Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting 12 ga tss 7, 9, or 7/9 blend?

I have yet to take a bird with my 20 gauge federal #9 shot so I have not totally drank the #9 koolaid.

I kinda want to use my 12 gauge and considering TSS #7, #9, and 7/9 blends.

Having more #7 pellets in the 12 gauge and more energy make that load an absolute 50 yard killer?
Are #9s really that effective out there?
Would the 7/9 blend be a perfect compromise?

My only dilema is im sitting on a bunch of #5 and 5/6/7 magnum blend Hevishot to use up. The stuff has never really impressed me pattern wise, but I need to shoot non-toxic on fedeal land. Plus I think Hevi-shot isnt that heavy and really overmarketed.

So get the TSS and let the hevishot gather dust?

What size of TSS shot?

9s will kill with authority, way past 50. 7s will decrease your pattern density, and 7-9 blend is still going to have less pattern density than straight 9s, and the 9s are “doing the work” so to speak anyway. The only reason to shoot anything bigger than 9s for turkey, would be if 9s aren’t legal in your state.

I’ve never understood the blended shot idea. You don’t have enough of the big shot in the shell to extend range, all the do is eat space for more 9’s.


Straight 9’s

I am a straight #9 man myself and have had no issues in my 20's. I do have a little bit of #8's but never used it.

Don't hesitate for one second to use those Federal 20ga 3" #9 TSS loads! They get it done, and with authority too!

I was skeptical at first as well, but have been making up for it big time the last few years. Stuff is a game changer!

I honestly don't know why, outside of state regulations, anyone would use 7s over 9s.

The 9s will have better pattern density and kill further than anyone should kill a turkey.

This is an easy one to overcomplicate but we all like to do that because we are loony's.

But in this case id find a load with straight 9s that will put 250+ in a 10" circle consistently and go hunt.

I loaded my own with 8.5 TSS on advice from Hawglips on here. I shot out to 80 yards and the results were impressive to say the least. I am a believer now in the range and penetration of this stuff.

What do you use as a penetration test media?

Paper gets punched at low energy, but what simulates turkey parts?

I used to use steel soup cans!

Turkeys are the best test medium.

I like #7 in 20 gauge. The pattern may not be as dense as #9, but it's still plenty dense enough. I used #7 on a bird last winter and at 40 yards I don't recall finding any pellets at all. I saw the blood shot paths of a few pellets through some back meat that went all the way through, and neck bones that had holes all the way through. The bird I shot in January with #9 at about 25 yards still had some pellets in the neck and at least one in some back meat.

#9 will kill deadern hell, no doubt. But #7 will have more energy at any range if launched at the same speed.

I use 8.5 TSS in my 12 gauge. A little more kinetic energy while still being small enough to deliver an impressive payload and amount of pellets.

Had a bird last day of the season pretty as you please in a field, I thought 60 yards max. Terrain was misleading. TSS 3 1/2in no 7s. Bird just disappeared in the grass when I shot him, no flop. Afterwards ranged it back to the tree I was sittin on. 78 yards. I'm glad it worked out, I don't try to be a turkey sniper but dang....that stuff is impressive. Buddy was with me and hes a cheapass, probably never spent more than 20 bucks on turkey shells. He's shooting TSS now.

Hawglips mentioned in the above post.....he is credited by the companies pushing the TSS shells as the inventor of the TSS loads....he only lives like 20 miles from me and several years ago I sat down with him at his house, in his loading room and we loaded up the #9 TSS in 20 gauge shells. His own receipt that has been proven and copied by hunters and shell makers through out the USA. Also loads 410, 12, 28 and you can trust his loads as well tested and proven. Knows his stuff and a great guy. Dave Owens on the Pinhoti Project on You Tube....great turkey hunter... he has a segment showing how to load TSS giving Hal (Hawglips) the credit of giving him his receipt on loading the 20 gauge. What I am eluding to is my personal experience with his handloads....they work way out there. Killed a bird last year that I had misjudged by few yards....58 yards by a rangefinder. When I dressed him out the shot had gone thru his back, and I shot him facing me. Was laying where he was hit....stone dead. My patterns with two different 20 gauges will put 481 and 488 pellets in a 10 and 20 inch circle at 40 yards and 47 and 58 pellets in the head/neck. If your gun will pattern them well, you can trust them to kill any turkey within your testing range. I know of no other shot that will kill like they do.

I had 1/2 inch plywood behind my paper targets. Out to 70 yards the shot penetrated it. Damn impressive iffn' you ask me

I've shot federal 7s TSS since it came out No complaints, gets the job done. With the sub gauge guns I'm hunting with I've went to 9 and 10 TSS. Trying to get more pellets down range. For that I've been using Salt Creek ammo.
Here's a link for their site with test data on speed and penetration, pretty impressive.
https://saltcreekammo.com/blogs/theturkeytimes/faqs-why-tss

TSS is no joke, been rolling my own for the past 12 years. I have several loads for the 20ga, duplex of 9's under 8's produces the tightest pattern I have been able to get from my 20ga's. I have not killed a gobbler for the past 11 years with a 12ga, TSS has made the 20ga very lethal way further than turkeys should be killed.

It's funny, Winchester had those supreme elite extended ranges, pretty much the predecessor of the TSS back in the early 2000s, that stuff was incredible. And then they stopped making it saying folks just don't want to spend that much on turkey shells. Then we went without for years unless you went with some custom loaded stuff. And now everyone is on the TSS bandwagon.


Pic for attention!

What shot size?

What shot size?

7.5