Tungsten Turkey Ammo: Is It Worth It?

[Marplot]

$66 a box for five. Extra range? Worth it?

 

[ENCORE50A]

I've taken a number of birds, but with noting but #5s.
I would never ever pay $66 for five rounds that won't kill any faster than a well placed charge of #5.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Might be worth it, depending on when/where/how you hunt. Denser pellets weigh more for a given size - about 60% more. Which means they loose velocity slower, drift out of pattern slower, etc. Hits harder, more pattern density, and yes, it can really increase range.

Here in Florida rifles are legal - if I really needed the extra 10-20 yards TSS *might* give me (would need to shoot a few to pattern, etc) then I'd leave the shotgun and tote a rifle instead. And yes, there was a moment or two this weekend I was second guessing my choice of tools in the blind, those extra 20 yards would've been nice to have.

 

[ElDiablo]

Worth every penny.

 

[Decay]

In my Remington Special Purpose 3 1/2", I shot Federal Premium Tungsten loads, #5 shot since they came on the market. Shot a bunch of turkeys with them. They really worked well, and extended my range by at least 15 yds beyond the older copper plated, buffered #5 Federal Premiums that I shot in my 3". I bought a pretty good supply of them and now they're gone. I wish I had a hundred more. But....
I will not pay over $10 per shot and I went back to a #5 nickel plated shot by Browning.

 

[Half-Cocked]

Only worth it if lead no longer kills birds. I assume it does so my answer is no.

 

[retrieverman]

$66 a box for five. Extra range? Worth it?

I’m mad enough at a turkey to pay that much for ammo to kill one. If I can’t call one within range of my handloaded lead shot loads, he’ll live another day.

 

[phalanx]

Without TSS I wouldn't use my 410 for turkey. I don't use it my 3.5in 12 gauge. So to me, it has its applications.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Decided to pattern my 20ga O/U to see its potential for turkey - weighs less, kicks less than my 12ga Mossberg 500 and the 20 has a much duller matte finish overall

Cheap ($16/25) Winchester brand high brass 1oz lead #5. Great dense pattern at 35 yards,

Popped a bird today with it at just under 30 yards and he simply face planted with no flopping or twitching.

Who needs TSS or sore shoulders?

 

[Whokalouie]

A waste of money in my view. A tom has never survived one 2 3/4" 12 gauge Super X #6 shot from my full choke Iver Johnson "Champion", no over 30 yard shots.

Stalk and get close, be a hunter, not just a shooter.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

$66 a box for five. Extra range? Worth it?

FWIW,
I shoot a 20” barrel 12 gauge for spring turkey hunting. I shoot Winchester Long Beard XR shells.#4’s and #5’s.
I would have no problem killing a turkey at 50 yds with this set up.
I pay about $25 for a box of 10 shells.
$2.50 a shell vs $13.20 a shell for something that will get the same job done. You be the judge.

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

$66 a box for five. Extra range? Worth it?

Nope nitro 3 in. Mag #4 shot 28 in barrel super full ported choke it takes them down at 40yrds. Alot cheaper too. Will never pay 11 bucks a round that is crazy

 

[Wedgy]

If you live on a farm and have turkeys on your porch every morning, no TSS is not worth it for you. But if you have to drive out of state, live in a non-lead area with very limited shot opportunities, or have a busy schedule then yes, it is totally worth it. You are not extending your range by 10-15 yards... you can easily double it. I killed 2 birds with a .410 shooting #9 TSS at 42 and 55 yards. I shoot chukar at 50 yards using #10 TSS, Canada geese at 70 yards with #9's.
Buy a pound of TSS for $30, a bag of pre-primed hulls, and reload by hand and they will cost you ~$2.50 a shell. Our limit on Canada geese is 6 and I can drop them at 100 yards no problem with #5 TSS so I spent $20 in ammo but $100 on gas, $160 on hotel,$1,000"s on gear, etc. you get the point. No problem to drop coyotes at 100+ yards with #2's.
If you don't know about TSS feel free to not comment.
As a matter of fact there was a thread recently of a black powder ML shotgun on here and he was getting a single hole on his target at 40 yards with TSS, he needs to slit the wads so it will open up and disperse the pattern but that is how effective TSS is, a totally different ballgame, if not sport. His pellets went thru his plywood target backer board.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

If you live on a farm and have turkeys on your porch every morning, no TSS is not worth it for you. But if you have to drive out of state, live in a non-lead area with very limited shot opportunities, or have a busy schedule then yes, it is totally worth it. You are not extending your range by 10-15 yards... you can easily double it. I killed 2 birds with a .410 shooting #9 TSS at 42 and 55 yards. I shoot chukar at 50 yards using #10 TSS, Canada geese at 70 yards with #9's.
Buy a pound of TSS for $30, a bag of pre-primed hulls, and reload by hand and they will cost you ~$2.50 a shell. Our limit on Canada geese is 6 and I can drop them at 100 yards no problem with #5 TSS so I spent $20 in ammo but $100 on gas, $160 on hotel,$1,000"s on gear, etc. you get the point. No problem to drop coyotes at 100+ yards with #2's.
If you don't know about TSS feel free to not comment.
As a matter of fact there was a thread recently of a black powder ML shotgun on here and he was getting a single hole on his target at 40 yards with TSS, he needs to slit the wads so it will open up and disperse the pattern but that is how effective TSS is, a totally different ballgame, if not sport. His pellets went thru his plywood target backer board.

Might as well just go centerfire rifle.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Might as well just go centerfire rifle.

Yup, legal here in Florida and like I said above, awful tempting. In fact I spent some range time saturday and confirmed POI/POA with both my rifles just in case the itch to use em hits me

 

[Decay]

If you live on a farm and have turkeys on your porch every morning, no TSS is not worth it for you. But if you have to drive out of state, live in a non-lead area with very limited shot opportunities, or have a busy schedule then yes, it is totally worth it. You are not extending your range by 10-15 yards... you can easily double it. I killed 2 birds with a .410 shooting #9 TSS at 42 and 55 yards. I shoot chukar at 50 yards using #10 TSS, Canada geese at 70 yards with #9's.
Buy a pound of TSS for $30, a bag of pre-primed hulls, and reload by hand and they will cost you ~$2.50 a shell. Our limit on Canada geese is 6 and I can drop them at 100 yards no problem with #5 TSS so I spent $20 in ammo but $100 on gas, $160 on hotel,$1,000"s on gear, etc. you get the point. No problem to drop coyotes at 100+ yards with #2's.
If you don't know about TSS feel free to not comment.
As a matter of fact there was a thread recently of a black powder ML shotgun on here and he was getting a single hole on his target at 40 yards with TSS, he needs to slit the wads so it will open up and disperse the pattern but that is how effective TSS is, a totally different ballgame, if not sport. His pellets went thru his plywood target backer board.

 

[Decay]

I'd be very happy and really like it if you could show me where I can buy a bag of TSS for $30/lb. The cheapest I see it is $42/lb so that's $4.66 per 1 3/4 oz shot from my 3 1/2" 12 gauge not counting hull and primer and powder.
Can you provide a link to a seller at $30. Thanks

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

If you live on a farm and have turkeys on your porch every morning, no TSS is not worth it for you. But if you have to drive out of state, live in a non-lead area with very limited shot opportunities, or have a busy schedule then yes, it is totally worth it. You are not extending your range by 10-15 yards... you can easily double it. I killed 2 birds with a .410 shooting #9 TSS at 42 and 55 yards. I shoot chukar at 50 yards using #10 TSS, Canada geese at 70 yards with #9's.
Buy a pound of TSS for $30, a bag of pre-primed hulls, and reload by hand and they will cost you ~$2.50 a shell. Our limit on Canada geese is 6 and I can drop them at 100 yards no problem with #5 TSS so I spent $20 in ammo but $100 on gas, $160 on hotel,$1,000"s on gear, etc. you get the point. No problem to drop coyotes at 100+ yards with #2's.
If you don't know about TSS feel free to not comment.
As a matter of fact there was a thread recently of a black powder ML shotgun on here and he was getting a single hole on his target at 40 yards with TSS, he needs to slit the wads so it will open up and disperse the pattern but that is how effective TSS is, a totally different ballgame, if not sport. His pellets went thru his plyw

Yup, legal here in Florida and like I said above, awful tempting. In fact I spent some range time saturday and confirmed POI/POA with both my rifles just in case the itch to use em hits me

If it was leagle in Wisconsin to hunt turkey with rifle I would use my accura and kill from 100yrds they wouldn't have to call them in at all just use my bi pod and take a nap.

 

[eekjellander]

A waste of money in my view. A tom has never survived one 2 3/4" 12 gauge Super X #6 shot from my full choke Iver Johnson "Champion", no over 30 yard shots.

Stalk and get close, be a hunter, not just a shooter.

I can be a hunter and a shooter ,they both are required where I hunt(NY) I've killed 1 on one hunt 2 on another (all 3) with a stik bow all under 25 yds and lots with a 10 ga H+R full choke out to 65 ranged yds so according to your definition I hunt and shoot . This will be the 1st year with a Pedersoli 12 ga/BP and that there new super duper shot and trust me I hunt and shoot but on 1700 acres of club grounds the turkeys have been hammered by coyotes/eagles /owls and what fox are left that the yotes ain't ate yet !! So I'm old enough to know it ain't arrows anymore but that expensive shot this thread is talking about is required along with my hunting boots and lots of hiking , along with my40+yrs of hunting turkeys experience . But folks talking about getting closer is the only way to hunt turkey (I SAY) horse feathers /HA Ed

 

[Wedgy]

I'd be very happy and really like it if you could show me where I can buy a bag of TSS for $30/lb. The cheapest I see it is $42/lb so that's $4.66 per 1 3/4 oz shot from my 3 1/2" 12 gauge not counting hull and primer and powder.
Can you provide a link to a seller at $30. Thanks

Tripe B is now $35/lb shipped, I buy 50 to 100kg at a time directly from china and split it up with friends, last order over a year ago was $26 after shipping and customs import fee so I am set for a long while.
https://triplebmetals.com/