I got a question, my hunting buddy has a Stoeger m3500 and he shoots the Hevi shot ammo. He says at 40 yds in a 10" ciricle that the Hevi shot 7 shot is out performing the Winchester long beard 6 shot bad. I thought that a 7 shot would spread out too much for turkey hunting. What is your guys opinion on this?
With the right choke combination, shot size in and of itself matters little. Here's my pattern with 3" Hevi #7 through a .660 Jellyhead choke. There are countless examples of these #7 Hevi patterns on the forum!
http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,18285.0.html
:OGturkeyhead:
Quote from: HunterMc23 on January 01, 2016, 03:27:35 PM
I got a question, my hunting buddy has a Stoeger m3500 and he shoots the Hevi shot ammo. He says at 40 yds in a 10" ciricle that the Hevi shot 7 shot is out performing the Winchester long beard 6 shot bad. I thought that a 7 shot would spread out too much for turkey hunting. What is your guys opinion on this?
The Hevi-13 shells with 2 oz of #7 shot are very formidable and capable of cleaning killing turkeys at 40 yards. They can pattern exceptionally well and when you consider the total energy they carry to the turkey, they are always an excellent choice.
I look for even coverage in 10, with few if any gaps over 2" in that pattern. I also like to see a halo pattern, maybe out 4" from that 10" pattern just to make sure if there is movement on the part of the turkey or the shooter, he's still a dead bird.
As has been preciously stated, you also need the right choke tube.
Thanks,
Clark
7 htl is better than any 6 lead out there IMO. I've hunted with 7's for the last few years and they are deadly. Better pattern density cause your dealing with more pellets.
Are you talking about 3 1/2 Hevi Shot #7 And 3 1/2 winchester longbeard #6
Up here in Ontario Canada we are only allowed to use #4, #5 & #6 shot... that being said... I have a Rem 870 with a 24" barrel tipped with a Rem Ventilator choke tube (.655) and I always balked at the price of the hevi shot until I got a deal at a gun store closeout sale and decided to try a box
Photo is 12g 3" #5 shot @40 yds... paper is standard 8.5" x 11"
Spring 2015 we couldn't find Hevi shot anywhere.... otherwise I would have gone with the #6 for a few more pellets in the target...
Oh yes... I have since dialed down my POI
The first year I tried the Hevi-13 #7's, I loved them!! 300 plus in a 10" circle. The next year I bought several boxes, 20% of my pellet count gone. Where??? I don't know and neither does Hevi-shot. Said they hadn't changed anything! Wads said different!! Are they still a killing pattern?? Yes! Am I still shooting them?? No! to inconsistent!! Lot numbers play an important role!!!
As stated in previous posts, Hevi 7's are bad medicine with the right choke tube out of any gun. They are like shooting #5 lead, density wise, but with many more pellets in your pattern. I shoot an 835 with 3 1/2 7's and I put up 300 plus in a 10" circle at 40. I killed a bird two years ago at 38 lasered yards in South Dakota and the bird never moved when I pulled the trigger. Hevi 7's are a Great shell but LB 6's will kill just as dead at 40, if you have the right choke and do your job behind the gun.
Quote from: M Sharpe on January 01, 2016, 06:51:01 PM
The first year I tried the Hevi-13 #7's, I loved them!! 300 plus in a 10" circle. The next year I bought several boxes, 20% of my pellet count gone. Where??? I don't know and neither does Hevi-shot. Said they hadn't changed anything! Wads said different!! Are they still a killing pattern?? Yes! Am I still shooting them?? No! to inconsistent!! Lot numbers play an important role!!!
It does stink look for Lot numbers. I went to Nitro 2 7/16 a couple years ago in the 12 after Hevi's came apart in my magizine tube. This year I decided for as much as I like playing with my guns and chokes I'm going to hand roll TSS. If I didn't jump on the TSS train I'd still use Nitro's 2 7/16 oz load of straight 7's. It plain flattens them.
Quote from: M Sharpe on January 01, 2016, 06:51:01 PM
The first year I tried the Hevi-13 #7's, I loved them!! 300 plus in a 10" circle. The next year I bought several boxes, 20% of my pellet count gone. Where??? I don't know and neither does Hevi-shot. Said they hadn't changed anything! Wads said different!! Are they still a killing pattern?? Yes! Am I still shooting them?? No! to inconsistent!! Lot numbers play an important role!!!
And this is why Im handloading.
Quote from: HunterMc23 on January 01, 2016, 03:27:35 PM
I got a question, my hunting buddy has a Stoeger m3500 and he shoots the Hevi shot ammo. He says at 40 yds in a 10" ciricle that the Hevi shot 7 shot is out performing the Winchester long beard 6 shot bad. I thought that a 7 shot would spread out too much for turkey hunting. What is your guys opinion on this?
When you start shooting pellets that have a higher density than lead you can do more with smaller shot sizes.