Benelli SBE 2 with trulock and feds

[YellaJacket]

Having fell in love with feds in my Rem 12 and headhunter .650 combo I have a buddy with a sbe2 that wanted to try and switch from Nitro. If he could get 180-200 ct on the board at 40 he was in. He understands the difference in 15 gram and 1300 fps vs 300+ with 1090 or even 1240 with the smaller lighter "pixie dust" pellets of EM and Nitro 7-7.5"s or whatever they stuff em with. He tried the latest trulock choke that is marketed for the heavyweight..shooting the 3.5" 1-7/8 oz he barely got a 100 in a 10" thats killing but he's not ready to change from the other shells giving up density in the pattern by 2/3. This doesnt seem to be the case in all guns with that choke. Another friend has the same model trulock choke in his Rem and with the 1-7/8 oz he averages 200-225 all day long. Personally I think its just the matchup of choke and bore. Not wanting to discourage anyone from using the trulock and feds because in your gun may be the real deal. It just seems not the best for crio 12. I'm still sticking with the 2' longer parralel theory for the fed hw as a better all around performer. The trulock heavyweight choke is much shorter..I believe 3/4" extended. I avg 225-240 easy and had high as 255 on a very warm day shooting a .650 headhunter in a rem 870. I'm trying to convince buddy to open it up a bit with the benelli bore but choke choices and longer parallel non ported are scarce for crio. Seems he's stickin to Em and Nitro wagon which seeing the patterns I dont blame him. Those regular hevi 7's will roll gobblers all day long 40-45 yards if necessary. I shoot them too just not in my 870. On the upside he's got 5 boxes of feds hes ready to trade off, darn his luck ..Im going to run a couple random shells from his stash through my gun to check make sure not a bad batch..if 200+ hits the board with my 870 combo its on like donkey kong. Gonna throw 5 boxes of Em 7's at him for trade...

[YellaJacket]

Oh hell..he just texted me, has 7 boxes..alright then.

[Reloader]

Sounds like you might get a good deal on some shells

[YellaJacket]

I'll trade him even. Both come out happy.

[seadux]

Welcome to my world! I have finally officially given up on Federal HWT. After shooting up the better part of the 3 boxes I bought at paper, and purchasing 3 different chokes including the one made for this load, the best pattern comes out of the rem. turkey choke that came with my turkey gun! But don't get excited, the best was 151 in the 10" at 40. I said that if I could get close to what Hevi #6s were putting up, it would be my new turkey killer, but no such luck. The flite control wad is actually finicky enough that my buddy's 11-87 will put up 170's all day long with the trulock by my 870 SM turkey gun will shoot 120-130 using the same tube. Not quite good enough!

[GOLD HUNTER]

yep its a hard load to get to shoot right ........ done tryed it with no luck!!!

[ICDEDTURKES]

I said that if I could get close to what Hevi #6s were putting up, it would be my new turkey killer, but no such luck.

Believe me I understand your frustration, I have two barrels that I am ready to wrap around a tree..

But one thing alot of folks do not consider with the Fed 7s is that in terms of penetration they are better compared to Hevi 5s than 7 or 6s

[YellaJacket]

I love the heavyweights. Been shooting them in one 12 for 3 years. Hard to see past the salt shaker patterns of the other companies but if can get good solid pattern they flatten turkeys. On the other hand lead will too in the right range. If I couldnt get @ 200 out of them I wouldnt pay the dough for 5 shells per box. Love to see them change that wad to make it more user friendly. If we all just sat down and tallied the dead birds and ranges killed within..makes them $10 a box shells look mighty good again. I started shooting h13 back in the rem days then into the changeover when they were still priced decent. Still a great shell but the sign of me getting older is hating the climbing prices of shotshells. I think for some its the fear of taking a step backwards to a lesser shell but I'll do it before long if prices keep gaining 20% a year. Start killing birds with squirrel loads and save the dough for gas. At 25-30 yards whole lot of options out there.

[Hoobilly]

he needs a better choke tube. Tell him to find a really tight one like that headhunter tube you got.
or not, your getting a better deal! lol

[YellaJacket]

Brice, I mic'd that trulock at .652 its tight..I'm leaning towards the bore matchup with the tube and just whole recipe being a wash..in the benelli case maybe he needs to open up a bit. I've heard lots of good reports on rems and heavyweights..maybe them two companies need to have a sit down..figure out a good heavyweight shotgun. Ha.

[Hoobilly]

I would think your correct. To bad for him he wont know what works since he traded with you

[nyhunter]

What length barrel does he have on the SBEII? If he's interested in selling it send me a pm please.