NEW B&P “PROFESSIONAL STEEL” COMPETITION SHELLS
By John W. Rymark
Head of Quality Affairs
We are rapidly approaching the Fourth of July weekend, so we wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday weekend. They say with the cost of gas sky high that we’ve cut down on our driving. That might be so, but the crazies are still out there. Stay alert to what the other drivers might do, because they probably will.
We’ve gotten some press, but you might not have heard. Baschieri & Pellagri (B&P) of Italy has perfected the steel shot equivalent of lead shot shells for competition shooting. That’s a bold statement, but these are bold steel shot shells. The new F2 Legend and F2 Mach Professional Steel competition shells were a long time in research and development. Italy wanted to make them “The’ steel shot competition shell.
As a B&P customer, you know that all B&P shells are grouped into “families” of shells such as Competition 2000, Legend, Sporting Clay, Mach, Sporting Clay, etc. Shells are grouped into a shell family by their use, construction and performance characteristics. Our other steel shot shells are grouped separately by load such as Steel 24, 28, 32, and 35. Well, not these new steel shot competition shells. In contrast, these new steel shot shells have been given places of honor in the F2 Legend and F2 Mach families of competition shells.
Blind studies have proven that top competitors could not detect a difference between B&P’s F2 Legend and F2 Mach Professional Steel shells and the equivalent lead shot competition shells. How did B&P do it? B& P combined a revolutionary compact wad design that prevents the steel from touching the barrel or choke. Next, they specially hardened and polished the steel for optimum flight characteristics. Finally, they balanced exactly the right steel shot velocity, shot size, shot count and powder charge to precisely duplicate the performance of 7 ½ lead shot, at 40 yards, traveling at 1230 and 1300 feet per second, respectively.
There are four good reasons to start shooting the F2 Legend and F2 Mach Professional Steel competition shells. First, some clubs already have lead restrictions. Watching California and clubs here in Illinois, someone who doesn’t want you to shoot at all will eventually start grousing about the lead. If it isn’t lead and the California Condor, it will be geese, ducks, or Aunt Minnie’s poodle. Second, the cost of lead is going to continue its upward climb. At some point, steel shot competitive shells will allow you to pay a bit less and shoot a bit more. Third, while we can continue to do it, our case price includes shipping to the lower forty-eight. Lastly, these are really beautifully patterning shells. You are cordially invited to order them on this website or by calling Kaltron Outdoors at 630.350.1116, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. CST.
Good luck and good shooting.
