Tungsten steel loads are all the craze in the turkey hunting industry now a days. With good reason. Some guys are claiming kills out to 40 plus yards with 410 shotguns. I don't doubt it. I have seen some of their patterns on paper targets. Lots of companies now selling tungsten turkey ammo and I think it's great. But it is not for me. Two reasons. First, I can't justify the cost. Also, I like to spend time and ammo at the range sighting in at different distances. I would go broke just sighting in.
Second, I like to call my birds in as close as possible before I pull the trigger. Just seems more sporting for me personally that way. Most of my shots are 20 yds and under. Tungsten steel is not needed at my limitations.
A guy I work with prides him self on the long distances he has killed gobblers with his tungsten loads. Some of them 70 plus yds he claims. Others pride them selves on how close they can get the bird to them before taking the shot. To each his own.
I started hunting with Winchester Long Beard XR loads over 5 years ago.(12 ga, 3.5'' #4 loads) They pattern great out of my gun out to 50 yds. I have killed two gobblers with them at distances of 45 and 47 yds. I almost felt guilty for taking such long shots. Both birds dropped and flopped at the shot. I can only imagine how much I can increase my range if I were to switch to tungsten. It seems like the real deal. Almost seems unfair, LOL.
