Itx shot

Has anyone tried itx shot in your smooth bore? Thinking of getting some for my blunderbuss in #6 shot

I tried it for ducks when the feds ruled that water foul must now get their lead requirments et by the same paint the kids eat. It works very well, no better then lead? COST = I dont hunt ducks much anymore :shake:

Is there a reason you need non lead shot?

IN AZ only waterfowl require non lead shot. May soon bee other game, I know up north where the condors are released they have went to non lead rifle ammo requirements. :idunno:

According to the Arizona Game & Fish regulations, bullets containing lead are still permitted in the Condor areas.

They urge hunters to use non-lead bullets in those areas and even go so far as to providing free ammunition to hunters that are going to hunt there.

Now.... Back to the ITX shot. :grin:

It's good stuff for muzzleloaders, at least the original softer version (don't recall the designation at the moment). Super performer on waterfowl in #4, the only size I've used. Been using it bare in the bores for around 10 years now in three different shotguns, and nary a sign of barrel damage. Yeah, it's expensive, but in my guns worth it. Much smoother patterns than bismuth. Compare it to the cost of premium modern shotshells, and muzzleloader shooting is a comparative bargain.

Good to know, I just assumed :redface: it was banned when they sent me 2 boxes (a certificate for same) of ammo when I got a trophy 12A tag many years ago. I got the ammo and tested it and it was accurate. .243 took 4 shots for my 30" buck though so I wasn't impressed on performance (all in the boiler room) and he got up twice and ran 100 yds each time (after a wrestling match with my guide buddy, long story non BP and not appropriate here).

ITX is $21.85 a pound, while Bismuth Shot is a mere $16.90 a pound. :wink:

LD

Loyalist Dave said:

ITX is $21.85 a pound, while Bismuth Shot is a mere $16.90 a pound. :wink:

LD

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But if it takes 2# of bismuth to hit and kill the same number of ducks as a pound of ITX, real economics take charge.

:idunno: If ya can pay $17.00 a LB you can pay $22.00 a lb...just saying. A lot of us dont mind payng substantially more for a nice Pedersoli 12 GA VS a MUCH Less expensive CVA double but we then wanna save $5.00 on shot
:youcrazy:

ITX worked best for me so the $$ would not be an issue. I plan on cleaning a shed out "soon" (yes dear) and I believe I will find my old decoys. May just have to get back into it. I sure used to love duck hunting.......but I'm older now and the thought of 4:00 AM in a raft setting decoys is just a tad less intriguing than it was when I was "invincible" :hmm: If I do I will go with #4 ITX as #4 lead was all I shot over decoys in the day and thats what I bought in ITX (may even find some old ITX in amoungst the treasures that await)

azmntman said:

I plan on cleaning a shed out "soon" (yes dear) and I believe I will find my old decoys. May just have to get back into it. I sure used to love duck hunting.......

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Pick your spot with care, one that allows a decoy spread at 10-15 yards from a very good hiding spot. Action will be close and fast, but even flares keep the birds within the 25-30 yard effective range of an open choke. In my neck of the woods the birds are accustomed to decoy spreads out around 30-40 yards, and they're suckers for close spreads in the right spot.

Bring a modern shooter along with you while you're at it. I'm betting you get to shoot his limit too, as the pattern from his modern gun with high performance shells is about 3" wide at 10-15 yards, and he's not going to be hitting much. Meanwhile you'll be using a big ole fly swatter on those close birds, and they're rain from the sky. :thumbsup:

For hunting water fowl

:shocked2: :shocked2:

Well.. it may not be too much more when buying shot by the pound but..

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/ITX-50-cal-487-non-toxic-roundball-12-balls/productinfo/TXRB50/

Read the quantity for the closest thing to 490 round ball they have..

11.99 sounds cheap till you realize you get 12 lousy balls.. My suppository gun ain't that expensive to shoot!

I've been using it for years (ITX10). Works well for my ducks. I do use a heavy shot cup. I seldom have to make a second shot.

BrownBear said:

and nary a sign of barrel damage.

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How much is "nary"? I've considered it in a couple of the orginal fowlers I hunt with, but have been scared off because of the tungsten ITX contains.

Have stuck with lead or bismuth, which has performed very well. Can you detect any scoring, or any other signs of wear from using it?

None whatsoever in 3 different guns- All are modern repros rather than originals, so I have no clue about the results with other metals in original barrels.

I used 45 grains #6 ITX by volume with about 40 grains of 2f Goex BP with a lubed fiber wad in my 28 gauge while jackrabbit hunting a couple of weeks back.

The pattern was kind of oval or football shaped and it shot a bit low at 30 yards. It probably was due to the way I was aiming. I broke a piece up with a pair of needle nose pliers and it is some kind of pressure compressed iron/tungsten mix with a hard polished shell over-casing.

Next time I go out for jacks I think I will try a slightly larger load of equal powder to shot and maybe eliminate the fiber wad or at least cut the wad in half.

Overall I like it and the smaller gauge makes it more economical and the shot size makes it pretty versatile for quail, dove, rabbits and on up to small dog sized jacks.

Cpl. Ashencheeks said:

I broke a piece up with a pair of needle nose pliers and it is some kind of pressure compressed iron/tungsten mix with a hard polished shell over-casing.

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It's odd stuff, isn't it? I found that it takes a lot of pressure to break it with the first squeeze of the pliers, but if you give it a moderate squeeze first, then a second lighter squeeze it comes apart easily.

Dunno what to say about the pattern shape, unless you're just watching it hit along the ground and seeing the pattern "stretch" across the ground to give it the football shape. If that makes any sense at all. Comparing it to patterns with lead shot, it makes me wonder if you're getting some serious stringing in your pattern with ITX.

No experience with a 28 gauge ML (darn it all anyway!), but in all my smoothies down to 20 gauge 1F Goex gives much smoother patterns than I've ever experiences with 2F. If you can lay your hands on some, you might include it in your load experiments. I know I sure would.