shotshells

[bigshark]

Just a heads-up for those who try new products...A new shell called Hevi-Shot is
worth your time to try if you need extra range now and then. It may be a fun topic
to chat about when the season begins....I
can tell you that in over a half century
of waterfowling, this stuff has to be seen
in field use to believe. I like the smaller shot best...4s,6s, and even the 7.5s

[HarpMan]

Why do you think it is better than Federal tungsten -iron? What did you pay?

[Dogfish]

Kesselrings had PMC 3" in #2 last year. Bought two cases. Shot well, no misfires like my Winchesters, and they were $10.50 a box.

[bigshark]

The reason I think its better than tungsten iron is because I have used both. First Hevi is approx 10% heavier than lead. The pellets are ugly and not round,yet the pattern of 4s
at 70 measured yards would not allow a teal
to get thru let alone a larger bird. The energy factor of a #4 pellet is high enough
to pass completely through a large duck at
100 yds. God forbid we start seeing bad-guys
try to shoot at birds at such ranges. I shoot at a club that takes turns on who shoots when. Many times a hit bird with steele will flutter away. With this stuff the back-up shooter can reach out and make a clean dispatch.

[bigshark]

Plunker The price is all over the place. I have purchased a bag of shot to roll-my-own.
Am going to use some of the recommended loads,but would like to duplicate an old Herco load....the theory use to be the more perfectly round the shot the better it will pattern..now it seems to be if its heavy enough and flys fast enough it patterns better than perfectly round shot..It costs less than Fed Tungsten.

[bigshark]

Plunker: I'm new to chat boards so forgive me if I'm slow to get all said that I should.
I recommend that you visit:www.hevishot.com
The fact that it was developed here at home
dosen't hurt my feelings either. Take a look at the turkey pattern shot for a new record
for # of shot on that target at that yardage.
Makes old guys like me scratch their heads.

[Predator Dawg]

Bigshark,

Where is it sold and do you know what a box goes for? Have you heard if the metal bleeds into the meat at all? Thanks for all the info.

Steve

[SLEDDER]

I also recommend Hevi-shot. I have used it and it is very lethal at 50-60 yards on geese. I couldn't believe it. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] It was a 2 3/4" load not a 3" or 3.5" #2 shot. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

[HarpMan]

My understanding is that is the same folks who developed Tungsten. I know the benefits of Hevi shot I was just curious if you had shot Tungsten iron to compare as both in my opinion are the almost the same. Tungsten 94% of lead rather than 10% heavier. The down range energy of both is incredible. You will shoot less and kill more with these loads. Federal is offering consumer rebates this fall of $7.50 per box up to 4 on Tungsten and $20.00 per case on steel for a total of $50.00. I'm the NW Oregon & Washington rep for Federal/Blount and just again wanted to know if you had shot both to compare.

[bigshark]

Saltine ; GI Joes has it as well as many of the gun shops. You can get special prices on their web site occasionally. These specials are from the factory.Visit the site to get the background info on who they are and what this stuff is. As this season gets under way
it might show up at more stores.

[Rauly]

Don't forget guys that it doesn't matter what you shoot. You have to hit the target for the shot to work. I have shot lead, steel, bismouth, and Hevishot. They all worked fine for me but I don't like to take long shots. Callem in close and bustem.

Rauly

[bigshark]

Plunker: Yes I have used both. Fed iron is good stuff. Our club members played with this stuff most of the summer to try and understand why it can do what it does. Simply
put, our experience is hevi tends to have a center-heavy pattern. Hence, at 70 yds the pattern has spred to look like iron at 50.
Look at the down range ballistics on both.
By the way...your a lucky fella...Federal is
my shell of choice and has been for many years. I told the guys at the club that my wish list would include Fed loading this new Tung-Nickel product. Federal has, and always has had, the leading technology in shot shells. I waiting to see what they do to leap-frog this development.

[BlueWater]

One reason the hevi-shot has a better long range density is the shoot is not all the same size. Something to do with the way it is made. Lead is heated to a liquid and then dropped in a very deep h2o tank. As it cools in the h20 while falling it makes nice round shot. The way I understand the new shots are made is by nipping a piece of round wire off. Then it is rolled into balls like you do silly putty in your hands. But of course in this case it is a super man machine that does it. This second way makes it harder to make nice same size shot. but with the hevi-shot the smaller shot, being heavier than lead, adds to the killing power at longer ranges. Lead would just fall away sooner or have less energy down range not being efective. Any old trap shooters who have ever shot re-claim shot know what I am talking about. Before any of you all think I trully am smart I am just recalling a story I read in a mag within the last couple months. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Firedog]

Have to agree with Rauly. Still have to hit what you are shooting at. Let em' get into range then bust em'. I bought a case of 1 1/8 bbb federals a couple years ago for goose hunting. Going for the velocity, less shot in the case but much better knock power, we didnt have near the cripples with the better penetration from the higher velocity. Shoot the tungsten polymer for ducks last year and really liked them also. Practice with th eloads you hunt with also, doesnt do a lot of good to shoot lead at the range then go shoot steel or something else hunting. Velocity makes a diference. Happy Hunting. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Dogfish]

Just bought a few boxes, actually cases, of Kent's Fast steel. 3" 1 3/8 oz of #1. I'll let you know they perfom on grouse after this weekend.

I have gotten into the habit of shooting steel for everything, as it is the cheapest fodder that is legal for everything. It has been so long since I shot lead, probably 5 years. Once you adjust to it, I really find no problem. Someone else put it best, "Ya got to hit 'em to kill 'em."

I may be using overkill, but I shoot #1's almost exclusively, except for Chukars, then I move to #4's. The speed of steel can't be matched, and as long as I keep my shots within 40 to 45 yards, they just fall to the ground. I limit my shots on geese to about 35 yards still using #1.

The best thing is while you guys are paying $20 for ten shells, I get 25 for $10.30.

Best of luck. Andy

[bigshark]

DogFish:
Thought you might like some feedback on the Kent shells. The load of choice with our gang is 1.125 oz. of BB's. I'm not sure why other than velocity with greater weight. The good part that you may wish to know is that in the two past seasons there has not been a single malfunction on the part of these loads. This repesents a fare amount of shells. Something over 200 flats (250 shells
per flat). I am a Federal lover and don't shoot the Kents....but I'll bet you a nickel
that the duck is just as dead and couldn't tell the differance if he was being hit with one or the other.........Man am I happy to find some hunters to chat with....Got to have the wife call Jennie and ask how we can
make sure this board survives. Is anyone helping her? Does she need or want help?

[Dogfish]

Hi Shark,

The extra shot gives me more pellets, and it is a bit slower, but I have shot the same basic load for 5 years. Sometimes 2's, other times 1's if I can find 'em. I like the idea of another 50 little killers out there working on my side.

I usually go through two cases a year, but last year I did some depredation hunting for a clam farmer on Surf Scoters. I hit 3 cases. Body count was about 230 ducks of mine, plus I gave shells to others in my group. Just finished the last of the sausage two weeks ago.

Pass shooting those Scoters got my skills in top shape. My best day was 7 ducks in 7 shells, including 3 doubles, (two ducks in a group, shot in the same volley, one shell each bird). I thought of giving up the sport after that, but I was having way too much fun!

Andy

[bigshark]

Dogfish: I understand where you are coming from on the smaller shot size. Pattern density is a big plus. Like firedog I like the results of BBB shot on geese when using steele, but on decoying geese I have just as good of luck with 1's and 2's. Just more holes and more pellets staying in the bird than BBB's which usually pass completely through the body. Old guys like me remember when at the end of WWII all we could get was
trap loads in the stores as everything else had been bot up during the shortages. Guess what, there were a lot of ducks and geese on the table but Mom hated to fix them as they were hell on teeth.

[Zen Leecher aka Bill W]

bigshark,

That story about only trapshells being available at the end of WWII got me thinking of a story my late great uncle told me.

He told me of shooting geese with #8 shot and aiming such to shoot them in the head. I thought he did that because he was a good shot, now I see it was a lack of shells with larger shot.

He also told me the story of sitting on the tailgate of a pick-up, rolling a cigarette and a rabbit ran by. Told he he kept on rolling the cigarette, picked up his shotgun with one hand and rolled the rabbit.

I liked the one about the rabbit as I realized how hard it it to "one hand" a shotgun.

[Zen Leecher aka Bill W]

also to the members of this board. Thanks for the enlightenment on the various types of legal waterfowl shot. Now I can make some different choices on ammo buying for this year.