I spoke with a lady at Kent's yesterday and she told me that there will be no more 2.5 inch 12 gauge shells brought in from Gamebore. Waterfowl loads only in the 12 gauge and 2.75 inch loads in 16 and 20 is all that will be available.

Does any one know of a custom loader who will take small orders for low pressure, soft non tox loads?

RST may be your only option, not a custom shop but they are high quality, low pressure and come in subgauges. Expensive but what can you do...

http://www.rstshells.com/rst_classic_shotshells_shotshells.htm

(Scroll to the bottom of the page, non-tox listings are there.)

Is the issue chamber length or low pressure? Depending on your gun's chambers and chokes, Hevi-Shot Classic Doubles may be another option:
Product Line:HEVI-Shot® Classic Doubles
Gauge: 12
Length: 2-3/4"
Charge Weight:1-1/8
FPS: 1100
Shot Size:4
Box Pack: 10
Case Pack: 10
Hevi-Shot

What can you do? Load your own! We better get ready for politically motivated shortages, low volume discontinuations, and any number of interruptions. I choose to supply myself. Steve

I agree, but what will you do when the shortages include shot, powder and primers? Don't think it can't happen. Come to think of it, at $42/bag for shot, it's may have already happened.

SRH

RCC, you are confusing me but perhaps the problem is that I am in Canada. I buy both Kent Tungsten Matrix and Gamebore shells. The Gamebore product is lead only and I can get that in 2 1/2 inch shells. The Kent TM is obviously TM and only comes in the 2 3/4 lengths.

Were you previously able to get a Gamebore TM in 2 1/2 inch 12 gauge?

Yes, as recently as this past May, when I bought a flat of 6s. The Kent dealer I bought from backordered the flat of 5s that I ordered at the same time. I was told last week that the backorder will be probably be filled in September. The word "probably" provoked me to contact Kent and they are who told me that they would no longer be supplying 2.5 inch 12s loaded with Tungsten Matrix and that the only TM they would supply their dealers with will be Waterfowl loads in the 12 and one ounce loads in 16 and 20.

I understand the Kent's Tungsten Matrix comes to them from Gamebore.

The RST shells are only about 5 bucks more per box than what I paid for the Kent TM, but I don't like them as well. I feel that the RST product is closer to what Bismuth was, performance wise.

Can you buy 2.5 inch 12 Gamebore TM in Canada? I know you said the Gamebore loads were lead, but is there a chance that there is some TM around? The reason I am looking for it, is for Canadian guests coming down here to hunt with me in November. They shoot British game guns too.

Doverham, I bought a 2.75 inch chambered Poli to shoot steel through if I can not find a source of TM 2.5 inch for my light 12s. If I have to shoot 2.75 shells, I might as well shoot steel, I reckon.

As an aside guys, ordinarily I have no issues with ammunition, having a dozen or more flats of B&P 2.5 High Pheasant loads. I have the good fortune to have access to several scores of private holdings and lead is still permissible on private lands. But this year there is such an infestation of Foxtail on tilled soil here in East River SD that I for the first time in maybe thirty years, will hunt Game Production Areas a considerable amount of time.

If you are coming here this fall with dogs and are planning to hunt private lands not involved with commercial hunts, you might want to give your host a phone call and ask if he has a problem with the stuff.