I have been thinking alot about this since last night when the rumors about Win XRHD started coming to the surface.
Now, I know XRHD is only offered in a 10 round box, but it was still 43.00 through Cabelas for that.
Hevi-13 is going for 32.00 a box of 5.
My thinking is, this move by Winchester is just the tip of the iceburg. HTL, is HTL, and the cost of the shot, no matter the manufactuer, has to go up.
What are your thoughts? Will we all go to reloading our own shells if we want HTL performance, or end up tinkering with lead loads?
I can promise you that the cost of htl has me going back to lead. If there are a lot of folks that feel like I do then htl may only be offered to the reloaders. Supply and demand. I personally hope that the price drops back to a more affordable level.
I think that they will start tinkering with the amount of tungeston in the shells, or cheapen other parts of their components, or go start only loading one size pellet before they totally go away.
Winchester and Federal offer so many more shell types, so them dropping or reducing HTL shells doesnt really hurt them all that much. Hevi Shot is only tungetson based with some steel in the water fowl loads...I mean their business is HTL so I wouldnt see them stopping that. They arent gonna just shut the doors without trying new ways to cut cost. To be honest with the Winchesters pulling out of the game, and if Feds also follow suit it makes Hevi the main player in the HTL game once again. Their business will pick up, which may also allow them to produce more shells. buying more raw material in bulk allows cost to come down. Others getting out the HTL game may help Hevi shot
Environ-Metal pioneered the tungsten-shot shell. They actually make their own shot. They are subject to world prices for raw materials but with their history and position in the marketplace, I suspect that you'll see them in the game for the duration.
Thanks,
Clark
If the price goes up on crude oil , yes the consumer has to pay more at the pump , and if shell components go up , it would be best if the ammo manufacturers have to raise the price, than stop production of shells
I would say its a good time to be in the ammo business these days , and given the mindset that consumers are trending to purchase in bulk , retailers will start to see turkey hunters do the same , I cant see this being a loosing proposition for the ammo manufacturers
I talked to a guy from winchester today and he told me they are still making EXTD Range and have no plans to stop. I think they are just changing their packaging.
Quote from: duckaholic25 on January 30, 2013, 10:40:34 PM
I talked to a guy from winchester today and he told me they are still making EXTD Range and have no plans to stop. I think they are just changing their packaging.
Same thing I heard today when I called.
I hope this is not a trend. I think I will be buying a few boxes this year of HTL and just stop tinkering! Hopefully I could get by with 5 shells a year.
At some point, a lot of people will move back to Lead. A lot of people have already stopped buying HTL, and when they use up the HTL they have, they will use Lead again. The chokes made now work better with Lead than ever before.
I have enough HTL for my 20 to last the rest of my hunting career - or my wife's since she will start toting the 20 this year.
I will buy one box of 25 Nitro Straight 7's for my 935 and when they run out in a few years I will either start shooting my lead reloads or buy another box of Nitro's. I do have a few boxes of Win XX 3.5" 6's just in case...
Quote from: 3" 870 Shell Shucker on January 31, 2013, 02:24:19 AM
At some point, a lot of people will move back to Lead. A lot of people have already stopped buying HTL, and when they use up the HTL they have, they will use Lead again. The chokes made now work better with Lead than ever before.
Quote from: coyotetrpr on January 30, 2013, 05:21:30 PM
I can promise you that the cost of htl has me going back to lead. I personally hope that the price drops back to a more affordable level.
That's how I'm feeling. This may sound silly..... and it is... I'm glad I don't shoot a lot of turkeys. ;D I'd be in the poor house.
I like to go out and shoot. I used to pattern the guns all the time. It's just too expensive now. I have a few boxes of HTL for each turkey gun. They will only be shot at birds when hunting now.
When my Nitros are gone, it's back to my lead stash
Never took the HTL plunge(though they sound great), lead has been doing the job for since 1985. Can't justify shells that cost more than my permit. 60+ birds haven't complained, did lose one in 2006. Just my 2 cents..
I'll never go back to lead.
Just ordered 25 nitro megaweights, have a few 4x5x7 h13 nitros left, and have 5 or 6 boxes of h13 6s and mag blends.
We have $60 pot calls, $150 box calls, $100 turkey vests, $75 chokes, $150 dave smith decoys, $800 turkey mounts...... The list goes on and on. I have too much tied up in turkey hunting to worry about a few bucks per shell. I think most of the htl-using population of turkey hunters will continue to buy.
It's good to hear that they will still make XRHD.
But hopefully the cost will stay about $4 per shell, which is still more than 2 to 3 times the cost of premium Lead loads. Win Sup HV loads are $12 per 10 at Wal-Mart, but more like $17 at BPS.
Whether its $3 or $7 a shell, I shoot maybe 2-5 times a year. I don't think the $8-$20 is going to make or break me... Too much invested to not shoot the best possible ammo at the bird you've worked so hard for. It may be your only chance for the year, heck it may be your last bird ever. I sure hope neither of those is this case. To each his own, but I will be shooting the heavier stuff, so long as it outperforms the lead.
Winchester XRHD , buy it up when you see it , if you ever do again- :OGani:
It would be highly advisable , that if you shoot any of this type of ammo to reserve your self up a good supply of it for future use - some brands may go up in price or worse
In about a few weeks the more casual seasonal hunters will start to engage in their annual gear purchasing thing ,- buy some HTL before that time
Quote from: Old Gobbler on February 07, 2013, 11:39:09 PM
Winchester XRHD , buy it up when you see it , if you ever do again- :OGani:
It would be highly advisable , that if you shoot any of this type of ammo to reserve your self up a good supply of it for future use - some brands may go up in price or worse
In about a few weeks the more casual seasonal hunters will start to engage in their annual gear purchasing thing ,- buy some HTL before that time
Very good advice.
Thanks,
Clark
I have about seven boxes of HeviShot 3.5 #7s and when they are gone I'm going back to lead. I might even try and reload some lead shells and see what happens.
I remember the polywad loaded "oldwhites" in #6 ,that became real scarce - the people that parted with those years ago , probably wished they had them back .
There were always WTB adds for them , for a few years people would post up they had a local corner store had this or that , and they would be shipped to another member - after some time it became hopeless to find any
You will see the same WTB threads for a years to come for whatever loads become discontinued this season or next , occasionally there might be a pallet of the stuff found here or there - I know money is tight with folks , but this might your last chance , so crack your wallets and buy up a little more if you use it --