Hevi-Shot Hevi-Metal Pheasant Loads

I just can't get back on the Hevi Shot bandwagon, had too many of their shells fail on my when duck hunting to go back to them. Out of half a case I had 2 instances where a shell didn't go off after a solid primer strike and another where there was an dud that sent the wad halfway down the barrel and the pellets rolled out the end of my gun. Had a buddy shooting out of the same case that 3 more failure to fires.
 
Joe Hunter That's a lot of good information. Just curious what your thoughts are on lead shells. Typically I shoot a Browning 625 with Carlson Prairie Storm chokes Mod and IC.
 
MinnHunter said:
My group has seen outstanding results with 3" Black Cloud in #4 and #3. After several years use I am a believer.
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Shoot what you like, but I shoot traditional spherical steel loads when using nontoxic on pheasants. Steel shot lethality research conducted on pheasants by Tom Roster showed #2 steel to be more effective (at all ranges) than #6 or #4 steel. Yes, #4 and #6 steel loads will kill'em, but a little extra pellet energy is a good thing on wild pheasants where shots can get on the long side. The research also showed #2 steel resulted in fewer cripples than both #6 and #4 steel. And, Roster speculated that the #3 steel pellet would be a good compromise between pellet count and downrange energy.

Here are a few of my pattern numbers to show the performance differences I found with my gun/choke between some of the traditional low-cost steel loads and the older Black Cloud loads.

Patterning results from a 12-gauge 3-inch Remington 870 Special Purpose with a 28" barrel and factory flush Rem-chokes (pattern average of five, 30" post-shot scribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, in-shell pellet count average of five, and true choke constriction from bore gauge).

40 YARDS Mod. (.018" const.)
Federal Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (154 pellets) pattern 115 (75%)
Federal Black Cloud 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (144 pellets) pattern 92 (64%)
Hevi-Metal 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 / #5 (164 pellets) pattern 93 (58%)
HEVI-STEEL 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (148 pellets) pattern 100 (68%)
Kent Fasteel 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (155 pellets) pattern 103 (66%)
Remington Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (152 pellets) pattern 110 (72%)
Winchester Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (146 pellets) pattern 106 (73%)

Good luck!
 
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dakotasj said:
Joe Hunter That's a lot of good information. Just curious what your thoughts are on lead shells. Typically I shoot a Browning 625 with Carlson Prairie Storm chokes Mod and IC.
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Thanks for the kind words.

Here are a few of my pattern numbers from 20- and 12-gauge lead loads, that I’ve shot pheasants with, to give you an idea of the kind of performance you might get from similar loads and chokes.

Inside of ~40 yards, the No. 6 lead pellet is adequate for pheasants, but when shots start getting on the long side (40 yards and longer) you’ll be better off with the No. 5 lead pellet! Of course, you’ll need to choke your load, regardless of shot size, to maintain adequate pattern density for the typical distance of your shots.

Patterns from 20- and 12-gauge Browning Citoris with 28" Invector-plus barrels and Briley flush chokes (patterns average of five, 30" post-shot scribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, and in-shell pellet count average of five).

20 GA 2 3/4" RELOAD (BLUE DOT)
1 oz #6 lead (233 pellets) @ 1200 fps
30 YARDS – SK / pattern 147 (63%)
30 YARDS – IC / pattern 168 (72%)
40 YARDS – M / pattern 146 (63%)
40 YARDS – IM / pattern 163 (70%)

20 GA 3" RELOAD (BLUE DOT)
1 1/8 oz #5 lead (190 pellets) @ 1200 fps
30 YARDS – SK / pattern 140 (74%)
30 YARDS – IC / pattern 150 (80%)
40 YARDS – M / pattern 138 (73%)
40 YARDS – IM / pattern 147 (77%)

12 GA 2 3/4" RELOAD (GREEN DOT)
1 1/8 oz #6 lead (267 pellets) @ 1225 fps
30 YARDS – SK / pattern 171 (64%)
30 YARDS – IC / pattern 211 (79%)
40 YARDS – M / pattern 182 (68%)
40 YARDS – IM / pattern 195 (73%)

12 GA 2 3/4" RELOAD (UNIQUE)
1 1/4 oz #5 lead (210 pellets) @ 1225 fps
30 YARDS – SK / pattern 145 (69%)
30 YARDS – IC / pattern 177 (84%)
40 YARDS – M / pattern 155 (74%)
40 YARDS – IM / pattern 174 (83%)
50 YARDS – IM / pattern 125 (60%)

Hope this helps, good luck!
 
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Joe Hunter said:
Steel shot lethality research conducted on pheasants by Tom Roster showed #2 steel to be more effective (at all ranges) than #6 or #4 steel.
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Outside 30-35 yards, steel 2's are so ballistically superior to steel 4's & 6's (even the screaming fast ones), that it's not even funny. Hyper-velocity steel loses its velocity (& energy) very, very quickly.
I don't shoot steel at pheasants anymore, in lieu of better stuff, but when I did, 3's & 2's performed way better than any smaller sized shot.
 
Thanks for the information. I typically shoot lead where allowed and the last few years have been pleased with the Prairie Storm #5, sometimes drop to #4 late season. My steel shot choice is usually #3, but occasionally #2. My experience is that I fail to recover fewer hit pheasants with lead than steel.
 
I bought two boxes of these https://www.hevishot.com/catalog/hevi-metal-pheasant/ from Cabelas several years ago to hunt the refuge. Mine are in #5 shot and I think they are 1500 FPS. I haven't fired many of them but they do kill pheasants, BUT if the bird is close it really tears them up and they kick like hell in my 6lb 8oz sxs. Last year I tried some 3" #4 steel Remingtons that worked the same. One of the reasons I bought the hevi-shot is because my SXS is only 2 3/4".
When the ones I have are gone, I doubt that I will buy more but they will probably last me for a long time.
P.S. I didn't receive any promotional swag for my comments.
 
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So many hunters do not realize that NON-toxic loads are required on most if not all
Federal hunting land. I switched to Hevishot years ago and have used nothing
but Hevishot since. I find that the range, knockdown power are unmatched + they
are non-toxic
 
I shot 1 1/4 oz 2 3/4” boss shells this weekend. Was really impressed. Buddy shot heavy bismuth. He liked them also. Both of us using 4 shot. I don’t plan on using anything else this year.
 
I am game to try BOSS, but the they are sold out on most loads or require a full case purchase on other options at least on-line.
 
My understanding is it’s just 3 guys making shells. Definitely going to order off season next year. I find if you check In here and there you can find them in stock. What gauge? What shot are you looking for?
 
Our group shot Hevi-Bismuth Waterfowl shells (while pheasant hunting) 3" 6's
and we wore them out. We did not lose one rooster
I am going to try them duck hunting in Nov.
 
I've got a pile of Boss bismuth in 20 GA, it impressed me last year so I kept ordering various shot sizes throughout the year.
 
Never heard of BOSS. I like the fact that the Hevi Bismuth is easier on older shotguns
as well. I have an old Browning my Papa gave me that I would like to shoot quail with
so the Bismuth should be awesome for it
 
theuplandlife said:
Never heard of BOSS. I like the fact that the Hevi Bismuth is easier on older shotguns
as well. I have an old Browning my Papa gave me that I would like to shoot quail with
so the Bismuth should be awesome for it
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Give one of the two a try. It kills birds.
 
Tbear said:
Give one of the two a try. It kills birds.
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Thx Tbear but after what I saw from the Hevi Bismuth, I am sticking with those
I just could not believe how cleanly I was able to take the flushing roosters
even out to longer ranges. We did not lose a single bird which is huge for us
 
I've used federal steel prairie storm for a few years now. Works great, shoots a little tight but puts the birds down and at a reasonable price. Finding it at local stores in northern Mn is a test.LOL.semper fi
 
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