Thread: Non toxic subgauge ammo

Morning all

Have you guys seen any in your neck of the woods, specifically 28 gauge? I have seen 20 gauge and 16 gauge so far. All major manufacturers make non toxic for them now, so surely there is something out there.

Follow up to this thread, Giles at Taihape sports was able to source a slab of 28 gauge Federal speedshok, 5/8 oz, no.6 steelshot for me. By the sounds of it a small amount was brought in by the wholesalers, so expect to maybe see some in the bigger shops but not alot.

?Where did you see the 16Gauge

The 16 gauge was at H&F palmerston North. They only had one packet

$280 a slab or $28 a packet.

#6 steel will be interesting......personally havent seen .12ga in anything less than #4 other than some sample packs of 7.5 which were still only 1100fps so were hopeless.

Yeah it'll be a nice dense pattern. I'll use it on small streams and ponds in the evening when they're nice and close. Have used no.5 steel in 12ga which was great on decoying birds sub 30yds.

I've got Mec 28ga, 20, & 12 press, plus the gear to adapt to 16ga, in Bell block, keep your hull's, and 5g of wads, and sum 20lbs bismuth and ITX shot,
Looking like I may sell, and be back in NZ, by mid 2022, so keep your old 28, 16 ga hulls, As long as bismuth, remains sum what resalable in price, I can build up non tox shot shells, for anyone dropping in.
I have not had much luck, with steel shot, in the smaller gauges, smaller pellets, have less mass, and bleed off speed quickly, hand loading too large steel can cause bridging, in smaller bores, Speed is everything with steel shot,
The Federal 16ga steel shot, is quite slow, 1200fps, better is 1500 or more.
Hopefully importers will bring in sum more sub gauge options.

bismuth, I also was not wanting to run steel in the sub gauge, but have done some research! Here's my conclusion.
If you hammer lead it flatten's, hannner bismuth and it dusts up or blows into particles. The advise I received was, it cannot be driven at speed and therefore is a short range mix. In the same way you would be better shooting 3" with 7s 71/2 steel close in with more affect and 3s and 4s steel for 35yards and greater.
This is the advice form a Olympic and International shooter.
KH

hopefully we will see some heavishot arrive on shore...I would buy it in a heartbeat if price was even semi reasonable......Ive been known to pull 12ga rounds apart to get shot for the 410........heavishot loads would be ideal to do this.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

hopefully we will see some heavishot arrive on shore...I would buy it in a heartbeat if price was even semi reasonable......Ive been known to pull 12ga rounds apart to get shot for the 410........heavishot loads would be ideal to do this.

KH

I've loaded quite a bit of non toxic shot, I liked "nice shot" the best, but its no longer made,, same weight as lead,
I bought two 7lb bags of heavy shot, ten years ago, for $175 bag, now at $350 plus, so too expensive,
Been getting bismuth from BPI, its ok, but defiantly inferia to the above, sum new bismuth out now, that's coated in tin, I am told its better, still expensive, $250 for 7lbs,
ITX =-10 and ITX-13, I've used quite a bit, the -13,(denser and heaver) is way more expensive than the 10, bought 5 bag of ITX-10 many years ago, for $140, burned threw most of it, Now, $300 bucks a bag, But at least you can push it fast, 1450fps with 7/8oz in my 16ga.
I am complete out of non Toxic, now, Think will try and sneek a couple bags ITX, threw the business as supplies,
Got a fair bit of non tox in NZ, as most of my duck shooting and hunting supplies, went back in the 2015 oil field slow down, the few decoys and shotgun reloading supplies I had here, were lost in the 2016 Fort Mac fire, mates garage burnt.
There is no getting around, the cost having gone up for sub gauges,
Getting geared up, to chase more birds again, I've bought a ten foot, Jon boat, mate and I are getting a dozen decoys each, got lots 16ga wads,
Shooting mate up here blew up, his custom fair 16ga, (double charge), he gave me his hydraulic Mec 9000 loader and shopping bags of wad, hulls.

Huge numbers of ducks up here, the Parries have been very wet, last three years, previous was in a ten year drought,
Besides, ducks and geese are far more fun, than deer, at least you get a bit off shooting in, before the work starts.

I reload for 12 and 20 and am keen to try some Bismith. Will have to track some down.

Gunworks have Bismuth for sale I have some on the way to try for a couple of old Belgium Browning A5 20ga I have.

Originally Posted by Perazzimx8

Gunworks have Bismuth for sale I have some on the way to try for a couple of old Belgium Browning A5 20ga I have.

Don't mean to jack the main thought of the post.
I've been a fan of the classic browning in 20g! wanted to get hold of one at one point.
But ended up with the benelli M1 which is okay now that I have it! because of the 3" factor.
Post a picture of it or email me with a picture please. Year's ago there was one in 16g on tm, one of the should of.
KH