steel shot through full choke????? help (2024)

Blacktail_Slayer

I would not! I

that steel shot out of a full choke can erode the barrel.

Never shoot steel shot through a full choke. It will eventually bulge the barrel.

Jeff

Forrest or trees?

Blacktail Slayer said:

I just borrowed a shotgun for my small game this year. Where I dove and rabbit hunt, there are small ponds scattered around and I often walk up and flush some ducks. The shotgun is an old mossberg fixed full choke. Its private property so I wont get in trouble for using lead but I would like to stay legal. I have some 2 3/4 inch shells with 3/4 oz of number 2 steel shot from Estate, they are the high velocity ones. Should I keep from using those if I can? I dont want to risk ruining my friends gun.
Any advice would help.

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We have an interesting situation before us...
Ya'lls may be missing the trees 'cause of the forrest. While offering opinions on the use of steel shot on ducks and in full chokes, a more basic question has gone overlooked: Are the ducks in question "fair game"? It's my understanding that duck hunting is generally governed by international migratory bird treaties. Since Blacktail Slayer didn't ID these birds as exempt species, shall we assume they're covered? Are these walks among the ponds during duck season? Does B.S. have a license and stamps? He says he want's to stay legal; however, he seems more concerned about damaging a borrowed gun.
Of course, there's another side to the coin: Might not shooting these ducks be considered harvesting domestic livestock and exempt from hunting regulations?
What's your call?

Early duck season in Virginia is from 10/9 to 10/13, I just looked it up while checking out the various goose seasons.

I've never heard of a domestic livestock duck season. AFAIK, when it comes to waterfowl you have to play by the federal laws (and state regs.)

Things needed: Federal Duck Stamp, VA Duck Stamp, hunting license, HIP number (Harvest Info Program IIRC) and probably some other things I can't think of right now. I'll find out tonight or tomorrow when I go buy my stuff - it's Resident Goose Season this month and my buddy has located a bunch of them. Ten per day bag limit, but I only want one.

Steel can often be shot through full choke tubes. For instance, I have a Remington full tube that is marked Full/lead & steel. They also make lead-only tubes. Other manufacturers do it differently. My experience has been that steel and full chokes often don't pattern very well. Others have had different experiences.

I wouldn't shoot steel through a fixed full choke because steel does not compress and could rupture the end of the barrel.

John

Never fire stell shot thru a gun with a choke tighter than Modified.

Steel shot is a lot harder than lead - and will not compress like lead as it goes into the choke - so it is likely to cause a bulge in the barrel and ruin the gun. Don't do it with your gun / let alone someone else's gun.

Big Jim

You know by my posts that I am all about Defensive shotguns, and I do a little upland game hunting. That is why I posted to the OP that I "believe" vrs "know" it is bad.

So Jim, please educate me, I see and read that there are some chokes that are OK for steel, and most are not OK for steel. Whats the difference? God forbid I ever decide to hunker down in a blind up here in Spokane in the cold and actually duck hunt. However, I would like to know for my own knowledge. If you have the time and are inclined, I would appreciate it.

Best to you, Bob

SGB... I too, am not well versed in the metallurgic differences of the chokes...
The difference I see is about 50 bucks... and a steel shot tube will likely say so and *MOST* lead shot only tubes will say so.

*operative word*
I am awaiting better info too.
Brent

hogdogs

Brent,

Super-Dave is asking about hog hunting in your neck of the woods. check out todays posts.

My part of the world had Russian black boar and Feral hogs, used slugs on a couple wiht great effect.

What kind of hogs you'all got?

SGB

Zippy

Whats with that, I feel like im being accused. I do know my waterfowl identifications. All of the ones I would shoot are leagal and wild. I do have the proper lisences and validations and stamps. I paid good money for em. I will only shoot any game animal if it is in season and i have the proper liscences. The only thing I have been tempted to do illigal is use lead shot for these birds. Most of my dove and rabbit are along these ponds anyway, so the lead is getting into the ecosystem no matter what the quarry anyway. But I have leaned away from it. Duck season is not for quite a while, so maybe I will have a more suitable gun by then. Goose is right now, and if I get a real close fly by I MIGHT take it but not sure.

All waterfowl is Federal regulated and the Federal migration laws can be picked up at any place that sells licenses. Its mandatory while duck hunting ANYWHERE that you have a Federal migratory bird stamp in your possesion signed across the face in ink and a HIP number. Your state also may require a state migratory bird stamp and you will have to check your state laws in regards to it. Steel or non-toxic shot IS mandatory for all waterfowl and you CANNOT be in possesion of any lead shot while hunting migratory waterfowl. This does not apply to rail birds, snipe or woodco*ck.
N.J.'s early goose season opened last week and we got rid of a few golf course crap machines for the golfers. We border a large golf course and get all the fly overs in the AM and PM flights. It sounds like a war zone for around 2 hours and my state also allow unpluged shotguns for the special season with a 7 shell max. Theres also a 15 bird per day limit. Thats how many non-migratory geese we have in this state.:barf:
And remember that waterfowl works on a point system and each kind of duck is worth different points and your only allowed 100 combined points per day total.

ZIPPY, At no time did BS say he was doing anything legal. He said he wanted to STAY legal so I guess he IS following the game laws. If he has steel shot, I guess hes using it but dont know if he can use in a friends gun or not. That was the question he asked because he didnt want to ruin it on his friend. All he said is that he walks up and flushes ducks. Did he ever say he flushes them and shoots them? Please dont accuse people of doing wrong when their trying to do right. The duck limits are governed by our goverment and NOT internationaly because they can kill 100 a day in Mexico and alot in Canada. Its called the Federal migratory bird regulations, Not the international duck laws! And I can go to as many ponds and spook ducks with lead shot in my gun and as long as I dont shoot at them im legal.

Blacktail, TAKE THE GOOSE!!! SHOOT EM' ALL! LOL.

Blacktail slayer

Blacktail Slayer said:

Zippy

Whats with that, I feel like im being accused.

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You, were. I found it incredulous that you'd consider using lead shot, knowing it's a clear violation, because the likelihood of getting caught was minimal. Your concern seemed to be the possible damage to a borrowed gun, not the regulations. Appeared to be a case of situationally sensitive selective compliance to me.
Perhaps you would have been wiser to just ask about steel shot and the full choke without describing the specifics. Perhaps I would have been wiser to just let it slide.

mikenbarb

From Blacktail Slayer's initial question, I couldn't tell if he was aware of the many legal prerequisites to duck hunting. Now, I know he is.
(Please see my response to Blacktail Slayer, above)

With my "livestock harvest" bit, I was giving him the benefit of doubt. Caged table ducks are raised as livestock, the same as chickens and other birds, and are governed by food production laws, not hunting regulations. In an unusual situation, the cluelessly uninitiated might presume ducks, by habituating small private ponds, have somehow joined the ranks of the table birds and have forfeited their international protection.

So Jim, please educate me, I see and read that there are some chokes that are OK for steel, and most are not OK for steel. Whats the difference? God forbid I ever decide to hunker down in a blind up here in Spokane in the cold and actually duck hunt. However, I would like to know for my own knowledge. If you have the time and are inclined, I would appreciate it.

Click to expand...

Bob,

Re: Steel shot and full chokes. It ain't a difference in metallurgy or toughness of the choke that's at question between "Full Steel" chokes and "Full Lead". It's a question of the amount of constriction. A "Full Steel" choke is about like a "Modified Lead". Since steel shot doesn't compress and deform as it's passing through the choke it throws denser patterns with less constriction.

I have either an Xfull steel or full steel at home for my Mossberg 835 along with full lead and xfull lead. I'll see if I can't snap some photos later to show the difference in constriction.

RR