Tungsten Turkey shells worth the price?

[crl]

I picked up some Winchester LongBeards the other day for fall turkey season and saw a 5 pack of the tungsten shells for $40. I’ve read some of the claimed benefits, but does anyone actually use them? I just can’t talk myself into paying $8 a shell. Are they worth it?


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[Midwestwaterfowl]

I shot em this year in a 20 gauge, I wouldn’t if I was shooting a 12. With a 12 I got good enough patterns with lead 5s or 6s to do what I need it to, but I ain’t a long range turkey shooter. The real benefit is in smaller shotguns, and I my experience a more forgiving pattern at closer range.

 

[Blaser 264]

I reload my own. It makes a big difference in smaller gauges.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I load my own for my 20 and 12 ga. It’s well worth it for me in both.

 

[waitforit]

my kid shot a turkey DRT this spring with hevi-shot in .410 at 20 yards - I would not think that possible with lead shotshells out of that particular gun. Pattern was not the best but those heavy pellets did the job.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

Like others have said, larger benefits in smaller gauges. The longbeard XR shoots them as far as I need. Some guys are claiming kills at ridiculous distances

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

Not for my 12ga, but might when little man shots his 410 or 20ga

 

[NoWiser]

I use them with my 20 gauge. For the number of shots I take per year, the cost isn't a big deal. They flat-out work. I use #9 shot Federal TSS. That little gun with a red dot and the TSS loads are great for taking kids.

 

[hobbes]

I roll my own in 12, but I use a relatively light load . It gives me reduced recoil but still a deadly pattern. I don't have to icemy shoulder down after a walloping from a 3" or 3 1/2" lead load. Bought 20s from Fox Trot Ammo online. I shoot probably 3 to 4 rounds per season during an average season typically resulting in 3 to 4 stone dead turkeys. Add in 1 to check zero and I'm at $40. Considering what I spend on fuel, $40 for the season is a drop in the bucket. I could still kill them with lead if I chose to.

 

[N2TRKYS]

This is a typical 40 yds pattern with an 870 20ga with a 21” barrel.

 

[Go West Old Man]

I picked up some Winchester LongBeards the other day for fall turkey season and saw a 5 pack of the tungsten shells for $40. I’ve read some of the claimed benefits, but does anyone actually use them? I just can’t talk myself into paying $8 a shell. Are they worth it?


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I’m assuming your talking 12ga. I’ve bought & patterned various turkey loads & brands over the years including in more recent years the Winchester Longbeards. My old, trusty SP11-87 12ga. has always liked #5’s, and in it the 3” Longbeard #5 pattern great. No need to try anything else, and the Longbeard price isn’t bad. So, just shoot the Longbeards that you bought & save some money. I shot a really nice, mature boss gobbler back in April at less than 10 yards. One of the #5’s went through his right eye. He didn’t even flop.

 

[Stalk’nAwe]

I’ve shot a lot of em with 12ga #5 long beard xr in the last few years...at the ranges I killed em at I don’t think tungsten could kill em any “deader” than the xr’s lol but I was trained in the old school where if you can’t get a tom inside 50 yards he wins that round

 

[Austink47]

When you are as bad at turkey hunting as i am it is not much of an investment.

 

[Battletoad]

I use them both for my 12 gauge and .410. With the .410 I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot 40 yards. With the 12 gauge I killed a turkey this year at much farther than I’m willing to admit due to a rangefinder\my brain malfunction. I usually shoot one shot a year, so the extra $5 a shell is inconsequential.

This is a 10” circle at 35 yards with the .410

 

[thewaterfowler]

There is ZERO doubt that the TSS, tungsten based shells are superior to lead. I use both the Magnum Blends and Hevi-18 TSS Turkey. When you consider the number of shells you normally shoot in a turkey season these shells plus how effective they are then you realize they are INEXPENSIVE. When a turkey is hit with these shells they go down and you are able to recover the turkey. As far as shooting a sub gauge (.410 or 20), I would never think about it unless I used one of these shells.

 

[wesley]

agreed, I've had good luck with pricey ammo and believe its worth the extra dollars.

 

[thewaterfowler]

I have never looked at it in terms of pricey or not pricey. For me, it's about the quality and performance.
If you assess what it costs to hunt (lease/land, gun/bow, transportation, camo attire, etc) then the ammo
is truly one of the least expensive parts of the hunt. If you combine that with the quality and how effective
a shotgun shell like Hevishot makes is then you truly have not spent that much. What really sold me was
when I first started using Hevishot Duck and the duck fall and literally NOT TWITCH once it hit the water.
There were no "clean up" shots, no chasing the duck 1/4 mile across the field.

 

[WCB]

At normal Turkey distances 40 yards and in No they are not. For smaller gauges and extended ranges yes they are.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Never shot one at a turkey but worth every penny...Picked up a box before last year's season, my curiosity got the best of me, figured I keep one in my pocket for that gobbler that hangs up just out of range...Filled all 3 of my tags last year at a combined distance of 30 yds. 2 @ 5 or less and one at 20. Never took one out my pocket...I hope they work just as well this year!

 

[Jawsnclaws]

TSS is awesome. Turkey hunting is usually only a few shots a year.. I don't think anyone who has used it could argue that its not better than other options.
And most times the gas to get to your huntin spot cost more than the shell your go to shoot.