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<  16ga. Ammunition & Reloading  ~  The Manufacture of Bismuth Shot
STV311A
PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 4:41 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 05 Mar 2017
Posts: 34
Location: AL

Hello Gentlemen.

My name is Rob and I have been making my own bismuth shot for the last 2 plus years. I am more than willing to share this process with my fellow hunters. Before doing so I want to make sure that there is enough interest in the topic. Like most of you I lead a fairly busy life. I am tied up with full time job and graduate school. Therefore before launching this topic and getting involved I am just curious if there is a real desire among some of those on this site to learn this process. People have asked what my personal savings are and I save between 50% to 60% on my shells vs buying factory loads. This is of course dependent on how much you buy (raw material) and how much you shoot. I have promised to also discuss this on another site as well and will be posting this there.

I will be monitoring this thread for about a week. If the interest is there I will proceed.

Have a wonderful Easter.
Very Happy

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Rob
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skeettx
PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 4:53 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9455
Location: Amarillo, Texas

YES!
I would like to learn more!!
Mike

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Carlos
PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 8:03 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 602
Location: Victoria BC Canada

I have several older guns that are not steel capable. Nice & Hevi shot are expensive. Any time I can cut the cost by half I am right there. Mostly I hunt ducks from a canoe in a tidal marsh. Unless the ducks become very dead, they get into the crap and are very hard to find. I am a lead bullet caster, and aware of the short drop method of making shot.

Count me in!
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AmericanMeet
PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 10:51 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 26 Apr 2010
Posts: 3172
Location: NCWa

I am willing to learn Smile
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byrdog
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:09 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 22 Aug 2011
Posts: 1498
Location: the Moosehorn

Do Tell

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popplecop
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:19 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 09 Jun 2005
Posts: 885
Location: Wisconsin

Me too!

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kgb
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:39 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1256
Location: Nebraska

Sounds interesting.

Also, and this applies to anybody reloading any non-tox, how do you convince an official that your reloads are not constructed using tox?

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Bore, n. Shotgun enthusiast's synonym for "gauge" ; everybody else's synonym for "shotgun enthusiast." - Ed Zern
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MaximumSmoke
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 8:46 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida

See this from 1995: http://www.hotkey.net.au/~orrs/BismuthArticle/index.htm

However, times and alloys and techniques change, and I'd sure like to hear how another fellow successfully does it.
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Wiley Marine
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 8:55 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Dec 2016
Posts: 44
Location: Socorro,NM

I also would like to learn how,Please proceed.

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MaximumSmoke
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 9:06 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 01 Dec 2005
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Location: Minnesota and Florida

KGB -- I wont say game wardens never trust what is written on the outside of the shell, but they shouldn't. Some use this type of test device: http://www.streamsystems.com/stream_website/hotshot/more_info/hotshot.htm

Otherwise they can test your birds or disassemble your shells, or take them as evidence if they have suspicion enough, but even by taking your shells apart on the spot, few wardens not equipped with the Hot-Shot device above can tell one kind of shot material from another.
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STV311A
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 10:24 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 05 Mar 2017
Posts: 34
Location: AL

kgb wrote:
Sounds interesting.

Also, and this applies to anybody reloading any non-tox, how do you convince an official that your reloads are not constructed using tox?


You can tell bismuth from lead very easily and a Hot Shot detector will also tell very easily. Plier test, lead will mash flat and bismuth will mash too but will usually split or crack some on one side due to it being a little harder than lead.

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Rob
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STV311A
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 10:31 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 05 Mar 2017
Posts: 34
Location: AL

MaximumSmoke wrote:
See this from 1995: http://www.hotkey.net.au/~orrs/BismuthArticle/index.htm

However, times and alloys and techniques change, and I'd sure like to hear how another fellow successfully does it.


Yes, I ran across this article years ago. It actually launched my enthusiasm into making my own bismuth shot. However the poor Aussies go to way too much trouble particularly with their coolant. My method does take attention to detail and time. It is not a rushed process and does require patience but it is thoroughly worth it.

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Rob
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Brewster11
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 10:52 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 08 Feb 2009
Posts: 1301
Location: Western WA

I am very keen to learn more about bismuth shot and it's production. Along with its non-toxicity, bismuth might have advantages from its apparent superior "fluidity" in the barrel resulting in lower pressures than other non tox shot.
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AmericanMeet
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 12:15 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 26 Apr 2010
Posts: 3172
Location: NCWa

I don't know the brand of shell analyzer used by game agents in Washington state, but the ones they use indicates if the shot is lead or not. the gadget isn't designed to indicate what other sort of metal is in or not in the shell. Due to the wide variety of non-tox shot now available, the agents aren't concerned with what it is, as long as it isn't lead.
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Ohio Wirehair
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 12:42 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 24 Jul 2016
Posts: 546
Location: Ohio

I wanna learn!
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