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Comparing Steel to Kent TM


Novaduckhunter

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I'm going to try some new loads this year. I was looking at Kent TM and its one of the only Non-toxic that I don't have to break the bank to shoot.

 

It says its 40% denser then Steel. Wouldn't that also mean it has 40% less pellets then steel in the same shot ounce. For example, 1.25 ounces of steel shot in #5 shot has about 304 pellets. That would make a 1.25 ounce shot of #5 Kent's TM about 182 pellets, right??? (304 multiplied by .6=182)

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Hmm, the prices I have seen on the Kent TM isn't what I would call wonderful. They add up to be about $2.00 a shell. Still, better than bismuth, which runs about $2.50 a shell. If you have a better price, let me know.

 

At any rate, density does not equal weight. Density is a function of mass (weight) to a specified volume. According to Kent, Tungsten-Matrix comes in at 10.25 g/cm^3. Good ol' steel is about 7.85 g/cm^3 (lots of variation here). Kent's approximation of 40% is generous. I would say that they are erroring on the side of caution.

 

However, since you specified an approximate weight (an ounce), you should be in the clear. What you are solving for is the volume, which in this situation takes the form of #5 pellets... eh, a bit rough, but it'll do.

 

So... Yeah, I think your math floats. Calculating it on my densities, I come up with 153 pellets per 1.25 ounces.

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Nope.

Density is a matter of weight per mass, not a matter of size or volume.

 

#5 shot is #5 shot, and whether the shot are steel, lead, bizmuth, or depleted uranium, they are all the same size. Therefore, any given shot cup will hold about the same number of #5 steel as #5 lead, and so on.

 

The advantage to using more dense shot is that the shot carries more energy over greater distances. With more energy, you could use #6 TM with results equivalent or better than #4 steel.

Using smaller, but more dense shot will help to fill voids in your pattern while still delivering ample fatal energy to the target.

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First off, enjoy TM's 2005/2006 price while it lasts. Kent just sent out the letter announcing the 40%+ price increase. New MSRP will be closer to $30/10 pack.

 

I don't exactly get Tucker's discussion as many shell makers use different sized shot cups. The shell holds what it holds, pretty simple stuff.

 

I shot maybe 600 rounds of Kent TM in that last two seasons. I was not impressed right off, and pretty much just shot up what I had to get rid of it. I think Kent makes a poor shell overall, steel and/or TM. I think they are slow, the brass stinks, and their loading process is inconsistant at best.

 

99% of my shell related malfunctions are with Kent products.

 

But, since there are really no other non-toxic non-steel solutions right now, I'd say buy the TM @$20 per box and see what it does in your guns.

 

mudhen - CA

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Although my post fell behind yours, Cleric; and I led off with a "Nope", I was addressing the OP and not you.

I didn't see your post until after mine was sent.

 

I'm no physiscist, and perhaps I misstated what it was I was trying to say, which is in essence what mudhen said.

 

Given an equal shot cup (volume?), the pellet count of a shell full of #5 steel and a shell full of #5 TM will be practically the same.

 

The advantage to using more dense materials is in the downrange energy delivered on the target.

Shot sizes being equal, TM will deliver more energy at a given distance than will steel.

 

[ 10-16-2006, 04:39 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

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Thanks for clearing that up. I obviously got weight mixed up with weight of a certain volume(I think :confused: ).

 

I was trying to figure out how many pellets a certain shell of Kent TM would have in a certain shot number and shot ounce. Does someone know of a chart or can give me a formula to figure this out, to avoid more mistakes on my part.

 

Tucker: Thank you, I understand what you are saying about the pellet count and a given shot cup will hold the same number of #5 steel as it will #5 lead or Kent TM and so on.

 

The best price I can find on Kent TM is from Cabelas which is $20-$26 per box for 10 12ga shells. Not great, but I think I fired less then 80 or so shells last duck season so I can afford it at that rate. I'm also trying new loads because I cut open a couple of the loads I planned on using this year and found that the pellets where deformed and not true to the listed shot size.

 

Again, thanks all for the help!

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Doh! Sorry Tuck. I should have figured you wouldn't insult my fading high-school science skills (how many years ago...?). :D

 

The best determination I've heard for determining pellet count is to cut the desires shells open. Fancy math will only give you approximates and Kent doesn't have a listing of that information (that I am aware of).

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A little off the original topic. My question is I can buy 1 1/8 ounce Winchester Xperts in #2 shot for $8 a box, and when you go to anything over that in 3" magnums the price per box of 25 doubles. Is there that big of performance improvement when you go from 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 or 1 3/8 ounce loads?

The price for fun goes up considerably, so before I give them all a try I wanted to ask here. So far killing my share of ducks with the cheap stuff.

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I suspect you will get a bag of mixed answers on that question. While more pellets typically mean more opprotunities to kill down-range, that doesn't mean they will always pattern well. In addition, consider the range and size of your desirable spread of shot.

 

Perhaps pattern both and hunt both and see what works best for you. I would suspect that if you are harvesting the number of birds you would like to already, the move up in payload and price isn't worth it.

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I was planning on use Winchester Xpert in #2 shot before I cut a few of the shells open. I counted the pellets and where close in the amount that the shell should have had but the individual pellets where deformed and not the listed shot size. I didn’t accurately measure the pellets, but some seemed to be the same size as BB shot and others closer to #5 shot. All in one #2 shot load. For now I will still use this load (because it patterned great) until I can find a load in similar shot size that patterns well.

 

Federals link at the bottom show the approx. amount of pellets a given shot size and ounce will have.

http://www.federalpremium.com/default.asp?menu=1&s1=3&s2=1&sec=4

 

[ 10-17-2006, 04:12 PM: Message edited by: Novaduckhunter ]

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I think I am getting the answers I expected, that being a variety. My impression is experiment a little and see what works, doesnt really cost that much to find out.

 

I am getting my share of ducks the the number of shots per duck is high so thank God for a lot of targets. Could be my shooting or any number of different things, so keep trying.

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I have been duck hunting for a while now and I have to say, the best rounds that I have ever used are Winchester Expert High Velocity in #2,3 and 4 shot. 3" shells cost me about $9 a box and 3 and 1/2" shells cost me about $12 a box. I even use the 3" high velocity as my pheasant shells, they always do the job. In my opinion Kent is not worth it.

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I ordered a box of #5 and #3 Kent TM in 3" 1.5 oz just in time. From what I found Kent has stopped production of these shells because of rising material prices. Cabelas, Mackspw and most of the other retailers don't have any left. I wish I would have ordered a couple more boxes while I still could. If anyone knows where I can get Kent TM waterfowl loads please let me know.

 

As for pellet count this is what I found.

 

1 ounce of #1 shot= 75 pellets

#3 shot= 117 pellets

#5 shot= 157 pellets

That should give my loads about 229 pellets for #5 shot and 175 pellets for #3 shot. I'll try Kent's Faststeel and maybe some federal loads in my gun and get a new choke tube for this season.

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