Hevi or lead, help me decide.

[Borden811]

I've been looking for a cheaper alternative to the current hevi 13 offerings. I decided to try the turkey thug shells, and last week I was in a small gun shop and found some very old hevi shot shells. They're 3 inch shells loaded with 1 5/8oz of #5s, in a black hull. 10 shells per box for $16. The thugs were 3.5in 2oz 6s, 10 shells for $13. I patterned them both this weekend. It was 45 degrees, with a breeze, and I shot at 41 yards. My best average of 3 shots was with an Indian Creek .665 out of my Benelli SBEII. Both shells printed an average of 133-135 in the 10 at 40. The hevishot pattern was more even in the 10 inch circle, but the thugs had more pellets in the 20. I'd post pictures, but I somehow lost the patterns on the way back from the range. So with the above info, which shell do you pick? i.e. which should I go buy more of, to use when my current stock of hevi 13 runs dry? Is mid 130s good or bad for 5's in a 3 inch 1 5/8oz shell?

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

At 45 degrees, 130 is a good strong pattern.  Lead or 1 5/8 ounces of Hevi.

It takes more hevishot pellets to do much better.

[allaboutshooting]

I've been looking for a cheaper alternative to the current hevi 13 offerings. I decided to try the turkey thug shells, and last week I was in a small gun shop and found some very old hevi shot shells. They're 3 inch shells loaded with 1 5/8oz of #5s, in a black hull. 10 shells per box for $16. The thugs were 3.5in 2oz 6s, 10 shells for $13. I patterned them both this weekend. It was 45 degrees, with a breeze, and I shot at 41 yards. My best average of 3 shots was with an Indian Creek .665 out of my Benelli SBEII. Both shells printed an average of 133-135 in the 10 at 40. The hevishot pattern was more even in the 10 inch circle, but the thugs had more pellets in the 20. I'd post pictures, but I somehow lost the patterns on the way back from the range. So with the above info, which shell do you pick? i.e. which should I go buy more of, to use when my current stock of hevi 13 runs dry? Is mid 130s good or bad for 5's in a 3 inch 1 5/8oz shell?

I would gather up those black hulled Hevi-Shot shells. You had excellent numbers/coverage from 1 5/8 oz. of #5 shot equal to 2 oz. of #6 lead shot. Those Hevi-Shot #5 pellets are transferring a lot of energy to the target, turkey's head, at 40 yards.

Those are great prices for 10 Hevi-Shot shells.

Thanks,
Clark

[BrowningGuy88]

If I found 12 gauge hevi for that price per shell I would be all over it! That is a heck of a pattern for 1 5/8's oz of 5's!

I can't find hevi cheap enough so I am running 2.25 ounce lead in the 12!

[Onpoint]

I used to shoot HTL butnim like you, im not paying 30 dollars for 5 shells. At 16 dollars for 10 shells though you can't beat that. Id buy every box they had and when theyre gone shoot your turkey thugs.

[3" 870 Shell Shucker]

I like the HTL loads I have.  I don't regret buying them....but I won't buy any more.

I will use what I have for hunting (Maybe 37+ rounds all together?), and let others continue to pattern HTL.  I've already done my homework.

I still want to play with Lead a little.  I have plenty of it to spare.  The Thugs rock, so I'll play with the rest of the pile.

[01Foreman400]

Hunting with a $1,500 gun and worried about the cost of ammo?


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[archdriver]

I think it is  important to shoot good  loads and witness good  patterns  at  our  hunting  distances.
However, I  really  think it isn't  as  critical as we tend  to think.   for the  most  part, of all the  turkeys I  have  killed, I  doubt the  shell  would  have  mattered.  I bet 90 plus % of the  turkeys would  have  been  killed whether I was  hunting with my  20 ga or  my  12 ga.   Would  still harvest  most likely  he  same  number of birds.  For  my  misses, I  dont think it  was  the  shell that made  the miss. I  probably would  have  missed regardless of what  shell I was  using.

from my experience, ( and  my  opinion)  it  isnt  the  gun  nor  is  it the shell ,   it  is  the  operator
who  makes or breaks it.    Decision making at the  time of shooting is  the  biggest and  most  important  variable, in my  book.    Now,  that  doesnt  mean I  would  want to go  hunting with
dove  loads,  but  I  probably could kill plenty of  turkeys if  I  had  to.

[FL-Boss]

I tend to agree ... I think I would have gotten a less expensive Rem or Mossberg and paired them up with HEVI #7's .... if I was concerned about costs.  How many times do you actually shoot in a given season once you gun is set up and patterned? 

Hunting with a $1,500 gun and worried about the cost of ammo?


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[Borden811]

Hunting with a $1,500 gun and worried about the cost of ammo?


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Not really worried. I have about 50 round of hevi 13 7's that give me anywhere between 250-300+ pellets in the 10 at 40. As I said, I was looking for a cheaper alternative for backup ammo, or for when someone wants to borrow my gun. Last year two people borrowed it. Those same two people shot 9 shells, between turkeys, groundhogs, coyotes, and "trying it out". So, I'm not really into donating $5.00/shell ammo for those purposes. Thanks for your super helpful response to my post though. 

[Borden811]

I think I'll swing by the shop on my way home, and grab what they have left of those 5's! Another plus to them is that if a younger hunter/lady hunter uses my gun, the recoil from them isn't nearly as likely to dislodge thier teeth as those turkey thugs!

[R AJ]

Somebody borrows your gun and you furnish them shells? That's a bargain for them.

Buy all of those HS loads and some of this years Thugs and be set.

[FL-Boss]

Yes ... it that's the case, get some cheap shells.  hell give them a handful of Rem Express #6's and send them on their way.

[Borden811]

Lol, I had considered that. But I didn't want to send them out there with something that wouldn't get the job done. They're hard working guys, and don't have the time to pattern guns and scout like I do. Just a perk of my job. So I figure I can give them a gun that performs pretty decent, and point them in the right direction. The rest is up to them!

[Borden811]

Well, I worked a little deal, and left the shop with eight, 10 round boxes of the hevishot 5s for $100. 

It's supposed to be warmer this weekend, so I'll get some pattern pics up if I get time to shoot.