look how much farther one can take a big bore and kill a turkey....i gotta get me some of this shot...charlie

Charlie,

They are selling the fully loaded 2 1/2 ounce loads for $12 a shell ($59 for a box of 5 without shipping).

https://www.mackspw.com/Apex-Tungste...-Ga-3.5-2.5-Oz

I think if one crammed 2 1/2 ounces of this stuff into a big gun that 60 to 70 yards plus would not be a problem. But I would like to get him a whole lot closer. But if he makes me mad enough after two weeks of fooling with him, well I just might make a special load just for him. I've ended many a spring having been after the same wise old bird for two weeks and being outsmarted every day.

Unfortunately they also show out of stock. Im thinking 2 1/2 oz of 7 1/2, 8, or 9’s would be one heck of a turkey killler. Headed to New Mexico on the 15 th, sure wish I could “Field test some”. I will keep looking.

Several years ago had a big old Tom working a pasture on a hill slope. Had jake and hen dekes at about 25 yards. He was a huge bird. Dang bird sat there in full view about 300 yards down hill from us henned up and gobbled at us for 3 straight hours but would not move toward us. Heck my hunting partner even let out a loud fart and bird hammered back at that. At about 10 o'clock we were close to calling no joy and that dang bird started casually ambling our way. I guess out of curiosity.

My buddy was a bit exposed and could not move but turkey hung up at what I thought was 50 yards. Was hunting with a 12 gauge shooting 3 inch shells and had just taken a bird a few weeks before at 50 yards with same setup but I wanted him in closer to be sure. He stood there looking straight at my partner. It lasted about 5 minutes but it felt like an eternity and bird started looking nervous and turned to take step back down the hill. I decided to cut loose. I knocked about two feathers out of him and dang bird lit out running down the hill to bottom of pasture. No kidding dang bird then stopped and looked up at us, puffed up and strutted some more and shook like a dog and then ambled off.

After he left we went and stepped off and instead of 50 yards he was 65 yards. Right where I thought he was standing was a little hump that I estimated correctly was 50 yards. Problem was there a slight depression after that hump could not see from angle of sitting then another hump past that bird was actually standing on. Judging distances in open pasture with pasture grass where you can't see feet and sitting down low with no land marks can be tough.

Sure wish I had some of that tungsten then. Found out later that bird got harvested by somebody else and it weighed out at 25 lbs and had a 15 inch beard. No record but a dang big bird.

I carry my rangefinder with me and given time mark distances mentally.

Yes sir. Used to bow hunt way before any range finders and became pretty good at estimating distances. Problem with scenario I described is that I had made note of where I thought bird was standing and believed hung up, except due to lay of the land he was standing about 15 yards farther out. Could not see that second little ridge from angle when sitting and we set up in the dark. Size of bird also gave a false of impression it was closer than it was. Also knew that if I could have seen legs and feet then might have pinpointed him better but who knows. Hindsight is 20/20 and would have set up for this bird differently but only had one shot at him.

Anyway, made me sick to misjudge that bird, I'd of let it walk if had known it was farther out than 50 yards and I was on a guest hunt. Definitely did not want to shoot up someones birds on a whim. My buddy and I both thought bird was standing in same place when I shot. 50 yards was limit of what I would try with 3 inch load of #5 lead shot and choke I was hunting with. I like what you observed about the lead shot's performance at long distance as not having much as much impact compared to tungsten. When that old bird shook like a dog it looked like he was doing it to shake shot out of his feathers.

Btw did find out after the season from a guy that did harvest that big old tom. I asked him if there were any noticeable wounds from my encounter and he said not one scratch best he could tell. Bird was not a record breaker but definitely the bird of lifetime for most of us.

Again sure wish I'd know then what I know now about what you have demonstrated with tungsten. Believe it would have made a difference for me in that one scenario, but like you, prefer to get em in closer.

Frank,

I did not pattern with lead but today I patterened again with TSS, and even using another gun, a 12 Trojan with .039 in the left barrel and the 12 VHE again.

Again at 40 yards shooting off a Led Sled, the guns pattern to the right greatly. Thus I am sticking to my theory they are regulated for a closer distance. I will have to remember this tomorrow if I get a chance. The 12 VHE is up first.

But most surprising is the 20 gauge one ounce TSS put more pellets in the turkey target's head than the 12s, and that was true with the Fox SW and the Franchi 48-AL. But there would have been so many body shots in all of them that nothing could escape since the TSS will go through the turkey.

Vermont limits shot size while hunting turkeys to #8 being the smallest and #2 being the largest - though I don't know who would ever use #2 for such a tiny target.






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Good luck, hope you get a bird. That is interesting your experience with the 20 gauge but that is why you pattern things. As precise as we try to be we all are still dealing with the chaos of mini explosion scattering a bunch of pellets all over the place and hopefully more of them hit the intended target than not. Some setups just pattern better than others.

Dean,

They do make it in #8 equivalent.