Here is a tip many of you may not have thought about.

Brutuskend said:

FREE shot!!!!

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There's warnings about using steel shot in smooth bores.
Steel balls may be even harder than steel shot.
Special precautions may need to be taken when using it. --->>> https://www.chuckhawks.com/steel_shot_barrel_damage.htm#:~:text=Steel shot certainly can damage,It is hard to miss.&text=CIP sets a maximum velocity,for High Performance Steel Shot.

An even better idea would be to forget you ever had this idea. Bearings are WAY harder than steel waterfowl shot and will ruin the bore in a hurry. The advice above from Chuck Hawks applies to waterfowl shot, not bike shop floor sweepings.

Nah...lead or bismuth is the only way to go.

Use the bearings for sling shots

Brutuskend said:

Your thoughts?

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I'm sure that some folks have done it more than a few times, but there's always a risk that it won't work as intended.
I wouldn't trust doing it unless the bore was already beat up and had pitting or rust.

And I wouldn't shoot them in your new antique shotgun unless there was a zombie invasion.
I even cringe when I see folks firing steel airgun BB's from any kind of smooth bore and those are probably much softer steel than bearing balls.

If there was a way to securely encase some steel balls inside of a plastic shot cup without breaking open, then perhaps it would become a mini solid slug or a type of bean bag round.
But I wouldn't know how to guarantee that it wouldn't break open inside of the bore and releasing the balls.
And then only by firing one at a paper target would you be able to tell if it held together or not.
It's not without some risk and IMO not a good idea to try with any antique gun.
I'm only trying to explore the topic since it's not worth spending the money to buy plastic shot wads to try this when the money could be used to buy lead shot instead.

Maybe you can glue some of those steel balls into the hollow point of bullets so they will expand better, or to create a more aerodynamic round.
Or just wait for a rust bucket ML to come along, then you can play around with them.

If using a shot cup, I don't see the harm in using them. But I would never use them bare to the bore even in chrome lined bores.

I loaded some 12 gauge blackpowder a very light load with steel bbs just for around the ranch vermin control It was terrible and that is ignoring
any damage done to the bore. Half the time I had bbs bounce back at me.

noelf2 said:

If using a shot cup, I don't see the harm in using them. But I would never use them bare to the bore even in chrome lined bores.

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The harm comes from some of the shot escaping the shot cup during the journey down bore and scores the walls of the bore. I was set to use steel in a lovely 60’s vintage Franchi over under until I got a look at my friends Marlin goose gun that was used with steel shot. It looked like someone went after the bore with a half round rasp. If you’re not particularly fond of the gun, have at it. If you intend to keep and use it for a few years use lead or bismuth only.

woodnbow said:

The harm comes from some of the shot escaping the shot cup during the journey down bore and scores the walls of the bore.

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Ridiculous. Not sure how any shot from the cup could jump the cup and travel faster than the rest. There's some serious g force compressing that shot firmly in the cup. Just don't overflow the cup with the shot when loading, and have a good firm overshot wad seated in top.

What about using shot wraps inside of shot cups, with the bearing balls as shot?
The hardness of the balls is of no consequence, if the balls don't touch the barrel.

noelf2 said:

Ridiculous. Not sure how any shot from the cup could jump the cup and travel faster than the rest. There's some serious g force compressing that shot firmly in the cup. Just don't overflow the cup with the shot when loading, and have a good firm overshot wad seated in top.

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There’s a reason though that most folks don’t use steel shot in old shotguns and manufacturers recommend against the practice. Even though you can be sure that all modern steel ammo comes with fully functional shot cups. Ridiculous as it may be, the use of it has damaged soft steel barrels and I’d never use it in any shotgun I valued. But you’re an adult, you should do as you see fit.

Jaymo said:

What about using shot wraps inside of shot cups, with the bearing balls as shot?
The hardness of the balls is of no consequence, if the balls don't touch the barrel.

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Maybe. It may work. If it does or doesn’t you’ll know soon enough. Again, I wouldn’t, only because the alternatives, lead or bismuth for those who need non toxic shot are readily available, work very well and are not that expensive.

One of the problems alleged about steel shot is that it's too hard for the shot column to compress once it reaches the barrel choke which can possibly bulge an antique barrel made with soft steel.

https://www.quora.com/Will-steel-sh... it is not,shotguns with milder steel barrels.

Thanks, arcticap. You got it on the head. Steel does not "flow" like lead. Regardless of cup or not you can ruin a good gun. Lots of older cartridge guns should not be used with steel and their steel is better than most 1800s originals or replicas.
I've even scratched up some barrels using reclaimed lead shot that hadn't been cleaned. I doubt the inquirers thought about the need for special steel shot wads either. Bearings are orders of magnitude harder than steel shotgun shot.
Bottom line: Bad Idea. Lead isn't that expensive.

excellent way to ruin a gun

woodnbow said:

There’s a reason though that most folks don’t use steel shot in old shotguns and manufacturers recommend against the practice. Even though you can be sure that all modern steel ammo comes with fully functional shot cups. Ridiculous as it may be, the use of it has damaged soft steel barrels and I’d never use it in any shotgun I valued. But you’re an adult, you should do as you see fit.


Maybe. It may work. If it does or doesn’t you’ll know soon enough. Again, I wouldn’t, only because the alternatives, lead or bismuth for those who need non toxic shot are readily available, work very well and are not that expensive.

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For the record, I strongly prefer lead shot.