Turkey Shot Shell Dilemma

[HikerHunter]

I bought some TSS for last year. There are easier ways to save money than on turkey shells.

[iRem]

I appreciate the constructive feedback! Sounds like if I go down in caliber and I shoot TSS I would get the same results, sort of speak, as I’m getting now with my 3 - 3 1/2”. Great perspectives everyone.

[Russ McDonald]

So, some thoughts.  When I first bought TSS for a 12 and 20 gauge, they were less than $30 a box.  Thought they were awesome, but with my 12 I used Heavy shot to.  Thought TSS was overkill.  Wife whot the 20 and I put here on TSS right away.  My wife grew up never hunting.  Just started in the last 8 years.  Loves turkey hunting, especially with me.  Shooting TSS for her I feel a little more comfortable due to performance, but wait, there is more.  I have been using a .410 for the last 4 years is absolutely outstanding.  I also tried out some diamond Winchester, none TSS.  It was ok but the pattern at 20 yards with TSS and the Winchestee is night and day.  We were on a fall hunt, and she was on a setup and grabbed my .410 and dropped 2 birds with it.  Guess what I had to buy another .410.  Anyway, back to ammo.  I think, unfortunately, that lead ammo is going to be a thing of the past.  From what I have heard from industry insiders.  So options out there would be bismuth, steel, TSS, and I believe some others.  The thing with TSS is that it is lighter and will carry a higher velocity than the others, although I hear that Bismuth is very good too.  I do have a question for some of you.  Why are you shooting 3.5".  Are you a waterfowl hunter to?  I feel that shooting a 3.5" is just punishment for your shoulder.  Turkey loads pack a heck of a punch.  In my opinion, there is no need to shoot 3.5".  You can find sales on TSS  online.  This is the time of year through March you will find deals.  Rogers Sporting Goods is one.  The biggest thing I tell people at seminars or when they ask me.  No matter what ammo, you shoot pattern your gun.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

[GWP]

Other food for thought:
If you reload, you can download a bit, either weight or fps, for someone that does not like 'kicker' loads and still have better performance than steel loads.
That, and I used to carry some 'hot', max weight, larger pellet, premium HeviShot (heavier than lead), for the down but swimming away birds.
I would say 'stunned' is the word for how some observers reacted to how far away those were effective.

[ASHQUACK]

Original hevi-shot was the best. It was a nickel, tungsten and iron blend. I used to rep and do sales for the company and still have a few #4 originals. They are saved for "special" hunts.

[Remington Outdoors]

I hope this video I made will help your shot shell dilemma   

t=27s

[C-Money]

I think a 12ga, full-extra full choke, 2 3/4 - 3" shell with 1.5 to 2oz of 4, 5, or 6 lead shot traveling 1200-1300fps is dead turkey in 99.9% of normal turkey hunts. Standard offerings in a 20ga may slip to 99.8% effective... Just gotta rip a few pellets through his head/neck. Heck, a lot of the time a 1 1/8oz trap load with 7.5 shot would be more than effective! It is fun to talk about all the different offerings in turkey hunting loads though.

[Huckleberry]

My gun likes a heavy load of Remington #5s. On the occasional longer shot I can't imagine picking out 8s or even 9s from the meat. Some of those targets looked like Swiss cheese. Dead turkey but is it edible? I've never tried the TSS but used that logic on my ammo purchase this season. Is the small shot reasonable? I grind most of my birds to utilize wing/back/leg meat so it does get cut up and searched through.

[Rugsnfeathers]

Why change whats working.  Does going from $15 a box of shells to $50 + dollar box get you an extra dead turkey. 

 

After your hunt, go buy yourself a nice steak dinner with the $35.00 you saved. 

[Pegasus]

Use what you have unless you need to downsize for kids or health reasons. The TSS might work well but this is all about marketing. Why do you think the gun manufacturers bring out a new model every year or two? Car manufacturers are even worse.You will likely only use one or two shells a year unless you have not patterned your shotgun. Something you will have to do if you switch to the new TSS. If you can't hit a turkey strutting at 40 yards with any turkey round you should go play golf instead.

[tgomez]

I have used Remington Premier Magnum 3" #5 for a few years now. Out of my Mossberg 500 Turkey, I get a great pattern to 55 yards with a Carlson's Longbeard XR .660 choke. Personally I see no reason to pay another $40-$45 to increase my range roughly 10 yards. Next Spring I will try some Winchester Longbeard XR in 3" #5 to see if it is any better without a excessive price increase. At the end of the day pattern your shotgun and use what works best for you and your hunting style/needs.

[HikerHunter]

After your hunt, go buy yourself a nice steak dinner with the $35.00 you saved.

I view some purchases, which would include turkey shells, on a longer time scale. If you use two turkey shells a year, then shooting a $1 shell versus a $10 shell saves you $18 a year. On that same year time scale, let's say you drive 10k miles and gas is $4/gal, if you ease up on your lead foot and get 16 mpg instead of 15 mpg, then you would save $170.

There are certainly easier ways to save money in my view, but now the question is whether you can tell a difference between an $18 steak and a $170 steak???

[birddogdad]

My gun likes a heavy load of Remington #5s. On the occasional longer shot I can't imagine picking out 8s or even 9s from the meat. Some of those targets looked like Swiss cheese. Dead turkey but is it edible? I've never tried the TSS but used that logic on my ammo purchase this season. Is the small shot reasonable? I grind most of my birds to utilize wing/back/leg meat so it does get cut up and searched through.

so i guess the first thought here is yeah, small shot is reasonable, you dont shoot a turkey in the breast ... TSS chokes are a very tight pattern and head shot should be the norm so picking from meat is minimal, not taking flight passing shots here to pepper a body. it comes down to choice as i have said but money should not have any play in ammo choice with all the other costs that never get mentioned. the "nickel and dime" on ammo argument has always been funny to me .. TSS does have advantages and is superior in all performance aspects over all other stuff but if you dont want it , dont do it. I like that i have same to superior 40-50yd performance from a 2 3/4" TSS in 20 ga as to the  12ga max load #5 guys with less carry weight and WAY less recoil. 

[Call em in]

After your hunt, go buy yourself a nice steak dinner with the $35.00 you saved.

I view some purchases, which would include turkey shells, on a longer time scale. If you use two turkey shells a year, then shooting a $1 shell versus a $10 shell saves you $18 a year. On that same year time scale, let's say you drive 10k miles and gas is $4/gal, if you ease up on your lead foot and get 16 mpg instead of 15 mpg, then you would save $170.

There are certainly easier ways to save money in my view, but now the question is whether you can tell a difference between an $18 steak and a $170 steak???

Well said.

[TheStovePipeKid]

I've been hunting turkey in the NE for about 15 years. My setup is usually 3" Winchester XR LongBeard out of a single shot 12ga TC. I started shooting TSS a few years back to see what the hype was about. If you're wondering whether TSS is as amazing as everyone keeps saying, the answer is yes. Should everyone switch over to TSS? That answer is no. For me I only use TSS in the Spring hunting gobblers. I like the extra range and knowing I have a ton of shot packed in my shell. In the Fall I go back to LongBeard because it's more economical to shoot in bulk and performs well.

In conclusion, if you're hunting enough to consider trying TSS, then do it! The proper choke and a box of shells on sale will hardly break the bank. If you find you don't like it, trade your leftover shells for some root beer and settle back into your setup.