Turkey Shot Shell Dilemma

[Threewolves]

Cables has Herters tss for 49.99 that's only about 10.00 a shell. 39.99 for 410.

Club members price is a little better 39.98 for 12 and 20. 34.98 for 410.

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[Threewolves]

So. Relatively speaking, two box's  10 shells will round out to about 100.00 bucks, or 10.00 a shot.

I remember back in the day killing my 1st  bird with 12ga 2 3/4 inch. 1 1/4 ounce, #4 duck a pheasant load.

My deisel truck was just below half, I filled it, and it cost 98.00.

I think I am cheap about shotgun shells, it's not like my life depends on the ammo, I am not hunting Cape Buffalo or anything. And as far as fuel prices thanks Joe.



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[avidnwoutdoorsman]

Great great comments in this thread. The hardest thing about changing loads or judging loads is every gun is different. Even the same make and model can vary the load use and we've proven that time and time again.

Just a tip for people trying to save a dollar. Find a friend that wants to load experiment and its even better but highly unlikely that you find a friend that has the same make of gun as you. This way you guys can split the cost of loads and chokes.... each of you buy 3-4 loads and 1-2 chokes. Go out an make a day of it sharing. This way you might get to try 8 loads and 4 chokes like this kid did. Cuz heck even switching form a #5 to #6 or to a blended can make a heck of a difference.

Then when ever you find the load you love buy as much as humanly possible of it...you dont have to really... I just really miss my old load. I was smart enough to buy 5 extra boxes once when it was on sale 4 years ago but I'm down to my last box and they dont make/sell it anymore. Its been rebranded as the Grand Slam load by federal but it aint the same. But knowing this I've been load testing for the last couple years to find my next lead and non-lead load to bulk up on.

PS if any of you have some 12ga. 3.5" Federal #5 copper plated with flight control kicking around that's the load my gun loves and I would be willing to take it off your hands. Red-ish federal turkey load box.

Oh, and why shoot 3.5" instead of 3" for the same comment as above with the shot size. I have tried 2-3/4" to 3-1/2" in almost every load you can get off the shelf at sportmans or cabelas or whatever. Kent, Federal, Remington, Browning, Herters, etc and my gun likes the discontinued 3.5" #5 Federal.

PSS Ask your friends if they have any loads they aren't using anymore or have tried and dont like and run them through your gun. You might find a ringer load. I'm always giving away boxes of shells to friends to try "cuz it didnt work for me".

[salish]

I bought some 20ga TSS shells about three years ago, but I didn't use them until last year. I was in an area of MT that had a non-tox requirement and I used a TSS shell on a tom at around 25 yards. He didn't die any quicker than if I had used lead, but I noticed some tiny pellets went far into the breast, penetrating much further than lead. So it doesn't surprise me that it can kill at longer ranges. In and around this bird, though, I've killed several turkeys here and in MT with my usual old pheasant loads in #6. Sometimes #5. I tend to hunt with very old vintage shotguns and I really don't to use TSS in them. There's definitely a place in my arsenal for TSS, but my hunting doesn't depend on it.

[outdoorspapa]

Salish brings up a good point....  Is TSS ammo ok to use in vintage shotguns?  Maybe not totally vintage but I shoot a 1970'2 mossburg 12 gauge & a Sears single shot .410.   

[Limhangerslayer]

I do want to try some TSS and my co-worker says I'll never go back if I make the change. Hard to justify 60 bucks for 5 rounds when the Long Beard gets it more than done each time. 

That's the dilemma, want to try it but why accrue the cost...
[/quote] in the grand scheme of things is $60 for a box really that bad when you look at all the expenses?  Just a drop in the hat really.

[C-Money]

My son smacked his mature gobbler last week with one shot, using Remington Express long range 12ga 2 3/4" 1 1/4oz #5 shot 3 3/4 dram ammo. He couldn't find the box of turkey loads so put some pheasant loads in his pocket. The full choke he used was the one that came with the shotgun, nothing fancy. This was his first turkey. Of course, pretty excited for the boy. I bought a box of Remington 3.5" 2oz #4 max dram turkey loads this weekend. Probably didn't need to, defiantly don't need 3.5", but if we get another chance, we'll see if the turkey is any deader by using the turkey loads...

[Threewolves]

My son smacked his mature gobbler last week with one shot, using Remington Express long range 12ga 2 3/4" 1 1/4oz #5 shot 3 3/4 dram ammo. He couldn't find the box of turkey loads so put some pheasant loads in his pocket. The full choke he used was the one that came with the shotgun, nothing fancy. This was his first turkey. Of course, pretty excited for the boy. I bought a box of Remington 3.5" 2oz #4 max dram turkey loads this weekend. Probably didn't need to, defiantly don't need 3.5", but if we get another chance, we'll see if the turkey is any deader by using the turkey loads...

Very nice, yep, what your son used is really all anyone needs. No sense overthinking it, after all we are only hunting reptiles with feathers.  Anything else is just feeding in to the commercialization of something that is suppose to be simple and somehow elevating turkeys to some kind of mystical status. BUT, people feel the need to buy specialty chokes, shells, guns.......

[iRem]

My son smacked his mature gobbler last week with one shot, using Remington Express long range 12ga 2 3/4" 1 1/4oz #5 shot 3 3/4 dram ammo. He couldn't find the box of turkey loads so put some pheasant loads in his pocket. The full choke he used was the one that came with the shotgun, nothing fancy. This was his first turkey. Of course, pretty excited for the boy. I bought a box of Remington 3.5" 2oz #4 max dram turkey loads this weekend. Probably didn't need to, defiantly don't need 3.5", but if we get another chance, we'll see if the turkey is any deader by using the turkey loads...

Nice work to you and your son! My oldest son took his first bird…actually first 2 birds this past weekend, 2 shots 2 birds with the Winchester XR 12 gauge 3 1/2” #5. I’ll post something later.

[iRem]

My son smacked his mature gobbler last week with one shot, using Remington Express long range 12ga 2 3/4" 1 1/4oz #5 shot 3 3/4 dram ammo. He couldn't find the box of turkey loads so put some pheasant loads in his pocket. The full choke he used was the one that came with the shotgun, nothing fancy. This was his first turkey. Of course, pretty excited for the boy. I bought a box of Remington 3.5" 2oz #4 max dram turkey loads this weekend. Probably didn't need to, defiantly don't need 3.5", but if we get another chance, we'll see if the turkey is any deader by using the turkey loads...

Nice work to you and your son! My oldest son took his first bird…actually first 2 birds this past weekend, 2 shots 2 birds with the Winchester XR 12 gauge 3 1/2” #5. I’ll post something later.

Here’s a snapshot of his first bird…
https://youtube.com/shorts/P_Koazz5HQg?si=s83BPYKD_WwoUmEg

[duckmen1]

2 down for the 410 over under. TSS strikes again. Gotta love that shot in a sub gauge shotgun. And hand loads to boot again. 10/10 over the seasons since switching to the 410. So much fun.