Hevi-Shot

[Packer Backer]

I'm interested in using Hevi-Shot this year for ducks with my new SBE II, which I pick up Thursday:D

However, I just heard from a clerk at my sporting goods store that there have been some problems with the Hevi-Shot scratching the shotgun barrels due to the fact that there is some burring on the outside of the shot. Has anyone heard of this?

I'd also be interested to hear about your experiences with Hevi-Shot vs. Steel.

Thanks in advance!
Jeff

[fabsroman]

Yes, there is some burring on Hevi-Shot, which gives it a tear drop shape and which is the reason it patterns better than steel (i.e., it is more aerodynamic). Originally, I heard the same thing, but it must not be an issue because I have not heard about HEvi-Shot being sued or barrels being ruined. I use it and the bore in my SBE still looks nice and shiny. I am willing to bet that they use a rather thick wad to protect the barrel.

I think the bigger problem is when handloaders make loads out of Hevi-Shot and do not adequately protect the bore from the pellets.

In my opinion, Hevi-Shot is way better than steel. I have killed ducks and geese with it that I never would have been able to kill with steel, and they come down stone dead. Good luck with the new SBE II.

[skeet]

I have been shooting hevi shot for the last 4 or 5 yrs in 2 or 3 different guns and have had no problems at all with it. Remington has lost their contract with Environmetal so they have a new shot out this year whick looks as though it will be a winner. Winchester also has a new type of "hevi shot" this year also. Check out their web sites for additional info. I'm going to try the new Remington offering this year. The Hevi Shot puts steel to shame for use on waterfowl for certain. It is easily possible (for a good shooter) to bring down ducks and geese at very long range. Reminds me of when I was guiding goose hunters all those years ago when you could use the premium lead shot shells... Maybe even better because it patterns a fair amount better than lead.

[Packer Backer]

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen. I can't wait to shoot the Hevi-shot. I'm sure it will be a "treat" for me, after getting used to steel being the norm after all these years.

Is Environmental the manufacturer of Hevi-Shot?

If so, the Remington Hevi-Shot I saw on the shelves last week must have been some of last year's inventory. Does anyone know the name of Remington's new shot?

One more question............ I'll be shooting mostly at decoying ducks within 25 yards or so, with some shots out to 40 yards, perhaps. Can I assume that the 2 3/4 #6's will do the job?

Thanks again!

[Brant Buster]

EnvironMetal indeed makes @Hevi-Shot. Also, I'm not aware of a rift between Remington and Environmetal, but yes the stock you see on shelves is left over from last year or the year before.

If you want to shoot effective duck/goose loads more affordably than just relying on off-the-shelf-stuff, learn to reload!.

Ballistic Products sells all the components one needs for reloading, including data and the best hulls they recommend for the task.

As for other types of ammo or reloading shot, Hevi-Shot is made from nickel and tungston and another metal. And while 'Hevi-Shot' is a patented substance and name, other brands of similar shot are also legally made. Learn what they are.

[fabsroman]

Depends on what size of duck you are shooting at. I killed a mallard with #4's at about 50 yards right overhead and it dropped to the ground dead. I haven't tried 5's or 6's on ducks, so Skeet might be able to give you a better response.

Brant Buster snuck his post in right before mine, so I had to go back and edit this. He is right about the reloading. Reloading waterfowl loads is the quickest way to save money. Reloading Hevi-Shot saves about $1 per shell, and using Hevi-Shot means you have to shoot less too (i.e., you kill more birds). So, it is a savings all the way around.

[skeet]

Hate to say this but for decoying ducks at 25 yds I'd still probably use Steel 3's for the first shot with hevi shot #4's as a backup. But yes you can use Hevi 6's in a 2 3/4 shell for decoying ducks...but even hevi 6's will run out of steam at 45 yds or so. 5's would be a better all around shot size.

Environmetal was the inventor of hevi shot and own the patent...but there are the newer proprietary types of shot by Remington and Winchester out there now that are probably as good or better.. Check gear and gadgets for links to Remington rebates on the new shells. GOB posted a lot of links for rebates.

[skeet]

Heck I even used some hevi 9's for a few doves. 1 1/8 oz of hevi shot 9's literally crushed doves out to about 40 yds or so....for those who have to use non toxic on state or federal land

[Packer Backer]

Thanks again. I checked out Remington's site, and it looks like the new name is Remingtion HD. Perfectly round, as compared to Hevi-Shot and it seems by their video that they back of the comparison between Hevi and HD with facts. After viewing Hevi's website, it seems that they are grasping at straws with their claims that they are better than their competition. I'm no expert, but after reviewing the propaganda, it seems that Remington may have an edge. Winchester didn't have much on their site about their new loads, but from what I gather, they named the shells "Supreme Elite". No details on the shot were given, as far as I could find.

Thanks for the reloading tip. I reload for trap, but have never considered it for the waterfowl. At a savings of $1 per shell, it would be hard to say "NO"

[fabsroman]

Yeah, I started reloading for trap and progressed to skeet and sporting clays when I started shooting them. However, I only save a couple of dollars per box. I save that much on two waterfowl shells or two high power premium bullet rounds. It only made economical sense to start reloading for waterfowling and high powered premium rifle rounds.

Loading waterfowl loads takes a little extra effort, but it is definitely worth it in the pocket book.

[rem 700]

I'd save your money on ducks and get some federal heavy high velocity steel.

[Packer Backer]

Looks like the Winchester Supreme Elite and the new Remington non-toxic shells are going for around 30.00 for a box of ten. That's just insane. No thanks.

[Catfish]

I`ve been shooting Heavy Shot for geese for afew years now. I don`t call but sneek up on them and jump shoot so I don`t get many of those close shot like the guy shooting over decoys. Last yeas untill the last goose I had 1 more goose down than shoots fired with Heavy shot. The last one took me 3 shots to get so I finished the year with 1 less goose than shots fires, with Heavy Shot. Once downed I finish them with Steel and have shot alot of times at geese and know I have them in the middle of the patteren and they keep swimming like nothing is happing. I`ve got enough Heavy Shot for this year I think, so I can put off them $3 per shell for another year, $2 is enough. I haven`t checked on reloading for acouple of years, but when I did it would have cost more to reload Heavy Shot than to buy loaded ammo. I long for the good old days when we could use lead. :rolleyes:

[skeet]

Actually guys. The best way to buy the expensive shells is at the end of a season. I always buy next years shells when they go on sale and usually they still have a Rebate on them. My last 3" hevishot by Remington cost me 15.50 after all the rebates etc. 3 1/2" were 17.00 after rebates. Oh also (I know it wasn't actually kosher) I sent two rebate forms in ..one for me and one for my daughter(she hunts too) so I could buy enough shells and get two rebates:eek: Figure the price of good steel shells, even with rebates, and they are still close to 75 cents each. I know that even if I only shoot 2 steel shells per goose or duck....the cost is usually close to the same. That expensive shot shell really kills. Even if I used one shell per bird of either...I'd feel better knowing I was shooting a much better alternative to steel. I have seen, in my guiding years, WAY too many crippled birds fly off and drop out dead a half mile or more away. That just means the bird was centered but being steel it went on through imparting little energy in the bird. They fly away bleeding to death. I know it sounds subjective...but the steel alternatives just hit the birds harder. Even Bismuth is a lot better...and you can shoot it in your old guns like Brownings and M-12's. After more than 10,000 geese and at least 3 times that observed, I think I have a little field experience. Steel is good for shooting cripples and maybe really close or small ducks and geese. I care enough about the resource that I shoot the expensive stuff. In fact, I wish they would outlaw steel for the crippler it is and make the expensive stuff the only legal alternative to lead. When all is said and done the cost of ammo is one of the smallest expenses in waterfowling

[fabsroman]

"cost of ammo is one of the smallest expenses in waterfowling"

I don't know about that. Once the blinds, decoys, camo, and guns are bought, about the only consumable is the ammo. If you shoot 100 shells a year, that comes to $300 a year if you use the good stuff, and I have killed more geese than that in a single year. So, ammo can get up there. Heck, I have probably shot more money out of my barrel than my gun, decoys, and camo clothing cost over the past 8 years.

That aside, I still agree that the more expensive stuff is well worth the expense. Better to shoot one expensive shell at a bird than two moderately expensive shells at a bird.

If we all cared for the resource, we wouldn't be longing for the good old days of lead shot, because that lead shot poisoned a lot of waterfowl over the years. Now, do I think the laws should be a little better written (i.e., no hunting with lead shot within 500 yards of any body of water). Yeah.

I know guys that go out to North Dakota and South Dakota and shoot lead on those trips because they would rather pay the fine than pay for the expensive stuff or use steel. I don't know about that philosophy. Then again, these guys are always trying to find a way around the system.

[skeet]

Fabs...You are an accountant and an attorney. Luckily you probably have places to hunt that cost you nothing but the average guy doesn't. A fairly cheap lease on a place is in the neighborhood of 4000 bucks now days. Dig a pit?? 8-900 bucks....and a day off work. A lot of guys hunt from boats. Boats are expensive to run and maintain. I have done that for years. We were each buying a dozen decoys each every year. Using decoys hard really is hard on them and on the water you are going to lose a few every year. Gas traveling at 2.50 a gallon gas for the boat at 2.50 a gallon times 4 miles to the gallon if you are lucky. BTW a fair to middling duck hunting rig will cost ya in the neighborhood of 15-20 grand. Figure it all out. You don't know how lucky you are to not have any output after the costs you outlined. I had no lease costs at all and waterfowling is a pretty expensive sport for me. Ammo is a small expence. During the late 70's and early 80's we did taxidermy mounts on 50 geese. Doing it ourselves still cost us 20 bucks a pop. And if it was raining you couldn't use them and we had to have a trailer to keep them in and transport with. And they still only lasted 6 or 7 years. We hunt hard. It's tough on every thing we use. Oh and I averaged over 300 geese a year for 25 years.. Lotta shooting. And even in lead days I used the expensive premium shells. They were expensive then.

[fabsroman]

Its all relative. To kill thousands of geese over ones lifetime, it does cost thousands of dollars.

Yes, I have never had to lease land, but I did look into joining a hunting club this year and at $1,800 a year it isn't something to sneeze at. If I can get some extra time this off season, I am going to do some knocking on doors to see if I can get permission on some additional farms.

I also know how much boats cost because I looked into buying one. Problem is that my dad isn't too comfortable hunting from a boat. Even thought about using it just to go into the marsh on the Eastern Shore and then hunting from the ground afterward, but my dad didn't seem too enthused about that either. Might have something to do with the fact that he cannot swim.

Regarding trucks, I know exactly how expensive they are. I bought a Ford F-350 Lariat crew cab three years ago and just finished paying it off. Mind you, I probably didn't need the Lariat edition, just like I might not have needed the SBE. Then again, I tend to buy the best and hold onto it for a very long time.

Yeah, hunting can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, if you want to spend that kind of money on it, and if so, ammo is a small part of the equation. However, to the average Joe that hunts a couple of times a year, ammo is a big portion of the expense.

Everything is relative.