The Shotgun for Turkey: Loads, Patterning & the Head/Neck Shot Core

Turkey Loads: Lead, Hevi-Shot & TSS

Lesson 34 of 55 · Module 7, lesson 2

Assumes the Hunting Primer. New here? Start there first.

Your objective

By the end, you'll be able to explain how pellet material density affects pellet count, retained energy, and effective range — and select a shot size appropriate for lead, Hevi-Shot, or TSS turkey loads.

Concept ~8 min

You’re at the sporting-goods counter, and you pick up a box labeled “turkey load.” Next to it is a box with the same gauge and the same shot size — it’s a standard upland pheasant load. They look nearly identical. One of them will reliably kill a gobbler. The other one will probably wound him and send him running. This lesson explains the difference.

Quick recall

Quick recall from Gauge & Choke for Turkey — what is the relationship between choke constriction and shot pattern for turkey hunting?

A tighter choke (extra-full or turkey) throws a denser, smaller-diameter pattern — exactly what turkey hunting needs A more open choke throws a denser pattern by giving pellets more room to organize Choke has little effect on turkey patterns — the load matters far more

Show answer

Correct: A tighter choke (extra-full or turkey) throws a denser, smaller-diameter pattern — exactly what turkey hunting needs — Right. The tight pattern concentrates pellets into the turkey's head and neck kill zone at hunting distances. A modified or improved-cylinder choke scatters shot too widely.
Not quite: A more open choke throws a denser pattern by giving pellets more room to organize — It is the reverse. More constriction = more pellets in a tighter circle at range. Turkey hunting demands the densest possible pattern in a 10-inch circle around the head and neck.
Not quite: Choke has little effect on turkey patterns — the load matters far more — Both matter — together. Choke constriction and load choice interact to produce a pattern. A full-turkey choke is the starting point; then the load is matched to it through patterning.

Why a turkey load is not an upland load

A pheasant load and a turkey load can share the same gauge, same shell length, and even the same shot size — and still perform very differently on a turkey. The reason is the kill zone. On pheasants you’re aiming at the body; on a turkey you’re aiming at the head and neck, a target about the size of a fist at 30–40 yards.

Hitting that target with enough pellets — and enough energy per pellet to penetrate the skull or sever the spine — is a completely different engineering problem than peppering a pheasant’s body. Turkey loads are built to solve it:

Heavier payload — more shot per shell to maximize pattern density
Harder shot — less deformation so pellets fly truer and penetrate deeper
Higher velocity or denser material — more energy retained at range

The why What is 'lethal energy' for a turkey pellet?

Researchers use ballistic gel to measure penetration. For a turkey, a pellet that achieves roughly 1–1.5 inches of gel penetration is considered sufficient to reach the brain or spine. At 40 yards, a standard lead #4 pellet still delivers that energy — barely. At 60 yards, the same pellet may not. This is why honest patterning at your actual hunting distance matters more than reading the box.

The three tiers of turkey ammunition

Think of turkey loads in three tiers based on the density of the shot material. Density (measured in grams per cubic centimeter, or g/cc) is the engine behind everything else: a denser pellet carries more mass for its size, loses velocity more slowly, and hits harder at range.

Lead — the baseline, 11.2 g/cc. Traditional turkey loads run copper-plated lead in sizes #4, #5, or #6 in payloads of 1.5–2 oz. Lead has been killing turkeys for generations. Its ceiling is around 40 yards when paired with a good turkey choke and patterned carefully.

Hevi-Shot (tungsten-based blends) — about 12 g/cc. Slightly denser than lead, which means the same payload weight carries more energy downrange. Hevi-13 in sizes #5–#7 gives roughly 20% more effective range and energy than an equivalent lead load. You can also fit more pellets into the same ounce: about 278 Hevi-Shot #7 pellets per ounce versus roughly 220 lead #6s of equivalent ballistic performance. That is over 100 extra pellets in a 2-oz load.

TSS (Tungsten Super Shot) — 18 g/cc, nearly 60% denser than lead. TSS reshaped what is possible with turkey ammunition. At that density, a tiny #9 pellet hits with the downrange energy of a lead #5. Because the pellets are so small, you can fit far more of them into a standard payload — a typical TSS turkey load carries 600+ pellets versus 200–340 in a lead load. The result is a dramatically denser pattern, more lethal at longer ranges, and — critically — enough pattern density to run effectively in 20-gauge and even .410 guns that cannot produce lethal lead patterns at turkey distances.

Shot size shifts with material

Here is the rule that trips up new hunters: the shot number (size) is not interchangeable across materials. A TSS #9 is not a weak load — it hits like a lead #5. If you walk up to the counter and grab TSS #5 thinking “bigger shot is always better,” you will get fewer pellets per ounce (reducing pattern density) without a meaningful energy gain over properly sized TSS.

The rough equivalencies:

You want this energy level…	Lead	Hevi-Shot	TSS
Maximum energy/pellet, lower count	#4	#5	#7
Balanced energy + pattern density	#5	#6	#8
Maximum pattern density	#6	#7	#9

Most beginning turkey hunters do best starting with lead #4, #5, or #6 or TSS #7 or #8 — well-tested sizes with deep ballistic data behind them.

Edge case Does SC require non-toxic shot for turkey?

As of the available information, South Carolina does not require non-toxic (steel, bismuth, TSS, etc.) shot for turkey hunting — that restriction applies to waterfowl. Lead is legal for turkey in South Carolina. However, regulations change. Verify current shot-type restrictions with SCDNR before you hunt — these change yearly. See the SCDNR regulations page at https://www.scdnr.sc.gov/hunting.

Visual anchor: density, pellet size, and pattern

The diagram below shows why smaller TSS pellets produce a denser pattern than larger lead pellets at the same payload weight. The more pellets that hit the head and neck zone, the more likely one reaches the brain or spine.

Three columns labeled Lead, Hevi-Shot, and TSS showing circles representing pellets. Lead has the fewest, largest circles in grey-brown. Hevi-Shot has slightly more smaller circles in blue-grey. TSS has the most pellets, each the smallest, in amber-gold. Each column shows the recommended shot sizes and approximate effective range. — Diagram (not a photo). Denser material = smaller pellets for the same energy = more pellets per ounce = denser pattern. All three tiers kill turkeys when matched to the right shot size and patterned.

Test your load logic

Knowledge check

A hunter switches from lead to TSS and keeps the same shot size — say, #5 shot. What is the most likely result compared to a properly sized TSS load?

Fewer pellets per ounce than if they had used #7 or #8 TSS, reducing pattern density without gaining meaningful extra energy Much higher individual pellet energy than TSS #7 or #8, making it the best choice for long-range shots About the same result — shot size does not matter much when the material is TSS

Show answer

Correct: Fewer pellets per ounce than if they had used #7 or #8 TSS, reducing pattern density without gaining meaningful extra energy — Correct. TSS #5 is overkill on pellet energy — far above what is needed for lethality — but the larger pellet size means fewer pellets in the load and a thinner pattern. The TSS advantage is in pellet COUNT; you gain that by sizing down to #7–#9.
Not quite: Much higher individual pellet energy than TSS #7 or #8, making it the best choice for long-range shots — TSS #5 does carry more energy per pellet than #7 or #8, but turkey pellets are already at the low end of the energy needed to penetrate at hunting ranges. The limiting factor is not per-pellet energy — it is pattern density. Going to #5 TSS sacrifices the pellet-count advantage that makes TSS special.
Not quite: About the same result — shot size does not matter much when the material is TSS — Shot size matters a great deal for any material. For TSS specifically, choosing the right smaller size (#7–#9) is what converts the density advantage into a denser, more lethal pattern. Ignoring size means leaving TSS's biggest benefit on the table.

Knowledge check

A hunter is using a 20-gauge and wants turkey loads that can produce a dense, lethal pattern at 35 yards. Which load type is most likely to make a 20-gauge viable where lead patterns were marginal?

TSS — its extreme density puts enough pellets into the pattern to compensate for the smaller payload of a 20-gauge Copper-plated lead #4 in the heaviest 20-gauge load available Hevi-Shot #5 — it is denser than lead and will solve the small-gauge problem

Show answer

Correct: TSS — its extreme density puts enough pellets into the pattern to compensate for the smaller payload of a 20-gauge — Right. The 20-gauge lead pattern was marginal because a smaller payload means fewer lead pellets in the pattern. TSS's smaller pellets pack so many more into the same payload that a 20-gauge TSS load can match or exceed a 12-gauge lead pattern in density. TSS genuinely changed what small gauges can do for turkey hunting.
Not quite: Copper-plated lead #4 in the heaviest 20-gauge load available — Heavier lead loads help a 20-gauge, but they are still constrained by lead's density. The pellet count in a 20-gauge lead load is a fundamental limit. TSS's superior density is specifically what overcomes the small-gauge payload limitation.
Not quite: Hevi-Shot #5 — it is denser than lead and will solve the small-gauge problem — Hevi-Shot at 12 g/cc is meaningfully denser than lead and does improve 20-gauge performance, but its density advantage (~7% over lead) is modest compared to TSS (60% over lead). For a marginal 20-gauge pattern, TSS provides the larger margin.

Take it to the woods

Before you buy your next box of turkey loads, run through this checklist — at the store and then at the patterning range.

Turkey load selection and field-ready check

0/6

Read the box: identify the shot material (lead, tungsten/Hevi, or TSS) and note the density or marketing claim.
Confirm the shot size is appropriate for that material: lead #4–#6, Hevi-Shot #5–#7, TSS #7–#9. If the box says TSS but the shot size is #4 or #5, that is the wrong size for this material.
Pattern the load at your real hunting distance — 25, 30, 35, or 40 yards. Count pellets in a 10-inch circle. You need at least 100. If you don't have 100, this is not your hunting range with this load.
Safety Confirm point-of-impact matches your point-of-aim. Turkey chokes sometimes shift impact. Shoot at a turkey-head target with a marked aiming point so you can see where the pattern is actually centered.
Set your personal maximum ethical range based on the patterning result — and stick to it in the field.
Safety Verify that lead (or your chosen shot material) is legal for turkey in your hunting zone and season. Confirm at scdnr.sc.gov — regulations change yearly.

Sources

NWTF — Turkey Load Pellet Science: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/turkey-load-pellet-science
NWTF — Is the Age-Old Pattern Rule Still Viable?: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/is-the-age-old-pattern-rule-still-viable
NWTF — Good Shots Require Smart Thoughts: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/good-shots-require-smart-thoughts
NWTF — Wild Turkey Ammunition Options at the NWTF Convention (Patterning Season Begins): https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/wild-turkey-ammunition-options-at-the-nwtf-convention
Hevi-Shot — Best Shot Size for Turkey: https://www.hevishot.com/blog/best-shot-size-for-turkey-complete-guide-to-turkey-shot-size-range-performance.html
South Carolina Turkey Regulations (eRegulations): https://www.eregulations.com/southcarolina/hunting/turkey-regulations
SCDNR Hunting Regulations (verify current rules): https://www.scdnr.sc.gov/hunting

(SC regulations: verify current shot-type restrictions, legal weapons, and load requirements with SCDNR before you hunt — these change yearly.)

If you remember nothing else

Turkey loads need dense, heavy pellets that reach the head and neck with enough energy to penetrate the skull or spine — not just rattle the feathers.
Material density is the engine: lead is 11.2 g/cc, Hevi-Shot (tungsten-based) is 12 g/cc, and TSS is 18 g/cc — nearly 60% denser than lead.
Higher density means more retained energy at range and more pellets fit into the same payload weight — TSS #9 hits like lead #5.
Size down your shot number as you move to denser materials: lead #4–#6, Hevi-Shot #5–#7, TSS #7–#9.
No load substitutes for patterning your specific gun, choke, and load at your intended hunting distance.
SC regulations require shotguns only — no buckshot, slugs, or rifles (verify current SCDNR regulations before you hunt).

How ready do you feel?

How ready are you to walk into a sporting-goods store, pick up a turkey load, read the shot size, and know whether it's appropriate for that material type?

Before you go — a quick look back

Distributed practice: one fast recall from an earlier lesson keeps it from fading.

Quick recall

From Gauge & Choke for Turkey — why is the choke and load described as a matched SYSTEM rather than two independent choices?

Show me the answer

Show answer

Correct: Show me the answer — A choke that patterns perfectly with one load may throw fliers with another of a different wad design, shot hardness, or pellet size. You have to pattern the specific combination — changing the choke OR the load resets the test. The choke alone doesn't define your pattern; the load does, and vice versa.

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