Can I shoot steel through my shotgun?

[MrJingles]

I picked up a Winchester 1400 MKII this weekend for cheap money. It came with threaded winchokes, it had a mod installed. I picked up a full choke that was rated for steel and heavishot...I know the choke will be fine for steel, but will the rest of the barrel? Ideally I'd like to put 2 or 3 steel shot for duck this season, but if I have to I'll buy bismuth.

thanks in advance!

 

[45collector]

You should be fine. Generally you don't want to shoot steel through older shotguns, or O/U and SxS shotguns that have thin barrel walls. With older shotguns, the steel shot may be harder than the barrel, resulting in possible scoring and gouging of the bore. Also make sure you are using new ammunition, or at least that which you know has been stored properly to avoid rust. The steel shot, if corrosion sets in will "weld together" and you'll be shooting a clumped mass of steel out of your gun... not good.

This Summer I bought a nice old Ithaca M37 made in 1952. It's one of the lightest pump shotguns ever made and it's in excellent condition, but I've decided to only use it for upland game birds, using lead shot, as I have no idea if the comparatively thin, 60-year old barrel can handle steel.

 

[REM870]

The steel shot, if corrosion sets in will "weld together" and you'll be shooting a clumped mass of steel out of your gun... not good.

Not true... I have purposely submerged steel shot in a bucket of water for a few days allowed the hulls to dry for a week or two and then opened them.
They where clean.
This was a big fear when the move to "non-toxic" shot was made.

 

[45collector]

Not true... I have purposely submerged steel shot in a bucket of water for a few days allowed the hulls to dry for a week or two and then opened them. They were clean.

I guess you've never seen an old shotgun round opened up to reveal a clumped mass of steel shot. I assure you it can happen.

 

[REM870]

you did read what I posted right?

 

[Mike-Mike]

Most new steel shot is buffered very well and you can shoot it.

 

[45collector]

you did read what I posted right?

No. I have a habit of directly quoting someone without actually reading the quote.

You're saying it's impossible for steel shot to rust and clump?

 

[REM870]

No. I have a habit of directly quoting someone without actually reading the quote.

You're saying it's impossible for steel shot to rust and clump?

No steel rusts ....Steel shot No (factory loads not home rolled).
Do you have any steel shot in factory loads in you possession? Cut open the hull and take a look. Shit you can get a bullet poster from hunter safety that shows the insides there is the buffered (coated) steel shot as well as another element besides the wad, powder, brass, primer, hull.
If you do have factory loads drop them in water overnight hell a few days. Take them out and open them tell me what you find.

 

[45collector]

Read my posts again and understand I've been talking about old ammunition this whole time. I have no doubt that most factory loaded steel shot rounds you come across nowadays will be just fine to shoot even if dropped in water at some point. I still have Black Cloud rounds from two seasons ago that have been dropped in my wet kayak or out on the marsh, and I am not worried about them at all.

 

[MisterHappy]

Jingles:

The 1400 that Russell ( that you met) used as his first 12 ga was purchased by his grandfather for steel shot, as the Parker's soft-soldered barrels were not up to it. It ate old-school steel, no problem; and that was before the advancements in steel ammo tech ( thicker wads, especially).

Shoot it. If you want some background on the 1400's quirks, PM me. Good hunting.