federal heavyweight #7

Does anyone use these? thought I would try them, last week my son shot one 45yds we had to chase it down and finish it off, this morning I shot one at 40 yds, could see my pattern bout 16" in diameter, destroy all the leaves all around his head, turkey went down, I got halfway to him, he got up and ran off, GONE!, I shot one earlier in Ga. with the #5 heavy weights, it dropped dead, I don't think the # 7s are penitrating.Does anyone have any insite.Or penitration test results.

Have you patterned the gun with Heavyweights #7's at 40 yards? Lots of birds being killed with Heavyweight #7's. Plenty of penetration with them as well.

Yep, both guns, mine and my son's , when I shot this morning, I could see the shot completely engulf the kill area, (was a lot of leave behind him), he even went down,as far as pattern goes, at 40 yds, 10"circle, didn't even bother counting, cause there was so many. I normally shoot #5 shot, they always die, unless I miss. This morning I didn't miss.All were from the same box, am wondering if I just got some faulty ones, without enough juice, they don't kick nearly as bad as others.

I got the same impression shooting some hevi-13 #7s. Usually shoot blends but wanted to try them. First shot at about 40 yards rung his bell, he ran when I approached, fortunatly he was blocked by terrain and I got another shot at prob 50 yrds on him that did enough for me to get a boot, then a rock on his head. I wouldn't take a shot that long if I hadn't already hit him once.
I'm not saying that they're like shooting cotton candy, but just didn't seem to have the same effect as I've had with blends at same range.

Been shooting the Fed HW #7s out of my 20ga for 3 seasons and haven't had a single problem with them laying birds out. In fact, I don't think there is a better factory loaded shell available.

Mike

I have killed plenty with them. Killed one last week and noticed when I cleaned it a pellet had went through the breast, bone and lodged under skin from 35 yds. Awesome penetration!

If Mike says they are great shells then that's good enuff for me...however nothing over 40 yds in turkey hunting is guaranteed with any shell.

There are too many true turkey slayers that are using them for me to doubt there effectiveness.

i tried them this year in an old A5 browning 30" 3"
I messed with them a bit with pattern and testing.
I took a large boiled peanut can and turned bottom towards me at 40 yds.
I shot it with 3" #6 win supremes. no entry only dent.
then I shot with 3" # 5 win. no entry only dent
then I shot with 3" win #4 all pellets entered.
got new can and shot with 3" fed heavy #7. many more hits and all went in.
my dad and I about pooed ourselves so then I turned the can on its side, empty and shot it. they went through and through.
this is the boiled peanut can that is 6" in diameter at bottom.
I have since killed 3 birds with the browning that has a 30" fixed full choke. 30 yds, 40 yds and a 44 yd shot...

I won a single shot NEF 3" 20 gauge about 5 years ago and it has a fixed modified.
I have been wanting to send the gun off and have barrel tapped for choke tubes and tapped for a scope or sight.
the light went off in my head that I may have a chance with these flight control wads..
so I picked up some fed #7 for it.
HA...
awesome awesome aesome 30 yd gun. 20 is tighter than I hoped for and I shot the bottom of one of those same peanut cans with it at 40 yds also. All pellets went through and there were plenty in the 6" to be a great turkey gun.
I have since shot at big piece of cardboard at 40. I have confidence in it at 40. it is a good open pattern and anything less than that it is going to cream em.

i need to point out that shot at a can that is not able to move or has something in it.. i have been able to get lead #5 and #6 to go into can

Sounds like I might have got a box that maybe shouldn't have passed qc, sounds like the pnut can test should be sufficient, Like I said, I notice they had very little recoil, I will get a new box and try, or maybe just go back to #5shot, was very pleased with them in federals. I only bought a box of 5,in the #7, when I shot for pattern shot into cardboard, had a good pattern at 40yds.

heavy13 magnum blend! get it, pay for it, kill birds!

sea trout said:

heavy13 magnum blend! get it, pay for it, kill birds!

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I'v used them, they are great,Shot one last year at 10 yds with the blends, you should have seen that,talk about jellyhead ,I'v used them all I guess, favorite are the nitros, they just got to the point of rediculous as far as price,approx. $100 for 10 whew.I found that my gun likes the win. ext range #5s better than anything as far as factory loads, just couldn't find any this year, was experimenting with fed.heavyweight,I shoot new loads on paper first then see what happens to a real bird, just bad experience with the #7 heavy weights.

sea trout said:

heavy13 magnum blend! get it, pay for it, kill birds!

Click to expand...

And the 7s will penetrate as well as any of the pellets in that load, plus you do not have the 7.5s, 8s, 8.5s in them common with hevis floor sweepings..

The HW 7s have more penetration than what is needed.. Shot the Hevi 13 7s for a years than switched to the Federals.. Birds shot with the Hevi, Flyers would be fine just under the near side skin or with little penetration into the breast.. Federal 7s are hard to find a pellet as at moderate ranges most blow through the boob, the breast bone and out the other breast.

Its not the shot. It might be the shells. Fed HW #7s are true killers.

Thanks, I couldn't really judge by my sons turkey, He's 14 he could have pulled off a little, was just puzzeled when the one I shot down got up and ran off.He could have possible died a little ways off, looked to be struggling when he left, If anyone has hunted the mtns and been in a laurel thicket, you will know what I mean by not finding him, I looked in a 100yd radius, crawling on my hands and knees through the laurels. he didn't fly went straight for the thick stuff.

Curtis-UGA said:

I have killed plenty with them. Killed one last week and noticed when I cleaned it a pellet had went through the breast, bone and lodged under skin from 35 yds. Awesome penetration!

Click to expand...

Ive had the exact same results. They penetrate well.
Every bird shot by Federal #7's in the last several years were DRT.

These 2 fell yesterday from a 20 ga. shooting Heavyweight #7's.

We've had great success with them...

since we started using them 3 years ago. Been numerous birds taken and they have all been DRT. One was in the 50+ range and excellent penetration. I recently bought 6 more boxes hoping that will last us a few years.

Federal HW 7s are the best factory loaded ammo available for a 20 ga. I haven't had any problems stoning birds with them.