I can't really see where it could be better especially for upland birds.
I'll say first off I want a choke and a pellet size that will kill what I shoot with minimal meat damage....that puts me off to shooting a high number of pellets like small TSS shot at something I intend to eat.
Bismuth shot....
I've squirrel hunted on duck refuges that required environmentally safe shot and consistently killed squirrels tree top high with 2&3/4" Bismuth #6 shot In a modern 12 gauge...
Try it with steel shot and you better keep shooting till the squirrel hits the ground dead.
I've shot ducks in Arkansas and Missouri with 1&5/8 oz of Bismuth #4 shot ahread of 130 grains of black powder and also a low pressure smokeless load that chronographed over 1200 fps in a 32" barreled 1879 10 ga W.C. Scott Premeir grade hammer gun and also with an 1881 10 ga. Purdy hammer gun both guns rocked their world...none dove or swam off when they hit the water like they do with steel shot.
My buddy is an outfitter in Missouri that duck hunts every day of the duck season he switched to Boss Bismuth after I turned him on to Bismuth shot...said he would never shoot another duck with anything else.
I've shot turkeys with a modern 12 ga. with a 3" factory Bismuth #4s on the same duck refuges I squirrel hunted...never noticed it being any less effective than lead on turkeys.
I've hunted quail with an 1871 W.C.Scott hammer gun (built before choke) loaded with 2.5" 12 gauge with black powder and #7.5 lead shot with cylinder bore one of the most effective quail guns I ever shot.
I never noticed any of them lacking in killing power.
