12 ga lead vs 20 ga TSS- cost comparison

[tbowers]

I'm all ears if you know where I can get a 20" barrel for my 870. I've looked for years. I've found ones but they are improved cylinder barrels. maybe that is the only option and then have it threaded?

They make a 21inch in vent rib.  I have one. 

Id take a link to it. That said, if a new barrel is $250, I'll probably just buy that Maverick Bantam in 20 gauge for the same price instead and start dropping $$ on TSS!

[10th Legionaire]

Thats a interesting idea. I've looked everywhere for a 20" threaded barrel for the 870 that will take a turkey choke, I've never found one. Sending it in to get cut/threaded is also interesting....wonder how much that runs typically.

I dont have any brand alliance, I referenced the Mossberg 500 because they have so many turkey specific setups to choose from. I'd be open to any brand provided it has a short barrel. I am intrigued by the Maverick 88 bantam 20gauge that is 39" long and just over 5lbs(1lb savings isnt  that big of deal, 3lbs I might be able to tell). $225 at my Walmart too. But then I would want to go the TSS route

Get in touch with Rose Action Sports or Sumtoy Customs.

I had RAS cut and thread a 20 gauge 870 barrel last year and it was in the $150.00 ballpark.

[Prospector]

Food for thought: I have a fairly new dedicated Turkey 12g. Shoot LBXRs myself and at my ranges they more than do the job. My consideration of 12 vs 20 is the issue of recoil. While not particularly sensitive if I can cut recoil while maintaining pattern density and 40ish yards killing range, that is very attractive to me. Currently experimenting with 2 3/4 TSS loads in my 12 for that reason. Properly set up my opinion is the 20(or 28?) with #9 TSS will match and probably eclipse patterns achieved with lead 12s. If they don't, then I will keep shooting lead

[Twowithone]

Look it,s like this those turkeys dont know if you shot them with lead or tss shot. 3 IN THE HEAD HE,S DEAD. You dont need 150 pellets to kill a turkey.

[Greg Massey]

In my opinion it all has to do with difference in recoil of the sub-gauge guns and what your welling to spend in chasing and shooting to kill that gobbler with cost of TSS or just sticking with the lead and 12 ga. loads.  As I have gotten older I sure do like the sub gauge less recoil guns with TSS ... AS long as my sub gauge guns keep performing better than 12 ga lead I will keep using my sub gauge guns ...IMO

[tbowers]

Good thoughts here. I get the recoil issue- patterning sucks with a 12ga. When shooting at a bird its a non issue, I've never felt that recoil!

To me, TSS is really only needed in sub gauges. LB XR will kill in a 12ga pretty reliably out to 50, further with the right choke. I'll continue to weigh my options if it makes sense to get a shorter barrel for my 870, buy a different 12ga and continue to shoot lead or buy a cheap/compact 20ga and switch to TSS.

To have my barrel cut and threaded at 20" is $165. If I'm only thinking $$, that would be the cheapest option. The downside is I do use my 870 for waterfowl/clays from time to time, so the barrel cutting would prevent that(at least doing effectively).

I could justify I could 'save' the additional money for TSS each year somewhere else. In theory at 5 shots a year, its about an additional $50 a year to shoot TSS 20 gauge v 12g LB XR. Adds up over time I suppose but not the end of the world for something I'm passionate about. Now I just need to decide what to do...

[tbowers]

If it is solely about gun length, go on Ebay and watch for a Factory take off 21" vent rib Remington barrel. They are not on there every week, but if you watch for about a month or two, they do show up. They usually cost around 350 ish when they do. But you can turn around and sell your 28" barrel for around 175-225 and not be out of that much cash.

Now, as far as a 500, you have to look at what all they have to offer and not just their full sized 500 line up. If a man is going to go with a M500, why would you not get the Super Bantam which is around 40-41 inches and weighs just 5.25 pounds? They make that gun in a 20 gauge and it is drilled and tapped for sights and has sling studs and also a Chromed lined barrel. They are also factory dipped in MO. It is a sweet deal for around 470 dollars before tax. Talk about a joy to carry in the woods and the two we have do not kick much at all.

If you don't want to mess with Ebay, You can also buy a new 870 Remington Fieldmaster in 12 gauge with a 21" barrel for around 500 give or take before tax. They also make the same gun with 21" barrel in a 20 gauge which weighs right at 6 pounds and is one of my favorite guns with that solid steel receiver. Remington is back making a solid gun again as they are under new ownership.

Now don't miss this last thought if you are leaning towards shooting the 12 with just a shorter barrel. Salt Creek has a new load out called the Cold Turkey which is a blend of TSS 9 and lead 5's, which will outshoot the longbeards and they cost around 27 for five. Great compromise if cost of shells is your main concern. It has the speed of a 12, but the design of the load will make it shoot more like a 20 recoil wise. If you go that route, you will need a .665 choke as that is what that load generally likes. Great concept- and I think more companies will soon join in on the mixed lead/TSS loads to help with those who are cost conscious and the eventual likelihood of TSS becoming more harder to get out of the earth. 

Agree on the M500- if I went 20 gauge I would consider the Maverick 88 Bantam- its specs are near identical to the 500 Bantam(same wt and overall length), but doesnt come in full camo, and the safety position is different. But its $250 vs $500. I could buy the MO wrap for $40 and camo it. The Fieldmaster w/ 21" barrel looks intriguing too, but thats around $500 as well. Mossberg has aluminum receiver but they still have a good reputation for turkey.

That is really interesting about that new ammo, I havent heard of that.

I'll have to continue to ponder this!

[Cowboy]

Since you got a 12 you use for other things, I think I'd buy a 20. Then you have a choice of what you want to carry on any particular day. I have 2 or 3 extra turkey guns. Tss and short barrels. 12 and 20. My go to most of the time is a Remington 1100 12 gauge with 30 inch full choke. Rather than spending money to cut yours down, I'd just add a 20 to your arsenal. 

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

[darron]

If you're shooting 40 yards and under the 12ga with lead will do everything you need it to do. The TSS comes into play with the sub gauges (20, 410 etc). If I was to switch back to the 12 I would mostly certainly just shoot lead or maybe hevi shot. JMO But TSS is not needed in a 12 or 10.

[tbowers]

Probably does make sense to get another gun....guy always needs another gun lol. If I got the Maverick, even with a wrap, new choke and sling would be around $400 total. 5.25 lbs and 39" long is real appealing to me. I dont know that I can justify spending double for just the gun to get the 870 20 ga compact or the 500 Bantam.

[mdmitchell]

I switched from 12 to 20 a few years ago and have not looked back. I decked out a Franchi affinity to my liking and it's just barely over 6 lbs and it's a big difference from my former 870.

If you're looking at the 500s, I'd recommend the bantam version of the 500 turkey. It's shorter and lighter. My buddy just got one and it's under 6 lbs and carries great since the barrel is shorter than your head will slinged.

Don't worry about cost of 12 vs 20. You're not burning up boxes of boxes of ammo in a turkey gun. Sure TSS is expensive but unless you're traveling to hunt 2
Boxes after you sight in is gonna last a while.

[tbowers]

I switched from 12 to 20 a few years ago and have not looked back. I decked out a Franchi affinity to my liking and it's just barely over 6 lbs and it's a big difference from my former 870.

If you're looking at the 500s, I'd recommend the bantam version of the 500 turkey. It's shorter and lighter. My buddy just got one and it's under 6 lbs and carries great since the barrel is shorter than your head will slinged.

Don't worry about cost of 12 vs 20. You're not burning up boxes of boxes of ammo in a turkey gun. Sure TSS is expensive but unless you're traveling to hunt 2
Boxes after you sight in is gonna last a while.

Right, check out my couple posts above. I'm considering the Maverick 88 Bantam vs the 500 Bantam as the specs are nearly identical and the 88 is half the cost. The 88 isnt drilled and tapped but I use a rib mount for my red dot anyway.

I would typically go thru a box of TSS each year. So in the end going from LB XR to TSS would be about an extra 50 bucks a year, not that big of a deal in the end

[Dougas]

When I was hunting with my 20 gauge that I used for grouse and quail, I put a turkey choke on it and I shot Long Beard XR 20 gauge shells out to 40 yards and did fine with it.

[btodd00]

Don't discount the Longbeard xr in 20g either, I was killing turkeys with those, hevi 13's and federal #7s before tss was the craze. Inside of 40 yards i never noticed the difference in a 20 and 12

TSS would never cross my mind in a 12 and I would have to use up a lot of shells before I bought any tss 20g

After carrying around a single shot 410 for a couple seasons everything else felt like a cinder block

[Prospector]

If you're shooting 40 yards and under the 12ga with lead will do everything you need it to do. The TSS comes into play with the sub gauges (20, 410 etc). If I was to switch back to the 12 I would mostly certainly just shoot lead or maybe hevi shot. JMO But TSS is not needed in a 12 or 10.

My thought was incomplete- sorry. I agree- My personal opinion is that at what I believe to be real Turkey hunting range ( not spray n pray) the lead 12s are more than enough. However, as I recently purchased a new gun, am on a budget, instead of buying a new firearm ( I wish), I am experimenting with a 2 3/4 load that shoots a 20g wt load of tss. This is both to reduce recoil and save some coin, lol