I will be hunting a non-toxic shot area for turkey. My question is; would #4 or 5 bismuth be suitable or ethical for use on turkey? Not wanting to go TSS (pixie dust) if I don't have to, as this is my first year hunting turkey and want to make sure it's for me.
Size four or five should do the trick. You'll need to pattern your gun and keep your shots closer than lead, Hevi-shot or TSS. Bismuth isn't quite as dense as lead but for twenty-five yards with a good pattern, it will kill a Turkey.
Running the numbers through KPY Ballistics, it looks like 5s are probably going to be your best choice. Sixes have the penetration to kill to 37 yards, 5s to 47, and 4s to 57 when launched at 1200 fps. Sixes get the edge in pattern density as one would expect but are limited with regards to penetration. Fours win hands down on penetration but are going to run out of pattern way before that. I would pattern both 5s and 6s and see how far you can keep 100 pellets in a 10" circle. That is your max range, with the caveat that 6s are out of energy at 37 yards. Good luck!
I shoot ducks with bismuth and it does a great job. Having said that, there is no comparison to the performance of TSS to that of bismuth. Tss is hands down a better choice.
Thank you all for the information, now to the patterning board. Thanks again.