Abstract: A shotgun shell loaded with steel shot utilizes a number of magnetized steel pellets intermixed in the load in order to form clusters of pellets as the load is discharged from the shell to thereby improve the shot pattern of relatively lightweight steel shot, steel being less dense than lead. The magnetized steel pellets may be either randomly mixed throughout the load or concentrated in one or more areas of the load. If concentrated in the middle of the load, a much larger cluster of shot is believed to be expelled from the gun barrel upon discharge of the shell. A Teflon.TM. or the like coating may be applied to the steel shot, or lubricants included in the load in order to lubricate the inside of the barrel and reduce any increased tendency of the magnetized shot to wear or abrate the barrel as the shot is discharged therefrom.