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Three Degrees of Targeting Turkeys
Specialized turkey loads have evolved magnificently during the past 20 years. Current
offerings have been engineered to pattern more tightly and reach farther than ever before. But
these loads have also become less forgiving at close range—in some cases, leading to missed
birds. Federal Premium® Ammunition set out to solve this problem.
Taking a page from the playbook of Federal’s successful Black Cloud® Close Range
waterfowl load, part of 3rd Degree’s payload is designed to quickly open into a deadly closerange pattern, even when using aftermarket turkey chokes. The load also uses a dose of copperplated lead for the more common 20- to 40-yard shots. And for far-out birds, it contains ultradense HEAVYWEIGHT® shot to deliver a consistent, long-distance punch. The entire payload
is maximized by Federal Premium’s exclusive FLITECONTROL® wad, which stays with the
shot column longer for even, reliable patterns.
ONE LOAD FOR ALL RANGES
The leading section of the 3rd Degree’s payload—20 percent of the total pellet count—is
made up of No. 6 nickel-plated FLITESTOPPER® lead pellets, the same ones used in the
company’s popular Prairie Storm® pheasant loads. FLITESTOPPER pellets have a distinctive
cutting ring that creates a massive wound cavity through tissue and crushes bone on impact. This
unique shape, and the fact the pellets release from the wad first, causes them to disperse quickly
and create a larger effective pattern inside of 20 yards than standard loads.
Loaded behind the FLITESTOPPER pellets and comprising 40 percent of the 3rd Degree
payload is a layer of Premium® copper-plated No. 5 lead shot, which creates a dense, even
pattern at moderate ranges. This is the same type of shot that powers the popular Federal
Premium Mag-Shok™ turkey line. However, 3rd Degree is the first load that uses it in
combination with other types of pellets in one hull.
The final 40 percent of 3rd Degree’s payload is No. 7 HEAVYWEIGHT pellets. The
tungsten-iron material’s high density (35 percent denser than lead) gives the shot more
penetration energy than No. 5 lead at 40 yards and beyond. HEAVYWEIGHT’s long-range
potential is maximized by the rear-opening FLITECONTROL wad.
TURKEY HUNTING’S DREAM LOAD
New Federal Premium® 3rd Degree™ uses a multi-shot, three-stage payload to deliver
lethal patterns at any range. The result is a new, high-tech load specifically crafted to cover any
situation a hunter might face: 3rd Degree™. The load blends three different types and sizes of
shot, and combines technologies from the company’s most popular shotshell lines. This balanced
combination results in a turkey hunter’s dream ammo—one load that works at all distances, from
extremely close to the extended ranges that have set performance standards for today’s gobbler
chasers.
www.federalpremium.com
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Permission is granted to copy, reformat and/or publish this article in whole or in part.
The new-for-2015 ammunition is available in 3-inch, 1 3/4-ounce and 3 ½-inch, 2-ounce
loads that have MSRPs of $21.95 and $24.95 for a 5-count box. Learn more at
www.federalpremium.com.
www.federalpremium.com
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