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Author Topic: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?  (Read 4770 times)

Offline Bob33

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#6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« on: May 08, 2011, 01:19:01 PM »
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?
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Offline Turkeyman

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2011, 02:22:08 PM »
Yes it will kill a gobbler at that range.
If it flies it dies.

Offline BOWHUNTER45

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2011, 02:38:33 PM »
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 ..... :chuckle: :chuckle:

Offline JKEEN33

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2011, 02:43:03 PM »
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.

Offline mallard79

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2011, 03:11:06 PM »
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.  :twocents:

Offline Camp David

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2011, 04:42:26 PM »
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.
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Offline PA BEN

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2011, 05:37:33 PM »
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.

Offline Wacenturion

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2011, 07:02:40 PM »
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.     
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Offline turkeydancer

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2011, 08:05:41 PM »
 :yeah:
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.
 :twocents:

Offline Phantom Gobbler

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2011, 11:26:51 PM »
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. 
"When a wild turkey vanishes, after seeing a man, depend on it, bank on it, he's gone." - Archibald Rutledge

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Offline C-Money

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #10 on: May 11, 2011, 11:02:17 AM »
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.
I felt like a one legged cat trying to bury a terd on a frozen pond!

Offline MtnMuley

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #11 on: May 11, 2011, 11:08:47 AM »
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.     

Offline Wacenturion

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2011, 07:57:54 AM »
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. :twocents:   
"About the time you realize that your father was a smart man, you have a teenager telling you just how stupid you are."

Offline MtnMuley

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #13 on: May 12, 2011, 08:00:00 AM »
Very well said.

Offline dawei

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Re: #6 Heavy Shot: how far?
« Reply #14 on: May 12, 2011, 12:25:48 PM »
Quote from: Wacenturian
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.
David

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1. Jesus Christ
2. The American Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Coast Guardsman.
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