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Forums10
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 623 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 623 Likes: 1 |
Does anyone have experience with shooting steel shot in Beretta BL-4 or Browning BSS 12 ga. doubles with IC/M chokes?
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,266 Likes: 516
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,266 Likes: 516 |
Can’t speak to the Beretta. But the BSS, hell yes it can handle steel. Browning Arms gave the The Bear River Bird Refuge BSS’s to hand out for hunters to test back in the 80’s. They did just fine. A lot of hunters use BSS’s with steel to this day. Absolutely no worries...but if it was mine....I’d keep loads at the 1300 to 1400 fps range with 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 oz shot. I wouldn’t be using any of the 1500 fps, or ultra fast stuff in those guns. Too much recoil and too harsh for the stock.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,146 Likes: 1145
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,146 Likes: 1145 |
A lot of hunters use BSS’s with steel to this day. Absolutely no worries... My experience exactly, with two BSS guns. The first was choked IC/M. The current one was originally choked M/F. I had the F barrel opened to the same constriction as the M one, .018". Still going strong. No experience with the Beretta model you mentioned.
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 287 Likes: 7
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 287 Likes: 7 |
Beretta BL-4 is noted for being light. I would not shoot steel with it. Many BSS shotguns in Western Canada, have had their chokes opened up for Waterfowl hunting. I don't think that there's a better choice for the task.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,375 Likes: 105
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,375 Likes: 105 |
I wouldn't worry about any Japanese gun and steel. I do recall that owners of Parker Reproductions were advised not to shoot steel through full choke barrels.
Re the title of the topic: There are 70's guns through which the maker will caution owners not to shoot steel. Browning so advises on any of their Belgian-made guns.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,146 Likes: 1145
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,146 Likes: 1145 |
FWIW, it's a grey area that has no hard and fast rules to govern the practice. All we have are recommendations from manufacturers that want to cover their butt, and examples with, and without, damage. There are many vintage guns that have been used (not by me) for steel for years with no apparent damage, but each one is it's own case study. We accept that chokes tighter than modified increase our chances of barrel/choke damage, but Worth Matthewson, the noted waterfowl writer from the Pacific Northwest used an L C Smith for years as his only duck gun, after steel shot was mandated. It was choked very tight full, in both barrels. He took it to a gunsmith for some other little problem and was advised that the chokes were very tight and that he should be careful with steel shot in them, but there had been zero damage. He wrote about it in his book Big December Canvasbacks.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,701 Likes: 99
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,701 Likes: 99 |
Except for Browning Supers, I think any modern (post WW2) gun with chokes no tighter than modified is OK for steel. The Brownings are likely OK too but the company has always said no...Geo
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 6 Likes: 1
Boxlock
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Boxlock
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 6 Likes: 1 |
My BSS 12 ga with ic/m chokes has been my duck gun for more than 30years and shows no signs of damage.
Lloyd
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1 member likes this:
Stanton Hillis |
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,456 Likes: 86
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,456 Likes: 86 |
How many times have we beat the steel horse.
TSS is harder than steel and there are idiots plowing it through Turkey choke constructions....
I guess if you shoot #9 and even smaller shot it's ok?
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