Back up shell

[Fastcat]

Like many of us I spend much time in the turkey woods with the goal of calling in a bird for someone else.  However when I have a tag as well I bring my gun in the hopes of shooting a double.  A few times the person I am calling for will put a marginal hit on a bird and all hell breaks loose!  Once a turkey is wounded its all bets off and I do my best to to bring things to a close.  When backing someone up I carry a 3.5 inch gun. (Formally a Remington Supermag; this year a Mossberg 835.)  Right now I am using Winchester HV #5's.  Next year I am switching to hevi to get more out of the Pure Gold on my 835.  So my question is "ideally" would Magnum Blend or #7's serve this purpose better.  I understand that this is purely hypothetical(that's half the fun!) but these situations do occur either when backing someone up or as a second anchoring shot after a less than ideal first shot.

[Gobble!]

7s they produce a better pattern

[hookedspur]

 

7s they produce a better pattern

[WyoHunter]

Theoretically the Mag Blends would hit harder because of the larger shot I suppose but realistically I don't think it matters.

[jtg88]

Since your shots as a backup man would primarily be at moving targets, I'd think that you might want a shell with a little more open pattern.  I'd also think that having some larger shot would be good because when your shooting at a moving bird, you might not always have a clear head shot.  For a backup shell, I'd go with the magblends.  A little more open, they have some larger shot, and they also have a little higher muzzle velocity so they should pack some knockdown.

[BOFF]

I would suggest shooting any shell first, then making a decision on how it patterns.



God Bless,
David B.

[Fastcat]

Yes in the actual situation the patterns each load will be the ultimate deciding factor. As a hypothetical I am thinking the magnum blend may be ideally suited for the task of ending a grazed gobblers suffering.  My only wish would be that a retailer here in madison wi would carry a selection of hevi shells. Unfortunately this isn't a very gun friendly city and it seems to scare off excellent sporting goods stores.

[surehuntsalot]

my back up shell is a 3.5" 2-1/4oz #4 Pb load or Hevi13 3.5" 2-1/4oz #5's

[drenalinld]

7's for every shot

[West Augusta]

Hevi 13 Mag Blends

[jfair]

I think any of them will be good.   6's and 7's shoot same POA/POI for me, but mag blends are 6" low and left, so I can't back up with them.  They would be my choice if they shot the same.

[joey46]

I still have a limited supply of old white Hevi 13 in both 5s and 6s.  My first shell in my 870 is always a #6.  The two back ups in the mag are #5s.

About three years ago I shot and rolled a nice bird.  He got up and flew.  I got off a crossing (dove style) shot with the #5s.  He sailed about 50 yards and folded.  It appeared the #5s punched through into the chest cavity and got a lung.  I'm not sure a #6 or #7 would have had the energy to do this.  If my supply of #5s runs out I'll probably use a #4 WW HV 1 3/4oz lead as a back up.  All the current post regarding lot numbers, poor patterns with one box, good with another has my head spinning.  If I keep seeing this I'll jump off the "hevi" train in a minute.  Patterns should be getting consistently better not worse.   

[neal]

This is how I load my gun Hevi 7 then a Hevi 7 ...........  and then another Hevi 7   

[bowhunter84]

this year it was all nitro's. next season will be all TSS 9's

[drenalinld]

this year it was all nitro's. next season will be all TSS 9's

Ditto. I am shooting H-13 and Nitro 7's this year, but TSS 9's for next year.

This is classic old school/new school thinking in this thread. It took me a little while, but I don't believe the bigger is better for longer ranges when it comes to shot size.

I also love a rage 2-blade, but it is horrible for running shots. lol