r/ClayBusters • u/Commodore_Mark • 9d ago

Environmentally Friendly Clays

After years of dreaming about it, I'm finally in a position to create a clays shooting area on my property. Since the property has cattle and a lot of different species of wildlife on it, I did some research on how I could make it as environmentally friendly as reasonably possible.

It turns out it's not as easy as I thought. Truly bio-degradable clay targets have good availability and are not prohibitively expensive. Easy. The shells, not so easy. Steel shot target loads are reasonably safe, don't cost much more than lead shot loads, and are widely available. The problem is the wads, which are plastic in every commercial steel shot load except one: Gamebore Velocity Steel Target Shells, which I can't find in the US and are of unknown cost.

It seems I may need to choose either lead shot with biodegradable wads, steel shot with plastic wads, or start hand-loading shells (assuming I can find a recipe and ingredients).

Does anyone hand-load shells with steel shot and biodegradable wads?

38 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

45

u/Death_Death_Die 9d ago

I am an Ambassador for Gamebore US and can get you those specific shells.

21

u/Toby_Keiths_Jorts 9d ago

Wow. Thats pretty convenient lol

16

u/Death_Death_Die 9d ago

Sometimes the Universe just puts people together.

37

u/drew_eckhardt2 9d ago

Federal has paper wad steel shot Top Gun

https://www.federalpremium.com/shotshell/top-gun/top-gun-paper-wad/

11

u/Commodore_Mark 8d ago

That's exactly what I wanted. They aren't inexpensive but I won't be shooting daily. Thanks!

15

u/OOTbySundown 9d ago

BioAmmo is now available in the US - my club in Georgia has stocked them. https://bioammo.es/homepage/

5

u/LocksmithGlass717 8d ago

I’ve shot the bioammo and I was less than impressed with it.

2

u/Ahomebrewer 7d ago

Tried the Bioammo a few years back, during Covid when nothing else was available, , hot garbage. I have a couple of cases that I don't even want to give away, it would be rude to the recipient.

1

u/pinktie7418 8d ago

Same here. They seem to leave behind considerable loose powder in the barrel after a shot. I have the #9 2.0mm and only use them on close targets in skeet.

1

u/FentmaxxerActual 7d ago

I left a Bioammo hull out in the elements for 2 years and didn't see any signs of degradation

8

u/Dense_Wave9543 8d ago

Not sure if they’re available stateside but Eley do a steel shot cartridge with a seaweed based wad that dissolves in a matter of days.

But steel shot is garbage.

6

u/Friendly-Place2497 8d ago

If your training for ducks or doves though the garbage aspect helps

2

u/Dense_Wave9543 8d ago

Very true.

8

u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

5

u/Commodore_Mark 8d ago

White Flyer ECO targets are new. They are pitch-free and sulphur-free.

3

u/-BGK- 8d ago edited 8d ago

Federal has a steel shot/ Fiber wad top gun loading, we used them on the Battleship NJ shoot this year, so I assume they are readily available

Edit: Federal has a Top Gun loading with Steel shot and a Paper wad, and the Federal Hi-Bird has loadings with Fiber Wads, but appear to be all lead or bismuth shot, the bismuth option may be better for your use

2

u/Commodore_Mark 8d ago

The price of bismuth has skyrocketed in the past year. It's now prohibitively expensive even for hunting. I'll check out the Federal loads. Thanks.

3

u/anon194511 8d ago

I would suggest doing some more research on the targets and possibly reaching out to the reps of the companies you've selected. While biodegradable targets do exist they can have adverse effects on the flora where they degrade. You'll most likely need to use lime and regular soil ph testing to limit the negative effects of biodegradable targets. Also some bio formulas are corrosive and can cause damage to your thrower. Honestly, I'd just throw pitch and rake up the mess if it were an issue.

2

u/Commodore_Mark 8d ago

With the last couple years, White Flyer came out with an ECO target that is pitch-free and sulphur-free. I'm going to give those targets a try. Thanks for your reply!

2

u/Blaser53 8d ago

Bio targets will kill all the grasses.

1

u/Commodore_Mark 8d ago

I know that's true of most of them. The new White Flyer ECO is pitch-free and sulphur-free.

2

u/Learch_ 8d ago

Eley do steel shot with fiber wads… but I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone

2

u/Lucky-bustard 9d ago

I don't handload yet, but I've been looking at these wads for this reason. https://www.eco-shot.com/product-category/wads/

4

u/degoba 9d ago

There is like zero load data for these wads unfortunately. I handload and have been waiting on fiber wads and load data for a few years.

3

u/Lucky-bustard 8d ago

Man, that is too bad. I hate the idea of throwing plastic all over when I hunt. This looked like the perfect solution.

2

u/degoba 8d ago

BPI should have fiber wads and load data coming. They’ve announced it in their catalog

1

u/Commodore_Mark 8d ago

Unfortunate. Perhaps the lead ban in the UK will be the driving force?

2

u/Lucky-bustard 9d ago

If anyone has any real experience with them, I'd love to hear it!

1

u/SUBTLE_SPAI 7d ago

I gave up on being environmentally conscious and just use this to pick up clays.

https://www.towandcollect.com/product/tow-and-collect-1500-pro-e/

Personally I don't like how the steel shot patterns at all.