If you hunt waterfowl or turkey and want pellets that hit harder than steel, you have shot — or wanted to shoot — HEVI-Shot. The Oregon company pioneered tungsten-based shotshells denser than lead, and its HEVI-Metal waterfowl loads and HEVI-18 TSS turkey loads are some of the most lethal non-toxic ammunition you can buy. Smaller pellets, tighter patterns, more energy downrange. Here is who they are, what they make, and what is worth buying.

Who HEVI-Shot is

HEVI-Shot (now branded HEVI) is an Oregon company founded in 1999 that pioneered tungsten-based shotshells denser than lead — best known for HEVI-Metal waterfowl loads and HEVI-18 TSS turkey loads. Its non-toxic tungsten pellets pattern tighter and hit harder than steel, making it a favorite of serious wingshooters and turkey hunters.

The brand was launched in December 1999 to commercialize a breakthrough by metallurgist Dr. Darryl Amick of Oregon. Amick had developed Federal’s tungsten-iron pellets, and when a backer agreed to finance him on the condition that he create pellets denser than lead, the result was 12 g/cc HEVI-Shot — material that patterns as tightly as steel but hits far harder than lead. The founders were frustrated waterfowlers tired of the poor steel loads of the era, and within a year they were selling HEVI-Shot shotshells out of a small rented space in Sweet Home, Oregon. You can read more on the HEVI site.

HEVI-Shot earned national exposure through an early co-brand deal with Remington, then ENVIRON-Metal took the brand back in 2005 and built it up from Sweet Home — debuting the hugely popular HEVI-Metal stacked load (tungsten pellets layered over steel) in 2010. Today HEVI is part of the Vista Outdoor / Federal family, making it a sister brand to Federal, CCI and Speer, but it remains the tungsten-shotshell specialist.

On price, HEVI is premium — tungsten is expensive, and the top TSS turkey loads cost real money per shell. But for waterfowl and turkey hunters, the performance per pellet is the whole reason to buy it.

What HEVI-Shot makes

HEVI-Metal waterfowl loads

The volume seller. HEVI-Metal stacks dense tungsten pellets on top of steel for a load that patterns hard and reaches farther than all-steel ammo, at a price waterfowlers can stomach. The “Longer Range” versions push effective range even further. For ducks and geese, this is the everyday HEVI choice.

HEVI-18 TSS turkey loads

The HEVI-18 line uses Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) at roughly 18 g/cc — denser still — so tiny pellets carry enormous energy and you can fit huge pellet counts in a shell. The result is devastating, dense turkey patterns at long range, in 12, 20, 28 gauge and .410. It is the premium end of turkey ammunition.

Tungsten and bismuth shotshells

The original HEVI-Shot tungsten loads, HEVI-Bismuth (a softer non-toxic option safe for older and fine shotguns), HEVI-Steel and the HEVI-XII waterfowl line round out a deep non-toxic lineup for every bird and budget.

Upland, defense and more

Beyond the marquee waterfowl and turkey loads, HEVI offers upland game loads and even defensive options (HEVI-Duty), all built around the same tungsten-density advantage.

Build quality and the density advantage

HEVI’s entire reason for existing is pellet density. Lead is about 11 g/cc, steel only about 7.8 — HEVI-Shot tungsten is ~12 and TSS is ~18. Denser pellets carry more energy, retain velocity better, and let you drop a pellet size or two while hitting harder, which means more pellets in the pattern and more lethal energy on the bird. It is also non-toxic, so it is legal everywhere steel is required for waterfowl. The honest trade-off is cost: tungsten is expensive to source and load, so HEVI ammo — especially TSS — is premium-priced, and it is purpose-built hunting ammunition rather than a range or plinking product. For the hunter who wants the most performance per pellet, that density is worth paying for.

How HEVI-Shot compares

HEVI competes with its own sister brand Federal (Black Cloud and Heavyweight TSS), plus TSS specialists like Apex and Boss Shotshells, and traditional waterfowl makers like Kent and Winchester. HEVI’s edge is heritage and breadth — it pioneered tungsten shotshells and offers everything from value HEVI-Metal to top-tier HEVI-18 TSS. Where competitors win is price (steel and some blended loads are cheaper) and, for boutique TSS, sometimes pellet purity. For a one-brand answer across waterfowl and turkey, HEVI is hard to beat.

Be honest about the trade-offs: HEVI is premium-priced (TSS especially), and it is hunting ammunition, not a budget or range product. If you only need cheap steel for casual duck hunting or want the lowest cost per box, a steel load fits better. HEVI is for the hunter who wants maximum lethal performance and non-toxic compliance.

Who should buy what

The duck and goose hunter: HEVI-Metal (or HEVI-Metal Longer Range) for hard-hitting, affordable tungsten-blend performance.
The turkey hunter: HEVI-18 TSS for the densest, longest-range turkey patterns.
The sub-gauge turkey shooter: HEVI-18 TSS in 20, 28 gauge or .410 to make small bores hit like big ones.
The owner of an older or fine shotgun: HEVI-Bismuth, a softer non-toxic option.
The all-around waterfowler: HEVI-XII or original HEVI-Shot tungsten loads.
The budget non-toxic hunter: HEVI-Steel for steel pricing with HEVI quality.

Who should look elsewhere? If you want the cheapest steel waterfowl ammo or range shotshells, a basic steel or target load is the value pick. HEVI is for hunters who want the density advantage and non-toxic performance.

The HEVI philosophy

HEVI is built on one idea taken to its limit: make the pellet denser. It started with a metallurgist who had already made tungsten shot and decided to beat lead, and it runs straight through to TSS at 18 g/cc. Every product is an answer to the same question — how do we put more lethal energy on the bird with non-toxic shot? That single-minded focus is why HEVI defined the tungsten-shotshell category and still leads it.

How to choose your HEVI load

Start with the bird and your gun. For ducks and geese, HEVI-Metal is the value-performance default; step up to Longer Range for pass-shooting. For turkey, HEVI-18 TSS gives the densest patterns — and lets you run a 20 gauge, 28 gauge or .410 effectively. Match shot size to the game (larger BB/2 for big geese, smaller 7/9 TSS for turkey), and confirm your shell length fits your chamber (many HEVI loads are 3″ or 3.5″). If your shotgun is older or has fixed/fine chokes, choose HEVI-Bismuth for a softer pellet. When in doubt, HEVI-Metal for waterfowl and HEVI-18 TSS for turkey are the proven picks.

The shot that beat lead

For decades, hunters forced off lead by waterfowl regulations had to settle for steel — lighter, less energetic, and frustrating at range. HEVI-Shot changed that by doing something that sounds impossible: making non-toxic pellets denser than lead. From a rented room in Sweet Home, Oregon to the TSS turkey loads that dominate the spring woods, HEVI turned a metallurgy breakthrough into the gold standard for serious wingshooters and turkey hunters. When you want the most out of every pellet, HEVI is the name that started it all.

Shop HEVI-Shot Ammunition & Prices

Live HEVI-Shot products and current prices, organized by gauge and updated automatically.

HEVI-Shot 12 Gauge Ammo

Hevi-Shot

Hevi-Shot Hevi Steel Upland Shotgun Ammo 12 ga. 2.75 in. 1 oz. 6 Shot 25 rd.