While Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) has dominated the turkey hunting conversation for the last few years, it has also brought along a hefty price tag—sometimes upwards of $15 per squeeze of the trigger. Now with the TSS shortage, many hunters are going back to lead shot. For many hunters, the “old school” ways of filling a tag are not only more affordable but entirely effective when handled with a bit of technical discipline.
If you aren’t ready to drop a car payment on a box of shells, here is how to maximize the performance of non-TSS turkey loads.
High-Payload Lead: The Reliable Standard
Before the “space-age” metals took over, lead was king. Modern lead turkey loads are a far cry from the light target loads used at the clay range.
● Copper-Plated Lead: Most premium lead turkey shells use copper-plated pellets. This plating reduces the friction as the shot travels down the barrel and through the choke, preventing the pellets from flattening. Rounder pellets fly straighter and retain more energy.
● Stacked Loads: Look for “buffered” shells. These contain a fine poly-bead filler between the pellets that acts as a shock absorber during the explosive launch. This prevents the pellets from smashing into each other, which keeps your patterns tight and consistent.
● The Limit: Lead is denser than steel but less dense than tungsten. In a 12-gauge, lead is devastating out to 50 yards. Attempting to push lead to 60+ yards is where most “misses” (or worse, cripples) happen.
3. Optimizing the Setup: It’s All in the Pattern
Since you don’t have the extreme density of tungsten to carry a massive amount of #9 pellets, you have to be more strategic with your shot size and choke selection.
Shot Size Selection
When using lead or bismuth, larger shot is generally required to maintain kinetic energy: 
● #4 Shot: Great for breaking bone and punching through brush, but lower pellet count means thinner patterns.
● #5 Shot: The “Goldilocks” of turkey lead. It offers a balance of pellet count and knockdown power.
● #6 Shot: High pellet count for dense patterns, but its effective range is strictly limited to about 30-35 yards before it loses the energy needed to penetrate a turkey’s skull or vertebrae.
Choke Tube Synergy
Non-TSS loads often perform better with slightly less “extreme” constriction. While a TSS-specific choke might be restricted to .640 or .650 in a 12-gauge, a quality Extra-Full or Turkey choke in the .660 to .665 range often produces the most consistent results with lead #5s. Take the time to pattern your gun with various types of ammo and different choke tubes. Although it’s a large investment up front, the dividends will pay over time.
The Verdict: The 40-Yard Rule
The secret to hunting without TSS isn’t in the ballistics—it’s in the woodsmanship. If you can call a bird into 35 yards, a $2 lead shell will kill him just as dead as a $15 tungsten shell.
Regardless of what you choose, pattern your gun. Every barrel is a law unto itself. A “cheap” shell that your gun happens to like will always outperform an expensive shell that leaves a “donut” hole in the middle of your point of aim.
