Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips
Turkey Guns & Shooting => 12 ga Winchester turkey gun patterns => Topic started by: learn2hide on March 28, 2014, 11:46:59 PM
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First, neither one of these loads (3.5" 2oz #5 Win LongBeard, or Federal Heavyweight 3.5" 1 7/8oz #7) patterned even close to the numbers I get out of this set up from Hevi 13 #6 or Hevi 13 #7...however they both performed more than well enough to kill a turkey. I hit the range today despite it being cold. It was 45-47 degrees with almost no wind. I shot from a measured 40 yards at a local range and didn't worry too much about aim. I started with a clean barrel and swabbed multiple times between shots. Here are the results: Win Longbeard #5 shot 152 and 169 in 10" at 40 yards...certainly better than normal lead loads. Federal Heavyweight #7 did 169 and 184 in 10" but to me seems to have a few holes in the pattern. Considering I have put up 220 with Hevi13 #6 and 270 with Hevi13 #7 I doubt I'll be switching anything over. I do enjoy shooting and experimenting with different loads. These are still all killing patterns I figure posting them might help someone else. What do you guys think? Also I have a question for anyone that wants to answer...in your opinion the 47 degree temperature today vs say 75 degree temps in a week or two do you think that's a big factor or a minor one in these numbers?
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Choke used for longbeard #5's is too tight, to be fair I think you should open it up to .665 to .670. Just my opinion. I don't think temperature has anything to do with killing a turkey, I have patterned when it was cold, 32 degrees and I have patterned when it was warm, 75 degrees +. Never made a difference to the turkey. I think a killing pattern, is a killing pattern at any temperature, Maybe it has something to do with numbers I don't know, I don't count holes. I am not saying that the longbeard pattern was a bad pattern by any means.
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I agree with Winsor, choke likely is to tight for the LB #5.
The SX2 is overbored to .740-742. I would try .670 or .675 choke diameter with the #5 in that barrel, especially with the long shot column in the 3 1/2" hull.
Might try Trulocks, less expensive then Roberts, until you get it figured out. Or exchange if Roberts will. Or, throw the .660 in your "box 'o stuff" like some of us would.
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well here's the #6 target from my Hevi 13 work last April...no problems here, pretty clear why I'd stay with the Hevi 13. Like I said, I always like shooting different things if for no other reason than to solidify my previous choices. I'm not going to change anything as my goal was to see what the LB would do in my current set up not to necessarily buy more chokes and try to dial it in. Interestingly the IC tube I had in 2013 in both .665 and .675 choke shot almost identical numbers to the LB and HWT from today with the Hevi13 #6 and #7...the Roberts .660 is what finally produced the numbers. And numbers are not the only thing...but it does prove how finicky some set ups can be. Thanks for your thoughts.
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My bps inv+(same bore as your gun) is pretty temperature sensitive for the best patterns. It patterns well enough for hunting at any temp but does best at 65-70 degrees and up. That's with a 22" barrel length and pb loads. I think you"ll definitely pick up numbers wise in warmer temps, and it should help even out the patterns a bit also. So yea, warmer temperatures ought to up your 10" count, and that choke may be a little tight for 3.5s, but constriction is only part of it, it also depends on the chokes internal layout. But it sounds like it will pattern well enough to take a turkey with any of the loads you have patterned. Good luck this season!
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Patterns look good to me Id hunt with any three of them. :firefighter:
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Patterns look good to me Id hunt with any three of them. :firefighter:
x2
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Patterns look good to me Id hunt with any three of them. :firefighter:
x2
X3
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:OGturkeyhead:
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good looking hunting patterns,they don't have to be super tight
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Patterns look good to me Id hunt with any three of them. :firefighter:
:icon_thumright:
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I too have a couple of Robs tubes and hes very good about swapping out and helping you find what works,i ALSO shot the fed HW #7 shot with even less acceptable results as what u got(135 in 10") anyways the trade off is i got 336 in a 10" CIRCLE WITH a Roberts .650 choke ...HOWEVER at 40 yards i was picking the #7 hevi shot out of 5/8 particle board whereas #7 fed HW was COMPLETELY BLOWING THRU the 5/8 board @ not only 40 but 50 yds as well....so i hope to find a happy medium similar to yours @ around i believe u said 184 in a 10" circle???? ifn i van come up with that im a haaaaaapy camper!!!! Wat choke and constriction did u say u used to get yr #s on yr fed HW #7 shot?
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Bink these targets were all shot in 2014 with a Rob Roberts .660 choke in my Super X2. I have also recently shot a SumToy .675 see my other posts for those patterns. I have only shot LongBeards and Hevi 13 thus far this year... I haven't shot the Fed HW through the SumToy yet. I will still hunt with either the .660 Rob Roberts or the .675 SumToy I think they are both solid and consistent and have both been good to work with as far as discussing options and offering to help.
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I got just a little better out of win Longbeard with the same set up. Win sx2 choke RR .660 win Longbeard XR 31/2" #6 was warmer. Kevin
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IMO ifn Federal would can the #5 lead,#6 flitestopper in their 3rd degree and do ALL 3 #5,#6,and #7 in Heavyweight up the 3 1/2" load to 2 1/4oz.of shot 30% #5, 30% #6, and 40% #7 and test it both with and without the flitestopper wad and go from there i believe this would be the new "GOLD STANDARD" of turkey loads....im thinkin even further ifn they would do away from flitestopper wad and go to a system similar to the Win. LB XR's....that would be money...OR just simply up the load in HVYWTS #5,#6,#7 to either 2 0r 2 1/8oz of shot instead of 1 7/8oz....at 1300fps....either way...HAPPY HUNTIN!!!!
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Maybe you should try the 3" loads.
Just because your gun can shoot 3 1/2" loads, doesn't mean it likes them!
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Duplex load of 5x6x7 would be wicked I always wondered why the Federal HWT are only loaded at 1 7/8 it's supposedly more sense than H13 so loading less weight is way less pellets
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Jonathon @ Gobbler Guns and i had a long conversation and he sent me a .640 SPECIFICALLY for H.W #7 shot he said thats what they were seeing the best results with when the H.W first came out....not so much now...but im gonna give it a try and also i found some older H.W when it first came out in the 10 rd boxes at a bargain so im gonna try it....soon as i get results i'll post!!!! Keep me up to speed on yr progress as well please!!!!