Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

I was reading in my Cabelas Shooting $ Reloading and this is a quote from it, about Hevi-Shot Hevi 13. "Hevi-Shot broke the World Record with a pattern that scored 42 pellet holes in a 3" circle at 40 yards and holds world record titles in every class"!
Wow, that is tight! Has anybody else had this much luck with it, I think that is pretty amazing. Does anybody think that may be TOO tight, why or why not?

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

I've had excellent success with Heavy Shot 13, although I think the choke tube I'm using has alot to do with it also. Great tight pattern from my SBEII. I patterned it out to 40 yds., and it looks good, but I've never taken a bird over 20-25 yds. before either.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

yeah it's the hottest thing going right now. there's not to much talk of it on here but other sites are all about it.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

I won't be using lead ever again."Heavier than lead shot"is truly a major advancement over pb.

First let me say that I was previously perfectly satisfied with the 2 oz, 3" 12 gauge lead loads I was shooting. I have had great success with them over the years and I wasn't really looking to change. With that said, however, I am constantly looking to improve any aspect of my gear including the loads I shoot. If there was something out there that allowed me to take a bird cleanly, ethically, and perhaps extend my range a bit I was willing to evaluate it.

Two years ago I bought some 3.5 ", 1.75 oz Hevi-13 #6 loads at the NWTF convention in Nashville. I was blown-away by their performance on paper compared to the 2 oz, 3" lead loads I was shooting. Their performance on turkeys was equally impressive, but the two I killed that year could have been easily taken with a 20 gauge, so the jury was still out.

Last year I stepped up to Nitros after reading so much about them here and on the NWTF message boards. The performance of the Nitros is on another level compared to those Hevi-13s. Now I see that Eviron is loading 2.25 oz Hevi-Shot loads for the 3.5" twelve gauge, so maybe they are closing the gap

In my experience, when choked properly, the center core of the pattern is amazingly dense. I got 246 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards using the Nitro 4X5X7s 3.5", 2.25 oz load from my Mossberg 835 with a .676 Star Dot choke. This was the first choke I tried with the load out of an unpolished barrel. I suspect I could improve upon this by experimenting with different chokes, but why? For hunting purposes, which is all I am interested in, this type of performance is all I will ever need.

I killed agobbler stone dead at a laser measured 63 yards last season - I mean he never even flopped. Before anyone blasts me for shooting at a bird that far I will freely admit it was a mistake and I hope not to do it again. I am using a 1.75X4 scope on this gun because the pattern is so tight I'm afraid I might miss at closer range. I had the thing dialed up to 2X andImisestimated the distance due to my relative lack of experience with a shotgun scope and turkeys.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Same here, and that is the only reason that I havent swithched over to these long range, tight patterning loads. I patterned my browning gold hunter the other day with 3.5" high vol. 2oz, #6 shot winchester supremes and had 60+ pellets on a 10 inch circle at 40 yards. I dont know if this is very good or not but if this year goes like the last 7 years and 7 birds, I shouldnt have to worry because my farthest shot has been around 25 yards with the others being under.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Guys, most guns will pattern greatto 20-25 yards with most turkey chokes. It's those 40 yard shots that we need better patterns at, and that's where those hevishot loadsshine. They are a much denser metal than lead and hence, carry much more energy levels out to that extreme distance. (Biggest choice is finding the right choke tube for that shell.)
While I'm talking about this hevishot stuff, in no way am I promoting taking 50+ yard shots!!!! I switched to a Rhino choke/Nitro loads a few years ago because of the patterns I can get at 40 yards out of my gun. Do I really need that combo for 20-25 yard shots? NO......but as many of us here already know, all gobblers just don't waltz right in to 20 yards or less!!
I'll try to take my birds in 25-35 yards if I can.My pattern, being what it is, gives me a very nice dense swarm I can direct right to that birds head and neck area while looking through the scope on my gun at those shorter distances.
It all boils down to what you like or prefer. There's no right or wrong choices, everyone's gun-choke-load shoots differently. We owe it to ourselves to be sure that we shoot the most accurate and best pattern out of our guns while hunting this fine game bird. Close enough doesn't cut it!!!;)

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Yeah im kinda debating whether or not to try Hevi-Shot myself. Right now I use WInchester Supreme Double-X Magnums, and they shoot great, so i dont really have a reason to switch. Plus Hevi-Shot is so dang expensive compared to Winchester. Who knows.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Kdsberman

I thought the same thing (Hevi-shot is too expensive) until I really took a closer look. The primary thing is this - these shells, actually these pellets,are the thing that kills the turkey. It isn't the calling, the camo clothes, the Gore-Tex boots, the fancy vest, crow call, slate call, mouth calls, box call, decoys, or any of the other gear I buy and use while turkey hunting. What kills the turkey is the pellets shot from a shell, passing through a choke in a shotgun barrel. From the perspective of what part of my hunting equipment is most important to maximize, I have chosen to maximize the efficiency of thecomponent that actually kills the turkey.

As far as the expense goes, I hope to shoot three Nitros at turkeys this season (the limit is 4 in Tennessee but I would be happy with 2 or 3). Thats 3 X $5.00 per shell = $15.00. Add one or two more to confirm that I am sighted in and now were are at $20.00 to $25.00. Seems like a lot of money for 5 shots, or is it???

I spend at least $20.00 - $30.00 on gasoline alone each time I go turkey hunting. Over the season, including the early youth hunt, that is5-6 weekends (at least) X approximately $40.00 - $60.00 per weekend so now we are at $200.00 up to $360.00 on gasoline alone. Another weekday quota hunt involves a motel room and eats for two nights, so add another $200.00 - $300.00. That adds up to approximately $400.00 to $600.00 + just to be able to get to where I want to go turkey hunting and I haven't even called at a gobbler yet. Nevermind what I spend on mouthcalls each year, clothes and boots that need to be replaced, etc.

Put into this perspective, that $15.00 - $25.00 I spend on 3-5 Nitros, which I strongly believe gives me the best chance to actually kill the turkey, seems like a pretty wiseinvestment.

I work hard and save vacation time to be afforded the privilege to hunt turkeys. With that said, however, I don't have to actually kill a bird to get a rush from an encounter with a turkey. Some of the most memorable hunts I've had didn't involve a turkey being shot at. But when that moment of truth arrives when the safety is off, my finger is on the trigger and I'm aiming that circle-X reticle at a full-grown gobbler l am completely confident that I have done everything I can to ensure that the turkey will soon be very dead at any range from point blank to 50 yards.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

In a word....yes. Hevi-Shot is really good stuff. It's too expensive for my wallet to use in waterfowling situations, but for turkey it's great stuff. I haven't tried the Wingmaster HD yet.

For me, I'll pickhevi over lead, if I have the choice but...not having it won't keep me from turkey hunting.I killed my firstwith a 2.75"Win. Supremeand he dropped on the spot.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

ever since my family started using it a couple years ago, we only have to shoot 2 shots out of each gun to pattern them. we LOVE them

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

This is my first year usingHeavy-13 shells but manthey patterned good out of my little short barreled Mossberg Tactical Turkey gun with a Jellyhead choke. Maybe not great by Nitro standards but Heavy-13 number 6's will put about 77 pellets in a 10 inch circle at 40 yards with good evenly spread density. That certainly won't win any still target contests but it's pretty darn good for a shotgun with a 20 inch barrel. And no turkey head stands a chance at that distance. The two birds I've shot with it this year didn't even flop.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

I shot some hevi 13 6 shot out of my mossberg/Indian creek gun last weekend and will never buy that particular shell again. Terrible pattern at 40+ yards. My winchester 6 shot out performed the HV. Now I've read the new HV 6 shot is worse than the older. Can't remember the colors of the shells, but the older ones were the bomb. I had the newer ones. I still might try some 3.5's and see if that makes a difference, but for now I'm gonna try the winchester extended range 6 shot.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Titleist

I once had a few of the "older" white Hevi-13 shells that shot great. They have a cult following over on the NWTF board. For some reason the "newer" ones don't seem to perform as well. Environ came out with a 3.5", 2.25 oz load in 2007 but it was very hard to find and I was never able to get my hands on any. I have a Nitro distributor in my home town and for that reason I have switched to Nitro and likely won't be going back.

Mouthcaller

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Man...so many decisions, so little time left...

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Over the years of testing all the time I've noticed a large jump in yardage in the Hevi shot. 20 gauge in piticular as it turned a 30 yard gun into a 40 yard gun.

Chokes will make a difference and this is why we need to check out the patterns with the different combo's.

I still have 3 full boxes of the Old Hevi 13 20 gauge and I need to test 2 more chokes this spring. Can't wait to see if I can turn this 20 into a 50 yard gun, not that I would shoot that far, but confidents in a gun is a large part of turkey hunting...

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

mouthcaller: I harvested three boss gobblers last year with 3 shots @ $1.00 each and have been doing so for many years in many states... Winchester Supremes #5 from a bolt action shotgun....I see no need to justify spending more on shells....just more hunts....

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

it's not just the pattern----the penetration is so much greater, that the gun doesn't HAVE to pattern as well to be even more effective. But I get the best of both worlds, because it patterns so well in my turkey gun.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Are there any chokes you shouldn't shoot this load with?

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Charlie, Chokes are rated lead, steel or hevi shot. The wrong choke could cause damage to your gun.....

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

i have a truglo gobbler stopper extreme .665 and i wanted to know if i could shoot hevi shot out of it i went to their website and it says no steel shot and thats it

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

I've read before where they do not recommend going tighter than .670. Can't find the article now, but my x-full choke mic's at .675 and does great with hevi #4s. Killed several birds in the 40-45 yard range and one hog at 15 yards. All of them were VERY clean kills.

I'm convinced.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

I understand the whole "better penetration" part of Hevi Shot, but I seem to have absolutely no trouble with my Winchesters as far as penetration goes. The bottom line is,dead is dead.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

True enough. No real argument there. But you can buy a box with just 5 Heavy 13's in it for about 12 bucks. And five birds are all you can kill per season here in Alabama. Most places don't allow you that many. So 12 bucks for a seasons worth of shells is basically nothing compared to what one tank of gas for my truck costs these days. The reason I like Heavy 13's is that not only do they pattern great in most guns but you can shoot number 6's which have far more pellets than 5's or 4's and yet still get just as much penetration at 40 yards as you could with the larger pellets.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

It's really not about just penetration. Hevi shot is denser and harder than lead. You can shoot smaller shot and still have roughly the same energy as one size larger shot. Smaller shot = more pellets = denser patterns.

Additionally, Hevi-shot, by virtue of its hardness, is less subject to deformation as it passes through the choke. Less deformation = fewer flyers = denser patterns. The center core of a hevishot pattern is amazingly dense compared to the typical pattern with lead.

Cost - yeah,hevishotcosts more than conventional turkey loads, but how many do you plan to shoot?? After sighting in (three shots last year because I had mounted a new scope on my Mossberg 835) I only shot 3 while hunting last season, and I had a great year.

Have you ever shot,crippled, and lost a turkey? There is no sicker feeling. If you hunt long enough it will happen to you. I've lost three in 27 years of turkey hunting and I still regret and occasionally think about those lost birds. All were good shots with conventional lead loads inside 40 yards and the turkey was flopping on the ground then the next thing I know he got up and either ran off or flew off. I struggle to come up with a reason why each of those happened. Maybe the shot was deflected by small branches, maybe I pulled it a bit or my aim wasn't perfect. I don't know. What I do know, however, is that I have now eliminated one variable by my willingnessto purchase,practice with, and shoot the absolutely best turkey loads available - Nitros. If it happens again it won't be because I am shooting something less than the very best available ammo.

Once again, these are simply my choices, and to each his own. Is this a great country or what !!

Tom

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Has anyone tried the Remington wingmaster HD loads for turkey? I got some of these on clearance for $17.00 a box with a $15.00 rebate. I have 3" #6 1 3/8 ounce loads doing 1450 fps. I think this should work just as good as the Hevi Shot but I wanted to get some opinions.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

You guys have me almost sold. I just got a mossberg 835with a 20" barrel. I'm not happy with the 40 yard performance with various 3" #5 loads that I've tried out of a pure gold or ulti-mag choke. I hope to have a jelly head in the mail when I get home tonight, and its back to the range this weekend. All I want is a decent pattern at 40. I want a dead turkey, not a championship pellet count. I suppose after I find the right choke for my gun, playing with nitro or hevi's might just give me what I want. After all, once I get it dialed in all I'll need to do hopefully is fire one or 2 shots a year to make sure I'm still on and throwing a decent pattern.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Strut Stopper

"Oh brother let's go down, let's go down come on down, Oh brother let's go down, down to the Hevishot load".

In the immortal words of Delbert in Oh Brother Where Art Thou, "ThatNitro preacher done washed away all my sins from usin' them lead turkey loads".

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I promise you won't regret it. I have an 835 with the ported 24" barrel. It shot lead "OK" with a StarDot .676 choke but the difference between the Nitros (or Hevi-13 for that matter) and lead was like night and day. My forty yard Nitro pattern (see page 1 of this thread) looks like a lead pattern shot from 20 yards.

But don't just take my word for it - see for yourself. Prepare to be amazed.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Chances are I probably will stick with Winchesters, but if I do happen to switch and try Hevi-13's, does everyone recommend #6 shot then?

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

I'm another hevishot believer. I have used the H378 load for several years in my 12 gauge 3inch Remington. It is a combination of #4-5 and 7 shot. AWESOME STUFF!! http://www.nitrocompany.com/

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Being new to turkey hunting, all this talk about patterning guns with different loads makes me want to grab my crossbow and take my new turkey gun back. It seems that no matter what I go buy, there's something else better. Anyone want to buy 9 boxes of turkey ammo? Very frustrating[:o].

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Theres lots of ways to kill a turkey, but I wouldn't sell my shells/gun just yet. Get a few under your belt. As far as shells, there will always be something that sounds better. It's called marketing. ;)

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Hold on....not to ask a dumb question...but are we talking about the Nitros or the actual Hevi-Shot brand? Just wondering because I noticed Nitro has something called "Hevi-Shot". Im confused here.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

I'm no expert, but I'll give your question a stab.

Hevi-Shot was developed by Environmetals and the name "Hevi-Shot" is tradmarked by Environ. Another trademarkedname for "heaver than lead" shot made by Environ is Hevi-13. Initially Environ didn't actually load and sell the ammo, but they entered an agreement with Remington to load the shells. They were sold by remington as "Hevi-Shot Magnum" turkey loads and the box carried the Hevi-Shot logo and trademark. Sometime in 2006 Environmetals suspended the agreement with Remington and started loading and selling their own brand of ammo trademarked as "Hevi-Shot" loads.They sell loads for not only turkeys, but waterfowl, coyote, pheasant, etc.

http://www.hevishot.com/products.html

Environ also sells Hevi-Shot to reloaders. The Nitro Companyn Mountain Grove, Missouri purchases Hevi-Shot from Environ and loads it in their own propriatary line of shells which we commonly call "Nitros". These are extreme, max loads and cost around $5.00 per shell. These are the shells I have previously spoken about in this and other threads. They also load a "econonmy" line of turkey ammo containing a triplex combination of copper coated lead 4s and 5s with Hevi-Shot 7s.

http://www.nitrocompany.com/

Confusion exists concerning the Remington line of "Nitro" ammunition and the Nitro Company's line of ammo we commonly call "Nitros". Remington has been loading various lead shells in their "Nitro Premier" line for years and owns a trademark on the "Nitro" name as it applies to shotshell ammunition. These are not the "Nitro" loads which turkey hunters are referring to. The Nitro Company doesn't refer to their own ammo as "Nitros" because it would be a trademark infringement. Turkey hunters simply refer to the Nitro Company's turkey loads as Nitros because it is easier to say than "the Hevi-Shot turkey shells loaded by the Nitro Company"

Other manufacturers,specifically Winchester and Federal, load their own version of "heavier than lead" shot. Winchesters "Supreme Elite" line has the "Extended Range HD" turkey loads containing Winchester's brand of "heavier than lead" shot. They claim that theirs is better because it is rounder than Hevi-Shot (Hevi-13).

http://www.winchester.com/products/catalog/shotlist.aspx?bn=16&use=16

Winchester HDis rounder but I don't know if it makes any difference. Hevi-13 actually isn't perfectly round - the pellets have a nipple sticking out but it doesn't seem to affect performance.

Federal loads their version of "heavier than lead" shot they call "Heavyweight"in the Premier Ultrashock Heviweight line. I don't have any personal experience with it but the 3.5" 12 gauge and 10 gauge loads of straight 7s are popular with many hunters.

http://www.federalammo.com/ballistics/Ammo_Search.aspx?act=choose&firearm=5&s1=1


There you go - that's about all I know.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Mouthcaller.....that was awesome. Honest to God, that is extremely helpful.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Man, I hate to tell ya this, those are not the turkey loads, the remington website list them @ 1 3/8 oz. shot and the Wingmaster HD Turkey @1 5/8oz. shot. I did the exact same thing, they had them right in the middle of the turkey loads and I didn't even notice that they were only 1 3/8 oz . I patterned them @ 40 yards with several other #4 and #5 loads Federal, remington, Winchester, and they had the worst pattern of all of them. The gun is a 870, 28 inch barrel, kicks .665 choke. They will kill a turkey for sure,but I'm sure the actual HD Turkey loads would work much better.

But you might as well try them, they may shoot very good out of your gun and I hope they do.

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/shotshell/wingmaster_HD.asp

Looks like the difference is the HD Turkey loads 3" #6 are slower and 1 5/8 oz. shot versus 1 3/8 oz.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Here in Ca. we don't have a choice when hunting anywhere there may be a condor, so I hated to pay the high price for Hevi-Shot, last weekend I killed a turkey at around 40 + yd's and the shot broke his wingbone and leg into 2 pc's useing my 870 with the Primos Tightwad choke, great combo

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

HBA and Lefty, this load will pattern for turkey; they are just a little finicky and don't like to be overchoked.

Here are some results out of a Browning Gold Classic Stalker shooting the 3" 1.375oz #6 1450fps Remington HD Wingmaster loads. 40yds/10" circle

Jellyhead .670: 103 pellets - not too shabby, especially at 1450fps
Carlson .665 nonported: 60 pellets



That being said here are the results of Hevi-13 3" 2oz #6s at 1090fps - same gun.

Jellyhead .670: 139 pellets
Calson .665: 160

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

I understand they are not turkey loads. I will primarly use them for ducks but I figured for that price I could get them a try for turks.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

lefty, what gun/choke do you plan to shoot them out of?

For me, these shells outshot regular Win HV lead #5s.

I will probably just stick with the Hev-13 since i got high pellet counts, but shooting the Remington HD with the Jellyhead at 360 fps faster is pretty tempting, especially getting 103 hits at 40.

RE: Hevi-Shot...really that amazing???
 

Sounds like the regular Wingmaster HD doesn't do well out of a .665 choke. My choke does recommend #4's or #5's with my setup though.

Believe me, if they shot that good out of my gun, I would definately use them, regardless if they weren't actual turkey loads.