[green country shooter]

A friend has a 16 gauge Model 12, an old Winchester. He hasn't used it for ducks for years and is not sure what to buy in place of lead shot. Any suggestions?

[ArmedBear]

Go to Cabela's website, do a search for 16 Gauge.

This will bring up several options, including bismuth, steel and Hevi-Shot.

I don't know what choke he has; my old 16 Gauge double is F/M, so steel, even if it didn't trash the barrel, would pattern REALLY tight.:)

Bismuth is supposed to act like lead, as is whatever they use in "Hevi Shot Classic Doubles".

[chas08]

I've had good results with Bismuth #4 shot and Kent Impact #5 shot in my 16 ga Model 12. Mine is choked modified, but both of those brands are safe to use in all choke restrictions. I get mine from Macks Prairie Wings on line. They have historically been cheaper than Cabelas. They are going to average about $30 for ten rounds macks gives you a break if you buy ten boxes or more. I prefer the Kent Impact Pheasant/Game over the Bismuth.

[ArmedBear]

Oh yeah, I'd suggest looking around at prices, definitely. Cabela's has some of the ammo on sale at the moment. Others may have better prices.

But Cabela's website gives a decent idea of what's available, too.

[MCgunner]

Chachinnnnnggggg.

Might be cheaper to buy a new gun if he intends to do much hunting. If he's just breaking out the old iron out of nostalgia, well, he's probably up for the cost.

[academyassociate024]

dude you cant use steel in your gun can you? thought that would hurt your barrel

[JWF III]

I've had good results with Bismuth #4 shot and Kent Impact #5 shot in my 16 ga Model 12. Mine is choked modified, but both of those brands are safe to use in all choke restrictions.

What he said.

Those are the only adequit choices. Federal used to make a Tungsten/Polymer shell to compete with Bismuth. But IIRC they didn't have much luck, and have since discontinued the line. Now that I think of it, I believe that Environ-Metal has a Hevi-Shot shell designed for doubles that would also work. I believe it's actually called "Hevi-Shot Doubles" (or something along those lines). There may be a couple of others that I'm not aware of. After seeing the prices they were wanting, I figured I'd save money in the course of a year, so I just bought a new shotgun. And retired my SxSs to dove/quail only.

Regular steel, tungsten and Hevi-shot is too hard of pellets and will ruin the barrel of an old, fixed choke gun.

Wyman

[chas08]

Environ-Metal has a Hevi-Shot shell designed for doubles that would also work. I believe it's actually called "Hevi-Shot Doubles" (or something along those lines).
It's called Classic Doubles. I haven't tried any of it, but it too is recomended for older thin walled fixed choke guns. It runs about the same price. I did notice when reading up on it that it's velocity was lower than the Kent or the Bismuth. I only use my 16 for one or two freshwater duck hunts a year, so a ten box (100 rd) case will last two or three seasons.

[45crittergitter]

Don't use steel or other hard shot in that old gun. Here's some options:

BISMUTH

Shoot the same size as lead. Soft. Patterns tight, good for long range.

TUNGSTEN-POLYMER (NYLON MATRIX)

Performs exactly like lead. Soft. Use the same shot sizes and chokes with Tungsten - Polymer as you would with lead. Does not pattern as tightly as bismuth or tungsten-iron.

Federal = Tungsten-Polymer
Kent = Tungsten-Matrix

ITX (Ballistic Products) Iron-Tungsten-Polymer

Perfectly spherical with a broad cutting band around the circumference. Uniform in size, shape, and weight. Much softer than other tungsten blends (<27 Rockwell C, while other tungstens are ~29.1-31.7) and about the same density as bismuth; about 20-24% denser than steel. Non-brittle; won’t break up like bismuth.

NICE SHOT (RST) Tungsten-Iron-Tin, soft (slightly harder than lead) direct replacement for lead - can be used in old guns, $75/box

Tundra Tungsten (Fiocchi). 9 & 12.5 g/cc versions. Soft and malleable; behaves like lead - useable with all barrels and chokes suitable for lead shot.