Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Tss shells

I have killed more than a few birds with TSS over the years but I would guess that I have sent several hundred dollars worth down range at target paper to get choke/shell/ and sights set all figured out.
I don't want to miss let alone wound one and have it get away.

Shooting federal #7 through my BPS10 and Indian creek tube. Shot a bird this year at 55 yards, pattern is unreal at that distance. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Would like to shoot target and 70 and 80 to see how much drop and pattern looks like

I understand what you guys are saying , but I was on the last day of my hunt with 1 hour left , that’s where he hung up .

It takes 3 TSS #9 pellets to weigh as much as 1 lead #4....make a bad shot with tiny shot and you will be in trouble.

People that are pushing TSS claim total pass through.....I noticed several turkey reports on facebook where people killed turkeys that had been previously shot with TSS tiny shot

Not something to brag about for sure

LFC
Welcome to the fire.
Just for the record, I do not shoot TSS to shoot birds way off. Some may be shooting it for that reason but not me.
Second, if people are claiming to have killed birds that have been shot with TSS, I don't doubt it. I have killed birds with TSS that have been shot with regular lead shells, so I don't see the point.
I will say that no matter what type of shell you care to use, be ethical in your hunting and know your and your equipment's limits, and don't push them, we owe it to the sport and the bird to make a quick clean kill.

Why then ?

At 25 or 30 yards with a tight choke and a head shot they could be killed with a dove load.

Read my last sentence, I want a quick clean kill. I put more pellets in the brain, and stem with TSS.
As I said before, shoot whatever shell you like, I like TSS, if you like dove loads well that is fine too as long as you can make a quick clean kill.

I like a pattern that a bumblebee couldn’t fly through. Smaller shot size means more pellets and tss means retained energy. Kills em more dead. That’s why I like tss.

Retained energy is based on weight....not on how hard something is.

Yeah, I think they’re heavier than lead; shot size being equal.

lead is 11 gr. per CM
TSS is 18-18.5 gr per CM
not only hard but heavy

This came straight from Apex Ammo facebook site when I asked about pellet weight.

My question to Apex.

"I hear all the claims....lets hear the facts. What's the actual weight of a TSS size 9 or 10 pellet ?"

Apex Ammunition's reply to me...Quote

"9's weigh 1.2grs. 9.5's weigh 1gr.

9's are the perfect TSS pellet size. More energy than lead 4's and equal energy to hevi shot 5's."

My reply to Apex...

"A lead #4 pellet weighs 3.30 grains....a lead #7 shot weighs 1.50 grains....both substantially more weight than the smaller TSS pellet. Energy is figured by computing weight and velocity. There is no way a #9 TSS pellet weighing a third of a #4 lead can have more energy than a lead #4 shot moving at the same velocity.....fact is a lead #7 has more energy than a TSS #9 size shot moving at equal velocity."

TSS only exists with companies like Federal because they can't make a lead shell that will out shoot a Winchester's Longbeard Ammo with "Shot Lock" technology.

I don't use Apex
I have killed more than a few turkey with TSS, don't think any bounced off.
Once again shoot what you like, I know I will

TSS should retain its velocity, and hence energy better. Smooth hard shot also penetrates better. Just what that means out where the turkey is hard to quantify, just like “killing power” with other stuff. The patterns speak for themselves, as do results in the field.

Specialized ammo for a specific purpose, as are the tight chokes most use. Read JB’s recent piece about hard shot for more general uses.

I don’t know about the physics of i but my own pattern testing and dead gobblers have convinced me. Some good YouTube videos showing penetration at extended ranges too

Before TSS came along not many people in their right mind tried to shoot turkeys with a Lead #7....

Fact is a Lead #7 pellet weighs more than a TSS #9 pellet.

You take two projectiles one heavier and one lighter you send them out the muzzle at the same velocity the heavier pellet will retain more energy and velocity than the lighter pellet.

#7 lead beats TSs #9

Don't take a Rocket scientist to see that.

LFC
Just a question, have you ever killed a bird with TSS?

That article on hard shot is in Handloader 330 Feb-Mar 2021. Explains thing pretty well, as JB usually does.

Lighter guns, less kick, better patterns. My .410 puts about a dozen pellets in the head and neck of a turkey target out to 50 yards. Don’t plan on shooting that far, but 40 yards with a little cushion suits me. Have only patterned the 20ga to 40 yards, but it’s a crusher too.

Shoot what you like. For head-shots on turkeys, I like the odds with tungsten. In the Fall, I might choose something more conventional, with the possibility of flushed turkeys, grouse, or maybe even a squirrel.