I have 6 shells left from several 10 rd boxes of Activ turkey loads from the early 1990s that I still go to when I hunt turkey (about every 5 years). It was the absolute most incredible turkey load ever made: 2-1/4 OUNCE Nickel Plated Buffered #4s, stuffed into a 3" shell (not 3-1/2"). I have never in my life shot anything out of a 3" gun that patterned as well and kill like these damn things. Does anyone know if anyone has ever loaded an equivalent shell? I can find 2 oz. shells, but not buffered, and copper plated only.
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Activ Turkey Loads
sportpsyc
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I have 6 shells left from several 10 rd boxes of Activ turkey loads from the early 1990s that I still go to when I hunt turkey (about every 5 years). It was the absolute most incredible turkey load ever made: 2-1/4 OUNCE Nickel Plated Buffered #4s, stuffed into a 3" shell (not 3-1/2"). I have never in my life shot anything out of a 3" gun that patterned as well and kill like these damn things. Does anyone know if anyone has ever loaded an equivalent shell? I can find 2 oz. shells, but not buffered, and copper plated only.
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5,177 Posts
I’d love to find a case of them!!!! Nothing short of tss on the market like them. I can load a 2.25 oz tss load in a 3” 12ga. It’s brutal.
Activ loaded some crazy stuff back in the day. I loved their shells. The recoil on these is...brisk. I have only shot them out of 300 series Beretta gas guns, and it throws the hull a good 15' from the gun.
I just know through a Briley straight rifled Turkey Xtra Full, they will wreck a turkey at 35 yards. I wish somebody could get a hold of Activ's recipes...or recreate them.
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1,021 Posts
The Activ hull had a LOT of room inside.
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461 Posts
Blast from the past.
My grandfather bought me a case or maybe 2 of 1 oz 20 gauge in probably 1993 or 1994.
I took a lot of game with them over the years. There is probably a box around the house somewhere.
I should hunt them down
My grandfather bought me a case or maybe 2 of 1 oz 20 gauge in probably 1993 or 1994.
I took a lot of game with them over the years. There is probably a box around the house somewhere.
I should hunt them down
Ah---I guess that's it. 1 piece compression formed hull had no taper in the base? I have flechette rounds, dragon's breath, strung buckshot, all the crazy stuff from Blammo Ammo was loaded into Activ. But these--the Penetrator Turkey Loads--were a masterpiece.
Yes! It is a perfect Terradactyl load. Or if you are really really angry at a Rio Grand Turkey in South Texas and have a burning desire to perforate him like a colander.
Shot a bunch of the 1 1/2 ounce 23/4 ". They reminded me of the old Alcan 5 dram 2 3/4 inch. The active would break a target farther than you'd believe and a shell catcher on my 303 just slowed the hull down! Lol. Wish I still had some.Activ loaded some crazy stuff back in the day. I loved their shells. The recoil on these is...brisk. I have only shot them out of 300 series Beretta gas guns, and it throws the hull a good 15' from the gun.
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786 Posts
Activs are my go to shell been loading them for years I use them for skeet and trap but mainly skeet have thousands of New shells that I'll get to eventually when I wear out the ones I've been loading. If you had the empty 3 inch activ shells it wouldn't be hard to recreate the turkey loads.
I know the feeling. It is going to be a sad day in 10 years when I get ready to go on a terradactyl hunt and I am all out of Penetrators.
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1,910 Posts
This is the key point which permits nearly insane payloads at 'hopefully' sane chamber pressures. Was ACTIV (meaning here the ACTIV which existed back when manufacturing was done in the USA*) a supporting member of SAAMI? SAAMI pressure guidelines are merely voluntary, and members (at several support levels) merely voluntarily agree to comply. Non members are not beholden to such compliance.
*ACTIV still produces shotshells in Argentina. None are exported to North America.
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3,358 Posts
I just found a bag of the red wads for ACTIVs from the yestayears of loading them and have no use for them. I still have 5bxs of the 12ga Chandelier type slugs. Shoot like a rifle at 100yds. I remember shooting their 2-3/4", 1-3/8ths or 1-5/8ths of Nickle 5s for meatshoot back ups. Brown hull. Crushed many a LONG yardage clay bird!! Loaded tons of them over the years. I still run across a hull now n then. Haven't loaded 1 in prolly 20yrs.
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5,177 Posts
I have looked for years for Activ 3” 20ga hulls. I’m not sure they even produced them.
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3,358 Posts
I remember seeing 20ga, but do not remember if they were 2-3/4" or 3". I also seem to think they made 3" steel also.
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180 Posts
Two of my favorite ACTIV handloads for turkeys hunting was a 2 1/4 oz. load of buffered nickel plated #7 in the 3" hull and a 1 7/8 oz. load of buffered nickel plated #7 in the 2 3/4" hull.
Shooting a Hastings .640 extended turkey tube out of a 30" Remington Wingmaster barrel, both loads would put 300+ pellets in a 10" paper pie plate @ 40 yards.
Both loads have accounted for a LOT of turkey's!
Wish I had a couple hundred ACTIV hulls now. One of the best hulls I have ever loaded. Had several good recipes for steel shot in these hulls too. Awesome hull for sure.
Shooting a Hastings .640 extended turkey tube out of a 30" Remington Wingmaster barrel, both loads would put 300+ pellets in a 10" paper pie plate @ 40 yards.
Both loads have accounted for a LOT of turkey's!
Wish I had a couple hundred ACTIV hulls now. One of the best hulls I have ever loaded. Had several good recipes for steel shot in these hulls too. Awesome hull for sure.
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