Range Report: EcoTungsten/Nice-Shot

[roundball]

For the possibility of getting a chance at some geese on a local farm, I needed some non-toxic shot for my .62cal smoothbore...tried steel but wasn't satisfied. So I bit the bullet and ordered some EcoTungsten/Nice-Shot...the latest non-toxic and one that is advertised to be a direct replacement for lead in terms of same loading recipes, same performance, but no special shot cups, won't harm your oldest, finest shotgun, etc, etc, etc.

I tested EcoTungsten #6's today against my proven turkey load of lead magnum #6's as a very critical way of testing...looking for a very tight pattern to get killing head shots out to 35-40 yards, and found EcoTungsten to be as advertised.

Because my EcoTungsten shot charges cost about $3 each, I first check tested my smoothbore with a few 'lead' turkey loads, then several shots using 'nickel plated #6's as possible improved turkey loads for the future, then finally, I tested 5 shots of EcoTungsten. The turkey target below shows the average results at 35 yards through a 'Full' Jug Choked barrel, 80 pellets on an 8.5"x11" target paper with no shot cup. (lead=54 pellets, nickel plated=58 pellets, EcoTungsten=80 pellets)

Should be excellent for geese head shots in this full choke barrel if I'm limited to that due to 3 fairly close houses, or should also be fine out of the Imp.Cyl.+ barrel for wing shooting if I find there's clearance and angles to do that...just need to figure out the schedule and flight path the geese take in and out of that farm pond.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/A%20-%20Muzzleloading/082308EcoTungstentargetjpg.jpg

[BILLY D.]

Looks like a dead bird to me. Good job.

Where do you buy the shot? What company makes it? I'm running short of Bismuth.

Thanks for the info and demonstration.

Best wishes, Bill

[roundball]

Use the link below to get to the main site, then at the top right click "online store"...its in Palo Alto, CA

http://www.ecotungsten.com/shots.html

[BILLY D.]

Thanks for the link roundball.

That shot looks interesting. It's actually cheaper than Bismuth.

That will keep my Model 12 and my MAS 16 Gauge SXS up and running. They are ny 2 favorites.

Best wishes, Bill

[roundball]

Originally posted by BILLY D.

It's actually cheaper than Bismuth.


CHEAPER than bismuth ?????

[BILLY D.]

OOOOOOOOOOOOPS. I walked up my necktie with my golf shoes on.

I bought several bottles of Bismuth quite a few years ago at $79 for a 5# bottle.

The Eco brand is $60 for 2+#'s. So it's about twice as much.

Who gives a rats rump anyway. I'm not shooting Trap with it. It will be used for Pheasants, Partridge and Sharptails.

So far all I use it for is when I hunt on Federally Marked Land or Hunting Areas. On private land I can still use lead in this State.

The only sticky wicket is if ya get zapped with lead loaded shells on Federal Land. Makes no never mind what you have loaded in the gun, ya get burnt with a citation for having them in possession.

Thanx again for the info.

Best wishes, Bill

[roundball]

OK, that's apparently a very old price you're quoting...I looked hard for Bismuth before buying the EcoTungsten and it's basically impossible to find as it's no longer made.
I did find one guy who had a 7 pound bottle of #5's left for $165 delivered...on the surface it would seem cheaper price per pound, yet for me the only thing I'd use it for would be a rare instance of going after a goose with a Flintlock...so having 5-6 extra pounds sitting on a shelf would have been false ecomony...if I took two shots at geese each shot would cost me about $80 bucks :D

[Adam Helmer]

roundball,

Many thanks for the range report and descriptive photo.

I use lead shot in my .50 smoothbore flinter and 12 gauge single barrel on the Renegade stock. Non-lead shot may be in all of our futures sooner rather than later. Thanks for the data.

Adam

[roundball]

If that does happen, all the big lead production guys will have to come up with a substitute like this and that SHOULD drive the price down...right now, its too expensive (for me) to just shoot as a general rule.

They list their EcoTungsten as kilos, not pounds.
Each kilo = 2.2 lbs and I bought quantity two kilos.
Each kilo comes in a plastic bag inside a little box not much bigger than a pack of cigararettes.

This is no joke...when I set them on a shelf with my reloading supplies, I actually put a sticker on each one and wrote the price of $70 on each box...figure if I croak before I use it and they start giving away my stuff, I wanted somebody to realize how much it cost. :D

Next thing is what to do while hunting...for the world the stuff looks like nickel plated shot...so a game warden would probably assume that's what it was, and since EcoTungsten is so new he's probably never heard of it and would write me up.

The little boxes have the manufacturing labels all over them so I'm going to carry one of those little boxes in a ziploc bag, have a couple of premeasure reloads inside, etc. to be able to show him the official box if I get stopped.

[Dom]

Interesting roundball, thanks for posting.

Would this Eco Tungsten/Nice Shot stick to a magnet? If so, that would be one way to guarantee no ticket if you get asked, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[roundball]

http://www.ecotungsten.com/shots.html

Its made from iron, tungsten, and tin