#6 Heavy Shot: how far?

[Bob33]

The best patterns in my shotgun are with Heavy Shot #6.  I get more pellets in a turkey head target at 50 yards than I do with any other ammunition at 40 yards.

Would a #6 Heavy Shot pellet penetrate a turkey head or neck at 50 yards?  Assuming there are enough pellets in the pattern, at what distance would Heavy Shot #6 pellets lose too much energy to reliably kill a turkey?

[Turkeyman]

Yes it will kill a gobbler at that range.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I take my 3" #5 shot with 2 oz. of lead in winchesters any day over that hevi shot .. but thats just me .. I have killed a few turks at the 50 yrd mark with just my full choke .. I  have a winchester 1300 turkey special .. its a mean machine ...Its funny how I used to watch them miss turks at point blank on T.V with those turkey chokes well one day I missed one at about 10 yrds twice and everytime I shot he would gobble at me .. I never shot the 3rd shot because I had to laugh about it because it finally happened to me .. come to find out the shot never left the wad at that range but if that birds within the 40 yrd mark  its definately one dead turkey .. my advise is if you have an xxx etra full do not let the bird get rel close or this may happen to you .....

[JKEEN33]

I was never a fan of the 6. I thought it lost to much energy at 50+ also, but I called in a turkey for a friend Friday and he let loose at 61. Dropped him dead. I was impressed and had to range the shot to get the exact yardage. I may be going to heavy shot next year. In the past I used #6 Winchester lead and was not impressed and went to #5.

As a side, I usually have a little more patience and rarely shoot out that far. All the turkies I took this year were 15 yards or less.

[mallard79]

Heavy shot will definately do the job at that range. I killed my turkey at 51 yards with a KENT 3" with 1 3/4oz of #6 shot. It is all in the pattern. 

[Camp David]

I really understood the energy of hevy shot when we were patterning the gun. We mounted the target on a piece of plywood and the hevy shot destroyed the plywood where other loads we tested barely penetrated. Test several chokes to see which patterns best. I found that the modified on my benelli patterned best for the hevy shot.

[PA BEN]

I only use #6 12 gage on turkeys, over 20yrs and killed plenty at 50 yds. I use #5's for the kids in there 20 gage.

[Wacenturion]

It depends on what your gun likes.  My 1300 NWTF Special Turkey with laminated wood is my favorite among several.  It loves 6's with a Kick's Gobbling Thunder on the end of it.  I'm not  a fan of Heavy shot as it tends to be inconsistent depending on the gun.  Shoots well one time...like crap the next two or three.  Like playing Russian roulette.

To answer your first question...yes it probably will, however if a bird is over 35-40 yards with me he walks....under he is dead.  Just me....I've seen way too many floppers and runners with people thinking they can kill them at whatever range.     

[turkeydancer]

 
Besides half the fun is being patient and getting them up close and personal ... the only draw back to that is the pattern is extremely tight at very close range ... most of my birds are generally harvested at 20 yards or less although I can reach out over 40 yards .... I did miss one at 10 yards once, but it's because I looked up to see him flop versus keeping my head down ... guaranteed I overshot him.
 

[Phantom Gobbler]

I tried the Hevi-Shot Blend (Size 7, 6 & 5 Shot) in my 12 GA 3.5 inch Mossberg this year.  It's spendy ammo but I was able to close the deal on two tom's this year,  with both shots at approx 30 yards.  They went down hard. 

[C-Money]

I have killed or seen gobblers killed with 4's, 5's, and 6's. I saw no difference. I am sure #6's would be effecteive at 50 yards.

[MtnMuley]

The best patterns in my shotgun are with Heavy Shot #6.  I get more pellets in a turkey head target at 50 yards than I do with any other ammunition at 40 yards.

Would a #6 Heavy Shot pellet penetrate a turkey head or neck at 50 yards?  Assuming there are enough pellets in the pattern, at what distance would Heavy Shot #6 pellets lose too much energy to reliably kill a turkey?

#6 HS can easily kill a bird at 50 yds, however, at that distance, birds can be lost as well.  I've experienced them both.  As for the energy, imo, 50 yds should be the absolute maximum. 
I'm sure people have killed them at 60, but it's not ethical to me with a shotgun.  I will guarantee at that distance you will lose as many birds as you will kill.     

[Wacenturion]

My personal belief is that most shots at extreme questionable ranges are a direct result of wanting to be successful, rather than being ethical.  Rather than play the game another day or even later in the same day and get the gobbler within close range, the mind panics so to speak and engages trigger finger.

As turkeydancer already said......"Besides half the fun is being patient and getting them up close and personal"

Sometimes success is measured more by one's ethical hunting decisions, rather than a bird in the hand.    

[MtnMuley]

Very well said.

[dawei]

I'm not  a fan of Heavy shot as it tends to be inconsistent depending on the gun.  Shoots well one time...like crap the next two or three.  Like playing Russian roulette.

That has been my experience with Hevi•Shot®, very inconsistent. When Hevi•Shot® was teamed w/Remington® it was good ammo. After they went out on their own QC went into the crapper. Environ•metal® keeps "fixing it until it is broke" IMHO. I stick with #4 and #5Pb in my turkey guns.