Browning TSS loads. The traditional 12-gauge is to the right for comparison sake. (Photo by Ian Nance)
March 26, 2025
By Ian Nance
I waited anxiously in a dusty Ford Expedition in Douglas, Arizona waiting to cross the border en route to a long-awaited Gould’s turkey hunt in the Chihuahua Mountains to complete my Royal Slam. Most of the hunting party chose to borrow camp guns, but two fellas elected to tote their own, earning a lengthy inspection and paperwork session for entry into Mexico.
Expecting the latest-and-greatest custom gobble-stopping 12-gauge or perhaps Grandpa’s Ol’ Gun, I eventually asked one guy, a six-five mountain of a Colorado elk guide, what firearm in the world was worth that hassle of the international red tape.
He pulled from his case a simple break-action single-shot, the Stevens 301 .410, a toothpick in this gentleman’s hands but one that’s earned praise in recent years in tandem with advances in tungsten-based ammo.
I nodded with understanding, as I’ve come to know the Stevens quite well. Originally a Christmas gift from their grandfather, my kids easily managed their Stevens, from the weight of the gun to the mild report of the .410. Appreciating the same, I was soon taking it out on loan, enjoying its portability, especially when running and gunning the swamps of Florida.
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So-called sub-gauges—essentially any shotshell smaller than a 12-gauge—have enjoyed a renaissance over the last five or six years in the turkey hunting field with the introduction of the lethal Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) now offered in several factory loads. TSS is a tungsten alloy that is over 50 percent denser than lead shot. This increase in density means it penetrates deeper than lead shot with smaller sizes.
According to Remington Ammunition , “TSS #7 shot traveling at 1,200 FPS has 7.8 ft-lbs. of energy, while lead #5 shot going 1,200 FPS packs roughly the same foot pounds of energy on target. Part of why Tungsten Super Shot shells is so deadly on game is that this smaller viable shot size means you can load a higher number of pellets into the same size shell.”
Related What higher shot densities and more shot equals is more reliability in flopping a gobbler all the while stepping down in overall horsepower. In my formative turkey hunting years, a devastating pattern, even from a 12-gauge, was 8 to 10 pellets in the head and neck area at 40 yards. Sub-gauge TSS loads coupled with custom turkey chokes will easily top this standard.
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Gobblers visit a drying depression to feed and look for hens. (Photo by Ian Nance) Yes, prior to TSS, using .410 #9 shot on gobblers was a niche hobby, at best, and 20-gauges were barely holding on as the fields were flooded with shoulder-pounding 12-gauge 3 1⁄2-inch loads to compensate for lead’s shortfalls. Now, sub-gauges are becoming the norm as manufacturers increase their stock of 20-gauge and .410 firearms, with a few adventure-seekers looking to the 16 and 28 gauges to relieve themselves of the added weight and physical abuse of the mighty 12.
But, there are downsides. One, TSS is not cheap, though the sub-gauge guns that shoot them, like the Stevens, are budget-friendly. Going rates for a five-shell box of .410s can run upwards of $50.
Two, with all that extra shot, there tends to be strays that wind up in the breast meat or thighs. If you thought biting down on lead shot was tough, that tungsten is a real toothache. I’ve also spoken with taxidermists that highly recommend against using TSS if you intend to have a bird mounted because of the damage.
Still, if you’re seeking to lighten your load this spring while maintaining the reach needed to topple a hung-up gobbler, consider upgrading to a sub-gauge shotgun and TSS loads on your next adventure, whether you’re hunting Mexico or Micanopy.
