Hardened Steel BUCKSHOT - Is this even LEGAL? 

Steel has the added benefit of being able to be magnetically tugged out of flesh on game killed with it if it doesn't completely pass through. Could be promising for birdshot for duck hunting to avoid biting down on a pellet.

The waterfowl thing is federal. However it’s typically best to use non lead or coated ammo. The reasoning behind this is as follows: Birds pick up and use rocks to grind and digest their food. Sometimes they pick up lead pellets from shot shells. This grinds tiny particulate lead off of the pellets and poisons the bird.

The "F18 nose cone" target looked like an illustration of the effectiveness of sloping versus vertical armor on something like a tank.

Back in the 60s when I was a little kid my dad worked for Crysler corporation and could get the ball barring's they used in the power steering boxes. We used them in slingshots and for reloading shotshells. For them to work well they had to be loaded very hot and sounded almost like a rifle, they were devastating up close.

My dad is a Maintenance Technician for the postal service and a lot of their sorters use hardened steel ball bearings in the tracks. When these are replaced they would literally throw away hundreds of these bearings. My dad brought some home and we measured them, same size as 00 buck. We started reloading with them because they were free and lead prices have been going higher and higher. They work just fine for putting holes in paper which is what we wanted them for, but I have considered using them as home defense ammo.

Hey you guys probably hear this often, but I wanted to take a second and send you all a sincere note of gratitude. Thank you guys bolth for taking the time out of your days to film, edit, and release these videos out to the channels this and OG Danger show. You guys teach so many people's including myself about different aspects of firearms and ballistics. I truly appreciate it. Thank you all. J from Placer County, N.California

The important question is, did OG pull the trigger or did the shotgun fire itself?

OG. Non-toxic ammo for migratory bird hunting has been a Federal Government requirement since around 1990 due to poisoning of birds.

With the lead shot, seven of them did hit the target. During the 9mm shot I looked at the brass round embedded from before. After the lead shot, the brass round was damaged. Slo-mo confirms. Love the content. Keep doing what you do.

You have to drive steel faster than lead. When they first forced steel on us the factory loads were just lead loads with steel shot and they sucked! Many many birds were wounded because the steel just didn't carry down range like lead. My dad and I started reloading our own steel, we had a 3/4 Oz. Load that was running 1700fps and we started killing birds again. Finally the factories figured out the same thing and almost all steel loads are running at least 1400fps.

Can't wait to see the results of our product!!

Never change OG, your humor on these videos are gold!

"Lead poisons the unicorns." I want that on a shirt.

Greg just can’t resist. If it’s not a finger wiggle, he’s got his balls on a plate. Very credible & I like it.

10/10 on this, believe this best channel on RU-vid. Great shooting Greg an great video Jeff.

Its may not be the same without Danny however he wouldn't want TAOFLEDERMAUS to end just because he's no longer with us.

Always a hoot hanging out with youins.

I been loading #4 steel buck #0 steel buck and #0000 steel buck. I used slingshot ammo and loaded it to make a defense round the 0000 is paired with #4. Problem was finding components to stick with load guide tables. I found the mix 0000 + #4 round works better with BP #47 buffer for accuracy. I played with a few wads, most hulls used were straight walled Chedditte, Rio, Fiocchi and Federal. 3" worked best. I used clear OS cards and roll crimped like you guys do. Powders centered around 4 brands. I would like to use a bush wad and mylar wrap combo next. Good videos keep em coming

I came for the entertainment and was not disappointed, OG you are over the top and I love it!

Federal made (makes) a “high density” load of tungsten 00 buckshot as an alternative round for no lead hunts. If I remember correctly, it was also a relatively hot load. I wonder how it would do in a head to head comparison with the steel buck? Work related questions like if it can penetrate car doors, soft armor, tires, etc.

Given equal mass and velocity I wouldn't expect a big penetration difference until you started pushing 2,300 fps, which is of course out of standard 12 gauge velocity and more into 12 gauge FH territory.

Interesting comparison. The difference in the stated speed of the rounds on the box compared to actual practice reminds me of how the car industry used to understate the horsepower of muscle cars in the 70's.

You guys really put your steel balls on the table today. Another fun video thanks

Oh how I wish I had found this channel years ago. Your guy's quick wit and humour make all of the science projects even more enjoyable. Cheers, keep doing what you do and stay safe out there in CaliUnicornia! 👍

I would just like to let you know Jeff, Greg, and the late Danny that I bought myself a short single shot 12 gauge shotgun very similar to "Little Tony" because of your channel. Thank guys

Depending on target or backdrop I'd worry about ricochets the harder the ball bearing the more the bounce sometimes even more than rubber.

I'd be interested to see these go against a couple gel blocks in series length wise to see just how extreme the penetration is compared to its lead counterpart

I think the hardened buckshot's forte may be as an "anti-material" load, because although the pellets are lighter than the lead pellets they're harder and hold their shape better, thus forcing the target to deform (or maybe "distort" is a better descriptive?) more. I think this shows best when you guys shot the lead plate and the metal cone.

"Lead does not lie" . But, "Steel balls go deeper" . Dammit OG damn near piss myself laughing.

Again, an interesting test. I do appreciate the shot of 9mm carry ammo against the two 12 gauge buckshot loadings.

I’d be cautious with hardened steel buckshot as they will have a propensity to ricochet especially if there something like granite or heavy steel plate behind the target.

This looks like a classic example of lead deforming transferring energy vs steel zipping through.

Please, forever to keep Danny alive with all of us, never fully replace all the lead in the lead plate, that way he will always be with us in a small way. I know in a large way he will always be with us, but if in a small way the lead plate can forever have a touch of him, we will all appreciate it

I'm a 12 year senior of Post Falls, and was mighty glad to see this one. Not that it's something to be proud of, being from N. Idaho... but hey, it was cool hearing you say it.

Steel is less dense then lead hence the reason we go up a shot size or 2 while using steel shot for ducks and geese to get more energy.. Also in birdshot steel doesn't always seem to pattern as well as lead...since steal don't deform while going threw cake tubes it will.often pattern tighter then lead in more open chokes...but can often end up with blown out patterns in a true improved modified or full choke...and most manufacturers will warn u not to shoot steal thru there full or xtra full chokes

You have carried on well guys. Danny would be proud. I certainly am.

I love laughing at what Greg says. I miss hearing Danny he was funny also

In NO WAY, were cute teddy bears hurt in the making of this video. God bless you Danny!

"This 9mm that was stuck to my hip when I arrived." OG walking along minding his business when a random 9mm pistol leaps out of the brush and latches onto him! OG initially attempts to remove the mechanical tick, but find he is unable to. Proceeds like everything is fine, random firearms attaching themselves to him every few minutes.

I made some similar to that a few months ago using 3/8" steel slingshot pellets

I've made similar shells for my .410 using steel ball bearings so it is interesting to see how these did.

.31 cal is single O buckshot. Steel is hard but lacks the weight of Lead and Tungsten. Tungsten buckshot is the absolute best penetrating shotgun pellets on EARTH!

RU-vid unsubscribed me from this channel. A legitimately educational place here. Can't see why. Keep it up, gents.

That bear survived BOTH attempts on its life 😆

Maybe do a complete range of bullets against the lead plate. 22 and up. Also a barrel length comparison so people can see the big difference and then the lack of difference.

I realize it was a 'quick-n-dirty' video, but the true test targets (IMO) should have been a car door, and some automotive glass (front & side pieces). Frankly, the lighter weight of the shot does _not_ lend itself to hunting (except in a defensive situation, and even then it's inferior to lead shot).

1:58 my guess is it’s going to over penetrate. Most lead 00Buck loads would make it through a human target depending on the range but because the shot is lead I think they would transfer more energy than steel, I’d expect that steel to just zing through stuff.

Steel shot has been a requirement for shooting waterfowl for years in the U.K., and many sporting clay ranges are insisting on it now. Steel is much lighter than lead so requires more velocity to be effective, or less kinetic energy is the result.

Glad to see this channel is still alive. Enjoy it while it last folks.

I feel like the EP Buckshot could be great on things that are Hard but Brittle. Stuff like Cinderblocks come to mind. I'm curious to see what this does to ballistic gel.

Having bird hunted with both lead and steel, I predict the steel will be underwhelming. I was kind of right. The steel did penetrate slightly more, but not enough to offset the energy transfer. The kevlar test showed exactly what I mean.

I have thought about that for a while, loading a shot shell with steel ball bearings, (yes you would need some kind of wad cup to protect the barrel) my thought is it would penetrate more

I just found this in my RU-vid feed today. I always suspected it, but there can be no longer be any doubt: You guys have balls of steel. 😁

Thank you guys for showing this buck shot now I know to stay with my 9 36 caliber buck shot lead

I may be only 36 years old but I've shot hardened steel buckshot before and regular copper coated steel buckshot I know they make them they're a little rare now I think

The OG just mentioned Remington Steele! Total props for being old and cultured. 😁

OG steel bird shot is a federal law. It’s been federal law for waterfowl and coots since like 1979. Especially any of the flyways (Atlantic, Mississippi, pacific, etc). And then any federal wetlands and in Ohio by the lake we have to use non lead slugs when hunting the public marshes for deer even.

Here in the U.K., steel shot has been obligatory if you shoot over water, because wading birds and others can swallow lead shot while feeding. You do not want to shoot steel shot, especially buckshot sizes in any location that has hard surfaces in line of shot, because of the high risk of powerful ricochet.

Love this video. Tells a story. We all know that hard lead alloy is critical for long range, tight patterning buckshot as it don't readily deform as easy as softer lead. In this case, steel buckshot had a wider spread than factory buckshot, although it's harder (could of been easier to see at further distances). I believe that's due to the steel buckshot bouncing against each other, similar to what happens in steel waterfowl shot. BTW, steel shot and other non-toxic shot is a federal nationwide mandate that started in 1992.

The Navy Shore Patrol used steel shot for prisoner guard details. They guard was instructed to shoot for the legs to stop a prisoner from escaping. The steel shot was easier to pick out of the wound. I had a case of 12 gauge steel shot that my father brought home.

Prediction: boomstick go boom Had a boss who had a .22 pistol specifically for "drilling holes" in some special really thick tar goop shingles. It worked very very well and left a soot coating. The problem was that nails would bind up on the webbing inside and pucker the stuff into the boards they were being put on. So we'd just put a 2x4 behind where we needed the nail holes and bang-bang. Ahh the '90's

Iv made something like this by putting a bunch of small ball bearings in a lowbrass birdshot shells they performed pretty well and did some pretty knarly damage to the target. I bet thies would do great

while I was in the Navy, our shipboard security forces used it because it supposedly could bounce off the bulkheads and shoot ricochet shots around corners. That never made sense to me, because they also taught us to identify the target.

I have a friend who recently bought some property adjacent to that which he already owned, upon which stand two old abandoned (but in reasonable shape) houses. Eventually, he'll tear them down, but we've spent a good bit of time shooting various firearms/ammunition varieties in said houses at various targets on the other sides of one or more interior/exterior walls. One of the houses is an old farmhouse (1910s), one is a normal '70s-'80s ranch style with sheetrock, etc. We've been nearly flabbergasted by the ease with which nearly any 'real' firearm can retain dangerous/lethal energy after having penetrated a wall/walls. Since you mentioned walls vs green water, haha!

People called me crazy when I took the ball bearing out of every dead paint marker. I was on an assembly line where everyone killed 1.5 markers in a shift. I just kept grabbing dead markers. Had a few friends bringing them to me. Still have them. Would love to load them.

I think the main problem with steel buck is it isn't going to deform as much, and that seems like it would cause a loooooooooooooooooooooooooot more risk of it coming back to you.

If you look closely at the slow-motion, you’ll see that the steel pellet breeches the stainless… but doesn’t pass through. It bounces off.

One thing I think I'd like to see tried is iridium buckshot. Iridium is twice the density of lead, so that would seem, at least on paper, more stopping power. Biggest problem is, though, iridium is hella expensive, something like $137 for a .37 gram pellet. If some body put 10-12 of those pellets in a shotshell, would it even work, and if so, what would the ballistics of them be like?

Hey OG, I think your initial assessment was correct with the 7 hit count with the lead buckshot. The base of that brass slug at 16:39 has been damaged by an impact whereas if you take a close look at 15:24, it's pristine.

Actually, I've looked for steel buckshot, thinking that it might be a superior self-defense load because it would be LESS likely to penetrate through multiple walls. IMO we actually need WEAKER buckshot loads for people to use for home defense -- loads which will address the issue of over-penetration through walls.

My stepfather was the inventor/patent holder for steel shot. We had bags and bags of steel bearings in the house, as well a enough powder to blow up a post office. The US Army did a rather involved study to determine the effective utility of steel shot back ca. 1968. I had a copy of it, but it's long gone. I do recall penetration studies through windshields, car doors, and other barriers. One of the positive discoveries related to riot control on hard surfaces such as concrete, where the shooter looses a round 10-15 or so feet in front of the target. The steel, rather than flattening like lead, simply bounces, with the pattern flattening and dispersing laterally. They also shot engine blocks and IIRC, there was penetration into the water jackets on smaller engines, and carburetors were rather neatly wrecked by steel shot. My step dad loaded 000, 00, #4, #7, and #9. The buck could be tough on the barrel if send through without a wad. A friend lit one off and his bore showed denting, though I recall not having inspected the bore prior, so it may already have been dented.

The 118gr xtreme penetrators in a 6" barrel sig would be interesting, 1600-ish fps from a solid copper .355 slug compared to the slower shot. .31 ball bearings are less than 40 grains.

18:20 _"You can see your future in there"_ Actually, you see yourself a few nanoseconds in the past.

My preferred medium is #1 lead Buckshot. Magnum 4 dram 2 3/4” stuff. It has 20 pellets. Replacing half of the shot with the same .30” diameter steel pellets sounds like a good idea.

I miss Danny. Hopefully you will continue with quality program, Danny would have wanted it that way Let’s go Brandon. I ducked even in my living room when you shot the hardened steel against the lead plate. You must not have had a BB gun as kids? Steel against hard surface is how many a young man has lost an eye. I am old enough to remember when all cans were steel. Shooting BBs into steel can was sure way to lose an eye. Careful with steel projectiles, they will get you.

Won't be the same but Danny is looking down guiding your shots and I'm sure smiling every time you fire a round.

Have you guys experienced any sort of barrel or forcing cone damage from shooting hardened objects through the bores? I've seen your videos on the .68 cal hardened ball bearings, and now these have peaked my interest. I understand its not steel-on-steel in the bore because of the shot cup, but the fact that the projectiles are harder than the barrel makes me uneasy lol.

The magnetic design is used to electronically propel the projectiles up to 1750 using the rail gun effect.

Og, I bet you are the kind of guy who tries on funny hats at stores. The world needs more people like you, my friend. I hope you see this message and smile.

Fantastically entertaining as always and yes, the balls deep joke needed to finally be said. I tip my hat, sir. 👍

Since steel won't deform when accelerated by the mass accelerator, it should be more accurate. Will it penetrate better? We'll see.

I really love your sound effects when the slow mo is being shown.

Your "witness" looks like he's about to testify at Ghislaine Maxwell's trail.

Hey, O.G., it's me again. I've found that 9 pellet shot shells tend to force a flyer almost every round that goes outside the desired target "ring" where an 8 shot configuration tends to stay well grouped so, I predict that the 10 shot count shells will also stay better grouped. Post-o-facto, I think the steel holds "ok" but would do well in a beanbag round, having less recoil impulse and hitting effectively yet not quite as hard as the lead. Just an observation.

I'm really enjoying how giddy our boys get when putting sound effects on the slow-mo.

I love the added sound effects in the slow-mo clips. It's so ridiculous it's funny.

I would like to see how tungsten shot performs since it is 1.7 times denser than lead and 5 times harder than tool steel.

Harder and less dense material like steel results in higher muzzle velocities and better penetration at closer ranges - the steel doesn´t deform like lead and is therefore not able to dump as much energy into the target. But: lighter pellets tend to loose their initial velocity much faster due to air resistance. A longer range test would have been interesting, to see at wich point the steel gets outperformed by the lead, penetration-wise. ....on the other hand: 00Buck is not exactly meant to be a sniper round, so in the range it is supposed to work, it won´t really matter.

Awesome as always Jeff and Greg!

12:08 The steel ball that penetrated actually bounced off, it punched a hole, but it can be seen falling to the ground after it hit.

Did you notice that one of the steel buckshot hit the center of the 9mm hole on the lead plate?

Is there a plan to cast/re-cast more lead plates in the future?

Why steel instead of lead. When you shoot an animal with lead don’t and fail to recover that animal it becomes a meal for scavengers. Including vultures, eagles and other raptors. Raptors are highly susceptible to lead poisoning. One lead pellet is enough to kill even a large raptor quickly.

My dad sent a load of birdshot through a wall once and did such a flawless job of patching that my mother went to her grave not knowing about it. Another marriage saved through blissful ignorance.

I love it when Greg gets his gun out.

Yup, got the stuff here in Kiwiland (obviously for waterfowl, not for kiwis!). Previous owner of my SASS shotgun fired some through an old choked double-barrel. Still works OK after I cut the gouged ends off it. Checked by a qualified gunsmith, of course. PS Go stick a YouToob home page link on your Twitter site & see if it encourages anyone to come and Patreon you (and yes, I do).

"I have no idea what it'll do. I go into this with an idea what it'll do, but uh." -Jeff

Nice sound effects Jeff...I will stick with hard cast 00 Buckshot , thanks guys good video !

I make my own steel shot shells for my side by side 16 gauge penetration is damn good!

I want to thank you guys for helping me with my vocabulary I'm able to understand and speak different things just like you guys do like talking about balls on a table.