Are tungsten turkey loads worth the money?

[schmalts]

I have never had a problem with copper coated lead. So it is a no for me

 

[Sheltowee]

I appreciate very much everyone's input on something I have no real experience with. I was always chasing fish in the spring instead of chasing turkeys.

I have decided to go ahead and cough up the money for TSS. It's difficult because I am an incredibly cheap SOB, ask my wife.
The reason is, on this hunt, we are allowed to take feral hogs and coyotes. We are only allowed to possess birdshot though. I'm pretty sure that TSS will likely be more lethal to a hogs noggin than copper plated shot. If you agree or disagree, let me know. This has been a good discussion.

Can confirm it’ll knock the fire out of a smallish Kansas coyote at about 35 yards.

 

[Mallardsx2]

My daughter shot a gobbler last spring at 35 yards with her 20 gauge using lead Winchester #5’s.

Prior to the season, I tried several different lead/choke combinations and I settled on one that was “meh” at 30 yards.

That gobbler was soaking up that 20 gauge load like nothing I have ever seen and I’ve killed a pile of turkeys…

Long story short, after a reload or two and a bit of a foot chase, we finally got the bird killed and when the smoke finally cleared I decided that I was 100% switching her to tss#9’s next season or she is going to have to start using my turkey gun. That 20 gauge with lead shot was very underwhelming.

Opportunities simply don’t come easy to us where we live and I want her to have clean kills.

I can’t blame anyone for using or wanting to use tss.

 

[Sheltowee]

I should add: for best results, don't choke TSS too much. I get better patterns with a factory full than I do a tighter turkey choke.

What's your set up this year ?

I'm still packing the cannon 3.5" Remington 12 ga. with Holosun RedDot, Shooting 3.5" TSS with a TSS chock. I did by a 410 Stevens 26" with a Holoson Red dot. TSS chock and TSS shells. This is set up for my Granddaughters 1st hunt. I do travel to 6-7 States most years and cannon has dropped some...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[Wvhuntandfish]

The increased range just isn’t worth the cost to me.

 

[Zootownelk]

I shoot 3" #9 TSS out of my 12 gauge. As few shots as I take on turkeys, i justify it to myself as a 'just in case' a bird hangs up at 50 yards. Is it necessary? Absolutely not. Prior to TSS I shot a bird at 40 yards with Winchester Longbeard #5's that died instantly. I think about going back to them to save $ as I'm getting low on my TSS.

 

[Bigjay73]

I mean , you only shoot 1 to 5 shots a year depending on how many tags you buy, is cost even an issue?

 

[Greybeard]

FYI, starting January 1, China is severely cutting back exports of tungsten (along with silver and antimony). This could lead to a rise in the prices of those metals. TSS turkey loads might be getting more expensive soon.

 

[RealMuddyboots]

Camo at $$$, calls at $$$$, shotguns, chokes, scouting trips gas at $$$$, drive distances at $$$$, trip hotels, trucks at $$$$, food, gas, camping, RV's at $$$$. The one thing where rubber meets the road that can increase possibility of success always seems to be ammo.? We spend a lot of money on our pursuits of critters, why not use the best ammo too? We reload not with the cheapest components to get the best performance either. One arrow with decent broadhead and lighted nock is far more expensive and after running thru deer, not so much.

We all do things differently to chase feathers and fur which makes the world go around. Use what floats your boat (that is worthy of 25 pages too). Better to be in the woods than not at all. The woods is the universal vaccination for better health.

PSA: Shooting 3 1/2's is just a reminder to see your ortho doc for cortisone shot.

 

[Bonasababy]

If you need tungsten to kill a turkey you should work on you ability to hide stay still and call. Spend the money on a quality decoy and box call. I’ve stoned plenty of turkeys at 40-50 with a .410 #5 like 11/16 oz of shot. If a 2.75/3”/3.5” 4/5/6 don’t kill it you probably shouldn’t have been shooting at it. I’ve actually missed quite a few turkeys on the first shot in Montana with “special” turkey loads cause they get in close and between specialized shot, cups and chokes I’m essentially trying to hit it with a slug,

Yep.

Just like sighting in a gun, everyone should pattern your turkey shotgun. I have shot turkeys with short 20 gauge shells from 15 yards to 45. Need patterns that work at close range and TSS is not ideal for loads that pattern so tight...and maybe move while shooting, may be behind some brush you didn't see that will deflect some pellets, etc.

I do like the high density stuff in small gauges but it can be had cheaper than TSS. Last I saw federal TSS was near $70 a box!!

Once patterned you dont need a lot of ammo though I would buy 3 to 4 boxes in case they stop making it.

I am still shooting some old hevi shot loads from back when Remington was selling them.

 

[Bonasababy]

I should add: for best results, don't choke TSS too much. I get better patterns with a factory full than I do a tighter turkey choke.

What's your set up this year ?

I'm still packing the cannon 3.5" Remington 12 ga. with Holosun RedDot, Shooting 3.5" TSS with a TSS chock. I did by a 410 Stevens 26" with a Holoson Red dot. TSS chock and TSS shells. This is set up for my Granddaughters 1st hunt. I do travel to 6-7 States most years and cannon has dropped some...

www.hunttalk.com

Be carefull...TSS and the steel in some barrels dont work well together...barrel damage. Same with some other HD shot.

If you have interchangeable chokes or barrels proofed for steel you are generally OK.