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Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

I've been wanting to try the Rio load but the only place I see it for sale is Able Ammo in Texas; frightfully expensive at $47/25 rounds. Has anyone used this 1 oz. #6 load on ducks; if so how well does it work? Anyone know of a lower-cost source for this load? Iv'e also looked for 16 gauge Kent Tungsten-Matrix, no luck there.

Joined: 28 Aug 2014 Posts: 924 Location: Eastern Tennessee

I had heard on here earlier that until spring able would be the only source.

Member Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 1863 Location: Wisconsin

Joined: 16 Sep 2006 Posts: 334

Wolf,
I don't know anything about the RIO shells but I think if you find the Kent Tungsten Matrix it will cost you a lot more than $47 for 25 rds. The last I recall seeing on the shelf was around $30 for a box of 10

I have used TM #5 16 ga shells in the past, but they were unavailble this fall so I bought Rio Bismuth #4 shot this year. I used them on wood ducks in the early season here in VA and they worked well. The last part of the season begin tomorrow so hopefully they will work as well on the larger mallards and black ducks.

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Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

I have some of the 16ga bismuth, but haven't shot it yet.
Have used the 12ga bismuth loads to great effect. Very happy with it.
Suspect 16ga will be no different although they are a bit slower.

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

Thanks to all for the information, I think I will buy a box or two of the Rio Bismuth to try them. Several years ago I did well with the Bismuth No-Tox 16 gauge loads but I have very few of those shells left and the only place I've found them is at gun shows once in a great while. I don't have as much confidence in the Federal 16 ga. 15/16 oz. of #2 steel loads I can get locally.

I wasn't aware these were available. I would be very interested to hear how effective the 16ga #4 bismuth loads are on larger ducks, if anyone has first hand experience.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

Shot some 16ga biz (reloads) a couple/few years ago, did well on puddle Ducks and pass shooting creeks close in but ran through my small stash of shot that someone on this board made for us pretty quickly and haven't justified replacing. I too am not a fan of the 16ga Fed steel loads, although some use them effectively, IMO, they just don't reach out with enough density or power for the type of hunting I mostly do = no dog & small canoe, need to stone them cause chasing crips can be (is) a chore.

Jeesh...for grins I ran the numbers on cost of reloading some bismuth, at current component prices it comes out about equal to that $47/box... Shocked

...I'll stick with my 10ga steel reloads at ~$0.55 a pull for quackers and honkers.

Best of luck with your hunt.

Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 218

I'd like to find some soft nontox 16ga loads in #5 or #6 for pheasants on WPAs.

Looks like Niceshot has #4, but no 5 or 6.

Kent TM appears to be a all gone.

Does anywhere have the Rio 16ga shells in stock?

If not, are there any other alternatives that work well? I've heard negative reviews of the Classic Doubles shells.

Joined: 28 Aug 2014 Posts: 924 Location: Eastern Tennessee

If you are willing to reload itx-10 shot is about the cheapest you are going to get non tox, non steel. Runs about $22 per pound and 1 oz comparable loads to rio bismuth run about $1.45 or so a shell. A 1-1/8 oz load will cost you around $1.70 or so a shell.

Several years ago I was hunting grouse near some barley fields and saw a great movement of sandhill cranes. I was hunting grouse with a M/F 16 gauge but had some bismuth with me for ducks if I chanced into them. I tried the bismuth on the big birds and it worked? I took 3 cranes with 1 ounce of #6 bismuth at 25 to possibly a little over 35 yards.

I think geese would have been much harder to bring down because of their feather/down structure.

I've shot ducks and wild pheasants with #4 and #6 bismuth and haven't lost a bird.

So, bismuth is good if you can find it.

I have a digital photo of a crane, my spaniel who made the retrieve, and a nice 16 ga. but am unsure how to post a photo here.

Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 694 Location: MN

IMO...nothing crushes birds like Tungsten...but 25 shells would cost you ~$65...the Bismuth sounds like a deal.

Joined: 13 Oct 2015 Posts: 348

Joined: 28 Aug 2014 Posts: 924 Location: Eastern Tennessee

Dave,

Your point is well taken. I understood the OP was using an older gun, but it is good to know about the heavyweight.