Hevi-Shot experiences?

[longarm]

Hello all,
Wondering if anyone here has had personal experience with Remingtons Hevi-Shot Nitro Magnum High Velocity Waterfowl Loads on ducks?
I am reading their current catalog and theyclaim equal pellet energy at 3 shot sizes smaller than steel. Also says that Hevi Shot pellets have 25% more energy at 50 yards than steel does at 30 yards. Has any of this translated to more ducks in the freezer for you?
Dan

 

[MCgunner]

At 20 dollars a box of ten, I'm going to DUCK hunt with it??????:banghead: Not likely! Just don't sky blast. I don't know what sorta duck hunting you're doing, but to me, 9/10s of the fun of duck hunting is calling an watching 'em set their wings into my deeks at 25 yards or less. I never shoot over 40 yards and #4 and even #6 steel is fine! 4s'll take you out a little farther, even.

Now, then, geese are another story entirely. Nothing more sickening than calling a bunch of geese in to set at 40 yards and hearing the BBs bounce of feathers. A couple of seasons ago, I tried Federal Tungsten/Iron. they're 13 bucks a box of 10 at Walmart vs 20 for the Remington stuff. Boy, do they work! They're magic. 50 yards and geese fold as if struck by lightening! I assume the Remington stuff would work as well, but I can barely afford the Federal stuff in the budget. I normally don't fire more'n 10 rounds in a morning of goose calling unless it's a rare day. With ducks, I'll burn up twice that sometimes to get my six birds. I could blame the steel loads, but I'd be lying.

I mean, if you can afford the stuff, if you make six figures plus a year, knock yourself out, but I'm a poor redneck that works on junk tractors for a living, never learned how to do a facelift or argue a tort case.

 

[SShooterZ]

Great stuff. Reaches out much farther than Steel and knocks 'em dead. I'm going to use up my existing steel and go to all Hevi-Shot.

 

[JohnBT]

It's worth it to me.

After seeing how well #6 works on Mallards over decoys and #4 works on Canadas - 2-3/4" as well as 3" - I'm sold on it.

I will admit that success with the shorter HS shells didn't keep me from buying a used 3.5" gun, even though I think I'll just shoot 3" #4 from here on out.

As expensive as duck hunting is - boat, motor, blind material, Fed stamp, VA stamp, VA lic., gun, back-up gun, waders, warm clothes and gloves - what's a few more bucks for Hevi-Shot?

John

 

[MCgunner]

I've still got my neoprene 5mm and light waders I've had for 10 seasons. I still have the same deeks I've had for 20 seasons, buy a new bag now and then. Still using a call I've had for at least a decade. Shells you buy every hunt. I have some seasons hunted two days a week. Heck, could hunt every day if I wanted. I'm partially retired and I'm not that busy in my business this time of year. Shooting 50 dollar a box ammo would get rather expensive. If you just hunt once or twice a year, I could see it, but duck hunting is what I do and steel shot is perfectly adequate over deeks in the marshes around here with a good call and a guy that knows how to use it. Geese are a lot harder to bring down, though, and this is where the magic shells pay off for me. They are a BUNCH more effective at long range on heavy birds, I have no argument there! But, I can bring a duck down with number four steel just fine inside 50 yards and normally won't shoot past 40. I rarely have a problem shooting a limit down here. It's pretty much duck hunting heaven. Lots of public hunt land. And, I know a pothole that is just pure heaven on earth! I swear on a bible you don't even need deeks there, ducks just WANNA be there and a call is like a duck magnet, rarely even have to hail 'em down there. It's south of Corpus Christi, accessible only by 25 mile boat ride. There is no other way in and we usually get together and run down there in a group with a couple of boats and camp to hunt there. One afternoon, one morning, and you WILL have your possession limit and fill your pintail limit, guaranteed.

 

[Lee Woiteshek]

Yup crushes them. I use 6's and 4's. I have some 3.5's in 2's for geese. It works so well I sold the Mag-10 I used exclusively for ducks, and bought an Benelli SBE II. I never thought in my lifetime I would see something that worked as well as lead. I continue to use steel the Hi Velocity stuff Winchester makes in its Supreme loading for October and early Nov ducks. The Hevi shot is reserved for Dec/Jan ducks that are spooky. Its the gig. Just buy a box or so once a month in the off season. You'll be fine by the time the flight ducks come your way.

 

[ziadel]

anyone ever tried steel buckshot for gese?


we've got some monsters up here, and we're having trouble getting clean kills even with the hevi-shot.

 

[JohnBT]

"...accessible only by 25 mile boat ride..."

I'd have to shoot steel because I'd be spending all my money on Dramamine.

Heck, I'm buying Hevi-Shot for me and my friend with the floating blind. Fair's fair.

John

 

[MCgunner]

anyone ever tried steel buckshot for gese?


we've got some monsters up here, and we're having trouble getting clean kills even with the hevi-shot.

Not enough shot in the pattern. The heavy shot/tungsten-iron, whatever magic loads actually, to me, work BETTER than lead. I mean, geese at 50 yards are just DEAD. Steel will bounce right off a goose at that range. you might get lucky and break a wing, but you'll be running 200 yards across a muddy field to chase him down. I'm shooting BBs in tungsten-iron. The stuff is so good, I gave up the idea of buying a 3 1/2 inch gun completely. I mean, it's expensive, but it IS saving me from buying a new shotgun.

If it fits your budget, buy it for ducks. It could be handy in pass shooting and for high flying big birds like mallards. I don't need it, though, on ducks. The stuff WILL reach out there, there's no doubt about THAT! I hope a LOT of shotgunner start using the stuff. More production might drive the price down a bit, never know. I really do like that Federal stuff, though. You should try it. It's a bit cheaper than the Remington stuff.

I had a problem with Remingtons anyway in my Mossberg. The empty case was too long for the action and would hang on ejection. I had problems with my old Mossberg, bought a new Mossberg and had the same problem. I've had no problems with Federal or Winchester. I like the Winchester dry lock a lot in steel.

 

[MCgunner]

"...accessible only by 25 mile boat ride..."

I'd have to shoot steel because I'd be spending all my money on Dramamine.

Heck, I'm buying Hevi-Shot for me and my friend with the floating blind. Fair's fair.

John

LOL, well, most of it is intracoastal in the Laguna Madre, but you do have to pass in front of Baffin bay. It can get mighty rough there if a norther blows in. You really don't wanna negotiate the waters there when a norther's blowing. It's all deep water, though. Last time I went, rode down in a bud's 26 foot Danzi off shore boat. Didn't worry too much about high seas. You can pull right up to shore in the intracoastal where the pot hole is, about a 400 yard walk from there. That one pothole just HAS to be the absolute BEST duck hunting in north America. Best I've ever had by a long shot! There is another I know about that I haven't hunted further into what's called "the land cut" I sat there and watched HUNDREDS of ducks fall out of the sky in that area, was a good walk from the canal. It's all on Padre Island just off the canal in the land cut area. Plenty of ducks down there and lightly hunted due to the crud you gotta go through to get to 'em.

 

[ron73644]

I'd be like JohnBT.............I would have to have lots of Dramamine. I'd be either too sleepy to hunt or too sick.

 

[ziadel]

for the record, I'm shooting winchester supreme 3.5's double BB's, I forget the shot weight, but basically I get the heaviest load possible with the most shot.

honestly, I think the geese laugh, we've resorted to staying in cover until they are like 2 feet above the water so we get that delay so we can shoot them more than once.

*sigh*

damn geese

 

[usmarine0352_2005]

Hevi Steel is the BOMB

the hevi steel is worth its weight in gold. i shoot a remington 870 special purpose with a 26 inch barrel. i use a hastings extended steel shot choke tube in improved cylinder constriction. the 3 inch 2's will roll a mallard at 50 to 60 yards, with geese out to 60 yards, the B's put it on em. it isnt a gun or ammunition issue, its an issue on wether u can shoot or not. i reccomend more practice shooting and less whining on how good or bad certain guns or ammunition are. the envirometal dead coyote are awesome loads also, but if you cant shoot, save the money. also remington hevi-shot buckshot, 2-3/4 inch 00 buck, only 9 pellets, but shooting geese at 5-15 yards........only one word, devestating!