Hornady Heavy Magnum® Turkey Shotshells
New from Hornady for 2012 is their “Heavy Magnum” series of turkey loads. It is a three inch 12 gauge shotshell with 1-1/2 oz. of your choice of #4, 5, or #6 nickel plated shot. So, what's the deal?
The
idea is this: the most popular hunting choke designation, by far, is “modified.”
In fact, of the repeating shotguns sold that come with only one choke
tube, invariably it is a modified marked tube. A modified tube with a
lead load often is insufficient to form a pattern tight enough for turkey
at the most common ranges wild turkey are taken at, 25 – 30 yards.
For example, if you are spring turkey hunting out of a blind, you might
set up your hen decoys at 25 yards. A typical shot on a called in gobbler
could be 20 – 30 yards. A typical wingshooting load, your favorite
1-1/4 oz. pheasant load, may not have adequate pattern density.
Hornady suggests that you can use your same gun and same IC or Mod choke,
sub in their new Heavy Magnum shell, and you'll have a tighter pattern
with no other changes. This is due to the Hornady “Versa-Tite”
version of the FliteControl wad and their extra-heavy nickel-plated shot,
said to be the heaviest nickel plating in the industry. Does it work?
Well, we set out to find out.
To make this a reasonable comparison we used a Benelli Vinci with a Trulock Precision Hunter “Modified” choke tube. We compared the 1-1/2 oz. Hornady load of #5 shot with another 1-1/2 oz. load, B & P Baby Magnum #5, shells that also considered premier loads albeit it for wingshooting. So, the payloads were the same. We set up patterning targets at a laser-verified 40 yards. So, same range, same ambient conditions, same shotgun, same choke tube, the Hornady compared to shells with the same shot size and payload.
The
verdict? Yes, the Hornady “Heavy Magnum” shell clearly does
tighten patterns significantly, approximating “Full” performance
from a light modified genre choke tube. Bottom line, it works just as
promised. Whether this is your choice or not is going to be a matter of
your hunting ranges. If, for example, you have decoys set up at 25 yards
and your typical shot is the 20 – 30 yard window, you'll likely be
in very good shape. You'll still have to pattern in your own gun to confirm
this.
However,
for 35-40 yard and out shooting, you will likely be better off with higher
density than lead loads, and more extreme constriction chokes. Another
use that makes good sense for these shels are "late season style"
wild pheasants. Let's assume you are using a repeater, typically hunting
with an IC choke. Frontloading with your standard pheasant load, following
with a Hornady Heavy Magnum gives you the benefit of two clearly different
pattern densities with one choke tube. Hornady promises significantly
denser patterns with this lead shell compared to an equivalent, standard
lead shotshell out of an IC to Mod choke tube and Hornady delivers on
that promise.
Copyright 2012 by Randy Wakeman. All Rights Reserved.
