Lead 7.5s

[blueridgegobbler]

we are in the process of duplicating the old federal 3/2/7.5 cant wait till it warms a little for pattern testing. I have killed a pile of birds with the old federal years ago. we are gonna try to fix a 2 3/4 load up for wife and kids to shoot thru a factory full to try and get a full even pattern to 30-35yards.

[OldSchool]

Never shot the 2 oz Federal load, but I switched from lead 6's to 7.5's in my 20 ga about ten years ago, and they're definitely turkey killers at the ranges you mention.

I'd love to see some pattern pics of your 2 oz. loads.

Bob

[blueridgegobbler]

 As soon as I can pattern I will put up some pics

[Longshanks]

That's awesome..I have two boxes of the old 3/2/7.5's and they shoot a killer pattern out to 40yds. Patterned them through my Rem 870/ Kicks .655. Didn't count numbers but it's high. Brutal pattern out to 35 yds.

[OldSchool]

As soon as I can pattern I will put up some pics

Cool, I can't wait to see em, thanks.

Bob

[surehuntsalot]

killed quite a few birds with these old 2oz shells back in the day, sure wish they still made them

[stinkpickle]

Can't wait to see the results

[bawana]

They throw a phenomenal pattern.......................BUT the Toms just brush them off and fly away if you get much beyond 30 yards, they just don't have the down range punch that you need to anchor birds.

[stinkpickle]

They throw a phenomenal pattern.......................BUT the Toms just brush them off and fly away if you get much beyond 30 yards, they just don't have the down range punch that you need to anchor birds.

That's why we shoot them in their heads and necks.

[WildTigerTrout]

That's awesome..I have two boxes of the old 3/2/7.5's and they shoot a killer pattern out to 40yds. Patterned them through my Rem 870/ Kicks .655. Didn't count numbers but it's high. Brutal pattern out to 35 yds.

I have several boxes of the old  Federal 3/2/7.5's and they are downright NASTY loads. I shoot them in my Rem 870 21"/old Remington .655 "Ventilator" choke. I did not count holes either but it was ALOT and the patterns were good even at 40 yards.

[blueridgegobbler]

bawana you live in a fantasy world they wreck them at 40

[bawana]

Each to their own, I saw and heard of far too many horror stories back in the late 1990's when Federal first came out with these. I agree that they throw a phenomenal pattern, but 7.5 lead just doesn't have enough down range energy to consistently kill birds beyond 30 yards. Ever wonder why Federal was so quick to discontinue them?

[Izzyjoe]

Pm sent to blueridge.

[Mike Honcho]

I have a box of Estate 3" , 1 7/8 oz. 7.5's I bought years ago for early season pheasant hunting with my old 3" Auto 5.

I may pattern them at 30-35 yds to see how they will do.

I seem to remember they kicked like heck.

[Longshanks]

Each to their own, I saw and heard of far too many horror stories back in the late 1990's when Federal first came out with these. I agree that they throw a phenomenal pattern, but 7.5 lead just doesn't have enough down range energy to consistently kill birds beyond 30 yards. Ever wonder why Federal was so quick to discontinue them?

Federal discontinuing those shells in 5's, 6's, and 7.5's was a huge mistake. They switched to the flight control wads which was by in large sub par to the wads they had previously. I would guess the FCW had its place with certain guns/chokes. The HTL 7's are a killer but expensive as it gets for factory shells. They wouldn't touch the patterns of Hevi 13 7's. The Hevi 13 3/2/7's will still pattern better than the Fed FCW 7's in 3" or 3.5". Turkey hunters found better pattern results with Win Pb than Fed FCW Pb with any number of gun/choke combinations. They came out with the Turkey Thugs shells to try and pull the business back in but it was too late. Within a short period of time the Win Longbeards hit the market. Now we have Hevi 13 Triple Beards at an economical price.  Federal Pb is fading.
    Shell companies seem to have a difficult time sticking with something that works just as we saw with Hevi 13 due to product availability. The company that has been able to sustain their consistency is Winchester. Just my experience. Didn't intend to go on a Chevy vs Ford tirade but it's the truth with all the testing I have done out of 15-20 turkey guns and countless chokes.