Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Hevi Shot 2s

Hevi began packing some of their regular Hevi Shot in 25-round boxes a while ago, and at a lower price. I bought a box of 3” 12ga 2s, the largest shot WV allows for night hunting yotes and foxes. Picked up a Carlson’s .690 tube for the Mossberg and shot a couple yesterday.

At 40 yards, one target had 9 pellets in the 8” Dirty Bird circle, and a few more on the 8x8 square. The other had 12 in the circle, more on the square too. That oughta work. Now I need a volunteer.

I wonder why the shot load is so light? At only 1 1/8 ounces they aren't reaching the full potential of a 3" 12 gauge load. Most of the predator hunting denser than lead loads in a 3" hull are 1 1/2 ounces of shot. More pellets are better.

Years ago couple of my uncles had Walker fox hounds . Every Saturday during the season they'd run dogs on foxes . Reds especially were like a big rabbit, basically just make a huge circle eventually coming back to where they were originally jumped. They liked shotguns that would reach out and that was before the 3 1/2" craze . Remington 870 and 1100 magnums or Winchester model 12 heavy duck 3" were the shotguns used. Always #2 lead 3" 80 yd kills were no problem. Average year they'd kill 60-80 , not bad when fur prices were up. Paid for dog food , put a little food on the table and I'm sure bought a new gun or two.

These used to be the setup years ago. Not much experience with Hevi shot but I'm sure they'll do well for you.

The tungsten in these shells is very expensive so keeping the shot load light allows it to be priced more competitively.

Is this a stacked or duplex load? Steel with HW on top? Can you put up a pic of the box? Curious what you are talking about.

This:

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...-1-1-8-oz-shotshells-25-rounds?a=2249971

After I tested that, I dug out a Federal 1 1/8oz 7.5 target load and took a shot. That load with that tube would head-shoot a gobbler at 40, no problem.

Interesting......We use #2s on ducks.

I just noticed the velocity, 1500 fps. That is why the low shot charge, to boost velocity. That sort of velocity is unnecessary for the heavyweight denser than lead shot. That is the kind of velocity needed with steel to try to get more penetration from the light for size low density steel pellets. Using 12cg tungsten this load should have 1 1/2 ounces of shot at about 1220-ish +/- fps velocity. The load would gain roughly 35 pellets to really flush out the pattern. As is, the 1500 fps limits the pellet count and adds a lot of recoil for no gain in performance.

Way back when a bud was an official ammo tester for Remington, so I ended up with a supply of 3" 12ga 1300 fps 1 1/2oz loads of #B . I shot alot of geese 10 # Canadians with these thru the modified choke tube of my m-1 super 90 benelli. Pappy I honestly believe if you put that hevi shot thru a looser choke you get better patterns. Set up the test with a full and modified tubes at the same range. It will only cost you a couple of shells to find out for sure. I think it is a classic case of less being more...mb

I have some very ancient Remington short mag lead 2s as well to try. The box disappeared sometime during the Carter administration I think. Those are probably 1.5 ounces.

If you can get good patterns and stay within the suitable range, both lead and tungsten #2's will be deadly on coyotes, fox or bobcat. The denser shot should have an advantage in penetration but the job still requires enough pellets on target to shred vitals and 1 1/8 ounce of tungsten will have fewer pellets than 1 1/2 ounces of lead.

It’s worth a try, but I only have MOD, C, IC, and the EF now. TruLock recommends .690 for Hevi Shot #6-#2 and says it can take more choke than steel.

Anyway, 9-12 #2s in an 8” circle oughta work, and as noted there are more around that circle on the 8” square paper. I want to try those lead 2s as well. Hopefully they haven’t lost any pep over the years!

I would be tempted to go to the #4's for a denser pattern with those particular shells. Hevi-12 is only negligibly denser than lead, BUT.......it's hell for harder and even 4's will penetrate like nutz to some pretty crazy distances.

Yoder, some years ago now, I shot a canvasback on the local lake. Never saw one before or since around here. Used my old 870 12 with a Briley mod choke. I didn't have my range finder that day, but sure wish I would have. It was a long way but the bird came down dead. I watched my goldens for the retrieve and was amazed. I have shot some stuff a long way, but usually it is alive when the dogs bring it in. Not this guy. Great stuff.

I did mean to add it was #4s.

They call that "the golden pellet." The one magic pellet that brains the unlucky critter.

I've killed a lot of coyotes with #2 Hevishot that was loaded by Remington. The best stuff was 1 ⅝ oz @ 1500 fps.
Just checked the 2 boxes i have left, 1350 fps. The higher velocity is important, especially if that's what you're used to shooting.
Wish Remington still loaded it

More velocity only nets more recoil. The difference in lead on a running coyote between a load moving at 1350 fps vs. 1500 fps is measured in inches. Most people miss by feet, not inches.

The difference at 50 yards is almost 2 feet. Do the math