doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Does Bismuth shatter?

As was alluded to by several others, the Kent pellete are soft enough to use in traditional full choked barrels. They are however not available here in bulk and should you chose to work up a low pressure load for them from dissasembled shells, you should use a fully enclosed shot column...be it paper wrapped or full plastic shot cup, as it is abrasive.

Have not had any problems with bulk Bismuth pellets shattering, and do not hesitate to use fiber wad loads without a wrap or cup in full choked damascus(or otherwise) guns. Will deposit some material on the barrel if unprotected, but comes out fine, just like lead.

Best,
Mark

Here is my experience with both bismuth (Bi-Sn alloy) and Kent TM.

When pattern testing Bi-Sn I always found a few hole in the paper from fragments of a pellet. This appeared to be only a few fragmented pellets, perhaps only 1-3. Otherwise, all the pellets were accounted for.

Have killed at least 100++ ducks with Bi-Sn, mostly over decoys and do sometimes find fragmented pellets. Much more often, I get deep penetration, sometimes totally through even large mallards at 30-35 yards. Loads were 3/4 to 1 1/4 oz of #6, #5 and #4 at 1200-1250 fps.

I used TM #5 together with Bi-Sn for two years. Also excellent performance on ducks. About the only practical difference was that TM seemed to respond more to different degrees of choke in the two guns I used it in. Bi-Sn consistantly patterns 80+% in nominal (actual constriction) full choked barrels and high 70s from 1/2 choked barrels in my 12 and 16 gauge doubles.

Niklas

No doubt that TM is effective stuff - every bit as good as lead; and can be used in any gun in good condition, including “fine” doubles that are not steel shot safe. The problem is that I am strictly an upland hunter and have never been able to find TM in reasonable upland loads. All I can find is usually 1-3/8 oz. of #5 at 1,350 fps. Nasty in a 6 ½ pound 12 bore SxS!! How about one ounce of #6 at 1,200 fps?

Those big loads are deadly at the muzzle end:





They are really deadly at the other end, too – despite an articulated front trigger and gloves:



This was actually much worse than the pic shows – that finger was swollen and sore for weeks. The effect on my shoulder wasn’t pretty either.

Try the Gamebore version....ounce and a sixteenth in the 2.5" twelve. Paper case, fiber wad, might still be kinda fast though?

FWIW,
Mark

Yes, I suspect it is a lawsuit issue.

salopian

KY Jon,
Is one of those ten better metals Lead?


The best mix is I am sure 90% Lead, 5 % antominy and 5 % Bismuth, give or take 5 % Bismuth. But alas that load is gone forever from our legal list to use.