Winchester Blindside Test..pic heavy

[fountain2]

finally got my hands on some of the new winchester blindside ammo today..3" #2.  i also picked up some hypersonic 3" #4.  i decided to cut them open, have a look around and then burn some powder.

cut open loads:

blindside.. 3" #2 1 3/8 oz..167 pellet ct
first off, the pellets are not "stacked" as uniform as they make out..no different than any other load.  the pellets are cube shape and look as if they will be devistating at impact.  the wad is definately different and is accompanied by a gas seal.  the powder was lumpy as well
here are the pics:





hypersonic 3" #4 1 1/8 oz shot..214 pellets
..good looking load and all nicely uniform pellets.  this shell had 31 fairly large plastic fillers on top.  



black cloud 3" #3 1 1/4 oz..72 flitestopper pelets+107 regular steel for a total of 179 pellet ct
..nothing new here..fitestopper shot and the wad are the main concerns here..the wad is hard as woodpecker lips and larger than the bore on my benelli



oooook , enough cutting and counting..time to burn some powder

* all shots were fired from a lasered 30 yards and shot with a benelli 3" m1 supper 90 through a sumtoy fowl play choke..a 20" circle was drawn around the densest part of the pattern on each

blindside 3" #2..130 in the 20" with 36 out..83% in the 20

the wad after the shot


hypersonic 3" #4..158 in the 20" with 46 out..77% in the 20

the wad after the shot


black cloud 3" #3..155 in the 20" with 20 out..89% pattern in the 20

lost wad


final thoughts:

blindside..i didnt expect the shot to be "as in pics", i wasnt expecting the larget #2s to pattern very well and the wad was undecided upon...BUT..they did shoot goood, they patterned well for 2s ( i think).  i think they wil hit hard and do well.  if they made a #3..it would be bad a$$. the #2 cube pellets did some major "paper damage"  good choice here imo

hypersonic..nice load, the wad performed differently out of my set up than i have previously seen (stock chokes), i did expect a little better pattern with tighter flyers.  overall i good load and fast at 1700 fps rated..not tested here today

black cloud..another nice load, the flitestopper pellets work sell and also wreak havoc on ducks..they threw a helluva pattern..it would have been 98-99% containment in a 30" circle at 30, the only thing here, again, is the wad.it being larger than the bore diameter worries me a little.  

i couldnt find and hevi metal 4s to try..i am really interested in these loads and seeing how they perform in my set up.  nothing but good is all i have heard.  til then, yall have a goodun

please post thoughts and comments

[LBSS]

In my 10 ga I patterned the federal speedshok 1 1/2 oz of #T @ 1450 fps it has 78 bbs in it I can put 62 of those in a 24-30" circle at 40 yards but this is for geese that's about 80% . Now I know a guy name norksy on dhc forum shooting shot at 80 yards with a 60-70% pattern

[fountain2]

so are these patterns bad?  80 yards is way out of my..and most others..range..especially with a 3" gun..the 10s are a different animal though. 

[rtsj]

LBSS.  what choke r u shooting out of ur 10?  I'm looking for a good choke for mine?.                                                             Fountain. What does William charge for his waterfowl chokes? And does he make REM 10 ga. Chokes?

[LBSS]

Ill post a link to his thread.  Im using a briley extended Light mod has a red color ring on it.  I also shoot slugs throught this choke. I don't get 3g signal at work on my droud so ill post that link later

[fountain2]

If I can get a 30" circle drawn around these the percentage will go up a good bit.  For 3" loads, I feel these are pretty good at 30 yards with a 20" circle.  I may try at 40 just for fun to see, but from my readings most waterfowl loads being tested are from 30 yards.  I will be exact with my findings for sure..not that it will really help me in any way..but I draw exact circles and get solid counts ..all this is for comparison to me right now trying to set up a new gun. 

[savduck]

Fountain, I have two boxes of Hevi metal 3s, not 4s. Im an hour from you. Craig at Mudpuppy Game calls said he may be coming over to the shop in the next couple of weekends. He lives 5 minutes from me. I can send him with a few rounds if you like.

[LBSS]

The patterns sparse at 80 but looks good at 60 . F shot.might well be buckshot lol. Its inbetween T shot (.20") and #4 buck (.24") . Id like to see some tss #BB .

[mightyjoeyoung]

In my 10 ga I patterned the federal speedshok 1 1/2 oz of #T @ 1450 fps it has 78 bbs in it I can put 62 of those in a 24-30" circle at 40 yards but this is for geese that's about 80% . Now I know a guy name norksy on dhc forum shooting shot at 80 yards with a 60-70% pattern

[fountain2]

Fountain, I have two boxes of Hevi metal 3s, not 4s. Im an hour from you. Craig at Mudpuppy Game calls said he may be coming over to the shop in the next couple of weekends. He lives 5 minutes from me. I can send him with a few rounds if you like.

We may can work something out..the hypersonic did ok, but I may not hunt with them if I can sell them or trade them..I just like the 4s for a few extra pellets and they are a gracious plenty for the woodies I will shoot on the rivers of south GA.  Im sure they will pattern better..hopefully more even..than the hypersonic.  Is the hevi metal a duplex shot..#4 steel with a different size hevi shot?   Im still looking at the black clouds for my best patterns surprisingly ..but I will definitely burn those blindside 2s.  They did a lot better than I expected.  Somebody take to to Arkansas and that will be my go load!

[LBSS]

Yeah heavy metal is some steel some hevishot but smaller hevishot bbs.  They just came out with those in 10 ga to might try some.  I don't see why they don't make a hevimetal turkey load some lead some hevi 5x6 etc.

[fountain2]

 they need straight 7s for the 10!

thats why i think the hevi metals patter so well and put up higher pattern counts..duplex..i still will try some in my set up and see how it does.  all these loads are $20+/box though..i know i can get the xperts cheaper and they pattern as well or better than what i have shot already..so i prolly gonna drop cheap and go to the xperts and just be the "uncool" dude shooting cheap stuff.

[mightyjoeyoung]

they need straight 7s for the 10!

thats why i think the hevi metals patter so well and put up higher pattern counts..duplex..i still will try some in my set up and see how it does.  all these loads are $20+/box though..i know i can get the xperts cheaper and they pattern as well or better than what i have shot already..so i prolly gonna drop cheap and go to the xperts and just be the "uncool" dude shooting cheap stuff.

Close to 5 cases worth of dead geese have met their maker with that cheap stuff for me.  Guys knock the Experts but they flat kill geese!

[savduck]

I have probably filled the back of a truck 3 or 4 times over with ducks and geese killed with Experts. I will probably end up having to shoot them this year, but I was able to buy a couple of cases of black clouds and hevi metals over the last three seasons, and I know with out a doubt, I killed ducks with them that I wouldnt have with experts. For me, they extended my range and the types of shots that I took. Experts are fine shells though and I will always shoot them and have them around. I am a little concerned though. I prefer 3" 1.25 oz loads going 1400. Seems like all my normal suppliers have dropped the 1 1/4 oz loads for the 1 1/8 Experts...which shoot like crap. If I cant find the 1 1/4 experts somewhere, Im changing to Kents.

[LBSS]

I like plain jane grey box dryloks low recoil about . I learned that I can order ammo through my local gun shop and they int charge shipping.  For the 10 ga speedshok is cheapest 209$ a case regular blue box .