Apex Ammunition's New SmallTown Hunting 28-gauge TSS Turkey Load

If you want to go after turkeys this spring season, but you want to use a sub-gauge shotgun, good news: Apex Ammunition has a new 28-gauge load on the market, just in time for the 2026 season. The new Apex Ammunition 28-Gauge SmallTown Hunting TSS Turkey Blend promises to give bird-busting performance at long range thanks to a blended load of high-density shot and a wad that will help your pattern hold together.

Turkey-busting power @ TFB:

• New from Federal Ammunition: Black Cloud TSS 20 Gauge
• New HEVI-18 TSS Turkey Loads Launched by HEVI-SHOT
• JEBS Chokes Releases New STACKED Signature Series TSS Ammo
• APEX Ammunition Upland Bird TSS Loads Now Available

Behind the magic

The secret to the performance of the new Apex Ammunition load is a blend of heavy-but-small pellets, backed up by a high-performance wad and clean-burning powder. Apex says the new load cooks along at 1050fps, with enough pellets to still deliver a full pattern down-range:

“Engineered for hunters who demand maximum pattern density, lethal energy, and extended range, this 2 ¾” 1 ½ oz. duplex load combines the knockdown power of #7.5 Tungsten Super Shot with the pattern-filling density of #9 TSS. The result: devastating close-range impact while maintaining lethal pellet count at distance.”

In the past, it was hard to get the coveted triple crown of pattern density, hitting power and long-range performance out of a single shotshell, as manufacturers had to rely on larger pellets or faster speeds to build a load that would kill downrange. The trade-off for larger pellets or faster speeds typically was a poor pattern. With some refinement, a handloader might be able to dial their results in to their satisfaction, or maybe they could find a decent load after trying many of the rounds on the market. But still, most turkey hunters restricted themselves to shots of 40 yards’ distance or less, while the new loads from Apex Ammunition bear testimonials on their website of kills much further out.