Well looks like I picked the wrong week to give up lead for TSS

[DMTJAGER]

Went to my local Cabela's last night on the way home from work the ONLY place that has TSS or any kind of turkey shells available OTC.

Cabela's only had three different TSS shells available and one single box of lead Turkey shells less than 12  total boxes and only 8 in 12ga as 3 were 20ga Federal TSS and one was Remington 410 TSS.
The 20ga Federal TSS was $70 a box of 5, the 12ga 3" HEVI-18 were $65 for a box of 5, and the Remington 410 TSS were $40 for a box of 5.

Best deal on line I can find is Federal 12ga 3.5"2.25oz  #7/#9 combo for $46 for a box of 5. No straight #9 shot I found anywhere I am willing to pay for.
Forgot to add when the 12ga Federal TSS was in stock at Cabela's it was $76 for a box of 5

I am by no means the least bit hesitant when it comes  to spending money on top quality hunting gear, and I am a die hard capitalist, but $13 a shell? for crying out loud 12 and 20 gauge TSS prices are at or beyond that of 50 BMG or 500 Nito express shells, and unless I am mistaken are the most expensive OTC factory ammo you can currently buy and definitely out of my scope of affordability.

If I am to understand correctly everyone is buying their TSS shot from China so are the Chinese gouging us on TSS prices or the ammo makers or both?

All I can say is thank God I stocked up on lead turkey shells and have plenty for 7 or 8 more seasons.

I guess I will continue to constantly check and when the finally become available get the needed components to hand load TSS shells.

Luckily for me my friend is no longer reloading trap or waterfowl shells so he has offered to sell me all his 12ga reloading equipment including a drill press, a vibrating gypsum mixer, a hull vice and a MEC press to prime hulls. He just doesn't have any new unfired hulls and not sure about what other reloading tools or shell components he has will work with TSS shells or not but the price he is asking will make reloading TSS financially feasible for me. I hope.

I know one thing for certain the days of myself shooting 50 or more turkey shells a year testing and evaluating chokes and shells combinations are over for now.

[Brillo]

I feel your pain. We pay what we must but don't have to like it.  I looked briefly into reloading and found that TSS shot is not easy to find either.  You are going to have to start looking for supplies now if you want to reload before next year.  If I were in your shoes I would try it though. All the best.

[vt35mag]

Look year round, and buy when you don't need them. There are deals to be had.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[DMTJAGER]

Look year round, and buy when you don't need them. There are deals to be had.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I feel your pain. We pay what we must but don't have to like it.  I looked briefly into reloading and found that TSS shot is not easy to find either.  You are going to have to start looking for supplies now if you want to reload before next year.  If I were in your shoes I would try it though. All the best.

Good advice from both of you and thanks. Plan on doing exactly that. 1New never fired high brass 12ga 3" Hulls seam to be hardest to come by right now. Can not find them ANYWHERE

[Old Timer]

Bought mine last summer for this year.

[lacire]

I was in two Sportsman's Warehouse in both Oregon and California in the last two weeks, both had Federal TSS 20ga 3" 1 1/2 #9 in stock probably 10 boxes in each store. $70.99 per box at each location. Federal list price on line is $56.99, I thought Sportsman's was trying to gouge us but apparently Cabela's is too. See attachments.

https://imgur.com/a/ktFHMaA

https://imgur.com/a/m6kk3xy

[DMTJAGER]

Yep seen the same add. $75 for 5 12ga 3" Federal TSS shells. That's more than any other non wildcat shell available for sale I know of. More than 50 BMG more than 500NE or 505 Gibbs. You have to go to commercially reloaded wild cat rounds to be more costly.

[lacire]

I was in two Sportsman's Warehouse in both Oregon and California in the last two weeks, both had Federal TSS 20ga 3" 1 1/2 #9 in stock probably 10 boxes in each store. $70.99 per box at each location. Federal list price on line is $56.99, I thought Sportsman's was trying to gouge us but apparently Cabela's is too. See attachments.

https://imgur.com/a/ktFHMaA

https://imgur.com/a/m6kk3xy

Gouge the turkey hunter while you can......even on sale Sportsman's Warehouse is still gouging, they have there over priced $70.99 Federal 20 gauge TSS on sale for $59.99, on line Federal PTSSX259F 9 list price is still $56.99. My rant is over