For those of you that have used the 12 gauge Federal Heviweight turkey shells where you happy or not with the results? Can you please post some numbers or info with what choke you used? Thanks
I started shooting them several years ago, had a tough time getting good numbers at 40. Then I tried a Truelock which was made for the #7 Heviweights. In my 3" guns I can put up 180 all day and in my 3.5 guns ( all 11-87's) I can get 200. Stuff is nasty no doubt.
Quote from: Fullfan on February 05, 2014, 04:39:38 PM
I started shooting them several years ago, had a tough time getting good numbers at 40. Then I tried a Truelock which was made for the #7 Heviweights. In my 3" guns I can put up 180 all day and in my 3.5 guns ( all 11-87's) I can get 200. Stuff is nasty no doubt.
Yep me to on the 3.5 and Trulock, i think i have a pattern pic in this section in an 1187 s.m.Go back through my post to April,13..under pure gold -trulock
Quote from: Fullfan on February 05, 2014, 04:39:38 PM
I started shooting them several years ago, had a tough time getting good numbers at 40. Then I tried a Truelock which was made for the #7 Heviweights. In my 3" guns I can put up 180 all day and in my 3.5 guns ( all 11-87's) I can get 200. Stuff is nasty no doubt.
Even with the more recent Lot #'s???
I shoot them through a Carlson in lots of guns...Outstanding results...
With 3-1&5/8-7s
Rem 1187 26" / Rem .675 HS 137/10
Beretta 686 28" / Wright's .670 105/10
Wright's .660 140/10
Not huge numbers, but I hunted with the last combo for a couple of years and slammed every turkey I shot at.
Are you guys using ported or non-ported chokes? Also do these shells prefer a more open or tight constriction?
They seem to like a tight constriction.. The trulock choke made for the federal heavyweight #7 works the best in my remingtons... 3.5 in. I can get 180-200 in 10 in all day long at 40 yards.. With a 3 in. I average 150-160.. They are absolutely devastating... At 20 yds it's about softball size... Lee
I shot 5 different chokes in my 870 SM 23", barrel honed and polished and never could get what I was looking for. My best patterns were less than 130 in the 10 at 40yds. I like the shot just not the wad.
I shot it several years ago with good results . I cant recall the numbers exactly but they were pushing 200 with 3.5s . The one thing I do remember was they flat out stone dead turkeys . I stopped using them because I bought a few boxes that were not as consistant as my first batch . This seems to be a recurring thing with turkey ammo . It is starting to be a real pain with lot numbers and inconsistant loads.
I'm not a big numbers guy, I'm more concerned with having a nice 20" or so hunting pattern with no holes in it. These shells give me that and they will absolutely FLATTEN gobblers!
Rem 870/ Hastings non ported choke .665
*polished barrel and choke
190-200 in a 10 @ 40 Fed HW 3" 7's (Hastings non ported .665)
280's in a 10 @ 40 Hevi13 3" 7's (ventilator .655)
*incredible knockdown with the shells. Noticeable difference between the Heavyweight 7s and the Hevi 7s. Higher numbers with Hevi 7's. I opted for the higher numbers.
*shot with older shells, bought couple of boxes on sale years ago. Don't have any experience with the new shells in 12 guage.
REMINGTON SM 26" FHW 7's 3". 40 yards in the ten, lazered.
140's with Carlton .640 unported and same for Hevi-choke. 662
Rob Roberts .660 recommended 107 and is unported.
SBE 26" 170's with hevi-choke.
SSX is supposed to be good, style of porting is different from AAShooting Clark.
Sumtoys look good.
Longshanks Hastings looks awesome.
oh, for the Remington it was not polished with the Hevi-choke patterns and it did get from 189 to 211 for 3 shots in the 11"x11" paper. Just didn't want squeeze em in the ten?
Was polished for Carlsons and Rob Rob.
Quote from: SKFOOTER on February 05, 2014, 05:46:26 PM
Quote from: Fullfan on February 05, 2014, 04:39:38 PM
I started shooting them several years ago, had a tough time getting good numbers at 40. Then I tried a Truelock which was made for the #7 Heviweights. In my 3" guns I can put up 180 all day and in my 3.5 guns ( all 11-87's) I can get 200. Stuff is nasty no doubt.
Even with the more recent Lot #'s???
SK my shell were purchased about 2 -3 years ago. I have about 35 boxes of the 3 and 3.5. Not sure on the lot #s.
I found a picture of my 870 with the Federal Heavy #7 3inch , with the Trulock @20 yds. Lee
I have new shells , older shells (10 round boxes) all of them get the job done. I don't care about lot numbers. The newer shells do put up a few less pellets ,but nothing to be concerned about. All of the shells i have put up fantastic patterns with the Trulock choke. My 3 1/2 picture was from a box that i got from you (skfooter), those shells have taken 2 nice birds. Lee :icon_thumright:
This one was taken with a newer 3 inch @ 35yds and was devastated. He could not tell if it was a new or old shell. Lee
I don't get as good of "numbers" with the HW's as I do with the hevi's, but the HW's have flattened every bird I've shot at with them.
Quote from: owlhoot on February 09, 2014, 09:42:05 AM
REMINGTON SM 26" FHW 7's 3". 40 yards in the ten, lazered.
140's with Carlton .640 unported and same for Hevi-choke. 662
Rob Roberts .660 recommended 107 and is unported.
SBE 26" 170's with hevi-choke.
SSX is supposed to be good, style of porting is different from AAShooting Clark.
Sumtoys look good.
Longshanks Hastings looks awesome.
That Hastings .665 non ported seemed to shoot all of the flight control shells from federal fairly well. Killed allot of turkey's with Pb 5's and 6's with that choke out of a 21" barrel rem 870.
I use them in a 3.5 in. 12 game. New england single shot, full ck
Home, with the 3 in get any where from 110 to 130 in10 in. At 40. Never seen a shell kill a turkey as good as these.