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This 12 Gauge shotshell by Fiocchi is loaded with 1-3/8 ounces of #6 bismuth shot. Bismuth is nontoxic, which makes it a perfectly legal choice for bagging ducks. But steel is also nontoxic – not to mention cheaper – so why choose bismuth instead?
The answer to that question is density. Steel has a density of 7.86 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc), whereas bismuth’s density is 24% higher at 9.75 g/cc. That is why this shell’s #6 bismuth shot pellets are able to conserve approximately the same amount of momentum as standard #4 steel shot pellets. This shell’s 1-3/8 ounce shot column also contains approximately 349 individual pellets. If it was loaded with the same amount of #4 steel shot, it would only fire about 185 pellets. In other words, a Golden Waterfowl Bismuth shell’s significantly denser pattern is due to put a whole lot more holes in a duck!
Bismuth is far more resistant to corrosion than steel, which means exposure to damp wetland environments is less likely to make this shell’s shot coarse and pattern less efficiently as a result. Fiocchi’s sealed hull does do its part to keep water from spoiling its sensitive primer and powder, however. Made in Missouri!