If you could get 150 with Lead #5's, would you even bother with HTL?

[jfair]

I would shoot the lead if those were the numbers.  The 5's in lead are gonna hit way harder than the hevi's, in 6's or 7's.   I am pretty sure the lead 5's will give you enough penetration at 40 yards to go through the head and neck.  Any more penetration than that is wasted anyway.

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

If I could get 100 #5s in a 10" at 40 yards there would be no need for HTL.

I can get 90+ every time, shot after shot, with 3" Win Sup HV 1.75 Ounce #5.  I've gotten as high as 116 before.  I've read where a few others have claimed 150.  At 150 I'm positive I'd never buy HTL again.  Heck, at 130 I'd be excited.

[Todd1700]

If I could get 150 or better number 5's inside 10 at 40 then yeah I'd use them. That would be some serious thump with a shell like the black Winchester Supreme HV shells. But this is just an interesting hypothetical question with no basis in reality to me. The best I "ever" got with lead 5's at 40 yards was low 90's. And I spent a lot of time and money getting to that level with them.

[frank1969]

i shoot a sp 10 and im aver 200 at 40 with lead  my 10 year old shoots a 20 ga with lead and he got 4 gobblers now all long beards all went down at the shot i will shoot head to head with anybody and shells 50 yards and in with my win #5 been shooting birds for 30 years and you dont need htl loads  sorry guys i just cant grt into the hype of them shells if you do your job as a hunter you can use a 410 and i have

[davisd9]

If I could get  150 #5s in 10" at 40 yards that is evenly spread with lead then I would dang sure use them!

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

I would shoot the lead if those were the numbers.  The 5's in lead are gonna hit way harder than the hevi's, in 6's or 7's.   I am pretty sure the lead 5's will give you enough penetration at 40 yards to go through the head and neck.  Any more penetration than that is wasted anyway.

Shock power has nothing to do with killing turkeys.  You want density and penetration.  Lead 5's won't give you a lot of density, but they will penetrate well.  I doubt they will penetrate better than Hevi 6's from what I have seen.  I'll take Hevi-13 7's over the lead 5's anyday of the week.   

[Longshanks]

"If" is the issue there.  Ive had 10-12 turkey guns over the years and none of them would even come close to 150 in a 10" circle @ 40yds with 5's....Ive never seen a gun that will do that either.... Thats a special gun/choke/shell combo to be able to turn those numbers.  250-300 is not that difficult to pull off with HTL @ 40yds. I was able to achieve that with two guns and a little bit of advise and testing.  Why feel stuck with lead... ?? As far as cost goes.. you can only shoot three turkeys where i am from.  Allot more money than that is spent on gas and food for one morning of turkey hunting. Harvesting turkeys with lead doesnt really prove a point.  Thats all i hunted with the first 25-30 years i turkey hunted.  HTL is so much more effective with clean kills it is ridiculous.  My excess of lead shells will be used for pheasant, varmint, and predator hunting. If more of a challenge with the wild turkey is what you are looking for try bowhunting.

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

I never ever seen a 12GA or 10GA for that matter shoot anywhere close to 200 shot in a 10" circle at a tape measured 40yds.  And I'm talking about lead 6 loads and not 5's.  Anyone that says they got a gun that will do it and would care to show me in person I live in southeast MO and I have a gun range that is 12 miles from my house.  SHOW-ME!  I would love to see it.  And I get to tape the yardage, and draw the 10" circle and count the shot.  I'm dying to see it. 

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

And I'll put my glass cutout 10" circle around your densest part of the pattern.  The rest is up to you.  Bring your rabbits foot.  

[chipper]

If I had a gun that would put up 150 withwith Winchester Hv #5 at a tape measured 40 in a 10" circle I would shoot it exclusively, unfortunatly - don't so I will shoot HTL, I did shoot a pattern at 40 with Winchester XR 3.5 2oz. #d that had 135 in a 12" Quaker boy turkey turget 1 time though and killed a lot of turkeys with that 870 and load.

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

I never said that it was likely I'd ever see such a thing.  I just asked a hypothetical question that has received some serious replies.  If I could get 150 with Lead #5's, I wouldn't care that #7 HTL might get 300.  #5 Lead loads may not ever get there, but if they ever do, it will slow down the HTL business. 

[ncmountainfella]

I found this post interesting. I have a mossberg 835 with a pure gold choke. I have shot numerous types and sizes of loads through this setup, including magnum blend. I have never shot a better shell than Winchester 3.5" XX Mag. #6s. At a measured 40 yds, with an exact 10" circle, I have shot 3 patterns. 179, 179, and 190! Not to call you out Hevi 13, but you seem so reluctant to believe!! Each gun/choke has a distinct love for a particular shell, I just happen to find the love of my guns life! My good buddy can put over 200 in a 10 circle with his Benelli nova and pure gold choke, consistently! Also using the Win 3.5", XX Mag. #6s. If your a lead shooter, I have never seen the Win. high velocity shells out perform the XX Mags.

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

bird, he said it was a Pure Gold choke.

Winchester 3.5" XX Mag. #6s. At a measured 40 yds, with an exact 10" circle, I have shot 3 patterns. 179, 179, and 190!

You need to keep up with the lot number on those shells and buy a bunch of them.  As many as you can.

[Gobble!]

I would stick with 300 #7s. 150 at 40 yards is going to be a sub par pattern at 50 let alone 55 IMO.

[Longshanks]

I found this post interesting. I have a mossberg 835 with a pure gold choke. I have shot numerous types and sizes of loads through this setup, including magnum blend. I have never shot a better shell than Winchester 3.5" XX Mag. #6s. At a measured 40 yds, with an exact 10" circle, I have shot 3 patterns. 179, 179, and 190! Not to call you out Hevi 13, but you seem so reluctant to believe!! Each gun/choke has a distinct love for a particular shell, I just happen to find the love of my guns life! My good buddy can put over 200 in a 10 circle with his Benelli nova and pure gold choke, consistently! Also using the Win 3.5", XX Mag. #6s. If your a lead shooter, I have never seen the Win. high velocity shells out perform the XX Mags.

Thats an amazing gun.  Sounds like the perfect storm. I knew when this hypothetical was brought up there would be people claiming to be able to do it.. By the way.. the hypo was 150's with 5's..Ive had the same experience with the XX and HV shells.  Double XX always patterns better out of my guns.  In my opinion there is still no comparison between HTL and lead. Although 170's are amazing/unbelievable numbers out of a 3.5 in 12 guage those numbers can be achieved out of a 3in 20 guage with HTL.  My 20 guage shoots 173 in a 10in circle @ 40 yds.  As Gobble pointed out..go another 5-10 yds past 40 and the drop off rate for lead is off the chart. It is fairly easy for tukey hunters to misjudge 5-10yds sitting on the ground.