Interesting article on lead vs TSS

[scn]

The Best Budget Turkey Loads Vs. TSS

Sure, tungsten turkey loads are awesome. But do you wan to spend $10 a shell to kill a gobbler? Here are the best turkey loads in every price range.

www.fieldandstream.com

TSS is awesome. I will have it in my gun when I hit the woods this spring.

But, as the article says, if you limit your shots to ethical distances and don't want to pay $10-12/shell, there are lead loads out there that will continue to work. Some of the TSS cult crew make it sound like it is impossible to kill a turkey without their magic bullet. That flies in the face of decades of ethical turkey hunting.

 

[Andy S.]

Some of the TSS cult crew make it sound like it is impossible to kill a turkey without their magic bullet.

Many of them also like to count holes in paper and recommend a choke constriction that is tighter than a bullfrog's a$$. Don't pay them much attention when it comes to turkey hunting.

 

[Gravey]

If I wasn't switching from a 12 to a 20 this year I'd keep on slinging 3 1/2" Longbeard XR 5's. Kills em graveyard dead every time as long as I do my part.

 

[TNlandowner]

I've been shooting a 20 gauge for turkey since 2018. I've taken turkey each season using Federal Premium, Mag-Shok Heavyweight Turkey #7, 2 3/4", 1 1/8oz, 1100FPS. I keep the ranges inside 40 yards, which dirt-rolls the birds. The best part is these shells have very mild recoil out of a Rem 870.

Federal stopped making these shells. Fortunately, I bought two cases of shells and still have plenty.

 

[TheLBLman]

One advantage of TSS is it can allow you to use a more open choke (fewer misses at close range), as well as shoot a reduced payload (much less recoil).

I've been shooting a 20 gauge for turkey since 2018. I've taken turkey each season using Federal Premium, Mag-Shok Heavyweight Turkey #7, 2 3/4", 1 1/8oz, 1100FPS. I keep the ranges inside 40 yards, which dirt-rolls the birds. The best part is these shells have very mild recoil out of a Rem 870.

I also still have 2 or 3 of these left. They are great turkey loads, and very ideal of youth hunters.
However, today's TSS is incredibly even denser, and you can go down to TSS #9 to out-perform those older heavyweight #7's (which were much better than the Hevi-13 stuff).

But truth remains, it may matter very little what shells you're shooting at @ 35 yds and less. Regular ole "dove" loads will consistently kill turkeys at up to 30 yds with a standard full choke.

Many are paying a premium price to add a few yards to potential range, and part of that "price" is a greater chance of missing at close range when rifle-like chokes are being used, and the average bird killed may still be @ 20 to 25 yds.

But no more rounds than I shoot in a turkey season, the price per TSS shell is not unreasonable.

 

[Gobble4me757]

Personally, I think tss is stupid to shoot in a 12 guage. It was made to make it possible to kill a turkey with the smaller gauges at 12 ga distances. I was one that shot the 12 ga 3" longbeards or whatever 3" she'll for years as my gun couldn't shoot the 3.5…now instead of carrying my 11lb rem870, I tote a 5.5lb over under 20 ga that will just about out shoot my 12 ga. I agree with what the article says referring to a 12ga but tss has been a gamechanger with .410s, 20s and 28ga.

I'll add, I shoot a longbeard 5/6 in my top barrel for 30yds and closer. In my bottom barrel I shoot the apex or handloads as it's good out to 50yds. I feel like I have the best of both worlds as it saves me money shooting turkeys close lol

 

[cowhunter71]

Personally, I think tss is stupid to shoot in a 12 guage. It was made to make it possible to kill a turkey with the smaller gauges at 12 ga distances. I was one that shot the 12 ga 3" longbeards or whatever 3" she'll for years as my gun couldn't shoot the 3.5…now instead of carrying my 11lb rem870, I tote a 5.5lb over under 20 ga that will just about out shoot my 12 ga. I agree with what the article says referring to a 12ga but tss has been a gamechanger with .410s, 20s and 28ga.

I'll add, I shoot a longbeard 5/6 in my top barrel for 30yds and closer. In my bottom barrel I shoot the apex or handloads as it's good out to 50yds. I feel like I have the best of both worlds as it saves me money shooting turkeys close lol

What's "stupid" is anyone shooting at Turkeys out to 50yrds, with any gauge shotgun

 

[Gobble4me757]

What's "stupid" is anyone shooting at Turkeys out to 50yrds, with any gauge shotgun

Guaranteed a lot of people on here have misjudged a field bird and stepped it off to 50 plus...only have ever killed a couple at the 50 yd mark but it's nice when you do misjudge that you can actually kill it and not wound it like a lot on here have probably had happen to them.

 

[Displaced_Vol]

I really like Phil Bourjaily. Always seems to take a measured approach to anything and doesn't seem to buy into much hype.

 

[Safari Hunt]

Archery. Arrows and broadheads are cheap.

 

[TheLBLman]

IMO, and many will disagree, the average person afield "turkey" hunting in the more traditional manner of woodland setups, even more true in ridge & hollow or mountainous areas, would come home with more turkeys if his choke were a factory "modified" instead of some extra-extra-full "turkey" choke throwing rifle-like patterns at closer ranges.

Too many hunters have been "sold" a "bill of goods" with the fads of long-range turkey sniping, instead of learning the much greater pleasures of ENJOYING working a long-beard "up close & personal".

I'd love to see turkey hunting emphasized more on the "hunting" than the "shooting", but that idea has not been as easy to "sell" as the latest "must have" products.

For those "traditionally" turkey hunting inside typical ridge & hollow woods, most good setups will not even allow a shot beyond 35 yds, i.e. about the distance you start seeing his red head bob up & down over the horizon's edge.

To me, the most exciting way to experience turkey hunting involves "playing" the game with a vocal gobbler, unseen, over a considerable amount of time, culminating in his red head coming over the horizon, then he appears in full strut, working closer, DRUMMING, doing his dance. Enjoy the show for however long you can, but you'll often choose to end it when he rotates & fans @ 15 yds away.

This is how I've killed most my turkeys, and in maybe 85% of the experiences, it really didn't matter what shotgun or what load was being fired. At 15 to 30 yds, even my old Browning Sweet 16 (quail gun) with #7 1/2 standard field loads worked well.

 

[TheLBLman]

Wonder if most of today's turkey hunters have ever even heard an old Tom DRUMMING up close & personal?

There is nothing else like it to me.

Much more adrenaline-pumping exciting than a gobble.

 

[Apostolic Outdoors]

The Best Budget Turkey Loads Vs. TSS

Sure, tungsten turkey loads are awesome. But do you wan to spend $10 a shell to kill a gobbler? Here are the best turkey loads in every price range.

www.fieldandstream.com

TSS is awesome. I will have it in my gun when I hit the woods this spring.

But, as the article says, if you limit your shots to ethical distances and don't want to pay $10-12/shell, there are lead loads out there that will continue to work. Some of the TSS cult crew make it sound like it is impossible to kill a turkey without their magic bullet. That flies in the face of decades of ethical turkey hunting.

"If you hunt turkeys the right way—by luring them inside 30 yards—then any of the loads I tested will tag your bird. That means you can shoot the cheap stuff and save your money for taxidermy."

Winner, winner, turkey dinner!!

Great article!! Thanks for sharing!!

I saw some TSS at Sportsman's Warehouse in Murfeesboro this week that were $75 for 5 shells. That's $15 a shell.

Yeah, I don't own a yeti cooler either.

 

[Spurhunter]

The thing about the great TSS debate that cracks me up is the same guy that would quit turkey hunting before he paid $10 for a shell, will stop at the convenience store on his way to hunt and spend $10 on a can of dip and a coffee.

 

[TheLBLman]

The thing about the great TSS debate that cracks me up is the same guy that would quit turkey hunting before he paid $10 for a shell, will stop at the convenience store on his way to hunt and spend $10 on a can of dip and a coffee.

Or a fishing lure or special "fly"

 

[deerfever]

Here is a prime example these were all shot at 20 laser yards on Tuesday Feb 1 with 20 gauge Federal 7.5 shot game load to check my POI. The one exception is the one with the least shot that is a 410 with a 3inch 6 shot lead Remington shell. The other 4 are all different 20 gauge turkey guns that I use. My guess is all those turkeys would have been in trouble! Still shooting my TSS, as I have plenty that I had bought on sale before the prices went crazy.

 

[Setterman]

Many of them also like to count holes in paper and recommend a choke constriction that is tighter than a bullfrog's a$$. Don't pay them much attention when it comes to turkey hunting.

This is what I ran into when I started the conversion. I can't remember the exact constriction but whatever it was shot a baseball at 30 yards. It was wicked but totally unrealistic in a woods hunting set up for me, I'm now shooting a factory full and the patterns are unbelievable but certainly not a rifle tight pattern

 

[Gobble4me757]

This is what I ran into when I started the conversion. I can't remember the exact constriction but whatever it was shot a baseball at 30 yards. It was wicked but totally unrealistic in a woods hunting set up for me, I'm now shooting a factory full and the patterns are unbelievable but certainly not a rifle tight pattern

Yep…took me missing a pile of birds to finally realize that I don't need a super full choke. I use a modified in my top barrel and full in my bottom. It's the real deal.

 

[megalomaniac]

Maybe it's just coincidence and bad luck for me, but both my original turkey guns threw horrible holes in their pattern with lead. My 12g 11-87 with a factory tky choke was so bad even after trying 5 or 6 different shells and missing / crippling so many birds (most at 30-35y) I went and bought the 10g. With a Tru glo choke, it was/is deadly with Winchester double x #5... but federal and rem nitros did not throw even patterns with it. Once the federal heavyweights (#7s) came out, the gun really shined, and no bird ever escaped a trigger pull.

And the flip side... ive only shot 9 TSS in 2 shotguns... both 20g 870s... one with a .582 undertaker (kids gun) the other with a .562 sumtoy (my gun). Both throw incredibly even patterns with TSS that I had NEVER seen with lead. And the pattern density was insane (had never seen anything like it except for the 10g with #7 heavyweights).

Again, my sample size of 4 turkey guns is crazy small... but enough to convince me that I will never shoot lead at a turkey again unless i decide to tote the 10g.

 

[TheLBLman]

Yep…took me missing a pile of birds to finally realize that I don't need a super full choke. I use a modified in my top barrel and full in my bottom. It's the real deal.

Have heard similar from many hunters.

If you're using extra-extra full chokes throwing rifle-like patterns at 25 yds,
an optical sight becomes almost a necessity.
It's a necessity for me period.

. . . incredibly even patterns with TSS that I had NEVER seen with lead.

THAT may be the biggest appeal of TSS for me!

TSS pattern uniformity is much better than lead.
Gone are the days of needing to polish your bore as an attempt to improve lead patterns.

While marketers have focused on promoting TSS as a longer range load, many hunters are finding the better appeal being more consistent, and more deadly, yet larger diameter patterns at 40 yds and under. This is even more the case for those hand-loading TSS, and opting for the smaller pellets sizes like #9 1/2, or #10 TSS (which might provide a 40-yd turkey gun with an improved cylinder choke).