You're simply going to have to test and to see.

One problem I can see if one hasn't tested the chosen choke and steel shot together..., you flush that nice pheasant or chukkar pretty close, and then turn it into a pile of shredded bird and feathers because the steel was much tighter than the lead with which you normally hunt.

LD

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

you should pattern the shotgun

The most boring firearm related activity there is but yes, you should.
Some factory chokes pattern horrible with any load. The POI is good to know as well.

 

[9x56MS]

I will be hunting grouse, squirrel, and rabbit. I know steel sucks it was the main reason I quit hunting geese when it was mandated. Shoot a good 3 times get clouds of feathers as goose flies off. I figured it might be better at shorter ranges on smaller lighter game but I have no experience with it. Thank you all for you input.

 

[Chuck R.]

From a late season hunt last month on my 9 acre pond behind my house:



2 honkers, 2 GHs and a gadwall, when used within it's limits, steel works.

 

[Random 8]

Non toxic is required on most public lands in my state, and often where I hunt both ducks and pheasant are on the menu at the same places. For pheasant, I've found the same loads I would use for medium ducks over decoys to be effective. I use 2 3/4 or 3" 1 1/8 oz high velocity loads such as Kent Fasteel or Winchester Xpert. The velocity needs to be up around 1500fps to kill effectively, and even then, be prepared for more runners than you'll get with lead. I shoot mine through a Carlson "pass" choke as fly by mallards are often present. If I'm specifically gunning tight flushed pheasant after freeze up, I use an IC choke. I favor 3s for pheasant, but usually end up with 2s due to the incidental mallards. Sometimes I hunt wood ducks where grouse may also be encountered. Steel 4s through an open choke (I use skeet 1) works well, but meat damage can be bad on close birds. Steel 4s are also very effective on rabbits and squirrel, the tight patterns being a plus on the latter, but my experience there is limited as I usually hunt them with a rifle.

 

[9x56MS]

Thank you for the detailed report. I will give it a go with skeet and IC tubes and see how it goes.

 

[d2wing]

I agree with jmr40. Go up a size or so in shot size, more open chocks, modified or IC. I use 4's mostly on pheasant and 6's on Grouse. Since nearly all my hunting is on public land and I am stuck with it nearly all the time. It patterns better at closer ranges and starts faster but loses energy quicker than lead even with bigger shot sizes . Long shots at big roosters have to be quicker and closer. At reasonable ranges it works ok.

 

[buck460XVR]

Shot my first Tom with steel #2s, because it was the box of shells thrown in with the new turkey gun. No body had told me yet they wouldn't work. Tom was out at about 45 yards and dropped like a rock. Used the rest of the box of 25 up on pheasants and they worked well.

 

[HB]

In Missouri I can’t find any shotgun shells. Even trap loads are sold out in 12 and 20.

Shoot steel 2s or 4s and don’t miss. I hunt squirrels with duck loads sometimes just to see how much worse they are than lead.

 

[1KPerDay]

In Missouri I can’t find any shotgun shells. Even trap loads are sold out in 12 and 20.

Shoot steel 2s or 4s and don’t miss. I hunt squirrels with duck loads sometimes just to see how much worse they are than lead.

Yeah there is zero 12 gauge ammo around here also. Lots of 28 though.

 

[Sniper66]

I've used Bismuth which comes close to lead in performance, but it's expensive. I've killed geese with it and it is very good ammo. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a pheasant with it or a turkey.

 

[caribou]

I use #2 steel on everything, Ptarmigan, Geese, Rabbits, Beaver, etc.

Good stuff when its all you can get.

1550FPS is a good speed.

 

[kalielkslayer]

Great advice!

1-2 sizes larger. Next more open choke.

Here in California we’ve been required to use non-toxic on everything for 4-5 years. I mostly chukar hunt with lead #6s. I was using steel #4s, but only 1 1/8th ounce at 1550. Didn’t seem to affect my range much but my dogs found several birds around the hill I didn’t even know I hit. That only ever happened 1X in 30’years with lead.

I don’t know if they are available right now but this year I went to #5 bismuth from BOSS. They patterned tight in my gun and killed close to lead.

As of last year they were online only, Boss shotgun shells. I bought a couple cases then so I don’t know their current status.

 

[Weflyfast]

Boss shot shells awesome- and they deliver- a bit pricey but they knock the hell out of ducks geese pheasants and grouse.... Non toxic plated bismuth-

.....steel sucks.... but works if it's all you can get.

 

[birdshot8's]

When hunting pheasant in areas where steel shot is required, I use 2 steel shot in a skeet choked 12 gauge. Kind of decided on 2 shot by accident as I wanted to hunt some wet lands for pheasant and had a box of number 2 under the seat of my PU. I use a flushing dog and the shots I get are often out there a bit. While hunting with steel twos, I have had very few wounded birds.

 

[Axis II]

Hmmm. Went on a cotton tail hunt with dogs in Michigan last week and used #6 steel shot in 20ga. Rabbit came by me about 20yards and I let it rip with the Ic choke and it appeared he was hit but made it out to about 35-40yards and I sent the top barrel with a mod choke and still had to put it down. It didn’t look like it did much damage but that could be my crappy shooting too.

 

[LoonWulf]

I use #2 steel on everything, Ptarmigan, Geese, Rabbits, Beaver, etc.

Good stuff when its all you can get.

1550FPS is a good speed.

One of the guys i hunt for with regularly managed to buy a couple hundred rounds of steel #2... mostly stocked at sports authority by accident I think, as theres no reason ro use steel here...but he proceeded to kill pretty much everything he pointed his shotgun at with it.
The quail hit square with them tended to explode, and turkeys would shrug off body hits, but those were rhe only real issues i remember.