Tungsten May Get Ok

Waterfowlers may have another type of shotshell next year as an alternative to steel shot.

The Federal Cartridge Co. said it has asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to approve the use of its new non-toxic tungsten waterfowl loads.

The tungsten-iron shot is 30 percent denser than steel, 94 percent as dense as lead, to deliver the speed necessary to reach out farther to large ducks and geese.

“Tungsten has the pellet energy of lead and the velocity of steel, but offers better penetration than either,” a Federal official said.

This year, waterfowl hunters again have the choice of steel shot or bismuth-tin shot. The bismuth-tin shot was approved last year and was used by a small percentage of waterfowlers.

Bismuth-tin shot is more expensive than steel shot. Federal didn’t say how much tungsten would cost.

, DataTimes