Was going through my ammo stash today and seeing what I've got tucked away. Realized I still had two shells of Hevi-13 #7s and got me reminiscing on what a devastating load that was on turkeys. $30 a box when it wasn't on sale, compared to the nearly twice that I'm spending now on Apex. Bottom line, nothing about Hevi makes any sense now. In my opinion they don't make a single turkey load I'd buy. Most of its duplex junk, but even the pricing doesn't make sense. Yes, tungsten 18 is stupid expensive per pound, and, yes, that's why we're paying almost $10 per shell. But they've got boxes of five priced at $104?!? TWENTY DOLLARS A SHELL!!!
Here's where I'm going with this, though. The Hevi XII they're making really interests me. The problem right now is that it's only available in #4s and #6s and light loads relative to turkeys. At $90 for a box of 25, I'm still tempted to get some of the 1.25oz #6 to try. But why aren't they loading the Hevi XII in a turkey load? If they don't want to manufacture anything other than the #4 and #6 shot sizes in it, fine. Give me a 2oz load of those #6s and we're at least somewhere back close to those Hevi-13 #7s we all loved so much out of our 12s.
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Nothing about that company makes sense. Every shell they used to sell worked very well but they managed to screw them all up.
I still have about 5 boxes of the 3.5", #6 shot. Last year I got a little sentimental and used them again. They killed just as well I they used to. I think the old loads where darned good loads. Especially for the 12 gauge. Longbeards are just cheaper and as effective. I think that's what killed them.
Quote from: Happy on February 11, 2023, 11:28:32 AM
I still have about 5 boxes of the 3.5", #6 shot. Last year I got a little sentimental and used them again. They killed just as well I they used to. I think the old loads where darned good loads. Especially for the 12 gauge. Longbeards are just cheaper and as effective. I think that's what killed them.
When them LongBeards are shooting they're a hard shell to beat, especially for the money. Unfortunately I had some really bad issues with a lot of them and I lost all faith in taking them to the woods. A bad lot cost me multiple birds one season before I figured it out. Those Hevi XII #6 1.25oz loads would almost have as many pellets per shell as the 1.75oz LB #5s and more than the #4s. If they were to make those Hevi XII in a 2oz load they'd be mean.
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I have heard of people having issues with the longbeards and have no doubt they have issues from time to time. I have used them here and there with zero issues personally, but I am a pretty small sample size. I have a bunch of them that eventually I will get around to shooting so time will tell. But between using my hevishot and other lead loads in the 12 gauge and using a 20 gauge about half the time it may be a while. I hope the resin doesn't go bad over time. And I plan on testing each box before hunting them.
I know of an old gun store that still has boxes of Hevi 13 in stock ... It's about 30 miles from my location... I bought all of the old 20 gauge they had in 7 shots ... but they still had it in both 12 / 3 inch and 3.5 inch...
I shot Hevi-13's for years and liked them. When LongBeard's first came out I patterned some and switched immediately. Like others I then found too much inconsistency with patterns and tried some Winchester Supreme pheasant shells. Copper plated buffered shot in a 3" 1 5/8 oz shell that patterns well in a couple of different guns with Sumtoy chokes. Soft shooting, tight patterns, and ready to take different guns if the need arises.
Lots of shady marketing from the original company over the years. Hevi 13 was 13g/cc for 1 year. Then they switched back to 12 g/cc and continued to call them hevi 13 for 10 + years. Great product but terrible marketing scheme.Hevi metal turkey, and Hevi X strut are among there most recent flops. They dug there own grave, but Winchester longbeards and commercially loaded tss buried them.
They have since sold to Vista, I believe, and they seem to have done a complete 180 as far as marketing goes. They finally bein truthful about what's in there shells. But prices have gone crazy. The new hevi 18 tss has great reviews but overpriced but has been unobtainable in my area.
To your inquiry about Hevi XII as a turkey load... I'd save your $$$. They are a waterfowl load and I think you'd be hard pressed to get 100 in the 10". I've tried the same experiment with the remington hevi Shot field loads and the remington hevi waterfowl loads in 20 ga 3" #6. They'd kill a turkey but 85 in the 10" isn't going to the woods with me. They are awesome duck loads though!!
Chester, I'm a Hevi 13 #7's guy through and through. I started back in the 90's when they were the Cat's meow and still shoot them. I can't see changing when I have about 10 boxes left and I get 300 plus with my Mossy and a Pure Gold choke. Devastating load in my opinion. NO TSS for me!!!!
And as to why they aren't loading hevi XII in turkey loads... I believe they still are making magblends which has been 12g/cc for years.... but in recent years magblends have been very pricey also.... imo more bang for your buck with apex or even federal tss. Profit margin always gonna be better for them charging $105 for a box of tss compared to a 40-50$ box of hevi 12.
Quote from: jordanz7935 on February 11, 2023, 12:53:49 PM
And as to why they aren't loading hevi XII in turkey loads... I believe they still are making magblends which has been 12g/cc for years.... but in recent years magblends have been very pricey also.... imo more bang for your buck with apex or even federal tss. Profit margin always gonna be better for them charging $105 for a box of tss compared to a 40-50$ box of hevi 12.
Only thing I want blended is a turkey's brain. I can't stand a duplex load.
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I remember getting the 3 inch 1 5/8th oz roll crimped loads, first one I shot I thought was a dud the recoil was so light!
Went to the target and it was destroyed! No clue why they wouldn't just make those again?
Glad I started loading my own, I did it prior to commercially made TSS but mainly did it to tote a 5lb gun!
I still have a stash of Winchester xtended range, that stuff is awesome too. I've thought about selling it but it's nice to have some back up!
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I've still got about a dozen of the old hevi 3.5 inch #6. I killed a bird last spring with one stone dead at 50 yards. My 870 really likes those shells. I've had my own issues with the LBs. I got a box of #5 that were very inconsistent compared to prior boxes. As far as consistency the Winchester high velocity loads have been great. You won't get the same distance/density as LBs but consistency is more important to me
I've got a couple boxes of the 7s left for my 12 and I'll be sad when they're gone. They throw a nasty pattern
I still have several boxes of Hevi 13 3" 2oz 6's. I hope enough to last the rest of my turkey hunting career. My 870 absolutely loves this shell and it has accounted for many birds over the years.
My 1300 and H&R both shot the Hevi #7s through a .660 really well but switched to a 20 and TSS.
Truth be told, I sure don't miss having to drip candle wax on the Hevi crimps to keep the buffer from leaking out into my cargo pant pocket.
Longbeard 4s for me. I shot it all and this what I'm sticking with. I don't care about a few inconsistencies I take a good reasonable distance shot and if I dont get that I dont shoot. I wasted thousands of dollars on shells patterning and shooting. Mostly for fun and I can honestly say a longbeard 4 has never cost me a bird. So at 24$ for 10 rds Im good to go.
Quote from: ElkTurkMan on February 11, 2023, 06:35:50 PM
I still have several boxes of Hevi 13 3" 2oz 6's. I hope enough to last the rest of my turkey hunting career. My 870 absolutely loves this shell and it has accounted for many birds over the years.
As do I. IMO a great turkey shell. Hopefully I have enough for the remainder of my turkey hunting career.
I have ALOT of the hevi13 20ga and 12ga 3.5" #7 and #6. Way more then I'll ever use in my life. I should sell some.
You guys should learn to load. Yeah there's a little bit of upfront cost but if you want less than tss price, 15 gram tungsten is easy to get and #7 in that stuff is better than hevi ever was.
Quote from: mikejd on February 11, 2023, 10:24:05 PM
Longbeard 4s for me. I shot it all and this what I'm sticking with. I don't care about a few inconsistencies I take a good reasonable distance shot and if I dont get that I dont shoot. I wasted thousands of dollars on shells patterning and shooting. Mostly for fun and I can honestly say a longbeard 4 has never cost me a bird. So at 24$ for 10 rds Im good to go.
That is how I feel as well. Once the last of my magblends and hevi-shot get used up, back to good old
lead I go. At my self imposed range limit, it all patterns great and kills just fine.
I would expect them to get more organized after a few years under Vista's control...
Vista is reorganizing the ammo business now...
Hevi-13 was dropped by EM due to low sales, but it might make sense now with H-18 being so high...
Just know overall turkey ammo sales are a fraction of overall shotgun shell sales...
Vista is reorganizing the ammo business now...
Hevi-13 was dropped by EM due to low sales, but it might make sense now with H-18 being so high...
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10 plus years ago, EM ruined a Good thing when they started changing components in their Hevi turkey loads. The first couple of years, Hevi 13's were putting up some very impressive numbers with the right choke in many guns. Allaboutshooting (Clark Bush) did very extensive research on most of the Hevi offerings and reported some amazing performance out of the early offerings. EM's low sales were due to Hevi's poor performing shot shells (later offerings) and the advent of Winchester Longbeards and the Shotloc technology. I was fortunate to stock pile several boxes of the best performing lot numbers and LOVE their performance. It will be GREAT if Vista can bring back the early offerings and can keep the cost down.
Makes me happy that I still have 16 boxes left between 12 and 20 gauge in #7 Hevi-13.
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Do not miss having to search lots so your gun could shoot consistently at all. The more they went up the worst they shot. I have wiped my hands clean of that company and am better off.
So what would be the cost now?
Probably at least 40-45$ for 5 round boxes of 3" 12 gauge, maybe more.
I remember looking for the magic lot numbers of these shells, 300325 I believe was one
Quote from: Tom Threetoes on February 11, 2023, 11:25:52 AM
Nothing about that company makes sense. Every shell they used to sell worked very well but they managed to screw them all up.
ain't that the truth
I hunted with copper plated #6s for a lot of years with great success. I decided to try Hevi when I shot a gobbler at 36 yards with the copper plated lead and he ran off. Found blood and cut feathers, but I never did find him. The performance of Hevi was a world of difference compared to lead, so I bought lots of Hevi and I still have enough to last me a more than the rest of my life. I tried some 3.5" Hevi #7s, but it just didn't pattern as well as the 3" Hevi #6s or #7s. I haven't to switched to TSS because I've got more than enough Hevi.
I have one box of 3.5" Hevi#7s I'd part with if anyone's interested (lot 300324). PM me.
Jim
The heavy 13 #7 3.5 was my go to in my BPS. It was super nasty. I retired that gun so it is water under the bridge.
They Hevi brand never patterned well for me. However, 20 years ago the Nitro Custom Shells Company was a game changer for me with the 4x5x7 hevishot. Still using it. I'm about ready to transition to TSS. Have a brother-in-law that has a reloader. So, a hand load will be in the future.
By the time I need tss... It'll be some other super duper turkey load out for 20 dollars a shell.
I'm lucky to have some Hevi 7 and some Fed HW 7 to last a for a good while.
The new 410 is another story.
Call Nitro, they will load what you want. It won't be the price you were paying 10 years ago, get that out of your head.
If you talk to them, they may even sell you some trial shells in volumes of one on two. Expensive, but sure does suck to buy a box of shell that ain't worth a crap.
I just order TSS and am done with it.
Quote from: outdoorsmen on February 12, 2023, 08:40:29 AM
I have ALOT of the hevi13 20ga and 12ga 3.5" #7 and #6. Way more then I'll ever use in my life. I should sell some.
If you do let me know lol. Especially 20 ga.
I put some 20 ga in the classifieds
I was a huge hevi13 guy for years. My experience was higher prices, inconsistent patterns and leaking buffer. Once longbeard xr came out, I felt no need to reminisce about the good ol days when hevi13 was at its peak. I use to be big on how many holes I could get. Lately I've come to the realization that longbeard xr will and has provided way more holes than necessary at distances I want to shoot.
I actually got my hands on a few boxes of rooster xr and am more than impressed with that load. I'm getting 140 @ 45 yards with my 835.
I decided to get a little sentimental last year and wanted to harvest a Tom with my grampa's Remington model 11 from the 1930's. I'm getting 98 hits @35 yards with that set up. It will be an emotional moment when it happens.
I still shoot L/B 3" 5's but two years back I had a HUGE issue with a box of them. Two woundings. One recovered.
From then on, I shoot one out of every box at the range for pattern before I use that box in the woods.
So far, so good...
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Remember standing at the Hevi booth trying to get those boxes? I loved those shells. Would never look at another shell for turkeys. Until I found 3" LB #5, now I love these and haven't had an issue with them yet. Don't see me changing anytime soon. 20g TSS is starting to creep in to my portfolio. Will I try the new next thing? Sure, why not? Don't have any bad to say about any of them.
I found this on another forum dated March 1, 2013, see what has happened since the Hevi Craze in 10 short years. I thought some would go, Duh!
From looking on other forum boards the new rage is the Hevi 13 #7,s . My question is if the load that you are using now is a proven turkey killer why switch to the new shells.Just incase you dont know they cost around $4 a shell. Not that Im a tight wad or anything but the load I shoot works great. I have killed turkeys out too XX yards with no problem. How many of you are going to switch to THE NEW SHELL or stick with your proven loads.Too me I don't think it's worth the $, what do you think?
I still have a few shells left. 3.5" #7
Pure gold choke. Killer pattern.
Just shot a couple magblends out of my new main squeeze sx4, best patterns out of the ammo
I tried today.