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Rusted shot/ Ned s Load

3K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  geordie tom 
#1 ·
Just a heads up, i needed some A-STEEL powder today so i went on a recovery mission and opened up my old air rifle B loads that ned talked me into loading years ago. All the shot inside was rusted up. These never left my shell cabinet, and i have never seen another shell rust (i keep it at 55% humidity). So if you have any of these laying around, id check them. Mix of copper and silver steel rusted, the copper was worse.
 
#5 ·
I never bought into the steel slug story. I seen some claim it happens, but I haven't seen what I would call proof.

As to using a rusty knife. Would you use a lead knife on meat? Would you start cutting up a bird without plucking it? After cutting it up, would you dunk it in a swamp then let it hang on a string for 6 hours?
 
#6 ·
🤣

A few years ago, one of the guys I was hunting with seemed to have the steel slug going on. The first day he hit a duck at 30 yards or so and the blood spray in the air was like some bad gore comedy. The bird had a big old hole in it. The next day he brained a duck at 30 yards like he shot it at 5'. If it wasn't rusted together, that was some damn tight patterns. Damn fine shooting as well to actually hit them.
 
#7 ·
Copper plating on steel will eventually corrode. It has been my experience that the zinc plated BBs are less sustainable to this effect.

"Galvanic corrosion, also known as bimetallic corrosion, is an electrochemical process whereby one metal corrodes in preference to another metal that it is in contact with through an electrolyte. Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals are immersed in a conductive solution and are electrically connected."
 
#8 ·
I don't think mine was close to slugging, if that is even possible. I did save the shot, so I can post a picture tomorrow to show you guys what I mean.

I also opened up some copper plated steel BBB federal premium shells from the 90's to save the shot and get them out of the cabinet... not a speck of rust on them.
 
#9 ·
There was never a rusted-together slug of steel shot that came out of the muzzle of a shotgun.
It's a myth.
There may be rusted-together steel shot in an unfired shell, but by the time the "slug" goes through the firing process, the forcing cone, and the choke, it's just a load of rusty steel shot.
Iron oxide has very poor adhesive qualities.
 
#12 ·
I have never encountered any steel shells rusting, but i avaid all such eventualities, by simply only ever loading the amount i need or expect to use in the relatively short term future. Before the season i load a few hundred duck loads and a hundred of so goose loads, If i use them i just load on an as i need basis until i get through the season. I am rarely left with more than a half dozen 10s and a dozen 12s goose and 70mm duck. In covid 19 i used less than expected, and had 70 70mm fast steel loads, i used these on pigeon in the spring. curently i have only about 20 10s and under 50 1oz Fast steel duck loads and need to load some 3 inch 12 loads next week. this kind of routene prevents any such isues through rusting, and enables you to detail change loads if you get any supply issues or want to taylor or adjust a known load at any point or develop loads for testing.
 
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