Question on Indian Creek BDS

[kdsberman]

Hey guys,

I've been looking to get an IC for my 835 and start shooting Hevi 7's (currently shooting Jellyhead/Nitro 4x5x7).  I've been told I will get better numbers with the IC over my Jellyhead.  Just wondering though, does the IC put up good "hunting" numbers, or just good 10" circle numbers?  I read on some forum that they are good inside 10 but not so much outside of that, not sure if that is true or not.

Also, will using Nitro's give me better numbers than just regular Hevi-Shot brand shells (#7's)?  I use Nitro right now, just wondering if the extra $$ is worth it.

Thanks a lot guys

[darn2ten]

I'll try to answer a couple of your questions. I took a buddies 935 to set it up and pattern it before the season this year because he didn't have time. I tried a .670 Truglo Bone Collector and a IC .675 with Win. LB #5's and Fed. Turkey thug #5's, both in 3.5". The thug's averaged in the upper 120's in the 10 with the Truglo and around 140 with the IC. With the LB's I got around 160-170 with the Truglo, and 190-200 with the IC. In both instances the IC held a more concentrated pattern toward the center of the 10. I shot Hevi shot in 6's, 7's and mag blend for about 4 years and came to a conclusion. It wasn't worth the money for me, because no matter if I shot them with Hevi they were no more dead than all the ones I had killed with lead. I believe too many people get caught up in 10" numbers. I shoot a lot of shells at the pattern board every year. Chasing numbers on paper is fun and easy to get caught up in, I got a Browning that consistently goes around 200 and sometimes over with 2 different chokes with 3" LB 5's. Is that needed in the turkey woods? Nope, I killed a bunch of turkeys before I ever knew anything about 10" circles or Hevi was ever thought of and never had a problem. So that brings me to your last question, is Nitro worth the $$. IMO, no. No turkey walking requires 300 or even 200 pellets in a 10" circle to die. Everybody has their own opinion, it's just something you'll have to decide. I normally always hunt in the timber and always try to make sure he's inside 40, like most I've misjudged by 5 or so yards a few times and still had no problems. So I'll stick with my opinion, I've never once felt handicap not having nitro or Hevi in my chamber.

[budtripp]

  couldn't have said it any better ^^^.

[kdsberman]

@darn2hen

You make a very good point.  I'm new to the whole 10" circle thing and like u said it is fun.  Striving for one more pellet in that circle and all.  Although I might still stick with Hevi shot, those LBs really are catching my attention.  I'll keep reading about them, but what's the more popular shot size people seem to be shooting with those LBs? 5s?  6s?

Thanks!


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[sixbird]

I've been a Hevi Shot guy since it came out. Shot Nitro (not Remington) for years in a 10 Ga. Awesome numbers. Shot Hevi - 13 in my 12 Ga. almost since that came out. Great shell. Knocked down a lot of turkeys with it. Shooting Mag Blend currently and Longbeard Xr. To tell you the absolute truth, I kind of like the Longbeard a little better. It's substantially cheaper (which is a secondary consideration) and it shoots tighter out of my gun (Benelli SBE II with Haymaker .670). I look at the turkeys that I've shot with Mag Blends and the ones I've shot with Longbeards. Seems like more damage with Longbeards. I'm sure that's due to tighter patterns. In any event, the Longbeards will do about anything that needs to be done regarding killing turkeys. I like the number 5's since they pattern well and, to my thinking, should have more lethality at longer ranges...

[darn2ten]

@darn2hen

You make a very good point.  I'm new to the whole 10" circle thing and like u said it is fun.  Striving for one more pellet in that circle and all.  Although I might still stick with Hevi shot, those LBs really are catching my attention.  I'll keep reading about them, but what's the more popular shot size people seem to be shooting with those LBs? 5s?  6s?

Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Man, it's like this. As I mentioned, and you have also seen the numbers thing can get addictive. Hey, what can I say, it fun. Yes the LB shells are great and represent the biggest advancement in a lead turkey shell since...well, really since lead turkey shells hit the market. The only down side to the LB's is how tight they shoot from 0-20. My gun basically puts the whole pattern in about a 7" circle with a few flyers out to around 10" at 20. There's just not much room for error. When I first started hunting I used a 28" fixed full Remington wingmaster with Remington long range express 3" #4's. I killed quite a few birds with that combo with the closest being seriously about 5 yds. out to more than one in the 40 range. I was young and really didn't know much about patterning back then. Well I got another gun with screw in chokes and put the old wingmaster down and never shot it at turkeys again. Years went by and I started learning more and more about patterning and just for fun broke the wingmaster back out while I was testing other guns one day just for fun. After shooting it I couldn't believe it. I shot it twice at 40 with the same combo I had killed all those turkeys with years earlier. The best 10" number was 73 and the other was 64! Funny thing was I never missed a bird and killed every one I ever shot at with it. Now I will say the pattern even though it was sparse was pretty dang even which I'm sure helped me a lot. Crazy thing is even though I know what I did with that combo I would feel under gunned compared to my other set ups I currently use. Is that in my head, well yes and no. With everything we know today we owe it to the game we hunt to do our part. I've killed 4 birds with LB 5's and 1 with LB 6's. Between those I killed a couple with Fed Thug 5's. All worked great and me or the birds noticed no real difference. I will say this, I'm much more cautious on how close I let a bird get when shooting the LB's and try my best to take the shot when he's closer to 40 than me if possible. As to your question on shot size, I'm a #5 guy in lead and a 6 guy if shooting Hevi. I have 2 guns that shoot between 120-130 at 40 with lead 5's. The pattern is forgiving enough at closer range and still plenty dense enough with plenty of energy at 40. That's really my best combo for hunting when you factor in price and performance in a hunting situation. Now if you don't mind spending a little more the Hevi shells are great also. For me I just don't see the real world advantages for the type of hunting I do. You'll just have to go with what works best for you and your hunt situations. I'm sure I'll continue to play with different shells as well, like I said it fun!

[01Foreman400]

I've had great results with Indian Creek chokes.  Good 10" and 20" patterns.  The price of ammo is such a small part of my turkey hunting yet has the biggest impact.  I don't skimp on ammo. Shoot what you have confidence in.  I enjoy patterning and counting holes.  There is nothing wrong with it if you enjoy it as well.

[birdhunterdave]

same combination I use (835 and hevi shot #7) works great. best choke/shell I have found.