Federal Hevi Bismuth Review | Outdoor Life

About two years in the past, Federal Ammunition’s guardian firm bought Hevi-Shot, a mid-sized shotgun ammo maker out of Sweet Home, Oregon, that has earned a cult-like following within the waterfowl searching world. Those of us who comply with the shotshell business puzzled what new merchandise would possibly crop up with Federal and Hevi-Shot residing underneath the identical roof. Now we now have a solution. This 12 months Federal is introducing Hevi Bismuth, a load that makes use of bismuth alloy pellets created by Hevi-Shot together with Federal’s Flitecontrol Flex wad. The outcome is without doubt one of the extra spectacular duck hundreds I’ve ever hunted with. 

Hevi-Shot’s rise got here from its experience in metallurgy. The model is understood for making a tungsten–iron-nickel pellet that was denser and deadlier than metal. But Hevi-Shot mixes a bismuth alloy as effectively (which incorporates tin, nickel, and another proprietary supplies). Federal says its new bismuth hundreds, which use these Hevi Bismuth pellets, will fracture lower than opponents’ hundreds (extra on this later), sample higher on the vary, and kill birds extra successfully within the discipline. I acquired the prospect to hunt with two completely different Hevi Bismuth hundreds for pheasants and geese this fall, and I patterned each over the winter. Here’s how Hevi Bismuth carried out. 

Federal Hevi Bismuth Specs

• Gauge: 12 and 20
• Length: 3-inch and a pair of ¾-Inch
• Shot Size: 3, 4, 5
• Payload: 1 ⅛, 1 ¼, 1 ⅜ ounces     
• Muzzle Velocity: 1350 to 1450 fps
• Pellet Density: 9.6 g/cc
• MSRP: $66.99, $70.99, and $76.99 per field of 25

Why Bismuth Works

Bismuth pellets have a density of 9.6 g/cc whereas metal pellets have a density of seven.8 g/cc. When pace is equal, a denser pellet will carry extra vitality for penetrating a goal and retain extra vitality farther down vary. That’s actually all you have to know. But if you wish to geek out a bit and don’t thoughts some physics, right here’s a deeper clarification of why bismuth is extra deadly than metal. 

Because bismuth is extra dense, you may go for a smaller pellet measurement whereas sustaining the identical quantity of pellet vitality. 

“Pellet energy is also the same as kinetic energy, or ½ MV²,” says Adam Moser, a director of product engineering for Federal. “This is measured in foot-pounds and is analogous to data published for rifle bullets. But for small shotshell projectiles traveling at relatively low velocities, it doesn’t tell the whole story.”

The entire story comes right down to “penetration energy,” which is the measure of pellet vitality per cross sectional space, Moser says. In different phrases, it’s the kinetic vitality of the pellet divided by its floor space, additionally known as the 2D space of the pellet. Put extra merely, it’s a measure of how effectively a pellet will penetrate a medium. 

Smaller, denser pellets have considerably extra penetration vitality. A No. 3 bismuth pellet has barely extra penetration vitality (313 ft/lb-in2) than a No. 1 metal pellet (301 ft/lb-in2) and way more penetration vitality than a No. 2 metal pellet (265). When you go down in shot measurement with bismuth, you’re getting extra pellets and deadlier pellets to doubtlessly placed on goal.

Keep this in thoughts whenever you have a look at the sample images beneath. Hunters who’re used to searching with metal hundreds ought to think about the hits are made by No. 1 metal pellets to get a grasp on the true lethality of the sample. 

Flitecontrol Flex Wad

For Federal’s half, it’s contributing the Flitecontrol Flex wad. The wad is designed to include the pellets for the optimum distance past the muzzle (about 15 ft) earlier than letting the sample increase. The Flex model of the wad accomplishes this by little slits in its facet, which let air in (you may shoot Flitecontrol Flex wads by any choke fashion with out subject). For Hevi Bismuth, Federal is utilizing the identical wads it makes use of in its lead Prairie Storm pheasant hundreds, that are recognized to sample very effectively.  

Fracturing Issues (or Non Issues)

In normal, the draw back of bismuth is that it’s brittle, which may result in pellets fracturing. In reality, points with fracturing plus the upper price of the fabric killed bismuth hundreds after they have been initially launched within the 90s. Fracturing occurs on ignition, principally with pellets behind the shell, that are underneath probably the most strain. Those fractured pellets turn out to be fliers and usually don’t find yourself on course.    

But Federal believes it has solved fracturing issues by utilizing the bismuth alloy from Hevi-Shot. Moser stated that in testing they discovered solely 5 % pellet fragmentation in Hevi Bismuth versus as a lot as 23 % fragmentation in opponents’ bismuth hundreds.

Ultimately, fracturing is a non-issue if the load shoots a superb sample. So, to the patterning board we go. 

Patterning Hevi Bismuth

Hevi Bismuth patterned extraordinarily effectively in my testing. I shot 2 3/4-inch No. 5s with 1 ¼ ounce payloads and 3-inch No 3s. with 1 ⅜-ounce payloads from my 12-gauge Benelli SBE 3 utilizing a full choke. I shot from 40 yards on a typical day for duck searching—20 levels with a 15 mph crosswind. I shot 5 patterns with every load. Here are the outcomes (displaying the common variety of pellets strikes inside a 30-inch circle):

No. 5, 1 ¼ ounce payload

• Average hits: 147
• Total pellets in payload: 243 
• Pattern Percentage: 60%

No. 3, 1 ⅜ ounce payload

• Average hits: 128
• Total pellets in payload: 168
• Pattern Percentage: 76%

While the No. 5s shot denser patterns, the No. 3s have been particularly spectacular. The No. 3s put a really excessive proportion of pellets on course proving the Hevi Bismuth pellets paired with the Flitecontrol Flex wad delivered as marketed (truly, higher than marketed, as Federal engineers stated they shot 70-percent patterns of their testing). 

To put this efficiency in context, we patterned a dozen duck weapons with commonplace No. 2 metal hundreds for a duck gun take a look at final 12 months. We shot at 35 yards, utilizing all modified chokes (it’s not advisable to shoot metal out of a full choke). The greatest sample we shot by all the take a look at was 124. And bear in mind, these bismuth No. 3s are far deadlier than metal No. 2s. 

So what in regards to the pellet fracturing? I inspected my targets carefully and did discover some tiny tears possible made by fragmented pellets, but it surely was minimal. With the No. 5 hundreds I seen lower than a dozen fragment tears per goal. With the No. 3 hundreds I counted fewer: lower than six per goal. Given the nice patterning outcomes I acquired, I’d contemplate fracturing a non-issue with these hundreds. 

Hunting with Hevi Bismuth

A shotshell can win on the drafting board and patterning board, but when it doesn’t win hunters’ hearts and minds within the discipline, it can absolutely fail. I feel Hevi Bismuth will win hunters over—in the event that they’re keen to spend the additional money per field to attempt it. 

I shot the No. 3 hundreds by a modified choke in my Benelli SBE 3 on a number of waterfowl hunts all through the autumn and had spectacular outcomes. On South Dakota discipline hunts Hevi Bismuth crushed mallards over the decoys and likewise successfully killed snows and specks at 40 yards and past. Later within the fall I shot them on massive, late-season Canada geese and had equally good outcomes. In one occasion I doubled on Canadas that have been hovering straight overhead at about 45 yards. On one other hunt I killed a greenhead that had made it by an preliminary volley of capturing from my searching companions. The duck rocketed skyward into the wind, despite the fact that he had taken a number of pellets from their earlier barrage. Just as he acquired to the sting of affordable vary, I popped up and killed him with one shot. The different guys within the blind cheered (or at the very least they need to have).

The 2 ¾-inch No. 5s turned my go-to pheasant searching load. Just for curiosity I patterned them by a modified choke in my Browning Citori CXS and apparently they shot higher patterns than they’d by the complete choke in my Benelli, recording 153 hits contained in the 30-inch circle. I killed a couple of dozen pheasants with these hundreds this fall and had minimal cripples. I additionally made the only greatest shot on a rooster of my whole wingshooting profession. On the final day of the Wisconsin season my Lab, Otis, flushed a rooster behind some heavy brush. I might see the fowl flying away at an angle, however didn’t have a transparent shot. Knowing this may very well be my solely probability for the day, I swung to a gap within the brush and fired earlier than the fowl acquired there (like a quarterback throwing the ball earlier than the receiver turns for it) after which watched the rooster tumble down about 60 paces away. Otis was the one one round to understand that one. 

These discipline anecdotes in the end don’t imply a lot, however when coupled with the info gathered on the patterning board they inform an intriguing story. There are a number of hundreds (metal included) that can kill pheasants and waterfowl cleanly when paired with the best choke and good capturing. But confidence in your gun/choke/load mixture actually does matter. If you head into the sector figuring out you’ve acquired a lethal setup, you’ll shoot higher. Over the period of the autumn, I gained a ton of confidence capturing Hevi Bismuth.       

Bismuth Load Cost

Bismuth is a dearer materials than metal or lead. Federal Hevi Bismuth is coming in towards the highest of the worth bracket. With a MSRP of $77 per field, you’re spending about $3 per shell. Here’s a breakdown of price and density of non-toxic hundreds within the Federal and Hevi-Shot lineup (all in 12 gauge) ranked by value.

Is Bismuth Worth It?

More costly bismuth hundreds don’t make sense for each hunt. Waterfowlers searching small and mid-sized geese throughout early season don’t want bismuth. Upland hunters capturing pen-raised roosters don’t want it both. 

But I feel this load makes excellent sense for pheasant hunters chasing wild birds on public lands (lots of which prohibit lead shot). Wild roosters are surprisingly robust to kill cleanly (as a result of shot angles are virtually at all times going away) and even the most effective canines have bother catching winged pheasants, which run like rabbits. A load that delivers high-penetration vitality and tight patterns is right right here. And with limits at just a few birds per day, you’re not going to be burning by bins of the costly shells anyway. 

Then there are these waterfowlers who merely should have the most effective of every part, value be damned. I can see these guys shopping for Hevi Bismuth by the case. For the remainder of us, Federal Hevi Bismuth may not be an on a regular basis duck load, but it surely makes a number of sense should you’re planning an enormous waterfowl journey for mallards, divers, or geese. You’ve already invested numerous {dollars} in your unfold, boat, weapons, and equipment, so why not improve your shells to make sure you put birds within the bag? Ultimately that’s what Federal is banking on with this expensive, high-performance load: Once hunters attempt it, they’re going to adore it.