Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

I don't want any outbreak of arguing on what's better and why (because of velocity, penetration, or consistency, etc).

Everyone's gun is different.

I just wanna know the reason you went with brand, shot size, and length shell.  

Think to yourself about if you've shot different shot sizes in the same brand before just going with #6's or #7's? Also think of all the testing you've done!  
:thanks:   Guys!

I will start by not casting a vote because I am about to compare XR and H13 #5's to my H13 #6's

the Hevi 7's have patterened the best in my gun so thats what i shoot. However i am slowing moving over to the Magblend but that was not an option.

Quote from: el diablo on March 05, 2012, 12:32:28 PM
I picked handloads because they are the best ammunition I can shoot at a turkey.  

I've always wondered how I would like those. Don't really know anything about them though... what size shot do you prefer?

Quote from: reynolds243 on March 05, 2012, 12:35:46 PM
the Hevi 7's have patterened the best in my gun so thats what i shoot. However i am slowing moving over to the Magblend but that was not an option.

Yes, I realized that right after i posted it, sorry. I have shot them as well and Magblends are not bad... just too tight of a choke for them on my gun i guess

I went with handloads. I can tweek them to pattern the best out of each gun I own.

I voted handloads becuase that is what I will be shooting next year. Most likey TSS #9s. Right now I am shooting H13 #7s and have been doing so for 3 years. I am fully confident they can kill as turkey as far as I need them too.

Hevi 13 #6's and #7's...because I already bought 'em, they pattern good, and they work.

I shot Hevi #7's and magblends last year, I was happy but not 100% satisfied just like I was very pleased with the patterns out of the jellyhead .665 but I plan on giving a sumtoy .660 a go with Hevi #6's this year.

tinkering with the set up is part of the fun even if its not necessary

I say lead because I have plenty of the old pre fc federal 3.5-2.25-6 but if I didnt have them it would be mag blends for my longer shots and 30 and under would be win. 3.5-2-6 suprems

Hevi 13 #6 only because of the reviews found here.

hevi 13 6s, they just pattern well for me.

Lead, because any bird 30 yards and under is floppin. To me success means how close can I call him in, not how far away I can shoot him.

I voted H13 6's because that is what I have went to in my 20 gauge which is my dedicated rig right now. I went to 6's due to more confidence in penetration and the 6's seem to have a more consistent history. Next year I may be running TSS 8' or 9's if I stick with a dedicated 20.

Good poll!

I voted lead. My favorite is #6. I shoot Win Supreme 3.5" HV 2 oz. #6 out of my Benelli SBE with a Kicks .655 GT choke. I also shoot lead out of my Browning BPS 10 ga. and my 20 ga. Benelli Nova. The only HTL loads I have are the original Rem 3.5 Hevi-shot #4 and #6. I use the #4 in my Rem 870 SM. They do throw a fine pattern. I guess I'm old fashioned. I like lead, I don't use blinds or decoys and enjoy calling them in close.

I don't want to shoot at a turkey past 40 yds with HTL just to be able to  kill a turkey.  To me that's not hunting, just shooting. I picked Hevi13, #7 because I want to swat him and #7's throw a dense pattern through my gun.
Flyrodder

I shoot Hevi 7s at this time.  For 3 reasons:
1.  Great patterns to 50 yards
2.  Ability to kill cleanly to 50 yards
3.  My handloading stuff is not here yet!!! :fud:

I went with lead because its all I have shot so far. I shoot the Winchester High Velosity 3" #5 for the last 4 yrs with great results in my Moss 535 ATS Tactical Turkey 12ga. with a Kicks GT .665.
I shoot the Winchesters in #6 3.5" out of my Moss 835 with a Jellyhead .690 also with great results.
I have tried several different brands of lead shot and size's. I'm still on the fence about the Hevi shot stuff so I guess stay with what works.

I went with h13 7s because they shot better than anything (thats readily available) that I have shot in any of my guns.

 I learned a lot here on the OG cite. I made the move over to the Mag Blend when it first came out. I'm still shootin it,because I bought a bunch. I like it for this reason..... The three P's.. Pattern,Pellets,Penetration.  ;D

Quote from: TauntoHawk on March 05, 2012, 01:33:18 PM
tinkering with the set up is part of the fun even if its not necessary

:icon_thumright: I'm gonna give them 7's a spin one day.. When the stock is depleted.

How come no Federal Heavyweights! :OGturkeyhead:

when I started turkey hunting 20+ years ago I shot lead 5's.When I made the switch to Hevishot I went with 6's...They were awesome so...I'm still shooting em.

I picked Hevi 6's because in my testing they were better than Magblends and head and shoulders above XR 5's and 6's. No offense to XR fans. I just average 100+ more pellets out of my rig with Hevi 6's vs. XR 6's.

I voted handloads. I have tried every turkey load to come out since 1982. Nothing comes close to handloading your own , pattern wise or performance wise. Plus the satisfaction of harvesting a bird with a load you made yourself.

Mag Blend even they are not in the pole, I have shot and killed one turkey with 7's. and the rest with Mag blends and they are my choice to hunt with. They pattern well for me and kill every-time so far!. :OGani:

HANDLOADS  :drool:

I voted H13-6s.  I actually have better patterns (so far) with Mag Blends, but 6s thus far have been a close second.  I have a couple more combo's to try.  If Blends and 6s pattern the same I will shoot 6s.  The reason for this is they are cheaper and the recoil is much more mild. 

So far, out of MY gun......XRHD 6's give me the best numbers and even patterns.

I've yet to test only the straight 6 and 7's from Hevi in the 3.5"

Hevi 3-2-6 were a close second to the 3.5-2-6 XRHD's

Magblends were only 6 pellets more in the ten than my XRHD's, but with 1/4 oz more shot and
all that recoil, I need more improvement to make that switch!

Quote from: hookedspur on March 05, 2012, 05:10:46 PM
I went with h13 7s because they shot better than anything (thats readily available) that I have shot in any of my guns.

Need I say more. 

I voted for Hevi 13 #7's but for hunting I have actually been using Magnum Blend, but that wasn't on the voting list.  I like the three shot sizes combined and the results of shooting them.  Dead turkey! 

I shoot H13 3.5 in 7's because at close range it throws a very dense pattern and I have killed out to 43 yards .. so no problem with me for the 7.s   ... I shoot a sbe  2 and can't get the magblends to pattern worth a darn out of many different chokes..

Quote from: tomanyturkeycalls on March 06, 2012, 11:12:15 AM
I shoot H13 3.5 in 7's because at close range it throws a very dense pattern and I have killed out to 43 yards .. so no problem with me for the 7.s   ... I shoot a sbe  2 and can't get the magblends to pattern worth a darn out of many different chokes..

Say it isn't so.   :lol:

Looks like the 7's are going to be the hands-down winner.   :drool:

That just means there are more Koolaid drinkers presently and the flavor of the month happens to be H13 #7.  Once more people get a bad taste in their mouth those numbers will change just like anything else in life.   :funnyturkey: :icon_thumright:

I voted lead because thats what I've always shot them with and never had any problems. I jumped on the H7 train last year and rode it till a couple of weeks ago. Now I'm back to turkey hunting. Could have bought a lot of other turkey stuff with the $ I spent.

Maybe I ought to have them send me sugar instead of money for my rebate so I can mix it with my Kool-Aid.   :toothy9:

But to be honest, the only shellls I have bought so far this year has been the Hevi-13 3.5" 2.25oz #6's.  And I probably will end up shooting them this year since they pattern very well.  But in all honesty either 6's or 7's will work probably about the same.  The 6's will give better penetration, and the 7's will give quite a few more hits to make up for what some say they lack in penetration.  I still say they have what it takes to kill easily at 45yds and even a tad farther if need be.  So the point is really moot. 

I went with win x 6 because till I try something else that is giving me a good pattern at 40 yards.

Hevi 7s pattern the best for me by far and have been the death of quite a few Toms.

I voted for lead, i tried all the popular big named HTL loads in my main gun and i guess they just don't like my gun or chokes. However, i do shoot Fed heavy weights out of my 20ga.

hevi-13 #6  2 1/4 oz  3 1/2 inch

the bird is going to be close for me to shoot,so lead will work just fine

Quote from: bird on March 06, 2012, 01:52:48 PM
That just means there are more Koolaid drinkers presently and the flavor of the month happens to be H13 #7.  Once more people get a bad taste in their mouth those numbers will change just like anything else in life.  :funnyturkey: :icon_thumright:

Been shooting 7's for the last 3-4 years and im waiting to see what they will come out with in factory ammunition that will rival it but so far..nothing will touch the patterns of the Hevi 7's in 3 or 3.5 out of any of my rigs. The Hevi 6 patterns are effective as well but when i can put 100 more shot in a 10 @ 40 its kinda hard to leave the Hevi 7's at the house. :boon:

Quote from: Longshanks on March 08, 2012, 11:44:35 AM

Quote from: bird on March 06, 2012, 01:52:48 PM
That just means there are more Koolaid drinkers presently and the flavor of the month happens to be H13 #7.  Once more people get a bad taste in their mouth those numbers will change just like anything else in life.  :funnyturkey: :icon_thumright:

Been shooting 7's for the last 3-4 years and im waiting to see what they will come out with in factory ammunition that will rival it but so far nothing will touch the patterns of the Hevi 7's in 3 or 3.5 out of any of my rigs.

Same for me.  What cracks me up is when folks say they won't kill.  And then you have the guy that says don't show pictures of what they will do at farther distances on a live turkey.  Now isn't the real thing what most people would want to see instead of paper?  Heck that's the most objective target there is in my mind.  Then when you show them the proof you get accused of either lying or that you have had too much Kool-Aid and don't know what your saying.  I just don't get some of these people.  7's are the real McCoy.  And this poll proves it.  I think some folks when they talk bad about a great shooting load need to analyze what they are really saying.  Anyone in my honest opinion that shoots a bird with Hevi-13 #7's at 40yds out of a good shooting choke and gun combo and doesn't kill it cleanly probably more than likely pulled their shot.  Now the truth hurts but sometimes we have to swallow our pride.  

I know I would hate to be the turkey standing in front of a load of #7's coming out of either of my guns at 40yds or 50yds for that matter.  And that's not promoting 50yd shots either.  Just saying I wouldn't want to be the turkey to try and survive the pattern.  

This year I'm shooting Magblends or Hevi 6 but I've killed more birds with Win HV 6 lead than everything else combined. 

I drink Kool-Aid.

Quote from: goblr77 on March 08, 2012, 02:13:21 PM
I drink Kool-Aid.

:toothy12:

I voted hevi13 #7s because they are the only.shell I have shot that give comparable numbers to nitros. There was only about 10 pellets different in them and nitro straight 7s.

Hevi-13 3.5-2.25-6

I picked lead bc I was a sr in high school when I got my first turkey gun off my teacher and he told me what set up he was running. Since then I have shot a bunch of different loads through it and it still holds true.

Started with Winchester #5 copper plate. Then switched to Hevi 13 #7. They had the best pattern and was devastaing on the birds. Purchased Hevi 13 #6 this year due to the stated factory charts and down range peformance given. I think either one of the polling loads is a good choice.

going to the tss shot soon as i get some in,got the loader ready. till then will be shooting hevi-13.