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Turkey Guns & Shooting => 20 Gauge Turkey Guns => Topic started by: deer-turkeyhunter on January 26, 2013, 03:49:34 PM

Title: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: deer-turkeyhunter on January 26, 2013, 03:49:34 PM
Hello,

I am not having any luck finding the Fed heavy #7's. I would like to know what other loads are being used?  I am not interested in TSS.  I have a 20 gauge youth 870 and was wondering what other loads and choke tube combos everybody else have tried?   Also what are some of the results.

Thanks

Deerturkeyhunter
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: mightyjoeyoung on January 26, 2013, 04:17:02 PM
That's why I picked up 8 boxes last year...knew they were gonna be hard to find this spring considering the fast growing popularity of the 20's. 

Another good shell would be hevi shot 7's or 6's.  I killed my first bird of the season 2 years ago with the 6's at 38 yards and he hit the ground so hard, you'd think he bounced.
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: savduck on January 26, 2013, 05:55:29 PM
I bet you could get a great Heavy weight 6 pattern. Dont over look them.

Hevi 7s are nice to. My 870 with SSX will put up 155 patterns with the hevi 7s
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: paintbrush on January 26, 2013, 07:57:46 PM
I gave 2 longbeards dirt naps last spring using 3" Hevi #7's. One at 35 yards and the other at 32 yards. Drop both of them right in their tracks. You'll just have to see how well your gun/choke combo patterns them.
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: hookedspur on January 26, 2013, 08:32:56 PM
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/6-0312012
http://cdn1.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd_images/lgprod/2-FEPHT258F7.jpg
Cheaper than dirt has them .
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: lmbhngr on January 26, 2013, 10:41:26 PM
I`ve had good luck with 6`s
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: GSLAM95 on January 26, 2013, 11:13:36 PM
Here is a good link showing stock at Cheaper than
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/2-FEPHT258F7
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: BrowningGuy88 on January 27, 2013, 09:52:22 AM
I prefer the 6's in my gun. Fed heavyweight and hevi 13 both shoot excellent. I am running a sumtoychoke.
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: old frank on January 28, 2013, 01:51:45 PM
I still have some 7's but not enough. I couldn't find any either but Sportsmans's Guide had the 6's and I had a $20 coupon so I bought four boxes.

I have targets ready with 10" circles and I hope to test them at the range this week.

I like to get my turkeys close anyway and with a Red Dot optic, I think the 6's will work fine. I will report after the range trip.
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: savduck on January 28, 2013, 08:48:04 PM
Quote from: old frank on January 28, 2013, 01:51:45 PM
I still have some 7's but not enough. I couldn't find any either but Sportsmans's Guide had the 6's and I had a $20 coupon so I bought four boxes.

I have targets ready with 10" circles and I hope to test them at the range this week.

I like to get my turkeys close anyway and with a Red Dot optic, I think the 6's will work fine. I will report after the range trip.

I think the 6s would be awesome. I have hit in the 180s several times with the 7s, but most of my  patterns stay in the 130 to 150 range. I bet that you could get some 90 to 120 type patterns with the 6s with the right choke. A 90 in ten type pattern is still a devistating pattern with the hitting power of those pellets.

With my #7s, the most interesting thing I found is that no matter what the total count was in 10 ring, be it a 165 pattern or 120 pattern, the actual pellets in head and neck only varied by 4 or five hits. For example, say a 157 count pattern put 16 in spine and brain and another 17 in the rest of the head, a 115 pattern would still put up 13 spine and brain and say 21 head and neck hits.
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: mightyjoeyoung on January 29, 2013, 12:48:08 AM
Woowee!  A 120ish pattern with the 6's?!  That'd be some serious LIGHTS OUT stuff on turkeys boy!   :OGturkeyhead:
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: R AJ on January 29, 2013, 08:33:10 PM
Quote from: mightyjoeyoung on January 29, 2013, 12:48:08 AM
Woowee!  A 120ish pattern with the 6's?!  That'd be some serious LIGHTS OUT stuff on turkeys boy!   :OGturkeyhead:

That is what we used to expect from earlier Big Gobbler H-13 loads before they re-invented the wheel.
A Rem with a Pure Gold 555 -560 was a winner with that load.
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: K9Doc on January 29, 2013, 10:35:17 PM
Old Gobbler used to have a reloading page. Too bad it's gone. I too had shell problems. I started loading my own. Sorry to tell u boys, but until u load ur own, u will struggle with Lot #s and such every time u need new ammo. Load ur own and u will be glad u did!
TSS 18 gr/cc #9s. All u ever need.
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: BrowningGuy88 on January 30, 2013, 09:12:04 AM
Quote from: mightyjoeyoung on January 29, 2013, 12:48:08 AM
Woowee!  A 120ish pattern with the 6's?!  That'd be some serious LIGHTS OUT stuff on turkeys boy!   :OGturkeyhead:

Turning that with both Fed 6's and H13 6's out of my 21" barrel. I think it will be devistating!
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: turkeytromp on January 30, 2013, 02:21:27 PM
Our local gunshop has several boxes of fhw 20ga. #6 & some 20ga.#7 for 28.95/box kinda high but they are selling it rather quick. If anyone is needing any I could always pick some up and ship.
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: mightyjoeyoung on January 30, 2013, 02:59:57 PM
Quote from: RAJ on January 29, 2013, 08:33:10 PM
Quote from: mightyjoeyoung on January 29, 2013, 12:48:08 AM
Woowee!  A 120ish pattern with the 6's?!  That'd be some serious LIGHTS OUT stuff on turkeys boy!   :OGturkeyhead:

That is what we used to expect from earlier Big Gobbler H-13 loads before they re-invented the wheel.
A Rem with a Pure Gold 555 -560 was a winner with that load.

I get high 130's to mid 140's in my 870 with the Hevi 6's and the PG .570 AND the Jelly Head .570 now. 
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: surehuntsalot on February 03, 2013, 08:35:29 PM
I did something unheard of last season
I took all 3 of my birds with LEAD #6's in a 20ga.  can you believe that
turkeys are not bullet proof buy no means
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: WyoHunter on February 04, 2013, 12:47:53 AM
I just ordered 3 boxes from Midway. They have them in stock.  :icon_thumright:
Title: Re: Can't find Fed heavy #7. What next?
Post by: wmd on February 04, 2013, 08:42:50 PM
The 20 ga Magblends and a Truglo SSX .550 throw a good pattern out of my son's 1187 compact.