The Best 12-Gauge Turkey Loads of 2026
Posted 2026-03-27 by
Quality ammo options abound for hunters who still tote big guns in the turkey woods
Sub-gauge shotguns seem to rule the turkey world nowadays, and it’s easy to see why. Thanks to improved technology — specifically tungsten super shot — those little packages provide fantastic downrange performance with lower recoil.
But let’s face it: 12-gauges have killed more gobblers than all other options combined. And if you still want to throw as much shot as possible at the head of an old longbeard, 12s continue to rule the roost.
With that in mind, we tested 20 of the most popular 12-gauge turkey loads this year, and the results were impressive. I shot each load three times at turkey targets through a factory Remington 870, circa 1999, with a 24-inch barrel and a Jebs Headhunter choke tube with a .665 constriction. The gun was anchored on a Caldwell Lead Sled. The patterns listed represent the average number of pellets within a 10-inch circle at 30 yards. The point of impact for all shells remained reasonably consistent, but a few rounds shot a bit high — especially those with larger shot sizes. If the point of impact varied sufficiently, I re-drew a 10-inch circle around the bulk of the pattern and counted hits within that area.
This test doesn’t name winners and losers. It just posts results from several extended shooting sessions and hopefully adds some context about each load. The idea of the “best” shell is subjective. A load that performs well in one gun with a specific choke might look much different when fired through another choke-and-gun combo. Experiment to find the shell that performs best with your gun and choke, or find a gun and choke that provide superior results with a specific load.
Each load was fired three times and then averaged for a final pellet count. Photo by Brian Lovett.
BEST TSS 12-GAUGE TURKEY LOADS
Unless you’ve slept through the past several turkey seasons, you likely know that TSS is a tungsten alloy that’s about 22% denser than standard tungsten and 56% denser than lead. It has become the go-to shot choice for many serious turkey hunters. With a sectional density of 18 grams per cubic centimeter, it’s heavier and harder than lead. Because TSS is so dense, manufacturers can load shells with much smaller shot and maintain the same kinetic energy of a larger lead load. For example, a No. 9 TSS pellet carries about the same downrange energy as a No. 5 lead pellet. However, TSS loads will have a far greater pellet count — about 362 pellets in a 1-ounce of TSS No. 9s, compared to 172 pellets in a 1-ounce load of No. 5 lead. Also, because of its size and hardness, TSS offers greater penetration.
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The downside, of course, is that TSS loads were never cheap and have become increasingly expensive. That won’t change soon. (Don’t Miss: Are TSS Turkey Loads Doomed?) These shells provide performance hunters couldn’t have imagined two decades ago. Honestly, many of these patterns were mind-boggling. Whether that’s worth the investment depends on your budget.
FEDERAL REALTREE 40TH ANNIVERSARY
3-inch, 1-3/4 oz. of No. 9 shot; 1,200 fps
MSRP: $93.99 per five.
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 443
Realtree’s namesake 12-gauge load represented well, with a blistering pattern. The limited edition 40th anniversary offering comes in Realtree Legacy camo packaging.
FEDERAL HEAVYWEIGHT TSS
3 inches, 2 oz. of Nos. 7 and 9 shot; 1,150 fps
MSRP: $111.99
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 374
This blended load carries a slightly heavier payload, and it shows in the pellet count. All the Federal shells listed here feature the rear-braking FliteControl Flex wad, which performs through ported and standard turkey chokes to produce consistent, deadly patterns.
3-inch, 1-3/4 oz. of No. 9 shot; 1,200 fps
MSRP: $93.99
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 385
This is essentially the same load as the Realtree 40th shotshell. Any pattern variation is likely random, and you can expect similar performance from both.
3-inch, 1-3/4 oz. of No. 7 shot, 1,200 fps
MSRP: $93.99
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 229
You’d expect a slightly lower pellet count with the larger shot. Of course, the No. 7s also pack more downrange energy.
REMINGTON PREMIER TSS
3-inch, 1-3/4 oz. of No. 9 shot; 1,200 fps
MSRP: $93.99
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 353
Big Green tunes these loads for consistent performance and tight patterns, even at long ranges.
WINCHESTER LONGBEARD TUNGSTEN
3-inch, 2-1/4 oz. of No. 8 shot; 1,100 fps
MSRP: $96.99
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 511
3-inch, 2-1/4 ounces of No. 9 shot; 1,100 fps
MSRP: $96.99
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 597
This new load differs slightly from Winchester’s Longbeard TSS in that the tungsten pellets are about 17 grams per cubic centimeter versus about 18 for TSS. Winchester still offers a Longbeard TSS load, which we tested in 2025. These shotshells feature a buffered payload and produce great pattern density.
APEX NEXT LEVEL NINJA
3-inch, 2-1/4 oz. of Nos. 8.5 and 9.5 shot; 1,190 fps
MSRP: $99.99
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 548
New for 2026, Next Level blend is designed to offer the ideal balance between pattern density and downrange knockdown power. Apex said this versatile load holds 854 pellets.
HEVI-SHOT HEVI-18 TURKEY
3-inch, 2 oz. of No. 7 shot; 1,250 fps
MSRP: $111.99
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 251
3-inch, 2 ounces of No. 9 shot; 1,250 fps
MSRP: $111.99
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 470
Pushed at higher velocities and using a friction-reducing spherical buffer, these shells produce dense patterns at longer ranges.
FIOCCHI GOLDEN TSS TURKEY
3-inch, 1-5/8 oz. of No. 9 shot; 1,250 fps
MSRP: $90.99
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 363
Founded in 1876 in Italy, Fiocchi has facilities in Missouri and Arkansas, producing a wide variety of ammunition. Keep in mind that this 1-5/8-ounce load carries fewer pellets than the heavier TSS payloads.
BEST TUNGSTEN, BLENDED, AND LEAD 12-GAUGE TURKEY LOADS
We bunched the “other” turkey loads — you know, the ones we relied on 20 years ago — into one category. These include standard lead, non-TSS heavier-than-lead tungsten loads, and even some stacked loads featuring TSS and lead.
By nature, these loads cannot produce the mind-blowing patterns that TSS does. The shot is of lower density, so manufacturers must use larger shot sizes to maintain lethal downrange energy at turkey killing ranges. However, they still produce dandy patterns that hunters would have boasted about a decade or more ago, and their price tags — especially with the lead loads — are far friendlier on the wallet. They continue to be excellent options for hunters who enjoy the challenge of calling birds into reasonable range.
FEDERAL REALTREE 40TH ANNIVERSARY GRAND SLAM
3-inch, 1-3/4 oz. of No. 5 shot; 1,200 fps
MSRP: $27.99 for 10.
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 186
Here’s another offering in Federal’s limited-edition lineup of Realtree 40th anniversary loads. The shell features the FliteControl Flex wad, which opens from the rear for a controlled release of the payload and consistent patterns. High-quality copper-plated lead pellets are cushioned with buffering to produce dense shot strings and consistent downrange energy.
WINCHESTER LONGBEARD XR
3-1/2 inch, 2 oz. of No. 6 lead; 1,200 fps
MSRP: $31.99 per 10.
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 337
Winchester’s Shot-Lok technology is designed to produce better longer-range patterns. This tried-and-true pre-TSS favorite will still get the job done.
The patterning board took a beating during the 12-gauge shotshell test. Photo by Brian Lovett.
HEVI-SHOT HEVI-13
3-inch, 2 oz. of No. 6 shot; 1,090 fps
MSRP: $53.99 per five.
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 270
3-inch, 2 oz. of No. 7 shot; 1,090 fps
MSRP: $53.99 per five.
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 321
As the name implies, these shotshells feature pellets that are 13 grams per cubic centimeter, which is still heavier than lead or standard tungsten. And back in the day, they were a go-to turkey load. Their performance in this test shows why.
HEVI-SHOT MAGNUM BLEND
3-inch, 2 oz. of Nos. 5, 6, 7 shot (12 g/cc density); 1,200 fps
MSRP: $53.99 per five.
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 249
This killer stacked load was the choice of many hardcore hunters not so long ago. It will still eat ’em up.
FEDERAL 3RD DEGREE
3-inch, 1-3/4 oz., Nos. 5, 6, 7 shot (some lead, some TSS); 1,250 fps
MSRP: $48.99 per five.
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 205
One of the more innovative stacked turkey loads ever introduced, 3rd Degree continues to provide stout performance. The shells use the FliteControl Flex wad and a three-stage payload of No. 5 copper-plated lead, No. 6 FliteStopper lead and No. 7 Heavyweight TSS shot to deliver larger, more forgiving patterns at close range but deadly penetration at longer distances.
REMINGTON PREMIER MAGNUM TURKEY
3-inch, 2 oz. of No. 4 shot; 1,175 fps
Discontinued. MSRP: $9.09
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 156
This old favorite has been discontinued, but Remington’s website said some loads are still available.
3-inch, 2 oz. of No. 5 shot; 1,175 fps
Discontinued. MSRP: $9.09
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 215
REMINGTON NITRO TURKEY
3-inch, 1-7/8 oz. of No. 5 shot; 1,210 fps
MSRP: $17.99 per 10.
Total hits in a 10-inch circle: 212
I simply had to pattern this load. Years ago — OK, many years ago — Nitro Mags were the shells to have. And with extra-hard lead shot and a Power Piston wad, they still perform today.
