.20 guage w/o steel or lead?

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Bullthrower

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I have a model 23 in .20 guage. I have read its not good to shoot steel through it. It has a full choke. But if I want to hunt public land on S.D. I need to use non-lead loads. My guestion: Is there a reasonably priced non toxic load out there? All I have seen is high priced matrix and bismuth. What do you people use if you plan on a lot of shooting? Am I reduced to using my 870 or go broke?
 
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Unfortunately those are the only non tox options available that are not steel. They do perform very well though.
 
i would guess if you can afford a Model 23, ammo should not be a big deal.
i can't imagine shooting more than 3-4 boxes for the season, matrix or bismuth in those quantities doesn't cost that much, split the gas with a buddy or drink cheap whiskey after the hunt for a change.....don't put shit in you 23, shoot it a little less if you have to.........:eek:
 
Re-blue model 23?

Guess I'm living proof you don't have to be rich to own a model 23. My wife & I don't even own a 4 wheel drive & hunt out of a Honda CRV hoping that S.D. Does not have the blizzard of the century! We are keeping our eyes on El Nino which depends on who you are listening to should provide us with fair October weather?
My model #23 Winchester was purchased about 10-12 years ago. I offered a guy $1500 for it & he refused. It was in the original case. Was almost AAA but had slight bluing rust which no matter what I have used cannot stop. Anyway as I got up to go to my car I heard him say:"Hold on." There were only 500 made that year. It's a plain jane but has increased in value ever since.
Question: Do I pay to re-blue the barrels or continue to oil? Will re-blueing reduce its value?
 
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Bullthrower said:
. My wife & I don't even own a 4 wheel drive & hunt out of a Honda CRV hoping that S.D. Does not have the blizzard of the century!
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I hunt out of a CRV too and live in Wisconsin. That thing handles like a set of snow shoes in the winter. In fact I traded my full size 4 wheel drive in for it a couple of years back when gas was over $4 a gallon and working out of town. The CRV handles better in bad weather than the truck did.
 
Bullthrower said:
Guess I'm living proof you don't have to be rich to own a model 23. My wife & I don't even own a 4 wheel drive & hunt out of a Honda CRV hoping that S.D. Does not have the blizzard of the century! We are keeping our eyes on El Nino which depends on who you are listening to should provide us with fair October weather?
My model #23 Winchester was purchased about 10-12 years ago. I offered a guy $1500 for it & he refused. It was in the original case. Was almost AAA but had slight bluing rust which no matter what I have used cannot stop. Anyway as I got up to go to my car I heard him say:"Hold on." There were only 500 made that year. It's a plain jane but has increased in value ever since.
Question: Do I pay to re-blue the barrels or continue to oil? Will re-blueing reduce its value?
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The value of a model 23 today is based on its quality level compared to other available sxs shotguns and its utility. For whatever the reasons, sxs people place a lot of value on originality, sometimes above condition. A reblued sxs at perfect condition will not be worth an original at perfect condition. This is based on so many guns being poorly polished by machine buffers and non original type finishes.
If you do decide to re blue, make sure you find a sxs gunsmith that will do the proper rust blue process. Modern hot salt blue process will cause a deterioration of the solder that joins the ribs and barrels and they will Literally fall apart.
 
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f.sanchez said:
I have gotten into the non-toxic shot. The Hevi Shot ducks has
become my ammo of choice for pheasants
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You're 2 for 2 pushing hevi shot today Mr. Sanchez. Please join a hevi shot forum if that's all you have to talk about.
 
I handload Bismuth, ITX and Nice Shot for my vintage guns for waterfowl .
You can hand load very easily using those options .
 
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