doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Status of Bismuth Shot?? Any Info.

Does anyone have any information regarding the renewed availability of bismuth shot or loaded shells? I contacted Ballistic Products and Precision Reloading they have no source. I contacted KLM Group, they had plans to import Eley bismuth from the UK and that project is dead. I tried to contact Eley in the UK, no response. I contacted a major Eley retailer in the UK and was told they can't ship to the US.

Can Eley ship to Canada? Some here, could have limited access to them then. Just a thought.

I watch for NOS bismuthj loaded ammo on the intenret gun sites and it is going up and up. There are soem boxes on gunbroker .com right now.

Does anyone know a Eley retailer in Eastern Canada?

Will Bilozir in Dewinton, Alberta was selling bismuth for years and trying to find a way to make it here. He may be our man for current circumstances as they refer to a Canadian source. His last email address was bismuth@bilozir.net. My last contact was last June. Decent and cooperative..

Thanks King, I will try e-mailing him. I read the manufacturing patentfor bismuth shot and it does not seem to be that difficult to make. It must be impossible to get a license to manufacture it from the patent holders.

Have they settled the Estate of the late Mr. Peterson? I suspect it is just one minor part of his estate and of little interest to anyone other than us here. From what I understand the Bismuth Shot Company was not a highly profitable enterprise. More of a labor of love, by a man who could keep it afloat by his other resources.

Perhaps I was misinformed and Bismuth was a real money maker. If so I would have thought that you would either have heard of interest in buying it and producing more shells and shot or it would have been kept running while a new owner was found. Time will tell.

I for one am going to try making my own again. First try yielded about 20% good shot. Since I had other shot on hand I just never spent much time learning how to get it right. Others on the bbs have made much better quality and quantity that I have been able to make. Just the price of Bismuth metal is still high, the last time I looked. Was hoping it would go back down about $5.00 - $8.00 a pound before I bought more of it.

Before y'all start making homemade shot from BI metal be sure you know what's involved in getting it approved by the USF&W Service. The original Bismuth CC had approval for a certain alloy of BI and Tin. I don't think you can make up homemade shot from pure BI or some unknown alloy and try to cabbage in on the approval for the real deal. CB

I would be surprised to see it come back unless imported from England. When Bismuth came out it was the only alternative to steel. Now there is Heavy Shot, Tungsten etc. Bismuth is needed by waterfowlers shooting classic doubles as modern guns capable of shooting steel have other alternatives mentioned above. Perhaps if lead is banned for other types of hunting besides waterfowl it may come back but until then I believe the market share for it is too small for commercial production.

I don't know if anyone is still searching for Bismuth but I did find a local supply for a couple 12ga loads. The Axman store here in Missoula, Montana has #6 shot 12ga 1 3/8 oz, #4 shot 12ga 1 1/4 oz. The price $18.98. The #6 shot is a buffered load. They are a little heavy but it is all I have located recently.
Best,
Ron