Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Price of TSS shells...

Recently found the shells I use for not as bad of a price, still expensive, but not as bad. As I was checking out, the cashier commented that you could buy a lot of ButterBalls for what they cost. I replied "yes you could, but that's not near as much fun". Then I added "last time I shot a ButterBall, I shut down the entire store, caused quite a stir and got into some big trouble"! Lol! Just a little levity on a cold, rainy, even snowy morning as I wait another week and a half before my seasons...

Getting ban from the grocery store is never a good thing....

Well... now my wife has to go instead!

Bonus

Hard to give $10+ a round when a box of $15 shells will kill turkeys all day long at 40 yards.

I have killed far too many at 40+ yards with a regular full choke and #4 shot to try something that is supposedly better.

Not debating shells... use them or don't.

Agreed!

Yesterday, I shot my 4th turkey over the last 3 years using TSS shot. 2 1/2 oz load of 7 and 9. All shot around 40 yards. Holy smokes they go down fast and barely even flop. I am very happy with the performance. Yes,expensive, but in the big scheme of things, insignificant.

Yeah TSS shells are extremely pricey and all the rage as of late, I have a few buddies that are useing them to kill turkeys @60yds+ but to Me the challenge of calling them in to 40yds or less is the fun (sport) of it and if I can't get him to come in that close? Well the gobbler won the day 😁...I wont be purchasing any TSS turkey shells as good old Winchester Longbeard #5 shells will pattern better than i need and more in my 20ga....Good hunting....Hb

Do you only shoot a deer if comes within 40 yards of you? Elk? Caribou? Never understood why turkeys are the only game animal that must be 40 yards or closer or the experience of killing it is ruined or unethical. And how was 40 yards settled upon as the magic number at which killing a turkey becomes something fun and honorable? Was there a national vote? Government degree? What is the precise reduction in fun and skill if you kill him at say 41 yards compared to 40 yards? 30% less fun? 50%? Is there a graft chart available showing the reduction of sporting fun to yardage ratio?

I have had hunts where I yelped one time just after daylight and had a gobbler fall off the limb and run up to 10 yards like a lost dog. Then again I have fooled with a contrary old bird for 6 hours. Threw every call and trick I knew at him. Got up and repositioned 3 times before finally getting him to walk up to 50 yards and catch a load of TSS number 9's.

Ask me which one of the two I was more proud of. Which one required more effort or skill? Which one was the greater accomplishment? Lots of things make a hunt more or less difficult or more or less special than the shot distance.

TSS isn't "Supposedly Better". It's waaaaay better. Penetrates better patterns better. Had a lot of people claim to get great 40 yard patterns with lead 4's. Never see one actually shoot a 40 yard pattern in front of me with lead 4's that I would rate that highly. Sure as hell never seen it with a regular factory full choke. Below is what my shotgun will do at 40 yards with TSS. A bumble bee would have a hard time finding a place to live in that.

Agreed. Worth every penny. A tank of gas for my truck costs more than a box of TSS. And it's not like you are going on a dove shoot with the stuff. One box is enough to kill my limit of turkeys here in Alabama.

The way I look at it, shoot what you want and I will shoot what I want.
I don't care what you shoot as long as you know the limits of your guns pattern with whatever you choose and stay within them.
For me I like TSS in my 20 ga. I have shot lead, Hevy 13, Heavy Weight, Long beards, (never killed a bird with LB's but did pattern them), all kill birds dead.
I like to hit them as many times in the neck and head as I can with whatever I choose to use. The old rule of thumb was it take 3 hits in the brain and spine to insure a clean kill. The more I can put in those area's, the better I like it.
I hunt with a 20 ga because after 2 shoulder surgeries, I could not take the pounding of a 12 ga anymore. I get just as good of a pattern (better actually) with TSS in 20 than I did with anything in 12 so it was a win for me.
If you are happy with anything other than TSS, good on you.
We don't all deer hunt with a 30-06 with 165gr Barns bullets, so why should be all have to shoot the same ga and shell when it comes to turkey? As long as it gets the job done in a clean and humane way, that is all that matters.

If you have to worry about what the shell cost, well that is another issue.
It would be like picking a lawnmower because it gets better gas mileage vs doing a better job of cutting grass.

Tss has turned the 410 into a 40yd turkey gun, great for kids. Don't think it's necessary in a 12ga but will give you a little more range.

I use 2 3/4" #8's.
I'm too much tightwad to pay for TSS.


In years gone by, 40 yards has been regarded as "maximum shotgun range"....and not just for turkeys.
I won't shoot a deer over 200 yards.
It's not because the round won't do the job, my vision and nerves just ain't what they were 30 years ago! LOL!

I shoot 20 gauge Apex 1 5/8oz. It just flat out hammers bird's 40 to 50 yards and I don't have to pick lead out of my breast meat. Well worth it to me.. My buddies think I'm nuts for spending that much on turkey loads. But then again they don't even pattern there shotguns. I enjoy the hole game, shooting tight patterns and hunting.

Have a buddy that I hunt with that thought I was nuts for shooting TSS as well until he patterned his lead shell next to a TSS shell. He shoots TSS now.

I’m no big turkey hunter, pretty much started last year. Bought 2 boxes of these, didn’t pattern em, just started killin turkeys. I use an old 1100 my grandpa gave me 35 years ago, modified choke, absolutely smashes em. I don’t take long shots, 20 yards, sure they’re not needed but the extra expense doesn’t bother me. They sure work well.👍

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In a 12ga, what TSS load are you guys shooting?

7 & 9, 7 or 9 ?

Mondays,


Saturdays