Home Forums Reloading Shotshells - TSS and Unleaded Loading TSS??

Anybody on here loading their own TSS?

Thinking about getting set up to load some for a 20 gauge.

What equipment I need to get started?

A press, scale, TSS load data, shot, empty hulls of the called for brand and style that are plentiful and obtainable enough to be worthwhile, appropriate wads, correct powder, and whatever primer is called for in the recipe. Plus, enough common sense to stick to the recipe and not wander from it.

You need a motive to shoot $100 bills out of your 20ga. I could never find that motive.

That's why I want to handload it.

Go over to Gobbler Nation forum and talk with hawglips or shooter. They both sell TSS and will provide you with pressure tested load data as well as a list of what you need and where to find it.

Have a message in to hawglips. A bud has been buying from him.

Would be better off using a roll crimper than a press. It's slow, but you can still load 25 in an hour or so. If you buy new primed hulls, the roll crimper and something to spin it with as well as a scale, is all the equipment you need.

what is TSS?

Tungsten Super Shot.

Tungsten Super Shot.
It's heavier than lead, and harder than hell.
You can drop shot sizes, but maintaining lead type per pellet weight.
Much better energy retention and penetration. (Just hearsay, but full penetration of turkeys have been claimed)
Being hard, it patterns great.


But it is very expensive. And requires care in loading.

3# of #9 TSS is ordered.

Now I just need hulls, a shell vise and a roll crimp tool.

Anxious to get started on some 20 gauge ammo.

Federal TSS shells are cost effective for the subgauges. Handloading doesn't necessarily make sense until you get into the heavy 12 ga loads. Of course, the point of shooting TSS is you don't need a 12ga or heavy loads.

Pay attention to how your handload will protect the bore from the shot. TSS will score your barrel if there is not something between it and the bore.

Got the data from the guy I bought the shot from.

Time to get components ordered and work on a good load/choke combination for our Fall turkey season.

My data shows a wad with a Mylar liner inside of the wad.

What exact Mylar do you need?

Ballistic Products 16/20

Do you know the specs?
I work with mylar film, and have access to
Several thicknesses, let me know. If your are willing to use scissors,
I could send you a few envelope size sheets.

I could get 3 mil, which is what they show, and 10mil, not sure about others, we used to have 5 and 7 also.
They say the have 3 thicknesses, but only show 3mil.
At $7/100, it would be better to just buy, and be sure. You sure don't want to cut groves in your barrel to save pennies.

Headed over in a bit to buy a buddy out of all of his TSS loading components and equipment.

Good call to get.

Does anyone know if Apex Ammo is loaded in this manner? I contacted Beretta and Franchi, both told me TSS would not harm my barrels.

The good stuff handloaders get will score hard chrome. It will bang up your choke no matter what. I've only used what I get for handloading. Supposedly the pellets Federal loads are softer. And Federal has purpose built wads for their loads. Not sure how Federal gets 18g/cc without being hard as tungsten, but that's what they say.

I GUESS Apex will be loading htl wads one inside the other or lined with mylar. TSS is extremely tough on wads, but, done correctly, the shot should not come in contact with the bore. Correctly involves stacking cork or felt, rolling mylar up, getting it all settled, getting shot and buffer measured accurately and settled while keeping all that within the wad.

I would go Federal or roll my own. That's just my opinion. I have not used Apex. Apex has lots of happy customers.

What chokes do ya'll use with 18g/cc TSS. Full OK?

Get yourself a GAEP roll crimp tool. They are the best of the bunch. All a bit of WD40 to the hull rim for lube and run the crimper at about 1100 rpm and your crimps will be perfect.

Usually for a good hunting pattern, but the crazy high number patterns are with aftermarket chokes. Companies are making TSS specfic chokes now. Indian Creek ain't bad.

I only shoot sxs shotguns, and for the last 6 years, those have been 20ga only. I do have a concern with barrel damage from Hevi-Shot, so I use Cylinder in the right and IC in the left.

I use Hevi-Shot #6 for most of my waterfowl hunting, with #4HS on occasion.

I've not had any issues with killing birds or damaging barrels, but I won't use the larger shot sizes, like #2, when using HS in the 20ga.

This is regular HS, not the TSS, to be clear.

Hevi isn't anywhere near as dense as TSS. TSS is 18g/cc density, extremely hard shot. You should not be surprised to see damage when firing through a turkey choke. I have not seen any marking in smooth full chokes, but wad stripping turkey chokes do get banged up. They still work, though.

.700 is about right for TSS