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Federal 3rd degree ammo?

WORM82

WORM82

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Anyone tried it. It's supposed to be comparable to the mag blends. It has 5,6,7 shot also it's almost $5 per shell.
 
I have some but waiting until im out of Nitros. The loads are comparable and my nitros are absolute death


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I patterned it out of my 20 gauge. It shot good and I would not be afraid to use it at all, but nothing compares to the HW 7 out of my 20 gauge. The pattern was good and even with the 3rd degree.
 
Good lord 5 bucks per shell well I'd just as soon buy hevi shot or load my own.


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Southern Sportsman":1jtdnu7c said:
Snake oil.
Click to expand...
Yep. 60% lead and 40% tungsten for the price of 100% tungsten that's denser. I'd stick with hevi shot or straight heavy weights.

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Never owned/shot any, but I agree with SS & elknturkey. I can vouch for Magblends unless they've changed components over the years. When I used to hunt with 3.5" Nitros H517T loads, I would always use Magblends as well. In my opinion, they were just as good as shell as a Nitro, for a little less money, and a little less recoil.
 
elknturkey":24rfy2m6 said:
Southern Sportsman":24rfy2m6 said:
Snake oil.
Click to expand...
Yep. 60% lead and 40% tungsten for the price of 100% tungsten that's denser. I'd stick with hevi shot or straight heavy weights.
Click to expand...

That, and they include gimmicky pellets that are designed to fly erratic and pattern poorly. But they tout it as an improvement over traditional loads.
 
Southern Sportsman":r1r3lch5 said:
elknturkey":r1r3lch5 said:
Southern Sportsman":r1r3lch5 said:
Snake oil.
Click to expand...
Yep. 60% lead and 40% tungsten for the price of 100% tungsten that's denser. I'd stick with hevi shot or straight heavy weights.
Click to expand...

That, and they include gimmicky pellets that are designed to fly erratic and pattern poorly. But they tout it as an improvement over traditional loads.
Click to expand...

So you've shot them?


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Gray Ghost":86sxgw30 said:
So you've shot them?
Click to expand...

No. I hand load. But I've read enough about them to have an opinion. If I want a long range shell, I'll shoot a high density load with an appropriate choke. If I want an economical shell, I'll shoot lead. If I want a forgiving pattern at close range, i'll shoot a more open choke. But putting a few tungeston pellets in with mostly lead 5s and a sprinkling of weird pellets designed for erratic flight, marketing it as a do-it-all-in-one shell, and selling it at a premium price reaks of gimmick. They'll kill turkeys at normal ranges. Most shells will. But there are better shels for the same or less money.

I also haven't tried the deerview mirror or acorn cruncher, for what it's worth.
 
Southern Sportsman":35f3hhzn said:
Gray Ghost":35f3hhzn said:
So you've shot them?
Click to expand...

No. I hand load. But I've read enough about them to have an opinion. If I want a long range shell, I'll shoot a high density load with an appropriate choke. If I want an economical shell, I'll shoot lead. If I want a forgiving pattern at close range, i'll shoot a more open choke. But putting a few tungeston pellets in with mostly lead 5s and a sprinkling of weird pellets designed for erratic flight, marketing it as a do-it-all-in-one shell, and selling it at a premium price reaks of gimmick. They'll kill turkeys at normal ranges. Most shells will. But there are better shels for the same or less money.

I also haven't tried the deerview mirror or acorn cruncher, for what it's worth.
Click to expand...

Not sure what you're insinuating but I normally don't do a lot of keyboard opinion myself, without trying something...for what it's worth.


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I'm happy for anyone who wants to shoot them, but you can get a better shell for less money. That said, it's not my money, so spend it how you'd like. I'm just saying from a ballistics standpoint, I think they are mostly gimmick and I dont have to spend my money on them to think that.
 
My thoughts here solely regarding the 20 gauge shells . . . . .

I think some critics of this shell may be overlooking the fact it has a larger payload than other "commercial" loads.

The Federal 3rd degree 20 gauge has 1 7/16 oz of shot.
Gee, that's nearly 20% more "shot" payload than other brands with the typical 1 1/4 oz ???

So, if 20% of the Fed's 3rd degree pellets are those wide-flying ones,
that's just a "bonus" to help prevent a close-range miss?

Then there is the issue of those #7 pellets ---- what's in the Fed's 3rd degree are TSS ---- far superior long-range to what we see in Hevi-13's or MagBlends.

I just compared costs from a single vender, but here's what I saw:

Fed's 3rd Degree = $17.99 for a box of 5 or $3.60 each for shells with a 1 7/16 oz payload each.
Hevi-13 Mag Blends = $22.99 for a box of 5 or $4.60 each for shells with a 1 1/4 oz payload each.

Don't see how anyone can say these aren't at least as good a value as the Hevi-13's or Mag Blends?
IMO, the 3rd Degree shells are a better shell at all ranges, AND a better value for the money.

Interesting data that Andy posted above, too, kinda showing these shells are not just a "gimmick".
 
Although my 20 ga preference has been the Federal Heavyweight in #7's,
I see plenty of merit in loading my chamber with these 3rd Degrees instead,
and only have the "back-up" rounds be the Heavyweights.

IMO, and particularly with our "turkey" chokes and shells like Winchester's LB's, just as many or more turkeys have been missed at close range as have been forfeited for being marginally out of range. Wouldn't surprise me if more hunters might go home with more birds if they weren't using such long-range chokes & shells.

Note how tiny the close-range patterns were with the Win LB's in that data Andy posted.

At 15 yards, the Win LB's pattern diameter was 7.3 inches.
At 15 yards, the Fed's 3rd Degree pattern diameter was 11.0 inches.
 
I can see were they are good but then also bad. Me personally I shoot mag blends because they pattern good and I have killed birds at all ranges with them. To me I think it's more personal preference on what shell you use and the choke you use with it I mean think about how many turkeys were killed before all the new chokes and turkey loads were made. It is really more of a trial an error kind of situation because from experience even though this load worked great for this person doesn't always mean it will work for you or someone else. I have seen people shoot the same guns chokes and ammo and get different results. Just my two cents.
 

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