Bob,
I can honestly say I’ve never purchased or, looked for 16 gauge steel shot. It must be out there.

My 16 gauge double, an Ithaca Nitro Special, is actually my non toxic shot shotgun, oddly enough. A bloke right on this site had about four boxes of the old Heavi-shot loads, 1 ounce of number 6 shot, that disappointed him greatly when used for duck hunting. I have heard reports that the shot used was a bit brittle, and they weren’t exactly 40 yard ammunition. But, for pot shots at grouse over a pointy dog, I’m pretty sure those two points don’t matter, and they kill grouse just fine. They keep me legal on a few local spots that require me to use non toxic shot.

We all do what we must, I guess:

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]
[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

If some fine day, my time afield comes with a steel shot mandate (Lord forbid) I have a steel shot gun. It is a Spanish boxlock, 3” proof (if a guy is into that sort of thing) that has been rechoked to Cyl and Icyl, yielding a steel shot gun. Nobody has certified this use (save me) but, at age 65, I really doubt I have the time to hurt the old gun, and if I do, that will be somebody else’s problem, if they so choose.

[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]


We all have different answers to the same questions, no?

Best,
Ted