Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting .410 TSS

Anybody used this Federal ammo in an older gun? I'm ordering some from Midsouth for my wife's Ithaca drop lever single shot and don't want to score the barrel or worse.

Just ordered some myself. They say it is ok for older full choke guns. I hope they are right.

Starting to get a little skittish about it. Think her dad have her the shotgun when she was 12 or 13. so there's no room for error. I'll hit another site or 2 and check some online retail feedback.

I shot a .410 #9 TSS test round out of an Iver Johnson circa 1950 yesterday with no problems. Full Choke.

Have you patterned 3/4oz lead 7 1/2s?

We fired 3 Fiochi 3/4 #8 yesterday at 20 long steps and got 5 or 6 in the spine or brain on a turkey target. So that's about max for range. #8 lead might do it but a 20 lb tom has some big neck vertebrae. And I keep seeing stuff like Pitbull said. Even found a recent example of a guy using the exact Ithaca 66 as hers shooting the #9 TSS with really good results and no damage. We're headed to camp Wednesday for the Saturday opener and I'm going to try some 20 ga #6 field loads in a Mossy 500 Ute model with her.

Some info on the Federal load along with a description and picture of the shot cup, shot and buffer used. Looks like Federal is doing their best to keep the shot out of contact with gun metal. Found especially interesting the shot cup used has been changed from a 3 slit to a 2 slit for 2019.

https://gobblernation.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=18182

And here's a link with quite a bit of TSS loading experience.

https://gobblernation.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=18

When we do handloads we put a mylar tube inside the wad for extra protection. That's not going to happen on factory loads. The risk of scoring to the barrel is small. As in the risk exists, but it generally isn't a problem. I wouldn't do it, but I wouldn't do lots of things other people do.

That is interesting about the 2-slit wad. When the 2-slit works well it'll throw a tighter pattern, if the petals don't peel back well and a few shot get embedded in the cup, it can sweep the pattern off center by turning sideways or even backwards. That sort of thing has only happened to me a couple times when experimenting with it, though. People have found that the Flite Control wad and even the Longbeard loads occasionally fail, too. I guess it averages out sales-wise.

If you really want to do a .410 get the Stevens turkey model or better yet send a Yildiz off to be threaded for a turkey choke and a red dot sight base mounted. The fella who runs that site you referenced sells a 7/8oz .410 load.

Thanks for the input. We're not locked into the .410. Only 2 reasons for it being in for consideration is the family tie aspect and recoil. If she reacts to a gobbler coming in full bore the way I think she will we'll be looking at gas operated 20 gauges for the 2020 season. The 28 gauge seems to be making inroads as well. Hoping Federal or someone starts loading mid-range tungsten ammunition instead of focusing strictly on full throttle 3" loads for the 12 and 20. The 28 with a full ounce of TSS should be a 35 to 40 yd killer in an easily manageable 24' or so barreled semi-auto as will the 20 with 1 1/8 oz loads of 7 or 9 shot. That's one focal point Federal could quite possibly have now that TSS has been so successful.