Ive been using a 10ga BPS for about 10 yrs for goose and cannot count the geese I've lost with steel. This year I went to a 12ga with 3" no 2 hevi-shot. WOW!! they really do the trick! Never lost a bird. I am going to use it this spring for turkeys instead of the 10ga.
Hevi-shot is definitely worth looking into even with the added cost.