Why heavy? What am I missing?

[mudhen]

Why do I use Hevi?

Precious vacation time.
Car rental.
Airfare.
Room & board.
The weather in Nebraska.
The weather in Kansas.
My insane love of turkey hunting.
The fact that if I wanted cheap turkey, I'd go to the grocery store.
Getting the only shot in the last hour of the last day.

But, a picture(s) is worth a thousand words:

Last week in Nebraska, the one afternoon without 25-40 mph, bird gobbled once and walked in right behind me.  He stayed behind the trees in the middle of the pic.  I had one opening.  He took a few steps, and the H-13 + Burris FF II did the rest.  I'm 95% sure the equipment was the key factor:





mudhen

[Fastcat]

One of the replies stated that hevi shot allows for more pellets per oz. That doesnt add up. There should be less pellets per oz in a given shot size with hevi vs lead.

[Clif Owen]

I think maybe its due to using a smaller shot size???

[bushwhacker]

I'm a "How dead is dead" guy. I see no reason for me to shoot hevi shot. I have two 870 super mags that will put 100-110 winchester 3.5/2/5's in 10 at 40 every time. I see no need in trying for any higher numbers than that for the terrain I hunt. I normally can't get a shot at 40 yards anyway, so I'll leave my share of hevi loads on the shelf and keep buying $13 a box winchesters from wal mart. That will leave more for the rest of you boys. Call 'em close and kill 'em dead.

[HogBiologist]

One of the replies stated that hevi shot allows for more pellets per oz. That doesnt add up. There should be less pellets per oz in a given shot size with hevi vs lead.

When comparing shot materials you cannot compare similar shot sizes.  THat would be an apples to oranges comparison.  A smaller more dense HTL pellet will act similar to a larger less dense shot pellet.  While there may be fewer HTL #4's per oz compared to Lead #4, you can drop to HTL #6 or #7 and get equal or better energy transfer and more pellets.  That is the benifit of HTL shot.  You get the performance of the lead #4 and #5 everyone hypes about, but in a larger number of smaller pellets.  Also, when you have a smaller harder more dense material; the penetration is better than a larger softer less dense material.

[WyoHunter]

I shoot HTL because I think it does the best job. I guess I mean it makes them "deader better". If you limit your shots to your stated personal range "lead will make them dead". I've always tried to use what I felt was the best option for the task at hand. To me ammo is always the least expense of a hunt so I never skimp on what might be the deciding factor on whether I fill my tag or not.   

[DocHolliday]

IMHO, HTL out of a 12 or a 10 gauge is probably overkill. That is, Pb at reasonable distances will kill a bird "everytime."  Where HTL makes the most impact is in the 20 or 28 gauge or in the .410. The ability to drop down in size to 7 or smaller in guns with small payloads and have patterns that match or even beat the big bores makes it more than justified! Do I shoot HTL in 12's? Yes, I did. But that was 10 yrs ago. Before I started packing these light "little killas"

[goblr77]

Where HTL makes the most impact is in the 20 or 28 gauge or in the .410. The ability to drop down in size to 7 or smaller in guns with small payloads and have patterns that match or even beat the big bores makes it more than justified!

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

That's very true.  You can use Hevi-13 in a 20GA and get better patterns than you can with the best shooting 12GA lead loads. 

[mcgruff1533]

One of the replies stated that hevi shot allows for more pellets per oz. That doesnt add up. There should be less pellets per oz in a given shot size with hevi vs lead.

You're only halfway there.    While hevi has less pellets per ounce of a given shot size when compared to lead, it's more dense and each pellet is heavier than lead.     This allows the shooter to select smaller size shot which provides more pellets on target.    Those smaller hevi pellets hit as hard as lead shot which is 1-2 sizes larger.

[bawana]

I was thinking of trying the new heavy loads on the market.  I have some free time and was about to give it a try until I got to the store

Why?  Over my entire turkey hunting career I have only gone 1 year without a bird. I now the limits of my gun and feel 35 and under is a dead bird walking.

I can be persuaded so give it your best shot. 

But for $5 a shot for a bird? WOW

With what I spend on licenses, clothing, calls, gear, gas, and motels, $5 is really immaterial to me. I use the Fed HW #7 in 3 1/2, and they do cost about $5/shell, but I know what the outcome is going to be when I pull the trigger.

[The_Hunter323]

My father said it was a waste of money to spend $5 a shell untill he saw the pattern they threw out at 40 yards. It was a crazy difference with the lead shots getting like maybe 20 holes in 10" to 200+ with hevi. The HTL loads can give you a denser pattern because you can use a #6 or#7 and still get the same or even more knock down power. Plus you get a better chance to ethically kill the birds at farther distances..If you get a box of 5 it will last you at least a whole season. Depending on how good of a shot you are

[FullChoke]

All of the HTL pellets (HeviShot and TSS) have an extra advantage over lead shot. As stated, they are more dense than lead and allow you to step down in size and still deliver the same foot/pounds of down range energy as much larger lead sizes. This translates to a more dense pattern. The HTL pellets also have another advantage, they physically have a smaller diameter which translates into less wind resistance so they don't slow down as fast and less flesh resistance during impact and penetration. The HTL pellets are able to make their way through heavy breast feathers and flesh/bones which can effectively stop lead pellets resulting in wounded birds. Many people shooting HTL shells report having no shot present in the birds due to complete pellet pass-through.

FullChoke

[savduck]

Switch to a 20 ga, get yourself some federal HW. 7s for 14.99 a box then it's only 3 dollars a shell. If you only buy one box you get a 7 dollar rebate so then it's only a 1.25 a shell.

I've always been a #4 lead shooter until recent years, when I switched to HTL. I've taken my share of 35+ yard shots and never crippled a bird, but they had a lot of flopping and several still had open blinking eyes. It's just a matter of time though until one flys off injuried. I've shot probably between 15 to 20 gobblers now with the HTL loads and I have yet to experience the flopping or blinking eyes. They aren't going anywhere.

Yeah, dead is dead....but I like the more dead that HTL brings. Makes me sleep better knowing I didn't feed any coyotes.

[Full Flight]

It doesn't matter to me if you shoot lead or HTL  Personally I don't care if you want to pick up a handful of rocks and throw it at the bird.

But what I can tell you is that I get a tighter More consistant pattern at 40 yards with HTL #6 than I do with the Lead #6.  This better pattern will provide more pellets in the head and neck than the lead shot.  The more pellets in the head and neck the better chance of a clean ethical kill.  To me it is worth $2 or $3  a shell (should only need 1 per bird) to get that Clean kill.