Federal Heavyweight wrong size? UPDATE

[224tth]

I found some more #7 federal HW loads at Dunns.  I got 8 boxes total for me and a couple buddies.  We shot them in his gun this weekend.  When we walked up to the targets we noticed immediatly that the holes looked to big and patterns were thin.  We counted pellet holes and it was within 3 of last years pattern of #6.  We then counted total pellets in the pattern and came up with a count with 5 less pellets than what is listed for the #6. I know this has come up before, but how was it handled by federal?

thanks
224tth

[goblr77]

I have 6 boxes of 20 ga federal 7's now. I was not planning on shooting many of them at paper but now I'm gonna have to test one from each box. I would hate for my pattern to fall apart and cost me a bird. This really irritates me.

[Philippe]

Contact federal and give them the lot numbers, they should be able to take care of ya.

[savduck]

Check your lot number. I patterned some federal 7s this weekend as well as another buddy this weekend with two different guns. We both shot averages that were about 30 to 40 pellets off others normal averages with the same set ups as reported on here.

I put the lot number in my post on the 20 ga section. Both of our ammo came from Dunns.

My lot number on 20 ga loads was 37UT456

[SKFOOTER]

I found some more #7 federal HW loads at Dunns.  I got 8 boxes total for me and a couple buddies.  We shot them in his gun this weekend.  When we walked up to the targets we noticed immediatly that the holes looked to big and patterns were thin.  We counted pellet holes and it was within 3 of last years pattern of #6.  We then counted total pellets in the pattern and came up with a count with 5 less pellets than what is listed for the #6. I know this has come up before, but how was it handled by federal?

thanks
224tth

Are you referring to 12 or 20 gauge loads?

[goblr77]

Check your lot number. I patterned some federal 7s this weekend as well as another buddy this weekend with two different guns. We both shot averages that were about 30 to 40 pellets off others normal averages with the same set ups as reported on here.

I put the lot number in my post on the 20 ga section. Both of our ammo came from Dunns.

My lot number on 20 ga loads was 37UT456

Thanks for the info. I'm gonna check my lot #'s this afternoon. They didn't come from Dunn's so maybe they're ok.

[Aim@it]

Sir, How does this happen? Has any one discovered the answer yet?

[SKFOOTER]

Uh, sounds like a Quality Control problem.

[224tth]

These were 3.5" 12ga #7(according to the label).  The 20ga #7 had the correct pellet counts.

thanks
224tth

[goblr77]

Check your lot number. I patterned some federal 7s this weekend as well as another buddy this weekend with two different guns. We both shot averages that were about 30 to 40 pellets off others normal averages with the same set ups as reported on here.

I put the lot number in my post on the 20 ga section. Both of our ammo came from Dunns.

My lot number on 20 ga loads was 37UT456

Just checked all of my new boxes. That's what lot they're from. Checked a partial box I had from last season's testing....same lot #. I was barely breaking 100 with a 21" 870 and RSF. Getting mid 130's with a Sumtoy .562. I acquired a  26" barrel and a SSX choke. Might try it Sunday if the weather is nice. If it will break 150, which it should, I won't complain.

[224tth]

The lot number of the 3.5" 12ga #7 heavyweight is 16VX595.

We cut open on of the shells.  It had 296 pellets, 112 maroon plastic beads, and some white buffer in it.

We emailed and left message for federal.  Buddy also caled Dunns(where ammo is from) and talked to "bill" who took buddies number and told him he would talk to federal rep.  Federal called buddy next day  and told him to mail them one box of the ammo and they would reimburse him for his shipping and "see what they could do about ammo". All * boxes we have are that same lot number.

I will keep you informed about what happend from here.


thanks

224tth

[Quax]

My 3" numbers dropped significantly when I shot last yrs production shells vs 2010. I contacted federal and they told me to send them in and they would reimburse for shipping and shells I returned.

[K9Doc]

There was a quality control issue at Federal.  Any 12ga 3.5" #7s with an "X" in the lot number is a bad lot.  ONLY but lot #s with a PTH in the #. 
DO NOT BUY LOTS with and "X"

Found out from Rob at GobblerGuns.com

[savduck]

Shoot you know its bad when I just cut open a 3" #7 20 ga shell and it had 335 pellets and 107 maroon fillers. It has more pellets than the 3 1/2 load before you even pull the trigger.

[Ebby]

Wow. Thats' surprising about the 20ga loads. Who wouldv'e thunk that you had more in the 20 from the get go.