Federal Premium will introduce a new turkey hunting shotgun load in 2015 called the 3rd Degree. The new 12 gauge loads are designed to extend the hunter’s effective reach while making close range shots more forgiving.

The company designed these loads to have three “stages.” The top-most stage – accounting for 20% of the load – uses #6 nickel-plated lead. Inside of 20 yards, these pellets create a wide pattern.

The middle stage accounts for 40% of the load. It uses #5 copper-plated lead shot. This is supposed to create a dense pattern at medium ranges.

For the final stage, Federal uses #7 tungsten-iron Heavyweight pellets. At 40+ yards, these pellets have more energy than the medium stage pellets.

The muzzle velocity of these loads is 1,250 fps. The 3rd Degree shells will be available in 3″ and 3.5″ versions with 1.75 oz and 2 oz shot loads respectively. The MSRP will be $21.95 and $24.95 for a five round box.

Federal did not provide a shipping date, however, the new loads have started to appear on several retailer websites.