How'd they work for you? Always seemed like the old black winchesters just floored birds. How's the knock down appear to be on the thugs?
Quote from: TheSportsman on May 30, 2015, 05:26:32 PM
How'd they work for you? Always seemed like the old black winchesters just floored birds. How's the knock down appear to be on the thugs?
They don't kill like the "old blacks" but they're the next best "regular" lead shell that I've tried. I' hsve 5 turkey getters and run 3" thug 5's in one of them..Killed a few with it and never a problem
I shot a couple birds with the Thugs this year, they work fine, hit hard. Didn't have any problems with them. I like the way they are plain lead without that copper.
Rolled him over at 33yds
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12 ga 3" 6's work for me...
They patterned pretty good for lead in one of my guns. Never killed a turkey with them.
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Is federal still making the Thugs? I am in NJ and can't find them online or in any stores?
Thugs was solely a walmart item, only place I've ever seen them. They will pop up in the next month or so if Federal is still making them. This is usually the case at our walmarts and then midway thru our spring season they start marking down to clear out their stock.
Thanks for the reply.
They do pretty well go have that stupid flite control wad. Federal should have kept the old grand slams. That was a fine load for lead.
Quote from: turkeywhisperer935 on February 01, 2016, 02:50:40 AM
They do pretty well go have that stupid flite control wad. Federal should have kept the old grand slams. That was a fine load for lead.
The thugs do not have the flight control wad
Sorry, I thought they did. I hate that wad.
Roll em up like a venetion blind!
Saw some at a Dicks Sporting Goods.
Sent from the Strut Zone
I haven't seen them at walmart this year. Heard only Dick's is carrying them. No proof but a buddy told me he read somewhere they have went to crap this year, lots of complaints. Glad I've got 15 boxes I stocked up on the last couple years. Love the Thugs
Quote from: twild on March 30, 2016, 08:03:24 PM
...No proof but a buddy told me he read somewhere they have went to crap this year, lots of complaints...
THIS ^^^ is why I tend to stockpile certain ammunition like a maniac. ;)
Was looking to buy a few boxes, haven't had the chance but in recent years there were piles of that stuff, now the only thing they have stocked at Walmart are the Strut Shok and good ol' Win XX also the Rem Nitro isn't at my Walmart this year, it seems like Walmart is down grading its sporting selection for Hunters again, not that there wasn't much to begin with but there aren't any spring jackets or turkey vest also the Call selection is a bust this year had a few problems getting my License too, getting tired of Walmart's crap.
I've killed birds last two years with them. 20 GA 1 1/4 #5s. Bought box of strut shok at wally world this year. Patterned the same. On bottom of Turkey thugs box it says strut shok. 119 in 10" at 35 yards with undertaker non-ported choke. :jesus-cross:
Good load for the price. From my understanding, they're just strut-shoks in a different box. I use the 3 1/2 inch #5s and out to 40 yards they're good. Last tom I harvested at 20 yards and it rolled him damn good. I'm using a Browning BPS NWTF model with 24" barrel and a Hevi-shot choke. I believe the constriction is .660. If you like an affordable load that's lead try Kent Diamond shots in 3 1/2 in 5s or 6s. I paid like $6.99 per 10rnds and they're rally good for a lead load. Just depends on what combination your gun likes.
IIRC the strut-shoks are not buffered, whereas the thugs were, so the pattern is a little better with the thugs. I switched to lbxrs so I haven't looked for any federal shells lately.
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I killed one last year at 10 yards with the #6 thugs, not really a true test of them at that range. I switched to long beards this year, I got a much better 40 yard pattern with these.
Don't know about the 20 ga shells or this year's production. But with last year's production, the Thugs available at Walmart were not the same as Strut Shoks. The Thugs had more buffer (although the Strut Shoks did have some), and the powder and powder charge were significantly different. I believe it was Gold Hunter who autopsied those shells and posted the results with pictures last year.
Yes, same as the Strut Shoks, just in a different package and marketed for a few select retailers, Walmart, Dicks Sporting Goods etc.
I've shot a partial box of the 3.5" turkey thugs at range today. Had one misfire and was was stuck in barrel. Anyone had this problem?
Quote from: BandedSpur on May 20, 2016, 08:49:12 AM
Don't know about the 20 ga shells or this year's production. But with last year's production, the Thugs available at Walmart were not the same as Strut Shoks. The Thugs had more buffer (although the Strut Shoks did have some), and the powder and powder charge were significantly different. I believe it was Gold Hunter who autopsied those shells and posted the results with pictures last year.
x2 Yes I believe you are right, it was Gold hunter that did the comparison.
I have killed at least 13 gobblers with Thugs, they kill just fine for me, don't have a need for anything else. All shots are 25-35 yds here, all ridge birds. Just glad I have 10 boxes left.