Ammunition for turkeys

[HAGEMANIAC]

I have seen Winchester XR and others many places and they work just fine.  I don't buy in to the hype of all the TSS and other $10/shell stuff. Do they pattern well and contain more shot? Sure they do, but my two dead toms every year can't seem to notice the difference 

[HAGEMANIAC]

Ships free to a store near you

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/ammunition-ammo-for-hunting-shooting-sports/shotgun-ammo-hunting-shooting-sports/winchester-long-beard-xr-shot-lok-turkey-12-gauge-3in-6-1-34oz-turkey-shotshells-10-rounds/p/1386938

[Dan-o]

Ships free to a store near you

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/ammunition-ammo-for-hunting-shooting-sports/shotgun-ammo-hunting-shooting-sports/winchester-long-beard-xr-shot-lok-turkey-12-gauge-3in-6-1-34oz-turkey-shotshells-10-rounds/p/1386938

I bought a bunch of that in #6 shot, but 3.5".

Obviously it kills turkeys just fine.

This whole turkey ammo conversation always makes me laugh - at myself, not at anyone else.

I've shot a bunch of turkeys and almost all of them would be just as dead if I'd had a 20 guage with light trap loads.  Vast majority have been inside 25 yards. 

But even with a bunch of Longbeard 3.5" shells on my shelf, I itch to get some 3.5" TSS. 

[GWP]

I have seen Winchester XR and others many places and they work just fine.  I don't buy in to the hype of all the TSS and other $10/shell stuff. Do they pattern well and contain more shot? Sure they do, but my two dead toms every year can't seem to notice the difference 

Any shot will work as long as you are using it within it’s usable range, omitting weird and oddball results, but the premium shot types allow for longer ranges, if needed, and hits harder overall.
For me, spending hours on the road, all the other expenses, then using ammo that does not give me the best odds for success, even if I stayed within my ammo capability using another type, made the expense worth it for the number of times I could get out.
Everyone has to decide what is ‘worth it’ for them for any part of the adventure.
I am sure I would look at it differently if I was using a bunch. Say dove shooting in another country where there are hundreds of rounds fired each outing.

[Russ McDonald]

Using a .410 yup, I use it.  Using any shot is the wrong thing to say because it is illegal to use anything larger than 4 shot.  To each there own when it comes to ammo.  It is like asking whatkind if truck do you like.  Going to get lots of opinions.  3 years ago, TSS ammo was about as cheap as Hevi-shot or XR Long Beard.

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[hunter399]

I thought if I added a red dot sight.
I'd get a 100 yard shotgun.
 

100 yard shotgun
Prove me wrong.
LOL 😆

[salish]

Ships free to a store near you

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/ammunition-ammo-for-hunting-shooting-sports/shotgun-ammo-hunting-shooting-sports/winchester-long-beard-xr-shot-lok-turkey-12-gauge-3in-6-1-34oz-turkey-shotshells-10-rounds/p/1386938

I bought a bunch of that in #6 shot, but 3.5".

Obviously it kills turkeys just fine.

This whole turkey ammo conversation always makes me laugh - at myself, not at anyone else.

I've shot a bunch of turkeys and almost all of them would be just as dead if I'd had a 20 guage with light trap loads.  Vast majority have been inside 25 yards. 

But even with a bunch of Longbeard 3.5" shells on my shelf, I itch to get some 3.5" TSS.

This is my dead Rio from around 2012. I shot him at about 25 yards with an ancient 16ga using 2-1/2" #6 shells. Dead as a doornail. I've never purchased turkey-specific loads until last year. I've always used pheasant loads in #5 or #6. My longest shot was about 38 yards, all old full-choke guns. All died quickly. Last year I bought some Apex TSS #9 to use with my 20ga, but I have yet to try them. I may give them a try this season.

[GWP]

Hey! A fellow 16 ga fan!
My go to was a 1937 Model 12 16 ga with the chamber lengthened for many many years. Took everything from geese on down with it.
Still use 16’s. Underrated.

[salish]

Hey! A fellow 16 ga fan!
My go to was a 1937 Model 12 16 ga with the chamber lengthened for many many years. Took everything from geese on down with it.
Still use 16’s. Underrated.

I've been hunting upland birds with 16ga guns for at least 25 years, although I do own other gauges and sometimes hunt with them. The Model 12 is my go-to gun, although I do have A5's and LC Smith doubles in 16. My two Model 12's are old nickel steel guns made in 1914 & 1917. I've since had both guns converted to 2-3/4" and they're great. This past season I went ahead and bought a case of the super expensive Boss non-toxic shotshells in #6 and they crumple roosters like lead. I'll order some in #5 next year for waterfowl and long shots at departing chukar. Love these old guns.

[konradcountry]

How many rounds are you shooting? I can understand price talks for waterfowl, but for turkey I would not think the price of shells would be a factor?

Well for goose I don't buy full tungsten. It's the steel/tungsten mix and I have found it at $20 a box. Canada goose are surprisingly tough and we can't use lead.

I can pattern 3.5" Grand Slam to 70 so I don't see why I would buy TSS for turkey. I have shot a turkey past 50 yards but that is pretty unlikely. I'd only do it if is alone.

TSS is going for like $10 a round. Hard for me to justify when I have boxes of Grand Slam.

Now if I had a 410 I wouldn't shoot anything else. That is of course a much smaller pattern so every pellet counts.

My friend does a 410 with a red dot and TSS. Definitely a deadly combo but I still prefer my 12 gauge with 3.5" shells. 

I also have a friend that rocks a break open 20 gauge with pheasant loads. Many ways of doing it.

I've never heard of someone getting a good shot on a turkey with lead and having it run off. The more common problem is missing at close range with a tight choke.

I use an extra full choke but I also pattern and know how tight it is at 10 yards. I once shot a turkey about that close and decapitated it.

[Russ McDonald]

Ok I am going to ask why 3.5.  You all must not like your selves.  3.5 for water fowl yes I see that but turkey have a much harder punch then water fowl loads.  I want to save my shoulder.  3 inch Hevi-Shot Magnum  blend 3" 40 yards all day long

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[ghosthunter]

Although I own a safe full of shotguns I like to use a variety. Often I will take four or five different shotguns for birds. And switch off depending on my interest at the time. Lately the over unders and SXS have been getting the nod.

If you are lucky you will only shoot a few turkey shells a year to pattern or shoot at birds. So couple boxes lasts a guy awhile. I split a case of turkey loads with a buddy. So May never buy them again in my life.

[Russ McDonald]

Just FYI another expense to think about when shooting TSS.  Get a TSS rated choke or a choke that isn't as full as a super turkey choke.  Plenty of reports of barrels splitting with standard super turkey chokes shooting TSS.  Tungsten does not give so a TSS rated choke is bigger in diameter then a standard turkey choke.  This has been common in the water fowl arena shooting steel shot.

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[konradcountry]

Ok I am going to ask why 3.5.  You all must not like your selves.  3.5 for water fowl yes I see that but turkey have a much harder punch then water fowl loads.  I want to save my shoulder.  3 inch Hevi-Shot Magnum  blend 3" 40 yards all day long

Yea they punch harder but I don't mind. I think it is fun actually.

You can often find a better price on 3.5 due to higher demand of the 3".

Letting that 3.5 rip is a great way to wake up your friends.

[cem3434]

Ok I am going to ask why 3.5.  You all must not like your selves.  3.5 for water fowl yes I see that but turkey have a much harder punch then water fowl loads.  I want to save my shoulder.  3 inch Hevi-Shot Magnum  blend 3" 40 yards all day long

Yea they punch harder but I don't mind. I think it is fun actually.

You can often find a better price on 3.5 due to higher demand of the 3".

Letting that 3.5 rip is a great way to wake up your friends.

  plus for me, I added another 15+ yards to my range by going to 3.5" loads. I can confidently shoot to 60 yards with my setup. Never lost a bird and have rolled several over 50 yards, but I still try to get them closer.