Turkey loads compared

Why are turkey loads designed differently?

Turkey loads are designed to produce a dense pattern at 30–50+ yards, placing enough pellets in a turkey's head and neck (a target roughly the size of your fist) for a clean kill. Body shots with a shotgun are not reliable on turkeys — the vitals are small and protected by dense feathers and muscle.

This means turkey loads optimize for one thing: pellets in a 10" circle at maximum range. Everything else — recoil, cost, shot material — is secondary to pattern density.

Shot material comparison

Shot sizes below use the US numbering, where a smaller number is a larger pellet; diameters for each size are in shotgun shot sizes explained.

Density is the key number. Denser shot retains velocity better at range, hits harder per pellet, and allows smaller pellet sizes that pack more pellets per ounce into the pattern.

TSS (tungsten super shot)

Tungsten Super Shot (18.1 g/cc) is 60% denser than lead. This density advantage changes the math completely:

• TSS #9 shot (0.080" diameter) carries more energy at 40 yards than lead #5 shot (0.120" diameter) at the same distance
• A 1-3/4 oz TSS #9 load holds roughly 630 pellets (about 360 per ounce), versus roughly 300 in a 1-3/4 oz lead #5 load (about 170 per ounce)
• More pellets + retained energy = denser lethal patterns at longer range

Common TSS loads

Federal Heavyweight TSS 12ga 3" #7 or #9 — Federal's TSS loads are widely stocked. #7 shot gives fewer, larger pellets; #9 gives the highest pellet count per payload. 1-3/4 oz payload.

Apex TSS 12ga 3" #9 — A factory TSS load from a smaller specialist maker, sold in several payloads.

Federal Heavyweight TSS 20ga 3" #7 or #9 — A 1-1/2 oz TSS #9 load from a 20-gauge holds roughly 540 pellets, more than a 1-3/4 oz lead #5 load from a 12-gauge, with less recoil.

TSS cost reality

TSS is expensive per shell. But turkey hunting typically requires 1–3 shells per season, so the annual cost difference between lead and TSS is small compared to the cost of tags, travel, and gear.

Heavyweight tungsten blends — the middle ground

Between lead and TSS sits a category of tungsten-alloy and tungsten-iron blends at 12–15 g/cc density. They sit between lead and TSS in density and in price per shell.

Common heavyweight loads

Federal Heavyweight #7 — Tungsten-iron blend at ~15 g/cc.

Hevi-Shot Hevi-XIII #6 — 13 g/cc tungsten alloy. Available in 12ga and 20ga.

Winchester Long Beard XR #5 or #6 — Lead shot with Shot-Lok resin technology that protects pellets during the acceleration forces of firing (called "setback"), reducing deformation and tightening patterns. Technically lead; Winchester markets Shot-Lok for tighter long-range patterns than standard lead loads.

Lead — typical use inside 40 yards

Lead has been the standard turkey shot for most of the sport's history. Its practical limit is range: lighter, less dense pellets lose energy faster than tungsten.

Common lead loads

Federal Premium Turkey #5 — Copper-plated lead for reduced deformation. Commonly used at 30–40 yards.

Winchester Double X #5 — Copper-plated, high-velocity lead load.

Lead loads are typically priced well below TSS per shell, and many turkey shots from ground blinds over decoys or in tight timber happen inside 40 yards.

Choke matters as much as ammo

Any turkey load patterns poorly through a mismatched choke. Turkey-specific aftermarket chokes from Carlson's, Kicks, Indian Creek, and others are designed to produce tighter constriction than standard full chokes.

Critical point: TSS loads often pattern best through less choke constriction than lead. TSS is so hard that extreme constriction can actually blow patterns open. Many TSS shooters get their best results from modified or improved-modified chokes rather than extra-full turkey chokes. Results vary by gun, so each ammo/choke/gun combination is usually pattern-tested.

Pattern testing protocol

Pattern performance varies by gun and choke, so it is measured rather than assumed.

1. Set up a target at 40 yards with a 10" circle drawn around a turkey head/neck target
2. Shoot 3 rounds of the same load from a solid rest
3. Count pellets inside the 10" circle
4. Common benchmark: 100+ pellets in the 10" circle at the maximum intended range

A load that puts 100+ pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards meets that benchmark at 40 yards. TSS loads often hit this threshold at 50–60 yards.

Test multiple chokes with the same ammo. The difference between the best and worst choke in the same gun can be 30–50% in pellet count.

12-gauge vs 20-gauge for turkey

TSS has blurred this line. A 20-gauge TSS load at 1-1/2 oz produces patterns competitive with 12-gauge lead at 1-3/4 oz, with 25–30% less recoil. (For the same trade-off across target, buckshot, slug, and waterfowl loads, see 12 gauge vs 20 gauge.)

A 20-gauge with TSS pairs lighter recoil with a higher pellet count than 12-gauge lead, at a higher price per shell.

Summary: Lead #5 loads are the lowest-priced option and are commonly used inside 40 yards. Tungsten blends and TSS add pellet count and retained energy at longer range, at a higher price per shell. Pattern testing at the intended maximum distance shows what a given gun, choke, and load actually deliver.

Related articles

• 12 gauge home defense loads compared — Buckshot and slug picks
• FMJ vs hollow point — Bullet type fundamentals
• Cheapest calibers to shoot — Cost per round rankings

Related caliber pages

• 12-gauge ammo prices — Current pricing across all retailers

Search 12 gauge turkey loads → | Search 20 gauge turkey loads →

Sources

• Federal Premium TSS Product Page — TSS density, payload, and pattern data
• NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation) — Shot Size and Pattern Guide — Pattern testing standards and minimum pellet counts
• Winchester Long Beard XR Shot-Lok Technology — Resin technology explanation
• Field & Stream — Tungsten Super Shot review — TSS #9 pellets per ounce (~360)
• Shotgun shot sizes chart — lead pellets per ounce by shot size
• Hevi-Shot Product Specifications — Tungsten alloy density specifications