Do you have any tips for loading steel shot in a black powder shotgun?

Question

I have a BP shotgun that’s ok for steel shot with a chrome bore 12 ga. I am not getting much penetration with #2 and #4 steel bird shot (using ballistic gel) at 30 yards. I get about 2 1/2 inches penetration in the gel block with #2 bird shot steel. I am baffled! I have tried different charges and wads, what gives?

#4 lead shot gives me up to 5 + inches in the same block.

Answer 1

Check with a reloading supply shop. Try some heavy shot.

Answer 2

It's probably the difference in mass between the same sized steel and lead shot.

Lead has a density of 11.36 g/cc

steel has a density of ±7.8 g/cc.

You might do better if you can go to formed bullets as the larger pellet would be more massive plus the conical shape will be easier to control.

Answer 3

I'm not a waterfowler so my information might be faulty.  But I thought that was the reason most shotgun shell loaders had gone to bigger shot when using steel shot.

You know that lead shot is heavier than steel and that lets it penetrate better.  A lead #4 (3.2 gr.) shot is almost the same weight steel #2 (3.5 gr.) and of a smaller diameter.  Given that the velocities are almost the same, the smaller diameter pellet of nearly equal weight is likely to penetrate deeper.

Around here, most of the duck and goose hunters use either B or BB shot to improve the range and penetration of steel shot.

BTW, is tungsten shot economically feasible?  According to what I've heard and read, it behaves very similar to lead shot when it comes to penetration.

I freely admit that everything I've stated here is strictly hearsay or based on reading at various times.  So, while I believe these are reasonable statements, I can't swear to their accuracy.

Doc