Might have been posted.... Probably has but its been a long time since I have been active on the forums. I have about 8 Federal Heavyweights (before they where loaded with TSS) left over. I imagine I can only get through this season with what I have left. I started looking for some new boxes and they are ALL TSS loads now. Everything $42+ a box of 5 shells.
What the heck happened to affordable shells? With them costing this much it makes me not want to go pattern my gun and play around with shell combos / chokes for best results. Even when my other Heavyweight shells cost me $20 a box I thought that was a little high. I would buy every box on the shelf at that price now.
I currently have a Rem 870 Youth model with a Carlsons .575
I should also add that where I hunt, I am mostly limited to 30 yard shots max range.
Cheap ammo is still available. Go shoot that if you can't afford TSS.
Quote from: Glades on January 17, 2023, 09:58:59 PM
Cheap ammo is still available. Go shoot that if you can't afford TSS.
It's not a question of what can be afforded. I'm at the point where I feel like the prices are artificially inflated and the TSS loads are not necessary. Everyone was killing birds with no problem long before TSS. I am curious as to what alternatives are out there. I am going to pick up a box of Federal Prairie Storm in #6's to give a go. 25 shells for $35 is a much better price so long as they perform to 30 yards.
I don't know the velocity of the PS.. The Win XX is a good option. It looks like the discontinued the Fed mag shock. That was my favorite in the 20. (Lead)
If 30 yards is your max range, any shell will work just fine.
I really like Federal Grand Slam in the 20 gauge offering. It shoots great in every gun I've tried it out of.
There is plenty of great shooting ammo out there that isn't tss. Winchester longbeards, Federal
grand slams, and Hevi-shot. You probably will have to just pick up some various loads and hit the
pattern board to see what works best for you. Hevi-shot mag blends performed very well out of my
sons 870 20 gauge with the factory super full choke.
Appreciate the feedback, ill have to hit up the local shop and grab a few boxes and do some testing.
Quote from: 357MAGNOLE on January 17, 2023, 10:24:10 PM
Quote from: Glades on January 17, 2023, 09:58:59 PM
Cheap ammo is still available. Go shoot that if you can't afford TSS.
It's not a question of what can be afforded. I'm at the point where I feel like the prices are artificially inflated and the TSS loads are not necessary. Everyone was killing birds with no problem long before TSS. I am curious as to what alternatives are out there. I am going to pick up a box of Federal Prairie Storm in #6's to give a go. 25 shells for $35 is a much better price so long as they perform to 30 yards.
Just shoot lead. I don't get the tss craze either. Unnecessary imo I don't shoot and have no desire to shoot far. Turkeys are a close range sport
Quote from: Bowguy on January 19, 2023, 06:59:34 AM
Quote from: 357MAGNOLE on January 17, 2023, 10:24:10 PM
Quote from: Glades on January 17, 2023, 09:58:59 PM
Cheap ammo is still available. Go shoot that if you can't afford TSS.
It's not a question of what can be afforded. I'm at the point where I feel like the prices are artificially inflated and the TSS loads are not necessary. Everyone was killing birds with no problem long before TSS. I am curious as to what alternatives are out there. I am going to pick up a box of Federal Prairie Storm in #6's to give a go. 25 shells for $35 is a much better price so long as they perform to 30 yards.
Just shoot lead. I don't get the tss craze either. Unnecessary imo I don't shoot and have no desire to shoot far. Turkeys are a close range sport
THIS!!!!!
Quote from: Bowguy on January 19, 2023, 06:59:34 AM
Quote from: 357MAGNOLE on January 17, 2023, 10:24:10 PM
Quote from: Glades on January 17, 2023, 09:58:59 PM
Cheap ammo is still available. Go shoot that if you can't afford TSS.
It's not a question of what can be afforded. I'm at the point where I feel like the prices are artificially inflated and the TSS loads are not necessary. Everyone was killing birds with no problem long before TSS. I am curious as to what alternatives are out there. I am going to pick up a box of Federal Prairie Storm in #6's to give a go. 25 shells for $35 is a much better price so long as they perform to 30 yards.
Just shoot lead. I don't get the tss craze either. Unnecessary imo I don't shoot and have no desire to shoot far. Turkeys are a close range sport
Good post, that's pretty much where I'm at anymore. Turkey hunting is a sport, It's not whether you win
or lose, It is how you enjoy playing the game.
The only gun I use TSS in is my .410 ga. All the rest I use some sort of lead load or Hevi-Shot. IMO in a 10 or 12 ga. TSS is not needed. I killed many turkeys with plain old lead and have never felt at a disadvantage.
You can buy Winchester Longbead lead loads for $3 or less per shell. And they will kill 40+ yards. I shoot TSS hand loads in my 20 ga when hunting open fields or woods, and Longbeards # 5 when shots are tight and heavy cover. Not that TSS would not do the job, but I just like the fact that can switch around and use both depending on situation.
My favorite non-TSS loads are the heavy-shot stuff. Magblends, straight 7s, and straight 6s were the best for me over the years. I used to really like the Remington Wingmaster HD straight 6s when you could find them.
As far as lead, when longbeards hit, they hit really well. However, I have had a few that were absolutely terrible. They have had issues over the years with bad lots...if going the longboard route, make sure you shoot at least one shell from every box to check its consistency.
The only other leads that I have used much at all were the Winchester XX and Federal Mag shock...they both did well.
All that being said, I do love shooting TSS. I load my own, so it adds some fun to it on that end. Patterns are unbelievable, and it's what I like to shoot, even in my 12 gauge. Is it overkill? Maybe. But I like em, have confidence in them, and don't mind the cost for as little as I shoot them. For someone else that does mind the cost, I fully support their decision. To each their own...such a grand idea!
I limit my kids to shots within 30 yards out of the 20 guage 870 they shoot. Within that range Fiocchi Golden Pheasant 3" 5's have killed a bunch of turkeys and patterns well with a regular ol full choke. As long as I'm getting the toms into the decoys, that setup will work just fine.
I will add, I shot some of the 3 1/2" 12 guage Golden Turkey loads in 2021 when I was out of lead pheasant loads...I do not recommend them. I would have been better off with the Golden Pheasant loads. Same shot in both, but those turkey loads have a heavier payload that beat the heck out of my shoulder and cheek and didn't pattern well enough to use beyond 35 yards anyway.
Remember when we went to the NWTF in Nashville and there was long lines to get Heavy-shot. Then a couple years later the lines were for Long Beards. I'm sure in a couple weeks the lines will be for TSS. There's plenty of reasonable lead priced shells out there. Whatever you go with, I would just get enough to pattern my gun. No substitute for a good patterned gun! Good luck. I will stick with the LB for my 12g but went with the TSS for my 20g.
I would probably start with Longbeard XRs, not just because they work well, but because they're about the least likely to get discontinued.
Longbeard XRs or if you can find them, I hunted Remington Premiers #5's for years.
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I tested out some 20 ga federal grand slam #5s and was very impressed with the 30 yard and under pattern for it being #5s. They patterned better than the nitro and XX #5s. Larger payload too.
Scheels has some Win XX 5s in a 10 count for $17. Hevishot mag blend 5-6-7 in 5 count for $30.
Win longbeards will run you about $30 for a 10 count.
Federal grand slam in copper plated 5 shot is about $22 a 10 count.
There are lots of options out there, but I prefer TSS to get the performance of a 3.5 12 gauge out of the 20.
I shoot a few magnum lead rounds to get on paper where I want. Then, switch to TSS for final 2 or 3 shots to dial it in so I don't shoot tons of TSS sighting in.
Winchester Longbeards have never let me down.
The ammo companies are a BUSINESS and as some of you have noticed..they are fixated on the high profit margin items like pure tungsten loads ...the moderate and affordable as ammo is scarce
I'm observant of industry trends , and trust me on this the good old lead , you might want to stock up on that ..cause in the future it could be a thing of the past ..
I would recommend on stocking up in any turkey ammo for that matter
I'm observant on a lot of things and I would like you all to know we take the high road on shooting distances and not promote loooong shots ..it portrays a bad image of the site and ALWAYS results in a dispute ..thank you in advance
Back to what the ammo companies are up to ..if they have limited manpower and materials they are going to focus on the high profit items..every single time ...be mindful that turkey ammo production runs are notoriously short , they come up with a new product...roll out a advertising and marketing...run it ...if it does well they keep going , until the competition bites into their market share ..then they go back and forth ..
If you find a magic shell ...hoard up the stuff
Winchester long beard shoot really good. They run around $25 a box of 10
I've always shot Longbeards and I've always shot 12 gauge up until this year where I'll be giving a 20 gauge a try for the first time, I'll continue to use the Longbeards in the 12 but I did go with TSS for the 20 ... the Longbeard XRs have always worked very well for me.
I get excellent patterns at 35yards with Longbeards in a 20g. Sumtoy .562 with 5s and 6s do awesome.
I'd even feel confident at 40.
Federal Grandslams can be picky with what chokes you shoot, but I have had great patterns with it to.
Longbeard is the best lead load on the shelf. If you can find 6s snatch those up, they throw great patterns in choked right.