Steel shot debate.

[DavidJ]

Get some steel and have a play. I've tried Gamebore 24g 8 and 24g 7.5 both through 1/2 & 1/2. Both destroy clays up to 30 yards and still breaking an edge on quartering target back to 60 yards where I ran out of cartridges.

 

[k80ben]

Use the choke you would normally use ! I’ve shot lots of steel 

 

[Jan Powell]

Interesting. Fellow Dutchman here- what forum would that be if I may ask? Personally I shoot M and IM for sporting (the latter not being officially rated for steel, but no adverse effects or any deformity so far). I'm certainly not top-rated however  

and I thought I was the only Dutchman on this site!

 

[jwpzx9r]

I thought this was a good paper on the comparison of lead and steel loaded shotgun cartridges. I have only lightly read it over but to be honest it reads, to me anyway, as though a steel shooter is at a significant disadvantage compared to a quality lead shooter.... it is an old paper and things may have change with the technology of steel cartridges.

http://www.fourten.org.uk/steel4.pdf

 

[JDL]

Use the choke you would normally use ! I’ve shot lots of steel 

This is exactly what I do.

For steel I use any size from 1/4 to full, with a strong preference for 1/2 + 5/8.

Nothing scientific, but breaks are more convincing on longer distances than with 1/4.

On longer distances I also prefer shot size 6, but this isn’t allowed on all grounds.

 

[Luke_(NL)]

and I thought I was the only Dutchman on this site!

Ssssssshhh... Before long we'll be in the majority but only if we keep it under wraps 

This topic now has me wondering how much difference lead vs. steel would make in shooting skeet. Given that our grounds only allow steel, should I try out either cylinder or a negative choke as opposed to the SK? I also wonder how much that would matter, given the very small (.005) constriction of the SK chokes. Questions, choices, reasons to shoot some more (and possibly to purchase a couple more shiny bits). Happy days!    

 

[JDL]

For skeet I don’t think you’ll notice a big difference between cylinder and skeet choke. Combination of cylinder or skeet choke and steel #9 is a nice one.

 

[Luke_(NL)]

For skeet I don’t think you’ll notice a big difference between cylinder and skeet choke. Combination of cylinder or skeet choke and steel #9 is a nice one.

24 grams of #7 only I'm afraid, as its Olympic skeet for me. Appreciate it though, I can see how that would make for some pretty puffs of former clays. 

 

[Wonko the Sane]

For skeet I don’t think you’ll notice a big difference between cylinder and skeet choke. Combination of cylinder or skeet choke and steel #9 is a nice one.

My dial gauge doesn't notice any difference either.  Measuring the Beretta and Perazzi screwins I have from different eras and guns it would be problematic to sort them w/out the factory markings.

 

[JDL]

24 grams of #7 only I'm afraid, as its Olympic skeet for me. Appreciate it though, I can see how that would make for some pretty puffs of former clays. 

That’s the max. smaller is allowed. I know Clever makes the 24 grams #9 for Scandinavian skeet shooters.

 

[Luke_(NL)]

In the Dutch excerpt of the rules I read, the translation reads as: "a maximum of 24 grams of No. 7 shot" - leading me to interpret that as only No. 7 shot being allowed. I'll ask around.  Thanks!

 

[Paul120]

In the Dutch excerpt of the rules I read, the translation reads as: "a maximum of 24 grams of No. 7 shot" - leading me to interpret that as only No. 7 shot being allowed. I'll ask around.  Thanks!

How do they get on with it at full blown Olympic trap? 

 

[Martinj]

In the Dutch excerpt of the rules I read, the translation reads as: "a maximum of 24 grams of No. 7 shot" - leading me to interpret that as only No. 7 shot being allowed. I'll ask around.  Thanks!

I would read that as Max 24g and Max size 7 (so 8, 9 etc. are OK, being smaller)

Below are CPSA loads/disciplines, it's interesting to see that Steel shot is covered at the bottom:

 

[JDL]

In the Dutch excerpt of the rules I read, the translation reads as: "a maximum of 24 grams of No. 7 shot" - leading me to interpret that as only No. 7 shot being allowed. I'll ask around.  Thanks!

This is from the Dutch rules (Sorry for Dutch text..):

“9.2 In afwijking van de ISSF- en FITASC-reglementen, mogen in alle genoemde kleiduiven- disciplines alleen patronen met staalhagel gebruikt worden, waarbij per discipline de volgende waarden niet mogen worden overschreden:
- Automatic Trap, Double Trap, Kleiduivenparcours, Kleiduivenparcours Compact, Olympisch Trap en Sporting Trap: maximaal 28 gram en maximaal hagelnummer 5 (tolerantie conform ISSF)
- Olympisch Skeet: maximaal 24 gram en maximaal hagelnummer 7 (tolerantie conform ISSF)
- Sporting Skeet: maximaal 28 gram en maximaal hagelnummer 7 (tolerantie conform ISSF)“

Conclusion is max. 24 grams, max. # 7 => so allowed to use lighter loads and smaller sizes.

How do they get on with it at full blown Olympic trap?

Hardly being used for trap.
Max. 28 grams #5, although #6 will be sufficient 

 

[Luke_(NL)]

@JDL Cheers mate. Here's to not reading excerpts when the full text says the whole thing.

Will play around with a few different loads. At my level I doubt it'll make much difference, but should be fun.  

@Martinj  I take it that means CPSA allows up to No. 5 steel shot for Olympic skeet? Does anyone shoot No. 5 for Olympic skeet and if so for what benefit over say No. 7?   

 

[Paul120]

@JDL 

@Martinj  I take it that means CPSA allows up to No. 5 steel shot for Olympic skeet? Does anyone shoot No. 5 for Olympic skeet and if so for what benefit over say No. 7?   

 Second chance of a hit when the shot bounces back??