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Bismuth is Back

"All gauges, All guns, All chokes” is a pretty good catch phrase for a dramatic late addition to this year’s nontoxic shotshells: Bis-Maxx Brand Bismuth Shotshells, from the newly formed Pinnacle Ammunition Co. of St. Louis. Bis-Maxx is the name for the commercial return of the popular bismuth-loaded shotshells that so many shooters have missed since the demise in early 2007 of Bismuth Cartridge Co.
Dan Flaherty, vice-president of sales for Pinnacle and a former executive with Bismuth Cartridge, said that Bis-Maxx shells will be loaded with the same bismuth alloy used in Bismuth Cartridge shells since 1992. In fact, Bis-Maxx shells are essentially the same product. Pinnacle will import shells loaded by Eley Hawk. Ltd., in the UK, just as Bismuth Cartridge had.

“Since Bismuth went out of business there has just been a clamoring for its return,” Flaherty said in June, when Bis-Maxx was announced. “I get the phone calls and, believe me, some people are actually screaming.”
“We foresee a very good first year, especially among the sub-gauges.”
Pinnacle Ammunition will import the bismuth loads under license from the co-founders of Bismuth Cartridge, Ken Elliott and the estate of the late Bob Petersen. In November/December ’07 we reported that another former executive from Bismuth Cartridge, Ken Levin, was working with Eley to import bismuth loads to the US, but licensing issues became a problem.
The advantage of the bismuth-tin alloy used in Bis-Maxx shells has especially attracted shooters who want to use nontoxic shot with older guns. The pellets are denser than steel, though not as dense as tungsten, and are much softer than both. Bismuth shells can be loaded and shot much more like lead loads, even in older guns and even through tighter and fixed chokes. (Of course you should always check with a gunsmith to determine whether modern loads should be used in older guns.)
Pinnacle Ammunition will offer Bis-Maxx loads in all of the major gauges. The Classic Sporting Game loads offer choices in 2-3/4” 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauges and 3” .410; Waterfowl loads include 3-1/2”, 3” and 2-3/4” 12s and 3” 20-gauge shells; and High Velocity loads offer a range of 12-gauge shells pushing heavy loads at 1,400 fps.
What’s missing? There will be no 10-gauge shells and no 2-1/2” 12-gauge shells, although Flaherty said that the short 12 is planned for next year. There also will be no loose shot for reloaders.
And the price in this era when all nontoxics seem to be loaded with precious metals? “It’s going to be competitive, price-wise, with the tungsten-based shells,” Flaherty said.
For more information on Bis-Maxx Brand Bismuth Ammunition, contact Pinnacle Ammunition Co., 888-702-2660; www.bismuthammo.com.


 

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