Took some time yesterday to try out the Remington Hevishot 1 5/8oz #6's. Comparred to my Winchester Supreme XX 2oz. #6's they shoot pretty much the same. The main difference is much less recoil and they both pattern the same. I don't think those 2 factors justify triple the price though. I'm sure the Hevishot have more energy but it wasn't noticeable during the shooting. I was shooting into a 1/2" piece of plywood supported on the ground. Both rounds knocked over the board out to 35 yards. At 40 yards the target didn't fall over. I also used a stock-type screw in choke (Trap Full) just for comparrison. Boy, what a difference a turkey choke makes! I couldn't kill a turkey past 20 yards with a stock choke! I'll post pictures next week when I can.
Using 3" loads out of my 870 I feel comfortable out to around 35-40 yards. I was getting 6 pellets in the neck vertabre/brain with each shot out to that range. Using a Remington Super Turkey Full choke. Might be better with different choke but not very easy to try other chokes.
Power, I'm shooting an 870 supermag express turkey with a 23 inch barrel. Hevishot 3 1/2" 1 7/8 oz. #5 with an HS Undertaker choke tube. AT 40 yards I am consistently putting 60 plus pellets in a 7 1/2" circle. I'm counting 18-22 pellets in the head and neck vitals.
I appreciate the reply BuckoDuck. I might have to try one of those chokes. I would be curious if you have tried the Winchester Supreme XX Turkey loads in the black box. I can buy them for around $8 a box and they shoot just as well as the Hevishot loads. Of course these are only 3" loads so I'm down some pellets comparred to you. I've also shot the Federal (a couple years ago) as well as some from Kent and neither of those would pattern worth crap for me. Since the Winchesters do pretty well and are priced right I'll stick with them. Killed all 3 of the turkeys I've shot with them so I can't complain about them at all.
I reload 3" #6 Hevishot for $8.00 a box. Just curious what type of choke you are using? Hevi should pattern alot tighter than lead. I hope you are not shooting HS thru a lead or steel choke. HS is harder than steel.
I am shooting the exact load combo you are talkin about power.
I shoot an 870 3" gun using a stock full choke in a 26" barrel. I use Win Supreme XX #6 2oz loads. I patterned my gun Sunday and here are my results at 35 yards.
Win Supreme
1)23 pellets in head and neck
2)37 pellets in head and neck
3)25 pellets in the head and neck
Rem Hevi Shot 3" #6 1 1/2oz 35 yrd
1)13 pellets in heand and neck
Only had one hevi shell. Left over from duck season, just thought I would see what happenend. I wasn't very impressed. I think my gun will do better with the Win Supremes, even though they kick like a 10ga. I am going to purchase a superfull turkey choke tmw and pattern it again and I will post the results.
I only shot it three times, which isn't enough to justify any solid results, but it sure is less expensive to shoot the Win than the Hevi. 20+ pellets in the head and neck at 35 yards is certainly good enough for me, but I still think my gun can do even better.
I imagine the gun will pattern better with a different choke so I'll look around to see what most of the other 870 users are recommending. Thanks for the results ElCid, sounds like we're on the same page for sure!
I don't think the choke I'm using states that it's for lead shot only. I would imagine most of the chokes out there aren't meant for steel shot though so I wonder what effect that could have on everyone using Hevishot?
In most chokes it doesn't matter what you shoot down them. A modified for example you can shoot steel, lead or Hevi out of.
It is only the tighter chokes that you have to worry about. A tighter choke will over restrict a dense hard pellet colum, like steel or Hevi. It will have the OPPOSITE effect on pattern density. [:'(] It is called ballooning or exploding the pattern.
That is why some of the Rem chokes say lead only or lead or steel. They are differ in components that they are made of and just in diameter by a little bit. If you are gonna shoot Hevi, you are probably going to want to go with a choke made for Hevi.
Alrighty, I went out and did some more testing yesterday afternoon.
First I went and bought a Rem Superfull turkey choke. And I was very impressed.
At 40 yards I had the following results.
Rem 870 12 ga 3" 2oz #6
Rem Superfull Turkey
40 yards
1) 108 pellets in 8" circle 46 in head and neck
2)123 pellets in 8" circle 41 in head and neck
3)98 pellets in 8" circle 37 in head and neck
Needless to say, I am very pleased with the new choke tube. However, it is lead only, so if you want to shoot Hevi you are going to have to go with something different.
I have tried the factory chokes that came with my 870 and was pretty well pleased until I tried the Rem Ventilator choke, it out done the factory full chokes big time.
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Hevishot results w/ 870
. Just curious what type of choke you are using? Hevi should pattern alot tighter than lead. I hope you are not shooting HS thru a lead or steel choke. HS is harder than steel.
