The closer a spring gobbler gets to the hunter, the harder it is to hit. Normally, calling in a spring gobbler to point-blank range is a good thing, yet at ten steps, the average shotgun pattern is only the size of an apple. Hitting a bobbing neck and head can be particularly difficult. Using a more open choke helps with those close shots by spreading out the pattern more quickly, but then you sacrifice the tight patterns needed on longer shots. Luckily, Federal Premium Ammunition has solved this problem with the introduction of 3rd Degree.
Barry Lovette, general manager of Grandview Outdoors, and Derrick Nawrocki, the company’s vice president, heard a flock of turkeys roosting in a tree. They moved within 75 yards. The hens pitched down first, with four toms following soon after. Soon all four toms were within ten yards, and were so bunched up that the men couldn’t shoot. Suddenly, the gobblers realized something wasn’t right, and Nawrocki downed the closest tom while the others ran to escape. Lovette dropped a dandy longbeard at 50 yards on the dead run using the new Federal 3rd Degree ammo, which is desighed for three-dimensional shot performance. Here are the full details from the manufacturer.
As turkey loads have been engineered to pattern more tightly and reach farther, they have also become less forgiving at close range, leading to missed birds. New Federal Premium 3rd Degree uses a multi-shot, three-stage payload to deliver lethal patterns at any range. The leading section of the payload-20 percent of the total pellet count-is made up of No. 6 nickel-plated FLITESTOPPER lead. Because these pellets release from the wad first and have a deadly cutting ring, they disperse quickly and create a larger effective pattern inside of 20 yards than standard loads. The next 40 percent of the load is copper-plated No. 5 lead shot, which creates a dense, even pattern at moderate ranges. The final 40 percent of 3rd Degree’s payload consists of No. 7 HEAVYWEIGHT pellets. The tungsten-iron material’s high density gives the shot more energy than No. 5 lead shot at 40 yards and beyond. Plus, its increased pellet count results in more hits on target at long range. The pattern is maximized by the FLITECONTROL wad, which opens from the rear and stays with the shot column longer than conventional wads for full, consistent patterns.
Features & Benefits
• Three-stage payload creates optimal patterns for the entire range spectrum
• 20 % No. 6 FLITESTOPPER pellets for forgiving close-range patterns
• 40 % copper-plated No. 5 lead for the most lethal performance at mid-range
• 40 % HEAVYWEIGHT for dense, high-energy patterns at 40-plus yards
• FLITECONTROL wad maximizes the flight characteristics of all three shot types
• 1,250 fps muzzle velocity
• A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this product will be donated to the National Wild Turkey Federation.
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