Lead Shot For Sale
The antimony alloy composition of lead shot determines how broadly it is categorized.
Magnum or cold are the two names for the two kind of lead shot.
Lead is hardened using the alloying metal antimony.
Antimony has a density of 6.7 grams/cc and is a brittle, flaky, crystalline metal.
11.34 grams/cc is the density of pure lead.
As a result, lead develops a tougher pellet when alloyed with antimony; yet, the density of the pellet decreases as more antimony is added.
All varieties of lead shot are distributed by BPI by the truckload.
- Chilled Lead Shot : Compared to Magnum lead shot, chilled lead shot is softer and slightly denser. Many shooters, including Don Zutz, favor chilled lead for hunting loads due to its higher density and the way it deforms upon impact with prey. (Consider why hollow-point bullets transfer energy so efficiently. It's as a result of how quickly they distort after striking the target. Energy is transferred through the expansion and contraction processes.) Antimony is present in chilled lead shot in amounts of 2% or so.
- Magnum Lead Shot : Compared to chilled lead shot, magnum lead shot is tougher and slightly less thick. During the firing sequence, harder shot is more likely to maintain its spherical shape. Magnum shot's hardness advantage is preferred by some shooters since it typically exhibits more predictable patterns than softer shot. Magnum lead shot typically has a 4-6% lead content antimony.