Any size but 2s,4s & 6s.

bigshark · 03-01-2002, 09:32 PM

I have called GI Joes, gun shops and Fishermans
Marine trying to find sizes other than 2,4,& 6 in Hevi-Shot but no luck. Have any of you seen this stuff in another size on the shelf somewhere? I would like to find some factory # 1 loads. Would take 2 3/4 or 3 inch. How about BB? Thanks

crabbait · 03-01-2002, 10:05 PM

I believe that Hevi-shot makes BBs for reloaders but does not load BBs for liability reasons.

Let me relate a little story: I gave a fellow I know a few Hevi-shot 2s to try on geese. I told him to be careful of what's down range because they retain energy so much better than steel. He went to his spot which is a flooded corn field with sheet water. There was a Mallard drake sitting on the water about thirty yards out from his blind and three or four hundred geese on the shoreline beyond the sheet water. (The shoreline starts about seventy yards from his blind and the geese were from there to about ninety yards out.) He figured the geese wouldn't hold 'til 8:00am so decided to jump the duck at legal duck time.

When the duck jumped off the water he shot it. In the process he also inadvertently killed seven cacklers on the far bank stone dead. Now this guy is a stickler for the letter of the law and was dumbfounded by the performance of the Hevi-shot. He never dreamed that the shot would reach the geese, let alone retain enough energy to penetrate and kill them. Luckily, he was able to split the geese with a partner. Lesson learned.

Morals of this little story:

1. Be real careful what is beyond your target when using heavi-shot. Especially when hunting public areas where other blinds are nearby, and:

2. You really should try the 2s before you dismiss them as too light. I took geese this year at all reasonable ranges cleanly with 2s and the 6s were death on ducks.

They also make a 7 1/2 that would work real well on decoying ducks or pheasants and such. Used an SBE with Imp Mod choke for longe range passing geese and an 1100 Rem with Imp Cyl for ducks over decoys.

Try it, you'll like it!

ScottD · 03-02-2002, 07:28 AM

What is Hevi-shot made out of? Is it heavier than lead?

crabbait · 03-02-2002, 10:50 AM

I believe it is nickle, tin and iron and it is 114% the weight of lead if I remember correctly. It is harder than steel and should only be used in guns rated for steel.

bigshark · 03-02-2002, 03:14 PM

Scott, the shot is made from tunsten and nickel.
Yes crabbait I am aware they have other sizes for reloading. I do not know if they make a BB but it would be interesting to see how they market it. The reason I say this is the old lead size limit for waterfowl was BB. If Hevi makes a BB it would exceed the old limits for down range energy. I am aware that they make 1s and 5s for handloading and have a friend that has used the 1's on "dollar" geese in Texas. I have been using 4s
all season on both ducks and geese. In the late season goose hunting I have used both 4s and 2s.
The 2 is my choice for pass shooting with more clean dispatchs from my guns. That said, two of my hunting partners do just as well on clean takes with #4 shot. I think this stuff shoots out of more open chokes better than steel.

crabbait · 03-02-2002, 06:01 PM

Sorry for the long post, Bigshark. I assumed that you were looking for bigger shot because you had not tried the 2s. My bad.

I think the more open choke for decoying ducks works best, too. I haven't used a more open choke than Imp Mod for passing geese because I am trying to ensure clean kills and minimize cripples from geese not intended for the pattern. From the results I got this year, I think I could open up to Mod for pass shooting with good results.

The SP10 sat in the safe all year so I guess I'm happy with Hevi-shot.

bigshark · 03-02-2002, 10:11 PM

Crabbait you might want to try the Modified just for the heck of it. I'm using three different guns
and the two with screw-in chokes are giving me the best patterns. The one fixed choke gun is a full and gives me an average 85% pattern that is fairly center heavy. Both the Imp Mod choke and the Mod move the pattern up to 90% and the same
center heavy tendency is there. I barrowed a fellow club members Briley Light Mod screw-in and the pattern for 5 shots averaged 96% and the pattern was much more even in pellet distribution.
Soooo......I ran out to the gun room and bot one.
Took it out to the club to see how it worked and was miffed at the results. 88% and centerheavy.
My point is you just have to try all the options
and see what works best in you guns.
BTW the guys at our club shooting 12ga. 3 inch 2s of Hevi-Shot are taking more passing geese than the two guys with 10 ga 3 1/2 inch with BBBs. I would not have believed this if I had not seen it.

[ 03-02-2002, 11:19 PM: Message edited by: bigshark ]

crabbait · 03-03-2002, 01:31 PM

Thanks for the tip, Bigshark. I have been using a Brileys Imp Mod in the SBE for passing geese. Even at looong range the results have been 100% dead with broken wings or 100% missed.

The cylinder choke in my Rem 1100 has been spectacular using 6s out to 50 yds. Hit a crossing drake mallard at 45 yds. It went down in a poof of feathers and lay on the water with its feet sticking up.

One of the main reasons I hunt ducks is to get my retriever wet and we both like it a lot better when he does not have to chase the birds all over the lake!

Bought two cases through waterfowler.com and got a good discount. I use nothing else for webfoots and expect to use 20ga. 6s for pheasants where non-toxic shot is required.