New developments in shotshells

[1iagobblergetter]

With patterning numerous loads I've had really Goodluck patterning the H-13 #7s in my Guns with the Mag-Blends patterning a close second.I patterned a few other blended loads and haven't been impressed,but was with the Mag-Blends. I've never patterned Tss,but have heard it's bad turkey medicine if you do your research and don't mind handloading. Most of the time my shots are under 20yds,but have easily killed turkeys at 40yds with the H-13 #7s. Goodluck...

[chcltlabz]

I shoot the Mag Blend loads because that's what patterned best in my gun.  If what patterned best was straight 6's, I would be shooting those.

I don't care what you shoot as long as you put the time and effort in to test it and make sure you are running the best combo you can.

The straight 7's put up a very tight 10 inch pattern that petered out quite a bit on the 20 inch circle.  I've killed birds with it, but missed birds as well, so I switched back to the blends.

Shoot what performs the best.

[mtns2hunt]

Intresting discussion and provides plenty of room for thought. I will be trying the Mag blends and hevi 7's but not this year. Too late for me to switch around now. But will after this season is over. So for this year I will be back ti shooting LB#4's in the feild and LB 6's in the woods. Agian thnks everyone for the  feedback and good luck this season.

[WyoHunter]

After using straight 7's I see little need in a blended shot.  1/4oz of 4's and a 1/4oz of 5's does nothing but take up space for more 7's.  The Hevi7's out pattern everything I've tried hands down.   

I agree with you but I've been successful with Hevi-13 blends and use them as backup to my first shot. They recoil a little more it seems to me but the MV is higher which probably accounts for that.

[mtns2hunt]

However, I am interested in finding an optimum Turkey load that will hopefully provide a good pattern at 20 yards as well as 40 or even 50.

Last year I almost missed a bird very close in with the LB. so I am researching for a shell that is better at closer ranges as well as farther out. Normally I use LB 6 for woods hunting an LB #4 for field shooting. My results have been very good.

Anything that puts a reasonable pattern out to 50 yards will be awful tight at 20 yards...  Laws of physics.

Denser pellets tend to have patterns that open a bit more slowly though, thus you can start off with a tad more open choke, and it will hold patterns out a bit further (i.e. TSS).  I have been impressed by some of the patterns put up by shooters on other sites (for wing-shooting) with some of the TSS loads, and how well those patterns hold together.  (Admittedly, I have zero personal experience with such loads).

It is my understanding with blended loads (especially those of different materials) that you will have more pellet collisions with pellets flying at different speeds (or at least decelerating at different speeds), and thus have longer shot strings...  Although for a relatively stationary target, shot stringing is not an issue cause the target is not moving.

I have fallen victim to the marketing of a couple different duplex loads, and have been horribly disappointed and frustrated at the patterning board with such loads.

Thus far I have been very happy with Hevi-Shot #6's, and with the right choke, it could probably kill birds further than I could consistently kill them (using the bead of my shotgun for sights).

Currently I am hunting in tighter areas, and have gone to a standard full choke (I feel has a sufficient pattern out to 40 yards)...  If I hunted more open areas, I would likely put in a tighter choke (knowing that I will have to be more careful with shot placement on close shots).

Swapping out chokes may be the way to go with both reg. and duplex loads. Purchased LB#5s today and will pattern in am.