Non toxic shot options

[marshboy]

Perhaps this has been covered before on the board, but what are everyone's opinions as to safe non-toxic shot options in a Fox Sterlingworth? I had Briley place screw in chokes in my gun that are non-toxic compatible, and I'm planning on shooting the Hevi Shot Classic Doubles load. However, this load is significanlty slower, by roughly 300 fps, than the steel I normally shoot out of my other guns for wingshooting.
Any opinions?
Greg

[fox-admin]

I have no experience with hevi-shot, but friends report great results. I switch between handloaded bismuth and modern steel all the time and can't tell the difference in velocity. Craig

[marshboy]

Really? When I switch from Kent Fasteel, which is what I shoot most of the time for ducks and upland game, to the Classic Doubles loads, I notice shooting a lot more birds in the rear end with the same lead, which to me indicates that I am not compensating my lead for the slower load.
Greg

[vaturkey]

Classic Doubles loads are slow and just don't hit as hard as others. I think RST now makes a non toxic load and it has better reviews.

[ASavageFox]

i would think that if you shoot more than a box of shells a year o so, you would be much better off to just buy the steel compatible screw in chokes... maybe you have already considered that and there is an issue?

[John Aug]

I went through this last year and ended up reloading Nice Shot.
It is what RST is using and I have been very happy with it. The stuff is not cheap.
The RST price was $75 a box of 25 and you can't reload it much cheaper than that.
I had all the components on hand and like to reload but still spent almost $2.60 a shell.
Best thing about Nice Shot is it's soft and can be loaded with lead load data. I only use
1 oz loads and had less cripples that previous years. I will note here that I don't shoot long.
If that is your goal you may approach high pressures or need a loan to buy your shells.
I abuse my gun more than I should but not with high pressure loads. John

[DGKaas]

Perhaps, I am a bit confused. ..As you already have steel compatible chokes in your Fox, why would you use HS Classic Doubles? You could have used them without the Briley chokes. My suggestion is to use standard Hevi-shot 2 3/4" 1 /1/4oz loads or the Kent Faststeel loads if you like them though both of these are fairly stiff loads for an old Fox. Your change to Briley chokes makes your gun quite a bit more verastile when it comes to waterfowl ammunition.You can find the discontinued Remington version of this load in many stores and on Gunbroker for <$2 a shot. Having said that, the Niceshot loads from Morris Baker's RST are excellent but they could have been used in a standard Fox as well. I have a 1930s BSA 3" Magnum proofed double that I use for my rain gun. It has Briley steel chokes in it and it handles the Hevishot loads with aplomb. In my 12 bore Foxes and 10, 12 , 16 and 20ga 3" Parkers and 10 ga Mag Ithaca NID, I generally use Bismuth or Kent Tungsten or the pile of Federal Tungsten Polymer that I have accumulated. The 2 3/4" 1 3/8oz Bismuth loads in #4 pattern very well in my 3" chambered XE/HE Special.

[marshboy]

Sorry for the lengthy time that has elapsed before this reply, but I've been on vacation in the Black Hills since last weekend.
Let me explain, when I sent my gun to Briley last fall, I wasn't planning to have screw in chokes placed, but instead was going to have one of the barrels opened from M to IC. Not too long ago, Mike from Briley called and asked if I wanted screw in chokes instead. I said sure, that would be great.
However, in my ignorance, I wasn't aware that I now could shoot steel or regular Hevi shot through this gun...I still had it in my head that I had to shoot the Classic Doubles load for a decent non toxic option.
Learn something every day, I guess.
Thanks,
Greg

[ASavageFox]

you just need to make sure that you specify to Briley that you get the steel compatible chokes b/c they do have ones that are not...

[marshboy]

Although I now understand that I have the appropriate chokes for a wide range of non-toxic loads, would the pressure generated via the firing of these loads be too much for my Fox to handle?
Greg

[Twice Barrel]

Chamber pressure is probably not going to be a major problem. Currently manufactured U.S. ammunition conforms to SAAMI standards which are not significantly higher than the service pressures Fox built their guns to withstand. Having said that you must be conscious of heavy recoiling rounds as the wood on your Fox is at least 70 years old and may have soaked up a bit of oil at the head of the stock which in combination with loose action screws can result in the splitting of the stock head. If the wood is sound I would recommend 12 gauge ammunition be kept to a maximum of 1 1/4 ounces at 1230 fps, for 16 gauge 1 1/8th ounces at 1200 fps to keep recoil in the comfort zone for your Sterlingworth.

[blindduck2]

DGKaas, regarding your HE reloads. What hull do you use and are they new or have you been able to resize the hull for additional loading? I tried reloading with a MEC600Jr years ago. Gun would not eject the reload. I understand this is common for the HE. I just bought new bismuth loads since but would like to reload.

[Don Ay]

I have 2- 12's and a 20 gauge HE's,and have never had a ejection issue with any of my reloads, I use older Winchester AA's and Remington STS's depending on the time of the season.
The only problem I ever had was with the 20 gauge. I had the deprime station / size station set or adjusted just slightly too "tight" and on some hulls, but not all, it flattend the casing rim so it sat just far enough in the ejector rim cut on the gun , that the firing pin would not strike the primer hard enough to ignite. That issue seemed to happen with Remington hulls for whatever reason and only 2 or3 times in 25 shells, after readjusting my loader never had a problem since