My question is: If the TSS really is superior to old fashioned lead, is it really worth the much higher cost? The 12 b TSS shells Ive seen are about $7/shell. Im assuming the sub gauge shells are more. How much is a TSS for the .410? $10 or more per shell if bought as new? Ive killed several turkeys with 12 ga 2 3/4 lead #4s at yardage and it folded them up dead as dead can be. They cost about $.75 cent/shell. Why go to a $10/shot shell?? If I were a billionaire, Id still know the value of a dollar. Theres plenty of light weight 12b shotguns out there. Why go to a .410???? Bragging rights, is that it? This push to kill turkeys with sub gauge guns makes almost no sense to me.
.410 shells are the cheapest of the TSS shells out there. About $5 per shell. The cost of the raw material (and certainly greed) is why they cost so much. They do however perform and shoot tight patterns. Probably too tight for most folks.
I grew up shooting number 4 lead shells 2 3/4". Killed quite a few turkeys. Reality is killing a turkey really means hitting them in the head with the shot. That's why one of the bigger performing shells for a few years were Federal 3" shells loaded with number 7.5 Lead. Folks called them in close and then shot them in the head. The second shot most folks used was a number 4 lead, because if you missed them and they were running away, the number 4 would knock them down with a body shot.
I shot 4 lead for years until Hevi-shot came out. Then I shot 3 or 3.5" hevi-shot normally in size 5 or perhaps 6 and crushed them. However I was lugging a Benelli SBE with scope that was pushing 9 lbs (steadygrip model).
Shot my last turkey 4 years ago with that set up. My buddy had the exact same gun and he had switched to a 20 gauge using 3" 1 1/4 oz number 6 hevi-shot. He was killing turkeys just as dead as me and he had it dialed in where he was getting about 120 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards. He never lost a bird he shot.
After watching his success I switched to the same setup (20 gauge) with number 6 hevi-shot (the Remington Load). Finally a few years later and the number 7 hevi-shot came out that hit like lead 5's and I made the switch. Did the penetration test with 1/4" plywood and the lead 5's didn't penetrate and the 7 hevi-shot did. Turkey's head isn't harder then plywood so I made the switch.
I haven't gone to the TSS and don't believe I ever will. I don't believe I will shoot anything smaller then Hevi or Heavyweight 7's. Penetration and lots of pellets. What many folks don't know is the Federal's are 20 gauge's loaded with 1 1/2 oz of shot. Hell, that's a 2 3/4" mag turkey load (just like what I shot 25 year ago). The big difference IMO is these 20 gauge turkey's loads with the right choke almost shoot like a rifle. I have zero problem with putting 150 pellets of number 7's into that 10" circle at 40 yards and I'm carrying a gun that weighs about 6.5 lbs.
Not sure why anyone feels the need to carry a 12 gauge anymore, but some do. Some are shooting 3.5" 12 gauges with number 9 TSS and that is probably pushing about 900 pellets downrange. Just don't see the need. How dead does a turkey have to be.
Agree with the last poster about woodsmanship. I have killed a quite a few turkey's over the years. My calling is average, but you just need to be where they wanna go for the most part and you will do ok. Scouting is a big deal, followed by patience and yes a gun that will do the job when its time to drop the hammer.
PS. I saw where folks using the little .410 are getting 150 hits in a 10" circle at 40 yards when they are dialed in. That will indeed kill any turkey on the planet. I have no desire to go that route, but long as its ethical why not. Whatever floats your boat.
PS. If folks want to complain about anything in the turkey world, look up some video's on Reaping. Done with both a shotgun and a bow. Should be 100 percent outlawed IMO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzFZA1wD2kUDouble PS. One of the 3 I took last year with my 20 gauge.
