The Best Turkey Loads To Make Longbeards Drop & Flop!

The worst feeling a turkey hunter can experience is pulling the trigger and watching the gobbler strut off.

Over the years, I’ve missed turkeys because I got a little too eager to pull the trigger on my turkey gun or chose the wrong ammo. I’ve written this article to help you choose the best turkey load for your situation so you can avoid one of those scenarios.

Our Top Picks for Turkey Loads in 2024

Best Turkey Loads by Gauge

Winchester Long Beard XR 2 oz. #4 Shot - Best 12 Gauge Turkey Load

Specs

Winchester 12 Gauge Ammo - 10 Rounds of 2 oz. #4 Shot Ammunition

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• Shell Length: 3-½”
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,200 fps
• Pellet Size: #4
• Payload Weight: 2oz

Pros

• Trusted Brand
• Reliable
• Plenty of Knockdown Power

Cons

• Expensive
• 3 ½” Shells Don’t Work In Every Shotgun
• It’s Gonna Kick

Why I Chose It

I’ve used Winchester loads for doves and waterfowl for decades, so it was only natural for me to gravitate to Winchester Long Beard XR when I decided to hit the woods in the spring because I (along with thousands of other turkey hunters) trust Winchester ammo to drop a strutting gobbler.

I’ve never had these shotshells not go off when I pulled the trigger, and I’ve watched buddies drop turkeys at 60+ yards with their Remington 870 turkey shotguns. That’s why I think they’re one of the best long-range turkey loads on the market.

They cycle well through my semi-auto and pump shotguns, so I know I'll get the opportunity if I ever need a follow-up shot.

As with most specialty hunting shells, they’re expensive, but you can justify this by saying you don’t use very many throughout the season, and it’s not as expensive as non-toxic turkey loads.

Don’t worry. If your shotgun isn’t chambered for 3-½” shells or you don’t like the recoil from them, you can still hunt with Winchester Long Beard XR 1-¾ oz. #5 Shot 3”, which offers us the same ballistic performance in a slightly shorter shell.

Winchester Long Beard XR 2 oz. #4 Shot is the best 12 gauge turkey ammo because it’s reliable and plenty capable of dropping at strutting tom at any reasonable distance.

Remington Premier TSS 3” 1-½ oz. #7 Shot - Best 20 Gauge Turkey Load

Remington Premier TSS 20 Gauge Ammo - 5 Rounds of 1-1/2 oz. #7 Shot Ammunition

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$48.85

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Specs

• Shell Length: 3”
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,100 fps
• Pellet Size: #7
• Payload Weight: 1-½ oz

Pros

• Trusted Brand
• Designed For Turkey Hunting
• Reliable

Cons

• Expensive

Why I Chose It

When you hear Remington, you instantly think of firearms and hunting. While they slipped up in quality several years ago, in my recent experience, they’ve returned to producing good-quality rounds that made them loved by many shooters and hunters across the country.

Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) has been all the rage in the hunting world for the last several years, and for good reason. It performs incredibly well.

I trust these rounds to go boom when I pull the trigger on my pump-action Charles Daly and then see a flopping turkey because the TSS did its job.

Don’t worry that it’s only a #7 shot. TSS is denser than lead, which means you don’t need bigger pellets to harvest a turkey with it ethically. Plus, many hunters used a variety of shot sizes before companies started making turkey-specific loads.

If you’re a little put off by the price because these rounds are expensive, try Winchester Double X 1-1/4 oz. #5 Shot. It’s much cheaper and still plenty capable of dropping any thunder chicken.

When you’re looking for the best 20 Gauge turkey load on the market, don’t hesitate to grab a couple of boxes of Remington Premier TSS 3” 1-½ oz. #7 Shot. It’s reliable and capable of stopping a long beard in his tracks.

Federal Heavyweight TSS 3" 13/16 oz. #9 Tungsten Shot - Best .410 Turkey Load

Federal Heavyweight TSS 410 Bore Ammo - 5 Rounds of 3" 13/16 oz. #9 Tungsten Shot Ammunition

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$39.99

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Specs

• Shell Length: 3”
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,100 fps
• Pellet Size: #9 Shot
• Payload Weight: 13/16 oz

Pros

• Trusted Ammo Brand
• Designed for Turkey Hunting
• Reliable

Cons

• Expensive

Why I Chose It

Shooters and hunters across the U.S. love Federal Premium. I’ve used a variety of their products at the range and in the woods and have rarely encountered a problem with them. I find the 410 a little nostalgic because it was the first shotgun I got to call my own. I hunted with it for years before moving on to a 20 and 12 Gauge.

Federal designed Heavyweight TSS to be more than capable of tackling any tom that struts within a reasonable range, so don’t get too worked up on the fact that “it’s only #9 shot.” Since TSS is denser than lead shot, a TSS shot pellet is significantly heavier than a lead one of the same diameter, so it penetrates better, which means you can get away with a smaller shot, and it’s still just as powerful.

Plus, using #9 shot means you have more pellets in the shotshell, making you more likely to hit the turkey’s vitals.

The biggest drawback of TSS ammo in general, and specifically these Federal rounds, is how expensive they are. If you’re on a tight budget, Fiocchi Golden Turkey TSS 13/16 oz. #9 Shot is a little cheaper and still produced by a trustworthy brand.

When you’re headed to the turkey woods with a .410, load it with Federal TSS. You won’t be disappointed when that gobbler starts dancing around your decoy.

Hevi-Shot Hevi-18 3” 1-¼ oz #7 Shot - Best 28 Gauge Turkey Load

Specs

• Shell Length: 3”
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,200 fps
• Pellet Size: #7 Shot
• Payload Weight: 1-¼ oz

Pros

• Innovative Brand
• Designed for Turkey Hunting
• High-Velocity Turkey Shells

Cons

• Very Expensive

Why I Chose It

I must admit, I was slow to jump on the Hevi-Shot shotgun shell bandwagon. But after using a few boxes while waterfowl hunting, I’ve gotta say I was impressed. I have no doubt Hevi-18 Turkey will perform for me next turkey season.

Hevi-Shot was one of the first ammo manufacturers to use TSS and other non-toxic shot instead of conventional lead. They’ve expanded to various specialties, but the shotgun shells remain very reliable, in my experience.

The high velocity is excellent because the ol’ tom doesn’t have time to react before he hears the boom and gets bombarded by the higher pellet count of the #7 shot. The TSS loads also mean you won’t hear another gobble from him afterward because they’ve quickly put him down, even at longer distances.

The biggest reason I waited so long to test these was their high cost, even compared to other tungsten and bismuth turkey rounds.

If you’re willing to spend a pretty penny and get the best 28 gauge turkey loads, look no further than Hevi-Shot Hevi-18 Turkey TSS Loads.

Testing Procedure: How to Choose Your Turkey Loads

To test these turkey loads, I purchased several different brands, shot sizes, shell lengths, and shot types and ran them through a few different shotguns and choke tubes. I used Mossberg, Remington, Charles Daly, and Browning shotguns with turkey chokes, full chokes, and modified chokes to see what got the most tungsten or lead pellets on paper. I strongly recommend that you also purchase various chokes and brands to find the setup that works best for your situation.

I tested for:

• Reliability
• Accuracy/Pattern Density
• Intended Design
• Price

I need my turkey shells to fire and cycle well when I’m in the woods. If they don’t do this while I’m at the range testing them out, they didn’t make this list. I also based my picks on years of hunting turkeys, plus taking in opinions of buddies who have hunted turkey longer than I have, including what’s been the most reliable while in the field on those hunts.

If the ammo isn’t accurate and has poor pattern density in a 10-inch circle, then I’m not very likely to harvest a turkey with it. During my pattern testing phase, I want to see tight patterns at close range and the pattern opening up as the distance increases. I found that 3-1/2" shells don’t always have the best pattern density, despite what the marketing guys want you to believe.

While many old-timers will tell you that you don’t need rounds designed explicitly for turkey hunting, as they killed many turkeys before those rounds ever existed, they’re also the guys typically shooting handloads. So, I still prefer to use ammo designed for the specific purpose I’m using it for.

Because I don’t buy a ton of turkey shells throughout the year, the price doesn’t matter as much, but it’s still a factor in how many times I pull the trigger each year.

Frequently Asked Questions

The team at Ammo.com has gathered and answered the most commonly asked questions regarding the best turkey loads.

Which Turkey Load Has the Best Pattern?

Your turkey gun and choke will determine which turkey load has the best pattern. However, the rounds listed above patterned well out of various shotguns.

Which AFFORDABLE Turkey Load is BEST?

The best affordable turkey load is Fiocchi Golden Turkey 12 Gauge 3” 1-3/4 oz #5 Shot.

What Oz Shot is Best for Turkey?

1 oz to 2 oz shot is best for turkey hunting.

What are the Most Effective Shot Sizes for Turkey Hunting?

The most effective shot sizes for turkey hunting are #4, #5, #7, and #9. For #7 and #9 to be the most effective, they must be tungsten.

Parting Shots

The best turkey loads vary from gauge to gauge and gun to gun. However, I found the most consistent to be Winchester Long Beard XR 12 gauge 2 oz. #4 Shot. It’s reliable, produced by a reputable company, and, most importantly, it’s helped me bring turkeys back home for dinner.

Written by

Wes Littlefield