Winchester SA-08 26 bbl / Sumtoy .562 / Apex Smalltown Blend

[northwoods6555]

Hi all, I'm pretty new to the forum but have already learned a lot here, thanks to all of you. I'm also new to turkey hunting. I made my first serious attempt at hunting gobblers last spring and took my first tom a couple weeks ago. Though very grateful to have gotten a bird, I wasn't thrilled with the patterns I was getting with Hevi-shot Magnum Blend; they really fell apart between 30 and 40 yards. So I bought a few Apex TSS shells. What a difference! Thought I'd post my results.

Winchester SA-08 20 gauge — 26" barrel
Sumtoy .562 choke
Apex Smalltown Hunting Blend 20 gauge — 1 5/8 oz (5/8 oz. #7.5 + 1 oz. #9) — ~490 pellets per shell

348 in 10" at 30 lasered yards
216 in 10" at 40 lasered yards (pictured)
149 in 10" at 50 lasered yards

[BandedSpur]

Congratulations on finding a pattern with which you are happy. TSS is definitely a gamechanger. Now if you want to really supercharge your patterns, unless you live in a state where it would not be legal to do so, ditch the blend and go for a straight load of 9s. The 7.5s in that blend are doing your pattern no favors and are taking up room that could be used for more than adequate 9s. A straight load of 9s would have 585 pellets vs your current 490. TSS 7.5s for turkeys is akin to shooting lead 2s at doves - way overkill at the expense of pattern density.

[northwoods6555]

Congratulations on finding a pattern with which you are happy. TSS is definitely a gamechanger. Now if you want to really supercharge your patterns, unless you live in a state where it would not be legal to do so, ditch the blend and go for a straight load of 9s. The 7.5s in that blend are doing your pattern no favors and are taking up room that could be used for more than adequate 9s. A straight load of 9s would have 585 pellets vs your current 490. TSS 7.5s for turkeys is akin to shooting lead 2s at doves - way overkill at the expense of pattern density.

Thanks, BandedSpur. I'll look to get my hands on some pure #9 loads at some point. I'm sure having 20 percent more pellets wouldn't hurt!

[BINK McCARTY]

Completely agree with BandedSpur no need to shoot 7.5s in TSS at turkeys. 3" 1 5/8oz. 9s is the ticket for the majority of 20 gauges. More than likely gonna put 300-320 in the 10 @ 40 yds. Keep in mind there are alot of different ammo manufacturers...
Apex
Foxtrot
BOSS
Wilson custom loads ( this is one AWESOME load for sure)
Burgess creek
Rogue
Pendleton
Etc....
Good luck and keep us apprised of ya choice!!!

[northwoods6555]

Thanks, Bink. My brain is still trying to adjust to these kinds of numbers! With the Hevi-shot Mag Blend, I was getting fewer than 50 pellets in 10" at 40 yds...