What is a good source of "non-toxic Shot" for hunting reloads? Not steel. Bismuth or NICE shot sources?

Rotometals.

RotoMetals, eBay, and Facebook ads for bismuth. I think I read recently that there is no source for NICE Shot, but I cannot verify that.

How do you identify loose bismuth shot in marked in a can???

Squeeze and individual pellet with a pliers, lead will flatten easily Bismuth will flatten a little harder and will crack and tungsten/steel shot won't flatten. I stopped at Bucksrun in MN a few years ago to pick up some Nice Shot and was told they wouldn't be messing with it as there was so little interest.. I don't believe RST is loading it any longer or have I heard of another source.

Bought 5lbs of #4 Bismuth from RotoMetals few years back for duck loads. The bismuth shot was some sorry looking stuff: shot was out of round, tails, flat sides. Patterns were mediocre. Expensive stuff too

I have also read of those who found bismuth factory loads marked way down, bought them all, and salvaged the shot from them for reloading into lower pressure loads.

I've never been that fortunate. I did once, however, win three bottles of bismuth at a Wards Sporting Collectibles auction. It was supposedly bottles that were removed from the production line for testing, by SAARCO, and were in three sizes .......... 6, 5 and 4.

I've loaded quite a bit of non-toxic 2.5" stuff over the years, ITX-10 was my favorite and NICE shot was well nice (couldn't help it). Bismuth works well, I shoot1 oz of 5's for waterfowling or 7/8 oz of ITX-6's (BP doesn't list ITX any longer). I buy from Roto-Metals and have put together a load of 1 1/8 oz of Bismuth BB's for coyotes on WPA's or while I'm out duck hunting so I don't have lead in the boat, I haven't killed any with it YET.

If I have a shotgun that is steel safe I use steel in it but I'm down to one of those now and it is a dedicated coyote hunter.

How does one (and more importantly, the game warden) identify bismuth reloads in the field? I assume reloading shot shell hulls that were originally loaded with lead.

Jim

There exists a device that determines if it is lead or not, but few wardens have them. They are too expensive, according to a warden friend of mine.

It comes down to whether or not the warden believes you. I take a picture of my reloading station with a bottle of Bismuth brand shot sitting there, to show them. They also may ask you for a shell to dismantle.

I find it hard to believe that the Hot Shot tester priced at $210 , ($195 in quantity) is prohibitively expensive.

What do you want, thorough diversity and inclusion training or the latest field technology? Take your pick

I'd agree, but I'm not trying to convince you. I was just reporting what he told me about five years ago. I do know that wardens in GA have a terribly skimpy budget for equipment, and on top of that don't make much of a salary, either. It's pretty much a thankless job. They issued a special edition tag for vehicles three or four years ago that raised some $$$ to help wardens buy needed equipment that the state wouldn't issue them. I bought one for one of my trucks, to help them. Maybe they have the devices now, I dunno.