My nephew is shooting 12 gauge Hevi 13 and is getting good patterns from #6. He needs to buy more shells and asked me if he should consider 7s. My first inclination was "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". But was just curious about the lethality of #7 at conventional ranges with Hevi 13 (I know Heavyweight #7 is deadly and assumed Hevi 13 would be at least on par with lead #6 and probably better), Any thoughts from those who have killed with both. I told him I would stick with the 6s but would love to hear other thoughts.
My gun likes both, and I've dropped birds with both. "Conventional ranges" are no sweat for the #7s.
I have hunted and killed birds with both out of a 20 and once I patterned the 7 I wouldn't go back to 6 in heavy..I killed one last year a ways off and just as dead as a 6 would be
As I said in another thread, 7 hevishot will smack birds down so much farther than we can discuss on here. Zero reasons to choose 6 over 7.
Another Lover of 7's. More pellets per ounce=more pellets on target=more trauma. Early 7's were putting 300 plus in 10 at 40, 6's were in the 240-250 range. Both will kill birds out to ethical distances. I've killed a bird at 38 yards stone dead with them but most have been inside 25 yards. Don't be afraid of 7's at all, they Hammer turkeys.
I've shot both and really like the #7s...Ive shot them ever since they have been out with no problems..
Always preferred 6s. Killed a good many of birds with Hevi 6s.
Made the switch to 12 ga Hevi 3" #6 2oz two seasons ago from the old winchester XX 12ga 1 7/8oz 3" #6 buffered copper ( I had several 25 rd boxes left and did not want it to go to waste). I honestly did not think I could get a better load for my gun and choke combo. I am not one to shoot at a bird past 35 yds as most of my hunting is in the woods and not in open spaces. BUT the uniform pattern per sq inch of the Hevi #6 IMO was an eye opener along with the specs for down range hitting power vs lead. Definitely worth the switch or upgrade for me. Now if I could just get a load to work right in my 10ga for fields and open areas along with a tri pod I would be in the meat so to speak :happy0064:
I have not shot the #7 hevi 12 ga yet but I have seen pure devastation out of my niece's 20 ga on turkeys. Until I run out of #6 I am sticking with it. Sorry to be long winded but I don't think you could go wrong with the #7 stuff either.
My gun loves 'em & so do I. Hevi 7s are sudden death on turkeys. Every turkey I've shot with Hevi 7s goes straight down. No contest, no doubt! Borderline magic, severe thump to the head! I haven't tried TSS yet, but I haven't needed to either.
Jim
I shot 6's for a few years until I tried some 7's. I've killed several birds with both 6's and 7's and I prefer the pattern density of the 7's, plus they have plenty of horse power to penetrate turkeys.
Both work and I have killed birds with both. I now use 6s exclusively due to a couple times where the birds weren't quiet as "dead" as I prefer using 7s. May have just been random occurrences, but my gun patterns 6s great so I'm sticking with them from now on.
Quote from: stinkpickle on March 16, 2018, 02:52:57 PM
My gun likes both, and I've dropped birds with both. "Conventional ranges" are no sweat for the #7s.
This^^^^^^^^
I use Hevi-shot #6's... Some things to consider about Hevi-shot (please correct me if I am wrong).
Hevi-shot 13 is NOT more dense than standard or original Hevi-shot and slightly more heavy than lead (lead averages 11 gms/cc and Hevi-shot 12 gms/cc).
It is my understanding that when Hevi-13 first came out, that it was a bit more dense at 13 gms/cc, but is currently produced at 12 gms/cc.
The shot size of Hevi-shot is not strictly regulated, and is simply "supposedly" and average size of the pellet for a given round... If you open up a shell and look at the pellets, the pellets will range in size to a considerable degree, with some pellets being a bit large, and many being considerably smaller than the marketed size.
Were the sizing of pellets an actual accurate account, I would likely drop down to size #7's, and were I reloading I would do the same (I have understood that the sizing is more accurate for purchasing shot for reloading at least through some sources).
But with my personal observations smaller shot sizes simply having more very small slag, I am hesitant to switch to size #7's.....
I have killed a couple with my 870 20 gauge with heavy 13 6s. Did a very good job but the main reason I shoot them is because my gun patterns with them a lot better than the heavy 13 7s. Makes no sense to me. Makes no difference which choke I shoot. Everything from truglo ssx to Carlson's 575 and hevi 13 6s just pattern better in my gun. One of the turkeys was ranged at 42 yards. Range finder used after the shot.
I've been shooting the new Hevi 13's #6 out of my Rem 870 3" magnum...seems to kill em' pretty dead got no reason to try anything else
I used to shoot the 7's until I got tired of the price. They worked really well for me at some impressive distances!
#7s. If Environmetal wouldn't have messed with the shell components I probably wouldn't have switched to TSS, not at soon at least.