Can you use steel shot in older shotguns from the 50's and 60's. Will it damage the barrel or chokes.

Thanks

It certainly may damage the barrel.You can however use bismuth shot although the cost is higher.

You should have the full choke reworked to a modified choke and lengthen the forcing cone by a gunsmith. You can use bismuth but will find that the shells are very costly as previously mentioned.

The older shotgun barrels were not designed to fire steel shot because they had no regulations mandating the use of non toxic shot back then.

Steel has no give to it like lead does and puts far greater stress on the choke of your barrel. You can end up splitting the end of your barrel if you fire steel through it.

Thanks for the help. If I get a new shotgun do I have to get specific chokes to use steel. My nephew has a 870 (wingmaster?) and he has one choke that say's steel or lead. Does this mean the other chokes aren't safe for steel?
Thanks

Steel shot was not in production,nor were there any regs on it for it wasn,t even invented yet! it was only produced for the regs that came down the line. If one does as trailer stated and have the forcing cone recut and open your choke to Mod or put a choke system in it,for the amount of shells that will be shot it won,t hurt anything if your older gun is in good conditioin and inspected by a reputable gunsmith. vangunsmith