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tsg912, I have been buying all the reloading supplies from Bucks Run as they are a distributer for Reloading Specialties, the producer of the components. http://www.reloadingspecialties.com/ The wads are a steel wad called the Sam I wad. I will have to check, but I believe we have gone away from the buffer used in the early trials but when we did use it, it was placed with the shot charge of HS before placing the top 2 spacers and then onto the crimp operation. I am far from the "guy to go to" on this subject. There are a ton of people, many from this site, that have forgotten more than I will ever know....just an engineer with a passion for waterfowling.

tsg912, Thanks for the info. Knew most of it from past reading, but I am sure not everyone on this site is that familiar with HS, so thank you for taking the time. Wanted to let you know that in our loads that we worked up, we use the buffer material for added cushion, but also utilize a 1/8" felt spacer below the shot, in the wad cup, and also 2x1/8" felt spacers above the shot, below the crimp. This makes for a nice tight package moving down the barrel. Also, I have picked up and examined 20-30 spent wads and none have exihibited any cracking or tearing. All have 'flowered' perfectly, so I believe we are maintaining wad integrity down the barrel. I too was concerned about damaging my barrel and actually bore-miked it before my January trip and after as well as micro-vu'd the ends of the barrel and choke tube. After 5 boxes of loads, no noticable difference in diameters or marring on the ID of the barrel. That's not to say that 15 boxes from now it won't change, but by then, I will be due another SBE purchase anyway.

Is the Nitro Company the only place to get Rhino's for the Benelli SBE and SBEII?

Webfoot, There may be more, but I know of two companies that are producing recipe books for HS loads. Ballistic Products and Reloading Specialties. Which you use is a matter of preference. For me, I chose Reloading Specialties because their recipe book was a little more user friendly. They also formulated their loads off of only a few different hull choices, thus reducing the total number of iterations I had to go through. We ended up purchasing new, primed Cheddite hulls for both recipes. You couldn't beat them for the money and after 1 firing, they looked really good. We will be able to get a few more loads out of them before needing to scrap them.

Without a doubt, hevi-shot is all its made out to be. Last year, Birddog (from this forum) got me thinking about reloading hevi-shot after complaining about 3 1/2" steel's lack-luster performance. After much investigation and several recipes, my dad and I settled on a 3" load containing 1 3/8" oz. of #2 HS at 1525 fps. Our trip to Arkansas for snow geese this past January went down in the books as simply incredible. We knocked the snot out of them. The guide was so impressed (and we've had the same guide for 5 years now) that he practically begged us to get him set-up with the equipment and tools to make that load. This year, we substituted #6 HS in this same recipe for ducks.....all I can say is WOW!

The following is how I've always examined patterning. I am sure if I am wrong, someone on this site will correct me..... 1) Take a paper medium, either posterboard, cardboard, etc. that is big enough to draw a 30" diameter circle. (You want a solid color. Newspaper makes it hard to count all the little holes amongst the lettering). 2) Draw one circle on the medium for every choke/load combination you want to evaluate. 3) For the load in question, cut an unspent shell apart and count the amount of shot pellets contained in that particular load. BE CAREFUL! 4) Shoot the load through each and every gun/choke combo you want to evaluate at the 30" circle from 40 yards. Of course, you will only shoot 1 shell per 30" circle target. 5) Count the amount of holes contained inside the 30" circle and divide that count by the total pellet count you recieved in #3 above. Multiply this number by 100 and you will get the percentage of shot contained in a 30" circle for that particular load/choke/gun combination. After you have evaluated all the possible combinations, you will want to take to the field the combination that comprises the highest shot density (highest percentage calculated) for a combination of load/choke/gun that you possess. Naturally, you will not want to go against manufacturers warnings or recommendations regardless of your homegrown experimental results. That is, if Benelli tells you not to shoot hevi-shot through their factory full choke or you will void the guns warranty, don't, even if you find that the full choke/hevi-shot load yielded you the greatest pattern density. Ultimately, it's your decision.

Mistman, Different combinations of gun/chokes and shells yeild different results. You really need to do your homework on your particular combination to be sure of what your dealing with. If you need some direction on how to go about doing this, just let me know, I'd be happy to help. Like any situation, know your equipment's potential and limitations.

http://www.hunt101.com/img/243257.jpg A day last week in Arkansas rice.

A sales job just got posted for Southern Cal. If you keep posting pics like this, you'll force me to pick up shop and head west!! They grow rice in CA?

For what it's worth, I adapted the mercury recoil reducer in the stock and limbsaver pad on my SBE and it made a major difference in shooting 3 1/2" steel BB's and hevi-shot 2's for geese. Then, Birdog (from this site) got me into re-loading hevi-shot and I was able to knock the size down to 3" and cut my costs by about 60% on buying factory 3 1/2" hevi-shot. When I compared these new loads to my dad's stock, new SBEII, I honestly can't tell the differnce between the guns with regards to recoil. In fact, my brother thinks my modified SBE kicks less with this load than the new SBEII.

Yes, the fed stamp is good and needed for all migratory game hunting in the US. You may need an additional state level migratory stamp, depending on the state you plan to hunt in. I am only familiar with Ohio and Arkansas and both states require the additional state stamp.

First choice = .204 Ruger Second choice = .220 Swift

My brother ordered his SBEII, camo, 28" right hand in August through a local dealer. Every 3 weeks Benelli told the dealer another 1-2 weeks....well, last week we went to the dealer and collected the deposit back. The next day Gander Mountain located a gun in Michigan and had is shipped over....we were shooting on Saturday. I don't want to cast a gloomy picture on your wait, but if it took this dealer this long.....well, let's just say that you should keep your option open for retrieving that deposit.

Benelliboy, Glad to see your interest in the sport and taking equipment seriously. We owe it to the game we pursue. Interestingly enough, I shot my first deer when I was in 8th grade. Used Rem. Sluggers for years through a smoothbore slug barrel. Works just fine. Watch yourself past 50-60 yards though as accuracy will dimenish through that IC choke using these slugs. Save up your Christmas money and buy a rifled slug barrel, you'll be thankful. As for doe in heat, I'm pretty sure the rut in Iowa has been out for a few weeks by now so I doubt the heat scent will do much for you. I know Ohio was out about the second week of November and we are probably on the same timetable. You may hit the second rut when does come back into heat, if they weren't visited by Mr. Big last month, but doubtful. Try to keep your clothes and body as scent free as possible, know where your gun shoots and sit still....you'll score, Lord willing. Good luck.

If you have time and money, pick up a rifled slug barrel for that Nova. I use a Hastings, but there are others. Then try a couple different Sabot slugs from people like Whitfield and Winchester. See which one patterns better. If you don't have the $/time to get this done, you should shoot a rifled slug through the most open choke that you have for the Nova. If IC is the largest, then that's what you should site your gun in with. Be sure to know your equipment and where it shots before trying this buck. If he is an old guy, you're likely to only get one shot at him, if at all this late the season.

I too have the limbsaver on my SBE synthetic - a worthwhile investment. I also have the mercury recoil reducer in the stock, and am thankful for its attributes!

Scent does play a major role in deer hunting and I think the bow hunters of the world need to be more careful about it for many reasons. Mainly, they need to be close to their quarry and also are normally chasing the big one, who has seen and smelled it all. For the gun hunter on opening day, when there are dozens of guys in your area and human related scent abound, I think you need to be wise, but not fanatical about your scent. Take a shower, use baby powder instead of deodorant, make sure your clothes are clean and have sat on a line outside for a few days prior to putting them on, don't sweat them up getting to your stand in the morning and approach your stand with the wind in your face. If you want to take this further feel free, but if you practice these suggestions, at a minimum, I think you will have a successful career as a deer hunter. From a choke standpoint, is Iowa a slug state or buckshot?

No, don't get me wrong...I'm all about irritating my buddies (they take it better than my wife!!). Heck, after seeing your gun, I'm thinking about buying a few $1 stickers myself. Just ribbin' you a bit, being on the official "Benelli" site and all and wearing the buckmark. Shot straight, shot often.

It's a double band day for mudhen, but what's up with the stickered out benelli and the browning cap? (You knew someone would notice!!)

WayneD, I suspect your constricting that load too much and by the time those few pellets leave your barrel, they are so glad to be "free" they are flying everywhere. You need to pattern all the choke tubes that came with that Nova, keeping the same make and model of shell (your preference). Each time you change the load, you need to repeat the patterning procedure. Make a 30" circle on some paper product, stand back 40 yds and let a load fly. Repeat with a fresh peice of paper/circle for each of your choke tubes. See which tubes keeps the most pellets inside the circle and voila...you have your tube/load combination.

No Tox, I can tell you that once you try hevi-shot, you will be asking for it at Christmas, birthday's, father's day.....good stuff!!! Yes, it is expensive if bought from Rem. or Environmetals, but in my opinion, worth it. Not to mention, ethically responsible in making clean, quick kills. A while ago, I got a little push from Birddog, on this site, to look into re-loading hevi-shot. I am certainly glad I took his advice. I am now shooting a 3" #2 Hevi-Shot 1 3/8" oz. load at 1525 fps as my standard goose load. Geese don't stand a chance. For price, you take it from Remington's $2/shell to $1/shell by reloading it. Compare that to $.60-$.70/shell for steel and it's not that much more. Birddog, thanks for advice. Have any use for some 3 1/2" steel shells?

Have used hevi-shot for years and love it. Huge advantage over steel in open field situations. Never went tighter than modified for two reasons: 1) I obtain 83-87% patterns in a 30" circle at 40 yds with it. 2) Many articles written suggesting not to.

Thanks birddog!! I appreciate the reply. My family has really become proponents of shooting Hevi-Shot for waterfowl. Unfortuneately, we have no family ties to the Rockefeller's and find it hard to continually swallow the step price tag from Remington on HS. For those that are following this forum, Re-Loading Specialties does not have retail sales. They refer you to Bucks Run Sports Supply. Very nice people, for a flat $10 they will send you their catalog as well as Volume 3 of Re-Loading Specialties, Inc. recipe book for re-loading shells utilizing Hevi-Shot. Bucks Run carries all the components listed in RSI's re-loading guide for Hevi-Shot.

A semi-.410 has it's place and I don't think you need weed or ridiculous ideas in your head to desire one. Heck, I'd like a 28 ga. too! Why can't I have them both, afterall, it's my dime? I had an experience when I was 15. I was invited to hunt bunnies in Indiana. I showed up with my dad's 16 ga. and was practically laughed out of the field. My gun was called a howitzer, bazooka and cannon. These good 'ol boys from Indy loved their 1100 .410's for bunnies and after seeing them head shoot 12-14 that day, they made a believer out of me. Since then, I've wanted a semi-.410 and why not a Benelli, since we all agree it's the best semi out there right now.