I Know next to nothing about shotgun shells and have a bunch of 12 gauge Federals marked “STEEL”, “2” and “1 oz. 2 3/4 IN”. What are these for and are they adequate for defense? I have some OO Buck but have seen videos of guys testing bird shot for home defense and having positive things to say. Sometime shooting chunks of meat with pretty nasty results. Thanks in advance, everyone. I might have other shells to ask about later.
EDIT: these are probably pretty ancient shells that my dad had in his inventory for maybe thirty or more years. I’ve never had a misfire shooting various shotgun ammo of his and only ask because I have quite a few of these.

A picture would help.

Just a WAG


12 gauge
#2 shot
1oz charge (doesn't sound right)
2-3/4 inch long


Not knowing I would not use them for anything other the range.


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Still Running Against the Wind

chances are they are older waterfowl shells...
I would consider them as more than adequate for home defense...
you should pattern them to confirm how they work in your shotgun.

I edited my post saying these might be pretty old which might make my description sound off. But that’s what’s said on the cases. I just looked closer and they are also marked “STEEL”. Does that bring them into the 1990s?

#2 shot would be good for waterfowl but 1 oz. shot load sounds light for that use.

I looked closer and they are faintly marked “STEEL”. Does that mean they’re at least from 1990ish? Or was steel an option earlier that I don’t know about? Rotten picture but here it is.

Steel shot was being required in a lot of places since the late 1980s for waterfowl hunting. Since then steel shot, or non-toxic shot, has spread to other areas.
For a 2-3/4" shell 1 oz of #2 sounds typical. 1 oz of steel takes up more room than 1 oz of lead shot because the steel shot is lighter. What you have sounds like pretty typical steel shot load.
They'll work fine for defensive purposes.

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183rd FBINA

Waterfowl load. Usual rule of thumb is if shot material isn’t marked on the shell, assume it’s lead.

I’d use it for HD if nothing else was available, sure.

Can check shot with a magnet. For waterfowl hunting, a larger steel shot size is used vs. lead shot to keep about the same weight per pellet. Smaller steel shot, due to its lighter weight vs. lead shot of the same diameter, does not penetrate feathers so well. The Federal ban on using steel shot for waterfowl hunting began with the 1987-88 season. Your shells are unlikely to be from much earlier than that, and probably later.

You are correct steel shot waterfowl loads. I would not keep them for "home defense" loads I would get new shot shells designed for home defense. With shot shells that old, I would be concerned with a "squib"round. In a bad situation you don't want a wad stuck in the barrel it wouldn't end well. Someone will chime in stating they have shot 50 year old shot shells with no issues. I have too but, if the shells have not been stored correctly or have got wet your likelihood of a squib goes up.

Cut one open and look for the "prize"Cut it open and if will show the shot size and if lead or steel. Looks older than dirt to me.
Would not risk my life on them.

__________________
Still Running Against the Wind

Probable date is 1970 or 1971, when Abbie Hoffman released “STEEL This Book”.

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Not in jail.

I loved his book, we tried several of the ideas in it and they worked. Joined a lot of record companies, Had some "defective" products as well.

__________________
Still Running Against the Wind

The State of Kalifornia & all Federal owned lands must be hunted with "Non-Toxic" shot, of which Steel is the most affordable. Everywhere, Waterfowl must be hunted with Non-Toxic shot. #2 Shot is pretty big, I use it on Geese. If they were stored in a dry place they would be very effective for medium range (40-60 yards) Self Defense. If your gun has screw in chokes, the choke tubes are marked if they should be used with steel shot. (NO STEEL APROVAL/NO STEEL SHOT!) On fixed choke shotguns, NOTHING TIGHTER THE MODIFIED should be used with steel shot!

Steel shot is lighter than lead shot so 3 things. 1) One Ounce of steel shot has more pellets than one ounce of the same size of lead shot. 2) to get the same energy as lead shot, steel shot hast to travel faster! (Most loadings are 20% or more faster) 3) Steel shot is harder than any lead alloy! So they do not deform and will hold any pattern better than lead.

As a small aside. To clean the 5 year coffee build up out of my stainless thermos, I cut open a steel duck load, and dumped the shot in with about 2 ounces of vinegar and a little dish soap. Swirled around for 4 or 5 minutes, and it looked like new! Rinse well, the vinegar is nasty in your morning java!

Ivan

I will never shoot a living creature again with steel shot. I have used a lot of them on ducks- enough to convince me I'll never do it again. I also tried to kill a beaver once with steel- a 3-1/2" 10 ga with 2oz #2 Steel at 15 feet. It took 5 hits.
Self defense? I'd use the gun as a club first.

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Steel loads of small capacities are meant for higher velocities. Nobody mentioned how many drams of powder. Those would be great for early teal season. I've killed hundreds of legal ducks with steel loads, sometimes shooting them a second time on the way down.

Steel loads were also used to shoot skeet over marshlands. Non-toxic shot are invaluable. Lead toxicity in places where ducks have been hunted over the years has caused the food chain to suffer. Birds of prey suffer.

If the shells have 3 1/4 drams of powder or less, they were most likely used for skeet over marshland. The shells look like they have more powder, which would steer me to believe they were for waterfowl.

No, they don't weigh as much as lead. They don't penetrate as well as lead. They are slower. It was a necessary exchange for lead poisoning by the thousands. There are non-toxic shot loads that have more lead-like penetration and velocities, though they cost a bit more. I'll use steel and take closer shots, following up with kill shots when needed. Glad they made the change, if nothing but for the future of our waterfowl and birds of prey.

Lead was outlawed........... and the lighter Steel pellet was put into service but, being lighter in weight , it needed to be bigger in size to work and also have higher speeds to get enough energy to penetrate 1-1.5" into a Duck, for clean kills.

The little 1 oz. load is used since it can reach 1550fps or more with a #5 -#2 steel pellet that can work from 40 yards out to 55 yards with practice.
Many hunters go to the 3" 12 Ga. for a higher payload and some even by the newer shotguns that have a 3.5" chamber to have the maximum payload working for them for Geese with BB to T size steel pellets.

Actually there is a lot to steel pellets, they are not the same and it all depends on their Density that they have per their makers. Here is a sample. (+/- )
Heavy Steel ...... 9.0
Bismuth ........... 9.7
Tungsten steel... 10.3
ITX ................. 10.7
Matrix .............. 10.8
LEAD ................ 11.3
E shot ............... 12
Nice .................. 13
TSS ................... 18 ($$$)

I like duck on the BBQ so I reload steel shells.

Steel pellets for SD...... ??
Might try to find data on this before using it.

Stay safe.

Steel shot in a self defense gun would be ok. As I have said before for target loads in a house...shoot 'em in the face. If they can't see ya they can't hurt ya and any shot in the body or legs at short range is really gonna HURT!!. I shot an awful lot of steel. It was terrible for killing ducks. I was guiding waterfowl hunters on the Eastern Shore of Md (35 years) I got to the point that the only thing I used actual steel shot for was crippled birds. We had a pit on a pond that everyone just threw their steel loads in a plastic container we kept on a shelf...just for cripples. All our regulars pretty much shot Heavy Shot or Tungsten Matrix. We could sit 12 in that pit and would shoot up to 6 at a time. When I went to Heavy Shot after shooting regular steel my kill ratio went back up to lead shot era figures....and shell use count went way back down. People that tell you that this fast steel or that steel load is just as good as lead...never really shot lead. Especially buffered copper plated lead. The one thing you do have to consider though...some of the early steel shells were not sealed and the main shot charges could possibly rust together giving you almost a slug sized charge going out there. I have seen that happen with many early steel loads. Remington sold some duples loads with 2 different sized shot and the case was not sealed. and they were bad about rusted shot loads

Eastern Shore of Maryland! Hunted there around Easton as a young fella several times. Huge flocks of Canadas dropping out of the sky and walking on top of the pit. Wont ever forget.

Early style non toxic duck load. Didn't work on ducks very well. Not much of an energy transfer. I have a bunch, not sure what to do with it. Not very good for hunting, not very good for clays, hard on older shotgun barrels. I inherited it from my father, also!

OZ

I thought I’ve read not to use steel shot in guns not designed to use them.
Just my recollection and I’ve never used them anyways, but I would verify that they won’t damage your barrels.

__________________
“Look life in its iron face”

I have one of those big plastic tubs with flap lids totally full of shotgun shells, mostly 12 gauge.
Just wondering how long they will be good. Kept in my workshop.
Not shooting as much now as the colder months are approaching.
Guess I'll take them to a gun show and sell them.

Check your range rules first. Our club doesn't allow steel shot on any of the shotgun ranges.

And also check whether your gun can tolerate steel shot. My owner's manual says I can use 7-1/2 or smaller, but not larger steel shot.

Steel is not to be used in old Brownings old Side by sides or over unders. not in M-12s or 50s etc etc. According to Remington their shotguns from the time of the later 40s to the present can handle steel. Many of the shotguns from the 20s-50ish should not be used with steel loads. Won't blow the guns up or anything but I have seen a few badly scored Browning Auto 5 bbls. Shotgun shells if kept dry will usually be good for 60-70 years...except some of the early non rusting non corrosive primers. A few of the early primers became inert.. Mainly seen with early non corrosive Win and Rem.

And as far as the huge flocks of Canada geese. yep.. I guided mainly in Kent Queen Annes and Talbot counties on the shore We typically held well over a million birds in those 3 counties. I once had a group of NFL players out and we had a toll of over 5000 geese into our decoys. I thought they were going to throw me out into the Chester River when I told them we couldn't shoot. 5 of them and we needed one(1) bird for a limit....with the Federal game wardens watching us...

Not a good idea to use steel shot in most older shotguns with modified or full choked barrels. Older Remington barrels are considered OK.

I was even told by one or two Remington engineers that I could even shoot steel in my old Remington 31 pumps and the 11-48 semi autos. I mostly shot Model 12 Wins 1100s and later 11-87s..Ithaca Mag 10s pass shooting then later Rem SP-10s with steel.... Still sucked

Could be. Apparently Remington has always used a tougher steel alloy for shotgun barrels vs. the other manufacturers. In "Gun Digest Book of the Remington 870", about the history of the Model 870, that is mentioned.

the main reason for not shooting steel shot in the Browning S x S was the solder joint. the steel shot could cause the barrels to separate after a lot of shooting. I got rid of mine because of that. it was a very good shotgun.

I should probably add that nobody really knows how much steel shot it would take to cause the problems. especially considering the cost of steel shot

Personally, unless your gun is designed for steel shot don't use it. It would probably be ok in a .729 cylinder bore riot gun with no points of choke constriction, but steel does not compress like lead and will stretch your chokes out. I would cut one open, and put a magnet on the shot and the high wall case. If the magnet sticks to either of them I would get rid of it, or shoot it in a gun you care nothing about.

Just my .02

__________________
Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

There are a lot of hunters and shooters that worry if their weapons will hold up well if they shoot steel loaded ammo.

It is true that steel pellets do not reduce in size when they hit the choke area on a shotgun.
It is also true that the wads used are very HARD plastic, so they will protect the metal of the guns barrel from the steel pellets.

It is also true that steel pellets travel at a much higher fps than the old lead ammo
so it will make a clean kill........ if possible.

Will they harm your shotgun?

well...............
maybe....................... ?

I did a fair amount of gunsmith work in Maryland when I had the gun shop. As far as stell hurting guns.. Yep it can happen. I had a fellow bring me an 870 that the bbl was truly messed up on. Looked like a black snake that ate a bunch of eggs before it crushed 'em. But it was from the ammo. It was a bad batch of shells from Kent. Don't really know what happened but even the plastic case was squashed down to about an inch and a half. It was a 3 1/2 inch case. Kent did take care of the problem. I did see some ribs come loose and some scored bbls and some bbls where the choke section was swollen and a couple of top or bottom ribs came loose in the choke area on doubles. Had a fellow that cut the choke out of a Browning A-5(he got me to do it for him) backbored the bbl a bit to get some choke back and the gun shot just fine. Had a fellow with a big ol C lect choke/Poly choke that lost the end of the bbl when he tightened her up a bit too much.. But they were soldered on. I also had an 11-87 bbl that Remington had Briley chokes mounted in that even with skeet choke the choke expanded a bit and took forever to (finally) get out. But this was in the infancy of choke tube making for steel shot. Much better now days. But with actual steel shot..there is no free lunch. Speed charge weight shot size... you can do it all to some degree...but steel is still and always will be a poor substitute for lead in shotgunning. Heck they have even developed steel slugs... yeah...great

Skeet 028;

Should we let the readers in on another well kept secret..............??

Lead is soft when squeezed by a pair of pliers.

Not if, but when it happens, I hope you have prepared for this little moment for us that use steel

If not "Gentle" your Dentist is going to love you for the bill he gets to hand you !!

I like loads like that for squirrels and rabbits. Only a few non-toxic pellets actually hit the animal. Seems like steel usually passes through a small game animal whereas lead doesn't. Especially the smaller stuff.

Best shot size for squirrel and wabbit is #5 but 4s and 6s work ok too. 7 1/2s will easily kill a rabbit but way too many pellets. Squirrels take a lot of killing. I shot literally thousands of ducks with 5s. But the best size on tolling waterfowl was #3s if you could find 'em. I bought enough to load waterfowl loads for quite a few years...copper plated #3s. In a 2 3/4 inch AA case...about 28 gr AL-7 red Winchester wad and an ounce and 3/8 #3s or #5s for teal and wood ducks. And yeah...any steel shot is REAL hard on a tooth. I have shot many thousands of geese and probably only cooked up a 100 or so over the years for my own use. Most were given to people who could use the meat or my clients who wanted the extras.. Ducks...esp the aforementioned woodies teal plus baldpates and pintails were what I ate. Corn fed canvasbacks too. My mother and aunts and uncles all liked waterfowl on the table. and unfortunately...seafood too.

A lot of hunters like the "Big" birds on the strap but it all depends on the area.

Ponds are great but Ocean salt water, brackish water can give ducks a "Certain" off flavor that I don't rally care for.

Sprig "Pintail" birds can have a different taste, depending on where they feed.
In the Pittsburg, SF area they are not that great but if from the Sacramento rice belt area, they are fine tasting, same with mallards.

I have yet to have a bad tasting Teal from the BBQ or oven
(oh my God) if you are lucky enough to swing fast enough to bad this little duck.

Plain is good but we some times soak the ducks in OJ and Brown sugar over night before putting on the BBq.

We tend to like medium rare for meat ,tenderness.

"""Plain is good but we some times soak the ducks in OJ and Brown sugar over night before putting on the BBq."""

What is the recipe for this, and is it good for other things?

__________________
Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

I've used the same to baste ducks in the past. Never hd to use anything on teal or wood ducks. Wood ducks in woods ponds mostly eat acorns and beech nuts.. and they sneak out to eat corn too. Mallards black ducks and occasionally pintails will cheat on ya and eat minnows. Baldpates are mostly grass eaters and like to hang around swans and steal grasses they pull up. Actually teal are not that hard to hit...they just seem to be a lot faster than they really are and usually at pretty short range. Not big but probably the best eating duck of 'em all....and the most fun hunting.

My Father thought that since we cooking ducks...............
it would appropriate to use, ( are you ready for this)..........
Donald Duck concentrate Orange Juice along with 2-3 cups of dark brown sugar, in a large pitcher.

The ducks were cut in half with the skin on and placed in a large Tupperware container and other spices could be added, if needed.

Before thinning with water, you can save some thick mixture (1/4 cup)for basting the final product, just before serving, as an option.

This is the basic brine w/o any other seasons..........
but feel free to add more.