Questions to those reloading 12 ga Tungsten turkey shells.

[Clay Target Guy]

DJ, a quick couple of things,
1) you don't need #7 TSS to make a clean kill at 60 yards, #9 will do it any day of the week.
2) you don't need a vise to crimp your hulls. If you like to tinker and play with wood you can do as I did and make one. Couple of screws and a couple of scrap pieces of wood and your good to go.
Even though I made a vise, 99% of the time, I just hold the shell with my hand on the drill press.
3) Companies are now producing shells that anyone can buy off the shelf. When I started, you either rolled your own or if you were lucky enough to know someone that would load some for you, then you were set. Other than that, you did without.

This is just my personal opinion so take it for what it is worth. If I did decide to buy my shells already loaded, when I found the shell that worked for me, I would go buy as many boxes as I could afford to buy. I have seen companies change components in there shells and it take a shell that is very lethal to one that I would be afraid to shoot skeet with. I would make sure that when I stocked up, that the sells I was buying were the same lot number as the shells I had patterned.
I don't know if all the above is true with factory TSS, but I know first hand that it is true when I shot Hevi Shot years ago.

 

[Wswim]

I've been loading my own since 69. I started loading to save money and found that I enjoyed loading more than shooting. I taylor my shells for the hunt. Game, temps, altitude and most environmental conditions make a difference for my loads. I do a lot of trap skeet and sporting clays. Every load is different. I load each round by hand and measure every powder load and shot load. I understand that I go way overboard but like I said, I enjoy loading more than shooting. Plus I'm really old so it's nice to have a hobby to keep me busy. Pretty much everything I've read seems like good advice. There are a few things I would add. A shell clamp isn't a must have but it's really nice. I made my own and copied the one that ballistic products sells. I scrounged some aluminum from a scrap metal yard and bought some hardware from a machine shop supply. Figure out the size you need for your shell and drill through a block of aluminum. Cut it in half with a hacksaw and it comes out with just about the right amount of squeeze. Drill and tap one side and screw it to a plate. Screw the other side to an adjustable clamp and then mount the clamp to the plate. Take a look at the one at ballistic products to figure out what clamp you need and how to mount it. The only other thing you need to do is add some relief on the bottom for the rim of the shell to fit under. You can shim with a plate or washers or take a little off with a Dremel or something similar. I've never trimmed my cases because they fit in my guns. I use the thick plastic overshot cards so that probably makes a difference. The only other thing I would add is that I find I get better groups and a lot more stone dead shots by using less shot driven a little faster. Ballistic Products has enough load data and information to get you started. It'll probably take you a few years to get to the point where you need more information. I've been loading a long time and still find information that I work into my loads. That's a big reason why I load. There's always something to learn and a way to make a better load.