HEVI-Bismuth No. 5 load update

[Billy hill]

35 yards is (guess) where my average shot is. I shoot out to 50 yards quite often. I wont shoot birds in at 25 or less. #24 mec collet, 21.9 win super handicap, waa 1 1/8 wad, rem gun club, 1 3/16 mec bar @ 1 oz #4 bismuth, fed 209a through a light full briley. 1300 ish fps. I weigh randomly, never gaep finish patterned it couple years ago. Works for me.

 

[Joe Hunter]

My question is if shooting a pattern at 40 yards and bismuth is like shooting lead, why are you shooting a modified chock and not a full choke.

This was nothing more than a straight up apple-to-apples comparison of several bismuth loads. I could have shot them all from a full choke, but I elected to shoot the Mod. choke since I have the most data from other shells with that choke, which allowed for more comparisons.

The Hevi-Bismuth shells were the lowest patterning of the straight Bismuth shells tested. Would they have surpased the others if all had been shot through a full choke? I don't know but I doubt it.

You're certainly free to shoot all of these loads through a full choke and post up those numbers so a comparison can be made about them.

PATTERNS / 40 YARDS / Modified Rem-Choke (.018” constriction)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (192 pellets) / pattern 126 (66%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 3” 1 3/8 oz #5 Bi (267 pellets) / pattern 143 (54%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 3” 1 ½ oz #3/#5 Bi duplex (226 pellets) / pattern 121 (54%)

Kent Upland Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #5 Bi (197 pellets) / pattern 119 (60%)
Kent Waterfowl Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (212 pellets) / pattern 126 (59%)

HEVI-Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #5 Bi (228 pellets) / pattern 85 (37%) “Original” shells
HEVI-Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #5 Bi (232 pellets) / pattern 114 (49%) “Replacement” shells

So if getting 50% with modified, shoot Full or XFull constriction. Until you try that which I haven't seen that you have done, how can you criticize the 50% in the circle.

I don't believe I criticized the 49% patterning performance from the replacement shells or the 37% patterning performance from the original shells. I said they registered a lower pattern percentage than the other shells tested.

I just post my findings/results so all can be the judge!

Good luck!

"There were 1.7 grains more powder in the replacement shells than the original shells and the replacement shells patterned a little better than the originals (+12%), but the replacement shells still registered a lower pattern percentage (49%) for a modified choke at 40 yards than all of the other five bismuth loads I tested."

 

[JP]

The thing that stands out is the Hevi Bismuth and several of the other bismuth cartridges didn’t achieve the standard IC pattern density (55% @40 yards) with a standard MOD tube.

 

[JP]

 

[JP]

This is from a Belgian Auto-5 twenty gauge with fixed FULL choke. Apparently, you have to really screw down tight on the choke to get workable patterns.

 

[Joe Hunter]

My question is if shooting a pattern at 40 yards and bismuth is like shooting lead, why are you shooting a modified chock and not a full choke.

If it's like shooting lead, then a Mod. is all you should need at 40 yards.

Here's some of my pattern numbers from a lead reload that I've shot (and still do shoot) a good many pheasants with and ducks back in the lead shot days!

Patterning results from a 12-gauge Browning Citori with 28" Invector-plus barrels using Briley flush chokes (patterns average of five, 30" post-shot scribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, and in-shell pellet count average of five).

12 GA 2 3/4" RELOAD (WAACF, W209, UNIQUE, CB1114-12)
1 1/4 oz #5 lead (210 pellets) @ 1220 fps
40 YARDS – M / pattern 155 (74%)

Good luck!

 

[Dr Swane]

I don't think so since... 1) I couldn't read the numbers on either box, 2) they had the first box picked up by UPS and then they shipped another box of the "same" load to me the next week, 3) all this took several weeks to complete from the original purchase, 4) since the load's components were different and closer to specs I must assume that they loaded those for me since (I think) they knew I would probably open, measure the components, and pattern them!

Sorry for being blunt but since they haven't been able to find the time to at least have someone contact me and answered some of my questions, I'm left to draw my own conclusions on these questions.

Anyway, now you can be the judge!

I know they switched hulls at one point due to supply chain, not sure if primers, powders, powder lots, etc were changed

Bismuth can vary as well when it’s dropped, how hot it’s dropped etc.

No excuses, but this adds variables.

Hevi sent out a bad product, and tried to correct it with whatever they sent you next.

Thanks again for the data. I like loading my own, even if the cost is the same or close to the same.

 

[Dr Swane]

This is from a Belgian Auto-5 twenty gauge with fixed FULL choke. Apparently, you have to really screw down tight on the choke to get workable patterns.

Fixed chokes, and fixed full, for most patterning is an entirely different result when comparing against factory screw in chokes, in my findings.

The fixed choke guns throw consistent patterns, and usually out perform the screw in chokes.

I have model 12 28gauge with a fixed mod, no other choked mod 28gauge of mine throws a better pattern. My fixed full a5 throws a more consistent pattern than any light full, or full choke in my other brownings. Just my findings, but others in the reloading circle have also found this to be on par with their testing.

 

[JP]

@DocS
The Full choke in my model 12 appears to be 8-10” as were many Brownings of the pre-choke tube era.
IMO, probably to help diminish lead pellet deformation.

 

[Ravenanme]

I have no experience with shooting bismuth threw screw chokes as all my hunting with bismuth is with old fixed choked guns !
I do know from patterning , bismuth performs very good with consistent patterns at 40 yds and farther with .025 and tighter
constrictions ! The farther the target , the bigger pellet size I chose to shoot , with a denser Core pattern !