Hey guys what's the general opinion on these shells. My local academy has some on sale. They are Federal 3rd degree 20 ga 5,6,7 shot. They're on clearance for $13.48.
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Regulation where I hunt is no shot smaller than 6, 7s if it's part of a duplex load with larger shot. After years of using Federal HW 7s, I decided to do right by the law. Started using the 3rd degrees, and got a good pattern. Killed one at 31 steps last year, and the shell hammered him. Had forgotten what a bloody head looked like, lol.
Shot a box when they came out, it patterned ok but HW7's were still around back then, so I ended up using those for hunting until they couldn't be found. Ended up using Win L/B X/R #6 last year.
I patterned quite a few last year and wasn't impressed. Using Win LBs for the 12-ga and may do same for 20-ga?
Used the 20-ga for most of the duck season and need to figure out pretty quickly if I'm going to set it backup with a red dot or shoot with a bead?...
Hey at that price , why not try a box .... nothing wrong for having it as a back up shell etc ...
Well I was hoping to acquire some TSS for this season and would prefer to put all my funds towards that but right now I'm afraid I won't be able to buy any before it's gone!
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Quote from: aclawrence on February 10, 2019, 05:31:23 PM
Well I was hoping to acquire some TSS for this season and would prefer to put all my funds towards that but right now I'm afraid I won't be able to buy any before it's gone!
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If funds might be the problem , i would get the next best thing and get some longbeards ....
Yeah I guess that's what I was kind of getting at wondering if these might be the next best thing. I rolled two birds over with long beards last year but that was out of my 12 ga.
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Quote from: aclawrence on February 10, 2019, 05:42:42 PM
Yeah I guess that's what I was kind of getting at wondering if these might be the next best thing. I rolled two birds over with long beards last year but that was out of my 12 ga.
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Yes , i think you will be fine with the number 6 longbeards ... in your 20 gauge ...
In my experience patterning, 3rd Degree shells are about as good as a high brass load. Don't get me wrong, it'll kill a turkey, but there are many much better options. In my 20, I've shot 3rd degree, Magblends, long beard 5s & 6s, and Winchester Supreme 5s, and high brass 6s...the 3rd degree was the least desirable pattern at 40 yards. It was one of the better patterns at 15 yards, though...guess it depends on what you want.
I will be patterning some Federal TSS this year, and figure that it will be what I roll with when I take out the 20 gauge.
Quote from: aclawrence on February 03, 2019, 03:13:33 PM
Hey guys what's the general opinion on these shells. My local academy has some on sale. They are Federal 3rd degree 20 ga 5,6,7 shot. They're on clearance for $13.48.
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I found some on clearance at field and stream for $4.40 a box. At that price I had to try them.
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Thanks guys I'm going to pass on the 3rd degrees and save a few dollars for the TSS.
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I try to not skimp on ammo. It's the only thing you have that connects with a living critter. I don't turkey hunt to save money so I try to shoot the good stuff.
I'd save up for TSS or H13's.
I tried it from different 12 gauges and 20 gauges,different chokes and I wasn't impressed with it,I wouldnt hunt with it but it worked fine to 30 yards in the 20 gauge,I just thought it was a waste of money and still have a few boxes kicking around.
i tried the 3rd degree because like you guys i found them on sale but outa my mossberg 500. and 3 chokes later i couldn't get a good 40 yard pattern outa my 12 or 20. so i tried them out on my Encore and the has a decent pattern at 40 but not what i wanted . so i either use He i-shot mag blend. or longbeard in my 12 ya. for the 20 ya it's always been Hevi-shot because i couldn't find the longbeards in 20 ya anywhere. but this year i already have 20 ga. longbeard setting on ammo shelf . waiting on a dry day to try them out
Shot a few out of the SX2 this morning with a Carlson .575 choke.
Good out to 20-yds and 30-yds could have been me; may explain why I've been missing so many Snipe lately.
Pretty much anything looks good at 20 and 30yds. I'm sure you know it but your high left, bigly.
An example of 30 vs 40. A friend shot a 12 gauge 870 with 3" win hv 5's. He was well over 200 at 30yds, 220 I think. He backed up to 40 and never cracked 100.
High and left, but the paper I had the target taped to told rest of the story, really spread out and didn't even do a pellet count.
I have another box of 3rd degre, but will try Winchester Double X next to see how it patterns.
Quote from: squidd on February 16, 2019, 08:35:16 PM
High and left, but the paper I had the target taped to told rest of the story, really spread out and didn't even do a pellet count.
I have another box of 3rd degre, but will try Winchester Double X next to see how it patterns.
I shoot a 20 ga 870 with a Rob Roberts final strut .570 and the double x were horrible out of it. Maybe you will have better luck but I didn't even get 100 in 10" at 20 Yards.. Try the federal grand slams that are new and improved from last year. It's 35-38 yard shell w/ the .570, and #5 lead to boot. Same price as double x.
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Quote from: DBell on February 16, 2019, 08:59:53 PM
Quote from: squidd on February 16, 2019, 08:35:16 PM
High and left, but the paper I had the target taped to told rest of the story, really spread out and didn't even do a pellet count.
I have another box of 3rd degre, but will try Winchester Double X next to see how it patterns.
I shoot a 20 ga 870 with a Rob Roberts final strut .570 and the double x were horrible out of it. Maybe you will have better luck but I didn't even get 100 in 10" at 20 Yards.. Try the federal grand slams that are new and improved from last year. It's 35-38 yard shell w/ the .570, and #5 lead to boot. Same price as double x.
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Winchesters are terrible out of my 20 also. I only shot them at 42yds but I was averaging in the high 20's/low 30's.
The Federal fcw #6 lead would make a 35yd load but that's the max I'd trust them.
I'm shooting a youth 870 with a 570 colonial arms choke.
Quote from: Tom Foolery on February 11, 2019, 06:25:06 PM
I try to not skimp on ammo. It's the only thing you have that connects with a living critter. I don't turkey hunt to save money so I try to shoot the good stuff.
I'd save up for TSS or H13's.
:agreed:
Quote from: Tom Foolery on February 16, 2019, 09:28:25 PM
Quote from: DBell on February 16, 2019, 08:59:53 PM
Quote from: squidd on February 16, 2019, 08:35:16 PM
High and left, but the paper I had the target taped to told rest of the story, really spread out and didn't even do a pellet count.
I have another box of 3rd degre, but will try Winchester Double X next to see how it patterns.
I shoot a 20 ga 870 with a Rob Roberts final strut .570 and the double x were horrible out of it. Maybe you will have better luck but I didn't even get 100 in 10" at 20 Yards.. Try the federal grand slams that are new and improved from last year. It's 35-38 yard shell w/ the .570, and #5 lead to boot. Same price as double x.
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Winchesters are terrible out of my 20 also. I only shot them at 42yds but I was averaging in the high 20's/low 30's.
The Federal fcw #6 lead would make a 35yd load but that's the max I'd trust them.
I'm shooting a youth 870 with a 570 colonial arms choke.
The #6 can only be found in the older federal loads correct? I've only shot the new ones in #5 lead, the pattern looks aright out to 38 so far. Need to take a few more shots to check consistency
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These are supposed to be good: https://www.rogerssportinggoods.com/federal-lead-grand-slam-turkey-load-20-gauge-3.html
I saw some of the new 3rd degree and they replaced the #7 HW with TSS, anyone tried these yet? I tried some of the old 3rd's last year in my SA459 20 ga. and like most are saying they are 30 yard shells. Pattern really opens up at 40.
One thing I've found with a 20 gauge. I bought quite a few lead loads to test figuring I could get a 40yd load out of one. By the time the dust settled I'd spent enough to buy 3 boxes of HS or HW's and I had one load that would make 35yds on most days, sometimes, lol. I use them now to check POI before I shoot the good stuff.
I decided I'm not wasting money on something that may or may not work. I decided to spend it on what is proven in the 20 gauge
After rebates it costs me 2.99 a shot for the heavyweights, around $1 more than for lead loads.
I killed 2 birds last year, one at 23yds and one at 14yds. Lead would have done it but I'm a fan of the performance I get from the HW's and HS. If a bird hangs at 40 I'm good, if he pops up at 4, I'm good.
Quote from: Tom Foolery on February 17, 2019, 10:11:33 AM
One thing I've found with a 20 gauge. I bought quite a few lead loads to test figuring I could get a 40yd load out of one. By the time the dust settled I'd spent enough to buy 3 boxes of HS or HW's and I had one load that would make 35yds on most days, sometimes, lol. I use them now to check POI before I shoot the good stuff.
I decided I'm not wasting money on something that may or may not work. I decided to spend it on what is proven in the 20 gauge
After rebates it costs me 2.99 a shot for the heavyweights, around $1 more than for lead loads.
I killed 2 birds last year, one at 23yds and one at 14yds. Lead would have done it but I'm a fan of the performance I get from the HW's and HS. If a bird hangs at 40 I'm good, if he pops up at 4, I'm good.
I saw Rogers has fed HW #6 for 14.99 a box of 5. Was thinking of trying them but Heard the #6 doesn't do near as good as the #7 (which I can't use)
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I've never shot the HW 6's but I wouldn't expect great numbers. My gun is 115-125 with H13 6's from both a.570 tightwad and a 570 colonial. I have 10 boxes of them in case the HW 7's run out. H13 6's have been great killers for me.
My son currently 8 uses them in out of his tristar raptor 20 with a sumtoy choke. He has killed 3 with it and I have also shot one with it. I choose this load because it is super forgiving close if he is off on aim a little and is still killing a bird at 40 no question.
Tried the Winchester Double X at 30-yds - still thinking I need a different shell or choke for the 20???
Quote from: squidd on February 22, 2019, 01:58:05 PM
Tried the Winchester Double X at 30-yds - still thinking I need a different shell or choke for the 20???
That would take a gobbler at 30 yards all day. However, I think at 30 yards you can get a better pattern with lead #5. Try the federal grand slam. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190222/ebfe8619c312b1900711611a2326cae4.jpg)
This is the best 30 yd pattern out of 5 shots. (Circle is 10 inch, and the second number is adding in the hits roughly 2 inches outside the circle.
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