HW#7 vs Hevi#6

[g8rvet]

There may not be much to discover from this, but I found it interesting if nothing else.

Both birds were shot at about 30 yards.  Both birds went down with devastating results - flopped but instantly dead.  The bird on the left was shot with HW#7 in a 20 gauge.  I got around 190-200 pellets in the 10 at 30 yards with this combo.   The bird on the right was shot at about 30 yards with Remington Hevi#6 in 12 gauge and although I have not counted the pellets (I patterned it years ago and only have about 10 or so shells left) at 30 yards, it looks about the same pattern wise as the 20, maybe a few more-going off memory. 

[g8rvet]

The bird shot with the HW#7 had lots of exit wounds on the off side.  His head and neck was pretty wrecked (bulged the off eye).  I took the rad and just sent it to myself today, I killed that bird this year.  What I was pondering is did the HW#7 get much better penetration and that was why fewer pellets stayed in the head and neck?  Makes sense with a smaller pellet with higher mass.   Both birds were well anchored, but I just wondered if anyone thinks this speaks to better penetration of the HW.  Took rads of one my nephew killed with #4 3.5" loads a year or two ago and found the same thing - wrecked bird, but not many pellets retained. 

Just interesting.  I will keep taking rads as I am able (volunteer Toms needed!) to see how the pass through rate is with different shots.  My son shoots the old Remington Hevi 6 as does my brother and other nephew.  One of my nephews shoots #4 3.5" lead loads.  He killed one this year but we did not take a radiograph. 

[goblr77]

The HW #7's penetrate much better. They're smaller and more dense.

Hevi #6
pellets per ounce: 206
energy - ft lbs per sq inch: 198.8

Heavyweight #7
pellets per ounce: 220
energy - ft lbs per sq inch: 254.4

[TauntoHawk]

I wanna know more about the looks you get when you take your "pet tom" to the vet for xrays 

JK

[Dr Juice]

I wanna know more about the looks you get when you take your "pet tom" to the vet for xrays 

JK

X2. Lmao.

[owlhoot]

It has been said with the Federal HW 7's that one pellet is good as 2 lead pellets !
Guess we do get 320 or so in the 10" at 40.   
Seriously though this is good info. neat stuff 

[g8rvet]

I wanna know more about the looks you get when you take your "pet tom" to the vet for xrays 

JK

I AM the vet, so no worries. I was off the day I killed this last bird and I ran in and said I had an emergency with one of my animals (made sure there were no clients first). The techs came running out to meet me and I said, " I don't think Tom is gonna make it".  They work with me, they have a sense of humor.  It is a requirement. 

[g8rvet]

The HW #7's penetrate much better. They're smaller and more dense.

Hevi #6
pellets per ounce: 206
energy - ft lbs per sq inch: 198.8

Heavyweight #7
pellets per ounce: 220
energy - ft lbs per sq inch: 254.4

Absolutely. I had looked at these numbers when thinking about going to a 20 and just thought this was a good real world example.  More energy in a smaller diameter means better penetration.  "Karamojo" Bell knew this at the turn of the last century and bet his life he was right when hunting elephants!  Others were using 8 gauge or even 4 gauge muzzleloaders (basically hand cannons) with 1/8 or 1/4 pound lead balls while he was using FMJ in calibers as small as .275 Rigby!  Hard to argue with over 1000 dead elephants. 

[SteelerFan]

That's pretty cool. Thanks for sharing! I tend to agree with your theory, lees retained pellets = more pass through. Only logical conclusion 

[Brs2427]

That's really cool thanks for sharing

[Frylock]

I'd been on the fence about putting my 20 ga into service for turkeys but this thread has convinced me that loaded with HW 7's it'd be a no brainier. 


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[Dtrkyman]

Hevi shot or heavy weight ammo is amazing, I know when goose hunting with either I rarely find a pellet in a bird even in the body, I use hevi shot in 2 and heavy weight in 4.

I shot 2 birds last year with hw 7s from a 20ga and it smashed em!

[Gobspur]

Thanks for sharing this info.  I agree that the HW 7s penetrate better and why you see fewer retained.  My jaw dropped when I saw you reference WDM Bell.  Haven't met many who have read about him. His books are great reads.

[goblr77]

I'd been on the fence about putting my 20 ga into service for turkeys but this thread has convinced me that loaded with HW 7's it'd be a no brainier. 


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You'll feel undergunned at first until you shoot a couple with HW #7's at longer ranges. That shot will kill birds MUCH further than your pattern will hold together.

[fountain2]

I'd like to see the photos of one shot with tss 9s out of a 20 ga at about 40