|
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
|
Forums10
Topics39,491
Posts562,018
Members14,584
| |
Most Online9,918
Jul 28th, 2025
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,021
Sidelock
|
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,021 |
I think we can agree that steel, as well as most barrel-friendly/vintage gun-friendly alternatives, are inferior in terms of ballistics. But I don't think that's true of Tungsten-Matrix. However, it's not the easiest stuff to find . . . and it's clearly way superior to lead, if you judge by the cost.  I agree, tungsten matrix is wicked stuff.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,021
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,021 |
Lead is serious stuff, I worked for an abatement company for quite a while and blood testing was regular thing for us.
We still have die offs from lead shot in swans here in the Skagit Valley. Being large white birds they are very easy to spot when they die. Are you telling us that all of these dead large white swans were autopsied and all died from lead poisoning? And all of this lead poisoning could be traced to the swans ingesting lead shot from the past? Are you telling us that if we could somehow remove all traces of lead shot that had been fired in the past in Skagit Valley, that your swans would live forever? Or is it possible that these large, easy to spot, dead white swans died from old age, natural causes, disease, crippling after being shot with Inferior Shot (thanks Ted), etc.? We know lead is serious stuff. We know it can be toxic. And we also know how stable it is in the solid masses of spend shot and bullets as compared with the lead dust from old paint, leaded gasoline, and dust producing manufacturing processes such as the dust produced by lead acid battery companies. The lead ammunition bans are nothing more than a ploy to increase the cost of ammunition. We have read and easily refuted the reams of junk science that the anti-lead ammunition guru Ben Deeble, aka GrouseGuy, used to post here. There always has to be one nut job in the bunch. Right Keith?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 911 Likes: 45
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 911 Likes: 45 |
I can't remember if it was Sweden or Norway, but they threw the BS flag and lifted the lead shot ban. I believe I read this in an NSSF news report. MKII
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,409 Likes: 4
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,409 Likes: 4 |
I'm thinking about Fall and my usual Snipe spot. It's a huge 10,000+ acre Public WMA consisting of a large river bottom bordered by wooded hills. It's always swarming with Snipe and Rails, and I always seem to have it to myself. I almost always get my limit in a couple of hours, not because of the birds, but because it usually takes two boxes of shells to do it. I was reading the DNR regs and they mentioned that a few WMAs in a different part of Iowa were going to require non-tox for all hunting. To be safe, I called the management area to make sure. Of course, they informed me that non-tox would be required for Snipe and Rails. What a bummer. I can reload it, but Bismuth is crazy expensive. Particularly for such a small bird that's so hard to hit. Steel is not an option with my Vintage guns, I don't even own one new enough to consider it. I may have to just concentrate on Doves and Woodcock before Pheasant Season opens from now on. Lightly choked long barreled Ithaca 37 pump is the classic of choice. My ca. 1941 30" 12ga comes in at 6.5" lb. Box of Winchester X-Pert steel #6 used to be about $8 for 20 or 25. What happened?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,862
Sidelock
|
|
OP
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,862 |
edit to add, If there're dings in the old gun that grandpa might have put in it, I'd rather look at them the same way he might have.
Actually, restoring it will take it back to the way my Grandfather left it. All of the little issues were created by me, since I was nine or ten when I started using it. It was my shotgun until my Dad decided to give me his when I was in High School and mostly hunting with my friends.. Regards Ken
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7
Boxlock
|
|
Boxlock
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7 |
For me, I looked at the vintage guns, and decided the hassle & expense of loading for them was not worth it, and what I could load for them was not what I wanted to use, too restricting for me. I wanted something I could use for ducks and geese, mostly specks and snows. I live in an area where we still have decent limits on those birds, and now have spring season. So, I went out and bought the guns that will handle the modern steel loads. Bought a couple of 12ga SXS's and a 20ga SXS over the last 5 yrs. All 3" rated for steel, the last couple are the new CIP spec for the newer high pressure rounds.
They don't necessarily handle as well as some of the vintage guns,which is somewhat subjective, they aren't as pretty in most cases, and they don't have the history behind them, but, I can shoot whatever I want in them, and as much as I want. And I pretty much keep up to my buddies that shoot SBE's on the snows, I am just more careful about picking shots.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,009 Likes: 1817
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,009 Likes: 1817 |
Box of Winchester X-Pert steel #6 used to be about $8 for 20 or 25. What happened? They went up to $10.99/box of 25. Is that too much for you? How much has your gasoline and groceries gone up in that same period of time? http://www.academy.com/shop/browse/shoot...63078+131541339 Oh, and that's with free shipping, too. So, it doesn't matter where the h--- W. KNIEl is. SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 433 Likes: 42
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 433 Likes: 42 |
Thankfully they don't require that nonsense here ..... yet. I shot some snipe with steel just to see the results even though it isn't required. After one flat I was less than impressed. If and when the day comes that non-tox is required for me for snipe I will choose to be an outlaw.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,862
Sidelock
|
|
OP
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,862 |
Thankfully they don't require that nonsense here ..... yet. I shot some snipe with steel just to see the results even though it isn't required. After one flat I was less than impressed. If and when the day comes that non-tox is required for me for snipe I will choose to be an outlaw. Hmmmm, I guess I'll take along THREE boxes of shells instead of two....At this particular area I don't think the argument that I'm Woodcock hunting and happened to pick up a few Snipe incidentally would hold up... It's all kind'a nutty. I bet that there are less than 50 people in my State who hunt'em on a regular basis..If anything, perhaps folks who are Duck Hunting may shoot a few. Regards Ken
Last edited by Ken61; 05/26/15 11:26 AM.
I prefer wood to plastic, leather to nylon, waxed cotton to Gore-Tex, and split bamboo to graphite.
|
|
|
|
|
