I've been looking for a cheaper alternative to the current hevi 13 offerings. I decided to try the turkey thug shells, and last week I was in a small gun shop and found some very old hevi shot shells. They're 3 inch shells loaded with 1 5/8oz of #5s, in a black hull. 10 shells per box for $16. The thugs were 3.5in 2oz 6s, 10 shells for $13. I patterned them both this weekend. It was 45 degrees, with a breeze, and I shot at 41 yards. My best average of 3 shots was with an Indian Creek .665 out of my Benelli SBEII. Both shells printed an average of 133-135 in the 10 at 40. The hevishot pattern was more even in the 10 inch circle, but the thugs had more pellets in the 20. I'd post pictures, but I somehow lost the patterns on the way back from the range. So with the above info, which shell do you pick? i.e. which should I go buy more of, to use when my current stock of hevi 13 runs dry? Is mid 130s good or bad for 5's in a 3 inch 1 5/8oz shell?
At 45 degrees, 130 is a good strong pattern. Lead or 1 5/8 ounces of Hevi.
It takes more hevishot pellets to do much better.
Quote from: Borden811 on April 01, 2013, 02:15:59 PM
I've been looking for a cheaper alternative to the current hevi 13 offerings. I decided to try the turkey thug shells, and last week I was in a small gun shop and found some very old hevi shot shells. They're 3 inch shells loaded with 1 5/8oz of #5s, in a black hull. 10 shells per box for $16. The thugs were 3.5in 2oz 6s, 10 shells for $13. I patterned them both this weekend. It was 45 degrees, with a breeze, and I shot at 41 yards. My best average of 3 shots was with an Indian Creek .665 out of my Benelli SBEII. Both shells printed an average of 133-135 in the 10 at 40. The hevishot pattern was more even in the 10 inch circle, but the thugs had more pellets in the 20. I'd post pictures, but I somehow lost the patterns on the way back from the range. So with the above info, which shell do you pick? i.e. which should I go buy more of, to use when my current stock of hevi 13 runs dry? Is mid 130s good or bad for 5's in a 3 inch 1 5/8oz shell?
I would gather up those black hulled Hevi-Shot shells. You had excellent numbers/coverage from 1 5/8 oz. of #5 shot equal to 2 oz. of #6 lead shot. Those Hevi-Shot #5 pellets are transferring a lot of energy to the target, turkey's head, at 40 yards.
Those are great prices for 10 Hevi-Shot shells.
Thanks,
Clark
If I found 12 gauge hevi for that price per shell I would be all over it! That is a heck of a pattern for 1 5/8's oz of 5's!
I can't find hevi cheap enough so I am running 2.25 ounce lead in the 12!
I used to shoot HTL butnim like you, im not paying 30 dollars for 5 shells. At 16 dollars for 10 shells though you can't beat that. Id buy every box they had and when theyre gone shoot your turkey thugs.
I like the HTL loads I have. I don't regret buying them....but I won't buy any more.
I will use what I have for hunting (Maybe 37+ rounds all together?), and let others continue to pattern HTL. I've already done my homework.
I still want to play with Lead a little. I have plenty of it to spare. The Thugs rock, so I'll play with the rest of the pile.
Hunting with a $1,500 gun and worried about the cost of ammo?
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I think it is important to shoot good loads and witness good patterns at our hunting distances.
However, I really think it isn't as critical as we tend to think. for the most part, of all the turkeys I have killed, I doubt the shell would have mattered. I bet 90 plus % of the turkeys would have been killed whether I was hunting with my 20 ga or my 12 ga. Would still harvest most likely he same number of birds. For my misses, I dont think it was the shell that made the miss. I probably would have missed regardless of what shell I was using.
from my experience, ( and my opinion) it isnt the gun nor is it the shell , it is the operator
who makes or breaks it. Decision making at the time of shooting is the biggest and most important variable, in my book. Now, that doesnt mean I would want to go hunting with
dove loads, but I probably could kill plenty of turkeys if I had to.
I tend to agree ... I think I would have gotten a less expensive Rem or Mossberg and paired them up with HEVI #7's .... if I was concerned about costs. How many times do you actually shoot in a given season once you gun is set up and patterned?
Quote from: 01Foreman400 on April 02, 2013, 08:18:39 AM
Hunting with a $1,500 gun and worried about the cost of ammo?
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Quote from: 01Foreman400 on April 02, 2013, 08:18:39 AM
Hunting with a $1,500 gun and worried about the cost of ammo?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Not really worried. I have about 50 round of hevi 13 7's that give me anywhere between 250-300+ pellets in the 10 at 40. As I said, I was looking for a cheaper alternative for backup ammo, or for when someone wants to borrow my gun. Last year two people borrowed it. Those same two people shot 9 shells, between turkeys, groundhogs, coyotes, and "trying it out". So, I'm not really into donating $5.00/shell ammo for those purposes. Thanks for your super helpful response to my post though. :icon_thumright:
I think I'll swing by the shop on my way home, and grab what they have left of those 5's! Another plus to them is that if a younger hunter/lady hunter uses my gun, the recoil from them isn't nearly as likely to dislodge thier teeth as those turkey thugs!
Somebody borrows your gun and you furnish them shells? That's a bargain for them.
Buy all of those HS loads and some of this years Thugs and be set.
Yes ... it that's the case, get some cheap shells. hell give them a handful of Rem Express #6's and send them on their way.
Lol, I had considered that. But I didn't want to send them out there with something that wouldn't get the job done. They're hard working guys, and don't have the time to pattern guns and scout like I do. Just a perk of my job. So I figure I can give them a gun that performs pretty decent, and point them in the right direction. The rest is up to them!
Well, I worked a little deal, and left the shop with eight, 10 round boxes of the hevishot 5s for $100. :happy0064:
It's supposed to be warmer this weekend, so I'll get some pattern pics up if I get time to shoot.
80 rounds of HTL for $100. :drool:
Were there any 4's or 5's left? I've been eying them up but have been buying heavyweights instead.
I believe there were some 4s still there.
Good luck.....choose the better overall pattern !!!! :fud: :OGani:
when my stash of HTL ammo runs out,I'm through with it,back to lead for me