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Lead or HTL loads?

Lead or HTL loads?

  • TSS

    Votes: 17 60.7%
  • Lead

    Votes: 8 28.6%
  • HTL but not TSS (Ex: Hevishot)

    Votes: 3 10.7%

  • Total voters
    28

Boll Weevil

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Simply out of curiosity, how many still hunt mostly w/lead vs. heavier than lead (HTL) shells?

Thanks in advance for participating.
 
this really is dependent on the gauge IMO. If the question is 20guage then I would say the TSS/HTL % would be higher. If its all gauges then the % will be lower. I shoot TSS in 20 but think its overkill with plenty of good HTL or even lead options in 12.

where TSS shines is the smaller gauges due to the lack of options for those for so long.
 
I chose lead simply because this will be my first year turkey hunting, and i am happy with 125+ in a 10" circle at 40 yards, close to the same at 50 yards.

Now who wants to put me on a turkey? Have gun will travel. :)
 
I'm older than many on here. I've been lucky to turkey hunt many years, way before Tennessee had a really huntable population, maybe Shelby Forest, Tully. Way before 3 1/2's. To me , its about calling him in within 40yds, or closer. Give me a 3 lead.
Why spend all that money? I'm sure its great stuff, but not needed, least by me. Just my opinion.
 
I answered TSS,
but I'll still be hunting almost as much with Federal's old "heavyweights"
which are much "heavier" than most other HTL loads.

I see no reason not to continuing using what I have.
 
Voted TSS, 20 guage is TSS. I'll probably only hunt with it unless my wife goes, and then I'll tote my 12 guage.
My 12 guage is still shooting hevi 7s.
 
tickweed":xrlutdko said:
I'm older than many on here. I've been lucky to turkey hunt many years, way before Tennessee had a really huntable population, maybe Shelby Forest, Tully. Way before 3 1/2's. To me , its about calling him in within 40yds, or closer.
Why spend all that money?
I'm right in there with you, and in fact have killed most my turkeys with 2 3/4" lead loads!

However, I have a little different take regarding using the TSS.
Considering I'll likely shoot no more than 4 or 5 rounds at turkeys each spring,
cost per shell isn't much issue.

But TSS allows me to use a more open choke,
while simultaneously increasing effective range,
and even do so carrying a lightweight 20 ga instead of a heavier 12.
That's why I prefer it now.
 
I voted tss because I have switched strictly to a 20 gauge. I would vote lead if packing the 12 gauge. I hunt woods 100% of the time and getting them called close to the gun is the reason I hunt. I do like the tss as it allows me the option of packing a lightweight 20 as I cover a lot of territory without sacrificing power in case I don't do my part or misjudge the yardage.
 
I voted TSS, thats what I will be using 90% of the time if I'm not bow hunting. Now if I'm guiding I'll be carrying a 12ga just for backup and I'll be shooting lead. In these situations backup shots are low percentage and lead is much cheaper than TSS.
 
I finally figured out that with my style of turkey hunting I was doing a lot more walking than I was shooting, so I made the switch to a 20 ga. for my main turkey gun. Thus, my vote for the TSS. If and when I tote the 12 gauges with which I have killed the majority of my birds, they will be loaded up with the Winchester #5 lead that are proven killers in them.
 
Wow! I knew TSS was gaining in popularity but am surprised by our very unscientific poll. Interesting...thanks again for the comments and for participating.
 
Been shooting Hevishot 6s or Magblends for almost 10 years. They are stone dead killers out to (and probably past) 50 yards and 50 is my max shot. If he's 51 he lives to play another day. But I have 2 boxes of Longbeards that patterned incredibly out of my gun and I keep wanting to hunt with them. I just can't leave Hevishot.

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