I HATE HEVI-SHOT

[FARMTOFIELD]

Hevi shot was only truly "hevi13" for a short time. It is really only "hevi 12"

Thanks for the clarification, Rockhound.
I don't keep up with the details as much as most of you, but always know where to turn --- thanks

Were those Winchester Extended Range shells actually just a "hevi 10"?

As stated by others Winchester was also 12 g/cc

 

[TheLBLman]

Hevi13 shells - debuted at 13g/cc, but changed to 12g/cc WITHOUT notifying any of their customer base. This is why a lot of guys don't trust them, along with other reasons (changing load components, quality control issues, etc)

I killed several turkeys with the "Hevi13" and their "MagBlend" shells.
The quality control issues I had with those shells would have been only evident at the range, which they were, and I lost faith in their brand.

Very different story with the "Nitro" brand ---- the poor quality control was evident on both turkeys and at the range. I suspect I just got a bad lot of these, but it was a pretty big lot and soured me on them.

If I were hand-loading, I'd definitely be loading with TSS.
In the meantime, I've been very pleased with the Federal Heavyweights, particularly in the 20 ga where they significantly outperform every other brand commercially available.

I wish Federal would step up and be the first major to offer TSS.
They could also currently dominate the 20ga market even greater if they offered their Heavyweights in size #7.5, particularly for the "Youth" market in a 2 3/4" shell. In even most "off-the-shelf" 20 ga guns, this could easily be a 40-yd turkey gun, with very light recoil. Saying this in part about the #7.5 because I'd rather have more pattern density than unnecessary long-range penetration.
(Note how the most popular size shot for turkey hunting with TSS is size #9.)

 

[Spurhunter]

As others have stated, Hevishot has had issues with quality control, component changes, bad lots, superior lots, and people cutting open shells and finding everything from pixie dust to 4 shot mixed in. However, the magblends and the "straight" shot sizes are just stone cold killers. Until I have an issue I just CAN'T stop shooting them. We rarely have a bird flop around or have to step on his neck. They just kill em. DEAD. For us.

I shot the old Winchester XR high density for a few years. Although I felt the quality control was better, and the shells only had what was supposed to be in them, they just didn't kill like Hevishot. I don't know why, but they didn't. We always had to choke them out, chase them around flopping, etc. I was even in the habit of jumping up and running to the bird after the shot.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding. As long as Hevishot keeps dropping them like a bag of hammers, I'll keep shooting them. When they cost me a bird the love affair will be over.