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By Nelson Bryant
See the article in its original context from
September 18, 1988
,
Section 8, Page
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With waterfowling seasons beginning next month, hunters should be aware of the increasing number of states or portions of them that have been zoned for steel shot. In some instances, the states have moved ahead of the Federal timetable established several years ago for the switch to steel.
Even if lead shot is still permitted in the area you plan to hunt, sticking with it until the bitter end has little merit. With the advent of the 1991-92 season, steel shot will be required for goose and duck hunting throughout the nation. The switch to steel is being made because spent lead pellets accidentally ingested kill millions of waterfowl annually.
When steel shot zoning began, hunters in areas so restricted often had legitimate gripes. Sometimes steel shot shells were unavailable. If they were available, they didn't come in suitable pellet sizes, performed poorly and were limited to 12-gauge. They are being produced today by this country's three major manufacturers of sporting arms ammunition - Winchester, Federal and Remington - in 10-, 12-, 16- and 20-gauges in a variety of loads that should satisfy even the most demanding gunner.
The only catch is that if your favorite waterfowling piece is a fine old side-by-side double, you'll have to hang it on the wall or use it for duck hunting in countries that do not require steel shot. The barrels of such guns can't take the pounding dished out by the harder-than-lead steel pellets. Shotguns of modern manufacture can handle steel shot. If your gun is neither old nor new, check with the manufacturer or a competent gunsmith.
I have used steel shot with regularity over the past few years and have no doubts about its efficiency at ranges out to 50 or 55 yards. Beyond those ranges, the lighter steel pellets lose their velocity rather rapidly, when compared with the performance of lead pellets of similar size.
I have had almost no field experience with steel shot at ranges of 60 to 70 yards, mainly because I have almost always passed up such opportunities, save when using lead loads in size BB or larger on Canada geese. In my home state of Massachusetts, which will require steel shot this season, I will have to go to BBs in steel, the largest shot size the state allows.
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