Remington Hypersonic
- Thread starter Shawn_B
- Start date
Ive heard patterning is rough, but that was many moons ago when it first came out. Im under the belief choke tubes make more of a difference than shot does and lots of choke tubes dont like that real fast stuff. Apex S3 #2 out of a long range patternmaster has been my go to for 10 years now and its about as deadly as anything ive ever tried. Hevi shot is super expensive, but about 4-5 years ago, they put the snow goose loads on sale and it was the exact same formula as regular hevi shot for half the price. I bought cases upon cases of it and then when I ran out I bought another case and they changed the formula. Probably because of people like me who caught onto it. I went on an ammo trial for a year or so and landed on Apex S3 and it whops them dead dead. Lovely shotgun shells.
Shawn_B
Member
Thanks for the reply! That was one of my concerns with these; that the pattern would not be great. I’ll try the s3’s they are reasonably priced. I used some bismuth last season and my sons would wonder why I passed up on a fair amount of birds that flew by lol.
I shoot everything from ducks to big giant geese to crane any given hunt. So thats the reasons for #2's, just no thinking, aim and pull the trigger. If primarily only hunting ducks, #3's or 4"s is probably fine. I just like the idea of grabbing shells knowing whatever is in front of the barrel is as good as dead if I pull the trigger and put a good lead on it.
Hype. Unless they're hitting them in REAL close. Remember that shot, being round, have bad aerodynamics. The higher the muzzle velocity, the faster they slow down once they leave the gun. So though you may be adding 15-25% velocity at the muzzle (and feeling that increase in recoil), once you get to 40 yards or so you've lost most of that difference.
That being said, for a particular gun and choke it is certainly possible that the Remington hypersonics are patterning better at certain ranges than other shells (just as the opposite may be true for another gun/choke). The only real way to know is to buy some and pattern them.
Personally, I want the lowest FPS that patterns well at the distance I'm targeting - I shoot better with less recoil amd muzzle jump. But if your gun is a good fit or has gas recoil reduction, this may not be a huge deal for you.
Clinton John
Active member
Only Beretta shotgun I ever seen beat itself apart. Was owned by a friend that would only shot those shells.
When I say beat. I mean beat, like multiple break downs requiring new parts per season.
Shawn_B
Member
I gues 1700+ fps will do that? REM says they have some kind of staggered primer setup to minimize the pressure but it sounds like maybe not lessened enough to keep the gun together for the season lol. I’m glad I asked around here before I bought a case and found out for myself.
I never knew anyone that shot many of them but it seems every conversation about Hypersonics leads to a conversation about gun damage.
I’ve used them on Canada geese here in Indiana. They performed well. Being Indiana though I never shot enough of them to weigh in on gun damage. I have to agree with JasonM though that most conversations end up talking about gun damage. I have to wonder though how many people shoot them and have no problems with gun damage.
What did we learn here today boys..... Good choke tubes and standard ammo = DEADLY!!!
But not all ammo is the same. I have a SWEET hook up with Rio shells but i have the worst luck with them swelling and not cycling out of my semi auto. Not sure if that is just a bad couple cases I got and maybe they resolved it. But even the punch on them wasnt amazing. Cripples came back on big geese and I didnt like that. I primarily hunt an over under for the last 3 seasons and had no issues there with them, but it was annoying on goose hunts. This apex stuff, seriously, is the best shotgun shells ive used for quite some time now. I know they went to a new color shell last season, I still have 3 cases of it from a huge order I put in many years ago. I really hope im not giving false info here as I love the stuff ive been using. Maybe i will order a new case and ensure im still as impressed with the newest stuff.
But not all ammo is the same. I have a SWEET hook up with Rio shells but i have the worst luck with them swelling and not cycling out of my semi auto. Not sure if that is just a bad couple cases I got and maybe they resolved it. But even the punch on them wasnt amazing. Cripples came back on big geese and I didnt like that. I primarily hunt an over under for the last 3 seasons and had no issues there with them, but it was annoying on goose hunts. This apex stuff, seriously, is the best shotgun shells ive used for quite some time now. I know they went to a new color shell last season, I still have 3 cases of it from a huge order I put in many years ago. I really hope im not giving false info here as I love the stuff ive been using. Maybe i will order a new case and ensure im still as impressed with the newest stuff.
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And sore shoulders, even from soft-shooting gas semis.
Or even 2 3/4. Unfortunately they are no longer available and my supply will only get me through the early part of this season, but I went to Boss bismuth 4's and 3/5's in 2 3/4 last year and would buy a lifetime supply if they were still on the market. I go to #3 3" when I hit the salt and whistlers and more black ducks and mallards and geese are in the mix at longer ranges, but early in the season when it's mostly teal and woodies up close, those little shells are fantastic.
Agree. The transition to longer, heavier, faster shells is what has me researching and considering loading my own shells once I finish my boat. I get a chuckle that this thread is running parallel to a thread full of folks extolling the use of 28g for waterfowling, which I think is all the evidence needed that we can do just fine with "lighter" loads. As John Clinton regularly reminds, patterning is the key (and being on target) - but the shell mfrs hope they can convince folks it's all in the particular shell.
If the hunting available to me was primarily 50+ yard passing shots, I'd definitely need bigger loads (and may benefit from faster loads). But then I'd probably not hunt. The fun for me is in watching birds work and decoy.
You know..... get them close enough with good decoys and good calling and lots of times I can shoot light dove steel loads and kill ducks and crane. Geese are a different story though. The more I hunt, the more im in love with the idea of getting birds in as close as possible. Killing really isnt the name of the game, as it once was, but the art of trickery is what I love in the waterfowl world. Im the WORST about saying, next swing, next swing.... ok next swing and then they dont like something and get out but I could of taken a shot 2-4 swings on the bird already.
Henry, you are right though, I have friends who have been showing up with lighter and lighter guns year after year. 20's and 28's. I cant seem to make the leap though because of shell prices. If I was reloading, maybe, but prices for 12's are lots of times cheaper than these lighter shells. Just hard for me to make that leap and i dont even feel a shotgun recoil. Its just so second nature to set a lead and pull a trigger and see a tumble (most times). Maybe as I get older, but this big ol boy doesnt even feel the tap of the shotgun.
Henry, you are right though, I have friends who have been showing up with lighter and lighter guns year after year. 20's and 28's. I cant seem to make the leap though because of shell prices. If I was reloading, maybe, but prices for 12's are lots of times cheaper than these lighter shells. Just hard for me to make that leap and i dont even feel a shotgun recoil. Its just so second nature to set a lead and pull a trigger and see a tumble (most times). Maybe as I get older, but this big ol boy doesnt even feel the tap of the shotgun.
Jeff, any issues with hard or defective primers in the boss stuff? I got a box and only like 3 shells went bang out of 25. Again, this was like 3-4 years ago. Contacted boss and they told me my firing pin was bad. my box came from a case that multiple guys pulled from and we all had issues. Even sent them a video showing them how their shell didnt go bang but the three other shells, after theirs did through my gun. Crickets, they didnt help at all. Ill never spend a dime on anything boss again after that.
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Shawn_B
Member
Yeah, I definitely am for scouting, hunting on the “X” or as close as possible, get hid, good decoy spreads, calling right and getting birds to Finish. I saw those hypersonics for a good price and wanted your thoughts, Glad I asked! I ordered a case of S3’s #3’s - I am definitely for evenly distributed patterns over crazy FPS.
Neal Haarberg
Active member
I switched to BIsmuth #5's 3 years ago and loved them. Had only one cripple. the next year I had probably only one bird that wasn't a cripple. I have thought a bunch about it and I think the biggest difference is that the year I started shooting bismuth I hunted by myself mostly and I enjoy getting the birds close and pass on longer shots. I also am the guy in the blind saying one more swing. I am switching back to 3" #3 steel. I always found that the "slower" loads 1400fps and less killed more birds out my gun. As stated earlier the deceleration is so fast that at 30 or 40 yrds it is almost negligible. Plus if you get them in close it doesn't matter.
Kevin Layne
Active member
My dad swears by them, it's his favorite shell. But good luck finding them! Haven't been able to find much in about 5 years.
roy brewington
Well-known member
Still got most of first bx. of Hypersonics I ever bought. 3" #2 1 1/4 oz. First bird I pulled up on was about 25 yds and centered it . Gun kicked like 3.5" shells which I quit a long time ago. When I picked bird it was shot to pieces and all thru a L.Mod extended choke. Shot the rest of my birds that morning with them and went right back to my 3" x 1 1/4 oz. #2 Blackclds. I had been shooting regularly then. That added velocity comes with added wear and tear on your gun and shoulder. Only shells i,ve heard about where a steady diet of them causes gun problems down the rd. I stick with shells at 1450 to 1425 choked appropriately and the birds die just as good as those with those Hypo,s.