Home Forums Birds & Dogs Waterfowl Non toxic shot in older guns.

I would like to know what types, brands etc that I can use in my Dads Stevens 311 20 ga. The gun is chocked full and mod. Mostly ducks over a small pond.

Your choices are basically bismuth, NICE shot, tungsten matrix, or Hevishot classic doubles (not HEVISHOT in itself). If you reload, you could try Ballistic products ITX shot also.
I used steel shot in my 12 gauge 311, but it had more open (IC and Modified) chokes. My problem with steel shot in the smaller gauges is that the pellets are too big in order to kill ducks cleanly, so the patterns tend to be sparse.

Bismuth is expensive but performs really well.
Deadly. Safe for old barrels.
Haven't tried the other loads mentioned.

I've been hand loading Bismuth and Nice Shot for about ten years now, and to a lesser extent, ITX.
I really like Nice Shot, works very well in my 100 year old hammer doubles and drops geese dead!
Cat

Hevishot makes a vintage gun load. There is a small company in Pa that specifically loads an old gun friendly non toxic. I believe RSR?

7/8 oz ITX 6's in a 12ga 2.5" case for the old girl, it is a supriseingly effective load.

Rio has a bismuth load and Hevishot has their classic doubles. All good stuff. I load bismuth and ITX for my field guns and in fact don't own a modern shotgun for field shooting, so all my guns require either, ITX, bismuth or tungsten matrix for waterfowl. I do have an 870 tricked out as a short barreled fur calling shotgun but it never gets used for waterfowl. Good luck finding any Nice Shot. I've been on their notify me list for close to 2 years. Same with RSR. I haven't been able to get any of their non toxic stuff for 2 years.

Mart. Contact Rst shotshell company


570-553-1651


www.rstshells.com

I checked a couple of month ago and they didn't have anything. That would be great if they had some Non Tox loads in stock. I'll contact them tomorrow. Apparently they never update their website. All their Nice shot stuff is listed as out of stock.

I'd be damned if I ever pay 75 bucks for a box of shotgun shells

Ballistic products. Has ITX in stock

I normally wouldn't but I'd like to try some Nice shot to see if it's any better than Bismuth or ITX. So far I've not been able to buy any, either the loaded shells or the Nice Shot itself. Seems they don't answer emails or voice mail at either place.

I have a fair amount of ITX in 2's and 4's and bought a few boxes of the old Bismuth 10 gauge 2 7/8" when I found a shop closing some out.

And that is one reason I scrapped the idea of a sxs, as my new duck gun.
75 bucks a box!!!!.....not in my lifetime.

Buy a CZ. they are steel proofed

It's the Nice Shot stuff that's $75 a box. The Rio Bismuth is considerably less. And reloading ITX or Bismuth, while not cheap, lets a guy shoot his old doubles with out going broke. I don't duck hunt as much as I'd like but when I do I'm going to do it with a classic gun, either a double or my Sweet Sixteen. That's just me. I get a lot of enjoyment out of shooting classic guns and putting them back to work at the jobs for which they were built.

Hey Mart, I've got an Ithaca Flues model 10 ga 2 7/8" what no tox loads could you recommend for that? Magnum Man

I'd be shooting 1 1/4 oz Of ITX out of it. My buddy is out in ND and is taking geese and pheasants with a Baker 2 7/8" 10 ga shooting that load.

I Like to shoot 7/8 oz of ITX 6's in my old 12ga hammer gun. It has proven to be very effective over decoys. I use 1 oz of ITX BB's out of my old guns for coyotes in Non-Tox sites.

Fridays outing.

A guy has a $1000.+ shotgun, $1500. dog, $10,000-$20,000 boat, $35,000 truck, motel, gas, and food for a duck hunt and they worry about a $75. box of shells.

My hand loads cost about $35/bx but shooting ducks with a century old shotgun is priceless. How any Italian Semi-Autos do you think will still be killing ducks a century from now.

Almost every SBE/SBEII, M1/M2, 390/391 and extrema in use today.

A 75 dollar box of shells every weekend of the season will end up costing half what a new Benelli would cost. When hell freezes over.

The A5 has proven autos stand the test of time.

I have a dwindling supply of Nice Shot and haven't had luck in contacting them for more. I guess I'll be switching to ITX.

An ounce of Nice Shot #2's over 28 grains Longshot and a AA wad has been smacking geese with alacrity for me for a lot of years now. It's my load for in my 1923-vintage LC Smith.

Thanks erich. The Flues has Damascus barrels and is in nice shape, bp or low pressure smokeless loads?? MM

There is currently little if any available loaded ammo in non toxic for the 10 gauge 2 7/8". RST lists their Nice shot loads in 10 gauge 2 7/8" but I've not seen it available for order for well over a year. I have had no luck getting them to return a call or an email so don't know if it is or ever will be available.

I reload bismuth and ITX for my Ithaca Lewis 10 gauge, Lefever 12 gauge, Browning Sweet Sixteen and my ancient Ithaca 37 20 gauge. If you reload for your Flues I have a data base of short ten loads from multiple sources. I'd be happy to share it with you. A 1 1/4 ounce or 1 3/8 ounce load of bismuth or ITX 5's or 6's absolutely crushes ducks.

I'd appreciate the short 10 data and thanks for the offer. MM

Ballistic Products manuals have plenty of data for 2-7/8 inch 10-gauge loads.

Not a thing a guy ought to forget mentioning but this particular Flues has damasscus barrels. Thanks all for the info. MM

I don't get too worried about Damascus barrels. A lot of hype around a non issue. Unless the barrel is badly pitted, internally or externally, I'd shoot it. Ithaca used good barrels. I'd not worry about it.

Shoot me a PM with an email address and I'll fire off that data base. It was shared with me by a short ten aficionado and I'll be happy to pass it on. It's a collection of short ten data from multiple sources.

Mart

I shoot with Damascus barrels in 12 and 10 gauge hammer guns
using ITX , Bismuth, and Nice Shot hand loaded with either low pressure smokeless loads or black powder hand loads and flatten geese and ducks with both.
Cat

bkraft,

If it were me, I would put your dad's gun away, and go buy an 870 Rem or some other inexpensive shotgun (pawn shops will be full of them after duck season)if your just getting into shooting ducks. Most will have screw in chokes that will take steel shot or any other kind of shot. If your dad's 20 is 2 3/4" chamber your not going to get much powder or shot. But if you must use it, I would shoot Kent Tungsten Matrix as it will not hurt your Mod and Full gun, and it patterns close to lead. It is costly, but if you can work them in to your decoy spread, be patient, limit your max range to 30 yards or so your 20 will kill ducks. Also you don't need larger size shot. Kent TM #5's work well for me in various 20ga guns I own. Before we had to go to non toxic shot I used #5 and #6 lead on ducks. Season opened here (Arkansas) today. We have the water, but the weather up north has not pushed the Mallards and Pintails down here yet. Our best hunting here is usually in January if the temp does not get too cold and turn the water into ice. Good luck to you sir.

G2