12G new Englander and steel shot-The TC owners manual rec'd load

[arjay]

Hey guys. I bought my .54 TC New Englander in 1992, just recently bought the 12G barrel. I should have bought it in the 90's for $100, it cost me $450 on eBay 3 weeks ago, but it is a 'never been shot' barrel. The 12G barrel has screw-in chokes. Serial number is either 60,xxx or 100,xxx, that is the two SN's on my barrels, can't remember which one is the SG barrel.

So looking at my 1992 TC instruction manual for the 12G barrel, it show steel shot loads using only wonder wads and no plastic shot cup. What do y'all think about this? This goes against everything I have been taught or learned. BUT, it is right there in plain view in the manual.

I bought some 12G steel shot cups, but had the grind them down to be able to load them easily. PITA.
Bought some bismuth, but very expensive. I duck hunt and want to use it with non-lead shot.

Just want to see what other have experienced.

Mike

The only warning I see in the TC manual about using steel shot is to NOT use it with the Full Choke tube.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I don't shoot steel in anything, but I am not a duck hunter. I think it was a bad answer to a question nobody with any brains at all ever asked. Go with bismuth. It isn't like you are going to use much of it with a muzzle-loader. The New Englander was the most versatile gun T/C ever made. I was sad to see it go.

 

[piper987]

I don't shoot steel in anything, but I am not a duck hunter. I think it was a bad answer to a question nobody with any brains at all ever asked. Go with bismuth. It isn't like you are going to use much of it with a muzzle-loader. The New Englander was the most versatile gun T/C ever made. I was sad to see it go.

Go with bismuth. It isn't like you are going to use much of it with a muzzle-loader.

What is nice about a forum is it lets me talk about the issue and I usual answer my own question. I hunt wood ducks on a small creek with a few decoys. They fly for 30 minutes then they are done. If I am using a ML I may shoot 3 shots in a morning. The cost of Bismuth is nothing at that rate. I just had to talk about it for a little while to realize I already had the answer.

 

[BlackRock52]

Hey guys. I bought my .54 TC New Englander in 1992, just recently bought the 12G barrel. I should have bought it in the 90's for $100, it cost me $450 on eBay 3 weeks ago, but it is a 'never been shot' barrel. The 12G barrel has screw-in chokes. Serial number is either 60,xxx or 100,xxx, that is the two SN's on my barrels, can't remember which one is the SG barrel.

So looking at my 1992 TC instruction manual for the 12G barrel, it show steel shot loads using only wonder wads and no plastic shot cup. What do y'all think about this? This goes against everything I have been taught or learned. BUT, it is right there in plain view in the manual.

I bought some 12G steel shot cups, but had the grind them down to be able to load them easily. PITA.
Bought some bismuth, but very expensive. I duck hunt and want to use it with non-lead shot.

Just want to see what other have experienced.

Mike

I am curious as to what T/C said assuming you talked to them directly

 

[Historian]

Don't be afraid to load a full 1 oz load of the bismuth 4's. I primarily hunt woodies too and use a 1 oz to 1 1/8 load in my 20's. Most of my shots are under 30 yards too. Love them creeks and flooded timber bottom land. Woodies and teal are some of the best eating ducks there are. Good shooting to you my friend.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I am curious as to what T/C said assuming you talked to them directly

Probably the usual lawyer proof stuff!

 

[Reds]

A little late but here goes! I have hunted waterfoul my entire life and went through the lead steel change. I have always loaded my own so when the switch happened it took a little time to get a good load working. Ballistic Products was the answer with all there recipes and high tech components. I recently purchased a New Englander 12ga here on the forum and once received it was apparent steel was fired using the method listed in the TC book as there is many marks in the barrel. Mine has the fixed cylinder bore so no damage to the screw in threading. I have worked hard on polishing the inside and it has really came around. My load I’m using consists of a 1/8”over powder card, a BP TPS 3”wad cut for the shot being used, shot and 2 over shot cards. All waterfoul shot I use is bismuth with buffer powder and turkey and small game I use lead. I have retrieved numerous fired wads and none have been burnt or melted. Steel sucks and if you don’t want your barrel and choke crapped out use BPs wads and Mylar raps to help protect your barrel. And never fire steel through a full choke muzzle or unmentionable!!! Hope this helps and hope you have as much fun with that New Englander as I am. I am in Sw Florida and leaving tomorrow for a week on Marylands eastern shore goose hunting with mine. Going to use BBS and 2s mixed 85gr 2f 777 1 3/8oz bismuth. Lookout Geese!!!

 

[Sparkitoff]

I’d be more concerned with the choke tube than the barrel. There are “steel shot” choke tubes for a reason. Make sure you get one that says it’s ok with steel.

 

[Reds]

Yes if you could find a Kicks that would be the ultimate! Does anyone know what threading TC used? Steel always worked better with cylinder or improved cylinder, to much choke makes a more open pattern. The Kicks chokes and many others actually slow the wad so the shot can go on its own earlier and not be distorted by the wad. Mine patterns great with the standard barrel without the screw in chokes but I limit my shots to 30 yds or less.

 

[TC Tommy]

I wouldn't shoot steel shot out of ANY shotgun with a full choke.
Have any of you with the TC barrel and choke tubes, experienced any loading problems pushing in the wad or cards
with the tubes in place? Reason I ask is a friend couldn't pack them in until he removed the choke. Then when he went
to put it back in, the threads were full of fibers and manure from the wad. He started to carry a toothbrush after that.