Federal Flight-Control shells

[Grizzly Johnson]

Looking at setting up a back-up gun and was wondering if any of you guys had good luck patterning the Federal Mag-Shok shells with the Flight Control wads...

Anyone try the new Strut-Shok shells yet?

 

[TheLBLman]

In my test of Spring 2008, the Federal Flight Control shells gave me the most uniform patterns of the following:

Federal Premium� Mag Shok Hi Velocity Flitecontrol� Turkey Loads
Winchester Supremes
Winchester Elite Extended Range

They also gave me a denser pattern than the Winchester Supremes.
Win. Elite was marginally "denser" but not as uniform at the Federals.

In my test I was trying to compare as "apples-to-apples" as possible, all loads were 3.5-inch, 2 oz. shot, and comparing same shot sizes. For some reason, my gun/chokes didn't seem to like #6 size shot as well as #5's. My #5-shot patterns were almost as dense as the #6 patterns, i.e. I only had a fraction of the extra pellets on the paper when I switched to #6 loads.

I'm sure different guns with different chokes will get totally different results --- why it's important to pattern test your guns.

 

[TheLBLman]

One load I'm particularly excited about pattern testing this year is the Federal "Heavyweight" Flight Control Shells.

These pellets are advertised as being over 30% heavier than lead vs. "hevi-shot" being 10% heavier than lead. My thinking is may be able to use smaller sized shot with the Federal "Heavyweights", get a denser pattern, and still have adequate penetration.

In fact, these "Heavyweights" are even offered in a special #7-size shot advertised as having the same energy per pellet as a #5 lead pellet.

This Spring I plan to do extensive pattern testing with the following:

Fiocchi Turkey Thunder Turkey Loads with Nickel-Plated Shot
Federal Premium� Mag Shok Hi Velocity Flitecontrol� Turkey Loads
Federal Premium Mag Shok Heavyweight Lead Free Turkey Loads

I plan to limit my comparisons to #5 and #6 shot sizes,
unless Federal wants to send me some of those #7's for testing.

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

In my primary gun (Rem. 870 SM w/ 26" barrel, I had great luck with patterns @40 yards using Win. Sup. HiVol #5's with .665 Gobblin Thunder choke. I recently picked up a Carlson .660 tube, and I have a M.A.D. .655 to try. I tried the flight control #5's with my G.T. tube even though it's ported... the pattern was not impressive. Since the other tubes I have are not ported, I wanted to use the rest of the shells I have left and see what patterns I can get @ 40-45 yards. Then I saw the new Stru-Shok and was thinking about trying those too. My back-up is also a 870 SM w/ 28" barrel so sharing shells could work out.

Keep me informed on those HW shells... I might want to give them a try also..

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

Like I said, I had good luck with the Win. Sup. HiVol. #5's, but I recently read that a high velocity shell could lead to less than impressive patterns due to the shot scattering out more because it's moving faster. I don't know, but that's what I read. Maybe speed should not be a deciding factor on shells....

 

[buckdead]

those Heavyweight flight control shells sound interesitng. i might have to give them a try. i bet those #7 shot would pattern good outta any shotgun.

 

[WTM]

a friend of mine used them in his duck hunting gun with a full choke and they performed well for him. i imagine with the flight control cup, a tighter choke may be counter productive. looks like to me, that cup was designed to stay with the shot longer, so a tighter choke may strip too quickly. but that is just a guess.

 

[kdxdude]

Technology has come a long way with turkey loads. aaahhh, the days of opening the end of a shell & melting candle wax in there to hold the shot together a little better, good times, good times.

 

[spitndrum]

Couldn't please me through the ole Mossy???

I'd use em if thats all I had or had an emergency situation!!!!

 

[turkeyhunter64]

It's all I shoot in 6 shot 3.5 in mag will hold pattern out to 55 yrds good. Using a Benelli Nova with a gobble stopper choke.
I've tried them all and these are by far the best.

 

[medwc]

Hey Wes, what gun you doing the testing with? Would the Federal Flight-Control shells work better in a regular barrel compared to an overbored barrel? I have no clue, but it would seem the overbored would let it spread some or wobble. ?yes/no?

 

[TheLBLman]

Hey Wes, what gun you doing the testing with? Would the Federal Flight-Control shells work better in a regular barrel compared to an overbored barrel? I have no clue, but it would seem the overbored would let it spread some or wobble. ?yes/no?

I'm using a Mossberg 935, purchased Spring 2008.
Was told they patterned better than a Benelli and kicked less than an 835. ;)
Actually, main reason I picked this as a dedicated "turkey" gun was "quiet" carry (compared to the 835) and I couldn't find a gunsmith willing to mount a scope on my old turkey gun, i.e. I needed to go to optical sights due to my "old" eyes.

The Mossberg 835 and 935 use the same choke tubes, one is a pump, the other is a gas autoloader.

The Federal flight-control shells are not supposed to work well in ported chokes, i.e. most after-market "turkey" tubes. However, I had very uniform patterns with the Jellyhead ported turkey choke using these Federal shells. But the Mossberg "factory" turkey tube that came with the gun --- to my surprise ---- as good or better than the Jellyhead, no matter what I shot thru it.

I decided to hunt with the factory choke mainly because it was shorter and had no "shine". The Jellyhead tube was "shiny".

 

[medwc]

Yeah, I am a mossberg shooter too. I have 3 mossturds but none are "turkey" guns. I only hunt Ft Cambpell and LBL so I only need a bow, muzzleloader and turkey gun. I have the bow and muzzleloader setups I am happy with but not a "turkey" gun.

So with that said, I was looking at the mossturd 535 turkey(I have 2 835s just don't have short turkey barrels). The only diff from the 835 is the 535 is lighter, shorter mag tube, and NOT overbored. So this topic on the Federal Flight-Control shells had me wondering if they would work better/worse, the same in a regular 12 gage verses an overbored. I guess there is one way to find out. :) Buy the 535!!!