Tungsten Turkey Ammo: Is It Worth It?

[anonymouscowherd]

Just think, a few years ago, the hardcore turkey hunter was using a 10 or 12 gauge with lead shot. To go to a .410, even with better shot, is a big jump

Yup, but they were doing that to get a high enough pellet count in a shot size large enough to carry the energy for an effective kill

Thing about TSS is that because of the density you can use much smaller shot

Think about in terms of "200+ pellets that weigh .2gr in a 24" circle" - not what diameter the pellets are or what bore diameter it is sent through. You can use 1.25+ oz of #4 lead or a fraction of the volume (but close in weight) of #8 TSS

 

[retrieverman]

I picked up a MEC 600jr 410 loader at an estate sale on the cheap a few years ago because it was missing a couple parts, and since I’ve been on a shotgun reloading kick, I finally decided to order the missing parts. Well, I got impatient yesterday and decided to take the needed parts off my 20 ga loader. I discovered that 410 loading isn’t quite as easy as 12 or 20 gauge, but it’s pretty fun. I guess I’m going to order some tungsten shot and give it a try.
Here’s what I did yesterday…
11/16 oz #8 shot, 17 grains Win 296, Win 209 primer, WAA41 wad in a Remington hull.

 

[smokem]

If you have ever rolled a turkey and been PO'd about it, TSS is worth every penny it costs. I use one and sometimes two shells a year. Federal Third Degree. If it costs me 5 bucks a round, so what? After all of the hours I spend scouting, sitting, calling, watching spending 5 bucks to bring home my bird is mouse nuts. A box of 3rd Degree is good for 3 seasons... it's a good investment. I have been giving my boxes of lead number 5 and 6 shot away for the last few years. I won't ever use it again. Why would I?
WRT playing the sub gauge game, also not for me. I like my 12 and 16 gauge guns. I don't mind pulling the trigger on a 3 1/2 inch turkey load.

 

[GLenn]

This sums it up:

 

[RobertGreen]

It’s not worth the cost for me because I don’t long range shoot turkeys.

I use 12 gauge Longbeard XR 3” and a red dot.

I’m not bashing people who want to shoot a bird at 60 yards. For me, if I can’t call him into 40 yards for a clean head shot then I need to improve my setup and calling and not my shot distance.

Just my opinion.

 

[RobertGreen]

If you have ever rolled a turkey and been PO'd about it, TSS is worth every penny it costs. I use one and sometimes two shells a year. Federal Third Degree. If it costs me 5 bucks a round, so what? After all of the hours I spend scouting, sitting, calling, watching spending 5 bucks to bring home my bird is mouse nuts. A box of 3rd Degree is good for 3 seasons... it's a good investment. I have been giving my boxes of lead number 5 and 6 shot away for the last few years. I won't ever use it again. Why would I?
WRT playing the sub gauge game, also not for me. I like my 12 and 16 gauge guns. I don't mind pulling the trigger on a 3 1/2 inch turkey load.

He’s talking about $66 a box TSS, not $25 a box TSS.

P.S. I also use $25 a box rounds for turkey, the Longbeard XR.

 

[ElDiablo]

You can reload 2 oz TSS shells (or muzzy loads) for about $5.75 ea. Well worth the cost for me.

 

[LBAhunter]

With lead, I only shot few anyway. Same with TSS. Shoot 1 or 2 to check pattern then to hunt. 3in 2oz #6 in a Remington 11-87 12ga is not a pleasant experience. I use it in 28 and 410. Even with TSS, I try to call"em right to the end of the barrel.

 

[Ron Huff]

I am a novice Turkey hunter in my 3rd season with only one bird to my credit and am still learning a lot. I shoot 3" Apex 8 1/2 TSS out of a 20 gauge 870 and it will put a lot of shot in the head of a Turkey silhouette at 50 yards. I hope that as my skills improve, I can get them in a lot closer and use 3" #5 lead. My gun is dialed in pretty good, so I shoot three a year for checking zero and hopefully 1 at a bird so cost doesn't get crazy.

 

[smokem]

It’s not worth the cost for me because I don’t long range shoot turkeys.

I use 12 gauge Longbeard XR 3” and a red dot.

I’m not bashing people who want to shoot a bird at 60 yards. For me, if I can’t call him into 40 yards for a clean head shot then I need to improve my setup and calling and not my shot distance.

Just my opinion.

I'd say that almost every bird I have ever shot, I called in to 30 yards or less. A few years ago I worked one for 4 hours to get him to about 40 yards. At 40 he decided he was not that into my act so he started to wander away. I shot him at about 45 yards. That was the farthest I ever shot until two years ago. I hunted a particular bird off and on for two weeks. I think he was being hunted by someone else. He was super shy and very smart about staying far off the edges of the open field where I was working him. I had a decoy at 30 yards that a jake and a couple hens checked out. He stayed what seemed like another third of that distance away...he just was not coming in. I had worked him from over 400 yard away to whatever that distance was. It was the closest I had him in that two weeks. I was thinking this is the only chance this bird is going to give, if he puts his head up, I'm taking the shot. I had my gun partly up and as soon as his head went up, I aimed and pulled the trigger. He folded up on the spot like a cheap beach chair.
I walked out to the bird and looked back to where I had been tucked in and thought, holy crap, that looks like quite distance. I had my range finder with me and ranged it. 72 yards. That's a shot I never had any intention to take. I only pattern my turkey guns to 50. The bird had a head and neck full of holes.
I don't plan to make a habit of taking shots like that, but with TSS it's there.

 

[smokem]

He’s talking about $66 a box TSS, not $25 a box TSS.

P.S. I also use $25 a box rounds for turkey, the Longbeard XR.

I just priced it. Wow....it's up to $42 a box now. That's a lot more than I paid when I started using it. I should have bought a flat. I have enough to go 3 more seasons.

 

[LBAhunter]

I'd say that almost every bird I have ever shot, I called in to 30 yards or less. A few years ago I worked one for 4 hours to get him to about 40 yards. At 40 he decided he was not that into my act so he started to wander away. I shot him at about 45 yards. That was the farthest I ever shot until two years ago. I hunted a particular bird off and on for two weeks. I think he was being hunted by someone else. He was super shy and very smart about staying far off the edges of the open field where I was working him. I had a decoy at 30 yards that a jake and a couple hens checked out. He stayed what seemed like another third of that distance away...he just was not coming in. I had worked him from over 400 yard away to whatever that distance was. It was the closest I had him in that two weeks. I was thinking this is the only chance this bird is going to give, if he puts his head up, I'm taking the shot. I had my gun partly up and as soon as his head went up, I aimed and pulled the trigger. He folded up on the spot like a cheap beach chair.
I walked out to the bird and looked back to where I had been tucked in and thought, holy crap, that looks like quite distance. I had my range finder with me and ranged it. 72 yards. That's a shot I never had any intention to take. I only pattern my turkey guns to 50. The bird had a head and neck full of holes.
I don't plan to make a habit of taking shots like that, but with TSS it's there.

Gun and load details please.

 

[bronko220002]

You can do that easily with a .410 and #9 TSS, lots of youngsters can shoot at a very early age.

If I didn't have my youth 870 I likely would try one of my .410 single shots with tungsten. But honestly the 410s aren't much lighter than the 870 and they don't have the ability for a quick follow up shot if ever needed. Besides, like Badger Ridge (Tom) says, I like getting them as close as possible.

 

[BadgerRidge]

If I didn't have my youth 870 I likely would try one of my .410 single shots with tungsten. But honestly the 410s aren't much lighter than the 870 and they don't have the ability for a quick follow up shot if ever needed. Besides, like Badger Ridge (Tom) says, I like getting them as close as possible.

I hunt turkey with my Ithaca M87 12ga with a 20in barrel. Super light (even compared to 20s, 28s, and 410) and great to carry all day. Who wants to absorb 2oz of recoil when 1-1/8 or 1-1/4oz of lead will do fine if you call them inside if 40 yds?

 

[fishegg]

It’s not worth the cost for me because I don’t long range shoot turkeys.

I use 12 gauge Longbeard XR 3” and a red dot.

I’m not bashing people who want to shoot a bird at 60 yards. For me, if I can’t call him into 40 yards for a clean head shot then I need to improve my setup and calling and not my shot distance.

Just my opinion.

Agreed, same here, I head out with my 30 inch full choked 1100 with a pocket full of old lead duck loads. Never saw the need for 5 bucks a shell specialty loads. I know others have more thoughts about it, thats ok, good for them.

 

[Capt Sunny]

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. A m e n and again a m e n

 

[jem44357]

I liked my shots under 30 yds so-12ga no, 20 possibly, 410 most definitely. Although now that I hunt from a box and have Tom's within 5 feet it's probably not even necessary. The time in the video is about 8 feet from the camera on the front of my blind.

 

[jlynch75]

I'm using steel shot #4 out of my Remington 870 works for me as all my shots are under 40 yards for turkey. In my muzzleloaders I'm using .44mag lead free for deer. New York has no lead when hunting on state land.

 

[gle3105]

Good write up.

https://www.themeateater.com/hunt/firearm-hunting/the-secrets-behind-the-killing-power-of-tss

 

[snapbang]

I killed a nice Tom this morning (4/20) with a 410 #6 lead shot.