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Best Time of Year to Buy Apex TSS & Reloading Question

Started by Sir-diealot, May 28, 2021, 09:53:31 AM

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Sir-diealot

What is the best time of year to buy Apex TSS? They always seem to be sold out of #8's in a 3" shell before March. Is there any difference between their normal loads and this new Ninja stuff and if so what?

Also I have a old Lee Load All II I could use for measuring powder and shot I would think, what else would I need other than a roll crimp and do I need anything to use a roll crimper? (I think I read something about using a drill with them but I am not sure of that)
With prices so high is it worth my time to bother reloading at this time?
I will be reloading 7's or 8's I am not sure which in an 1187 with a Indian Creek Choke .665 , you can not use 9's in my state.

Thanks for taking the time to read and for any replies.
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger

John Koenig:
"It's better to live as your own man, than as a fool in someone else's dream."

Ozarks Hillbilly

Dave Owens has a informative video on his YouTube channel on rolling your own TSS shells. I am sure there's others as well.

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Gooserbat

NWTF Booth 1623
One of my personal current interests is nest predators and how a majority of hunters, where legal bait to the extent of chumming coons.  However once they get the predators concentrated they don't control them.

Greg Massey

Loading and finding the components to load the shells is almost impossible at this time, i looked at loading 20 ga shells in TSS and for what all i would need and the cost i could just buy all the TSS i needed already loaded. Your no young man, like myself, so my suggestion is just buy you some TSS shell from someone who commercially sells them already loaded. Now if i were 20 plus year old young man i would definitely look into loading my own TSS...But for shooting 1 - 5 shells year or less of TSS at a turkey, just shop for already loaded ammo in TSS... IMO..

Sir-diealot

#4
Quote from: Ozarks Hillbilly on May 28, 2021, 10:43:56 AM
Dave Owens has a informative video on his YouTube channel on rolling your own TSS shells. I am sure there's others as well.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Thanks, I will be sure to look for it.

Quote from: Gooserbat on May 28, 2021, 10:45:36 AM
Start now
Buying or reloading?

Quote from: Greg Massey on May 28, 2021, 11:19:07 AM
Loading and finding the components to load the shells is almost impossible at this time, i looked at loading 20 ga shells in TSS and for what all i would need and the cost i could just buy all the TSS i needed already loaded. Your no young man, like myself, so my suggestion is just buy you some TSS shell from someone who commercially sells them already loaded. Now if i were 20 plus year old young man i would definitely look into loading my own TSS...But for shooting 1 - 5 shells year or less of TSS at a turkey, just shop for already loaded ammo in TSS... IMO..
I was just starting in reloading when I had my car accident in 2001, I have about $1500.00 worth of reloading equipment now including digital powder measure, scale and calipers but that stuff is for reloading rifle shells. I just do not know how much everything will cost, but from what you are saying it may not be cost effective for me. I do not know if I will like it, I have no interest in shooting over 40 yards and I wonder about how it will be inside of 40 yards. Truth is I always loved experimenting with my arrows and I loved shooting woodchucks with 55gr. Nosler Ballistic tips I reloaded myself. I never got to try any 30.06 loads because my car accident happened but I do know .222 Nosler Ballistic Tips shot good as well. My 3 big things are cost of shot, cost of crimper and cost of powder, I do not think the 20+ year old red dot powder I have would be the best bet anymore :D Thank you for the honest input Greg, I do appreciate it and will consider it as well.
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger

John Koenig:
"It's better to live as your own man, than as a fool in someone else's dream."

Greg Massey

Quote from: Sir-diealot on May 28, 2021, 12:39:28 PM
Quote from: Ozarks Hillbilly on May 28, 2021, 10:43:56 AM
Dave Owens has a informative video on his YouTube channel on rolling your own TSS shells. I am sure there's others as well.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Thanks, I will be sure to look for it.

Quote from: Gooserbat on May 28, 2021, 10:45:36 AM
Start now
Just in components alone, i was looking at well over 200 dollars investment .. Yes with TSS you have to have the right load information along with shot and powders..
Buying or reloading?

Quote from: Greg Massey on May 28, 2021, 11:19:07 AM
Loading and finding the components to load the shells is almost impossible at this time, i looked at loading 20 ga shells in TSS and for what all i would need and the cost i could just buy all the TSS i needed already loaded. Your no young man, like myself, so my suggestion is just buy you some TSS shell from someone who commercially sells them already loaded. Now if i were 20 plus year old young man i would definitely look into loading my own TSS...But for shooting 1 - 5 shells year or less of TSS at a turkey, just shop for already loaded ammo in TSS... IMO..
I was just starting in reloading when I had my car accident in 2001, I have about $1500.00 worth of reloading equipment now including digital powder measure, scale and calipers but that stuff is for reloading rifle shells. I just do not know how much everything will cost, but from what you are saying it may not be cost effective for me. I do not know if I will like it, I have no interest in shooting over 40 yards and I wonder about how it will be inside of 40 yards. Truth is I always loved experimenting with my arrows and I loved shooting woodchucks with 55gr. Nosler Ballistic tips I reloaded myself. I never got to try any 30.06 loads because my car accident happened but I do know .222 Nosler Ballistic Tips shot good as well. My 3 big things are cost of shot, cost of crimper and cost of powder, I do not think the 20+ year old red dot powder I have would be the best bet anymore :D Thank you for the honest input Greg, I do appreciate it and will consider it as well.

aclawrence

Just the coat of the TSS shot is pretty high. I think you really need to like to shoot a good bit to make it worth it. Dave mentions a few suppliers where he buys some of his supplies from. You have to buy the shot by the pound. I got to figuring up how many pounds I would need and I decided I would just buy a few boxes if shells instead. I would like to get into it one day. I know I would like to process.


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Sir-diealot

Quote Greg Massey:
Just in components alone, i was looking at well over 200 dollars investment .. Yes with TSS you have to have the right load information along with shot and powders..
Buying or reloading?

5 boxes of TSS will cost 300.00 before shipping though, how many rounds did you figure you could make doing it yourself and did it include the parts that my Load All II could do? Not trying to knock you at all, trying to figure the overall cost in this tiny little thing I call a brain and I am not at all good with numbers.

Quote from: aclawrence on May 28, 2021, 01:28:38 PM
Just the coat of the TSS shot is pretty high. I think you really need to like to shoot a good bit to make it worth it. Dave mentions a few suppliers where he buys some of his supplies from. You have to buy the shot by the pound. I got to figuring up how many pounds I would need and I decided I would just buy a few boxes if shells instead. I would like to get into it one day. I know I would like to process.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That was another thing I was trying to figure in the overall cost I mentioned above to Greg before your reply popped up, how much would I have to reload to make it cost effective. I do have a bag of wads that I used for reloading Sporting Clays, I do not know if they can be used though, I will have to find them and ask here.
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger

John Koenig:
"It's better to live as your own man, than as a fool in someone else's dream."

davisd9

Quote from: aclawrence on May 28, 2021, 01:28:38 PM
Just the coat of the TSS shot is pretty high. I think you really need to like to shoot a good bit to make it worth it. Dave mentions a few suppliers where he buys some of his supplies from. You have to buy the shot by the pound. I got to figuring up how many pounds I would need and I decided I would just buy a few boxes if shells instead. I would like to get into it one day. I know I would like to process.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I shoot a 1-5/8 oz load in my 20 gauge. The $50 pound of shot will load 9 shells with a little left over. The rest of the materials are not expensive at all. So for $50 I can buy 5 shells or get enough shot to load 9.
"A turkey hen speaks when she needs to speak, and says what she needs to say, when she needs to say it. So every word a turkey speaks is for a reason." - Rev Zach Farmer

davisd9

Quote from: Sir-diealot on May 28, 2021, 01:33:47 PM
Quote Greg Massey:
Just in components alone, i was looking at well over 200 dollars investment .. Yes with TSS you have to have the right load information along with shot and powders..
Buying or reloading?

5 boxes of TSS will cost 300.00 before shipping though, how many rounds did you figure you could make doing it yourself and did it include the parts that my Load All II could do? Not trying to knock you at all, trying to figure the overall cost in this tiny little thing I call a brain and I am not at all good with numbers.

Quote from: aclawrence on May 28, 2021, 01:28:38 PM
Just the coat of the TSS shot is pretty high. I think you really need to like to shoot a good bit to make it worth it. Dave mentions a few suppliers where he buys some of his supplies from. You have to buy the shot by the pound. I got to figuring up how many pounds I would need and I decided I would just buy a few boxes if shells instead. I would like to get into it one day. I know I would like to process.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That was another thing I was trying to figure in the overall cost I mentioned above to Greg before your reply popped up, how much would I have to reload to make it cost effective. I do have a bag of wads that I used for reloading Sporting Clays, I do not know if they can be used though, I will have to find them and ask here.



No those wads cannot be used.
"A turkey hen speaks when she needs to speak, and says what she needs to say, when she needs to say it. So every word a turkey speaks is for a reason." - Rev Zach Farmer

Greg Massey

Quote from: Sir-diealot on May 28, 2021, 01:33:47 PM
Quote Greg Massey:
Just in components alone, i was looking at well over 200 dollars investment .. Yes with TSS you have to have the right load information along with shot and powders..
Buying or reloading?

5 boxes of TSS will cost 300.00 before shipping though, how many rounds did you figure you could make doing it yourself and did it include the parts that my Load All II could do? Not trying to knock you at all, trying to figure the overall cost in this tiny little thing I call a brain and I am not at all good with numbers.

Quote from: aclawrence on May 28, 2021, 01:28:38 PM
Just the coat of the TSS shot is pretty high. I think you really need to like to shoot a good bit to make it worth it. Dave mentions a few suppliers where he buys some of his supplies from. You have to buy the shot by the pound. I got to figuring up how many pounds I would need and I decided I would just buy a few boxes if shells instead. I would like to get into it one day. I know I would like to process.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That was another thing I was trying to figure in the overall cost I mentioned above to Greg before your reply popped up, how much would I have to reload to make it cost effective. I do have a bag of wads that I used for reloading Sporting Clays, I do not know if they can be used though, I will have to find them and ask here.
You can't use those wad's for TSS

Greg Massey

Sure people will tell you to load them, but they don't tell you how hard it is to find the items you need. Almost all of these guys who are loading these shells already had a stock of hulls, wads, cards and primers to load these shells ..  Now i was just looking at loading 20 ga, and the cost. I don't thing it would be feasible to load the 12 ga. but hey it's your money. IMO  Just like this spring i fired 3 shells and killed 3 gobblers

davisd9

Quote from: Greg Massey on May 28, 2021, 01:59:49 PM
Sure people will tell you to load them, but they don't tell you how hard it is to find the items you need. Almost all of these guys who are loading these shells already had a stock of hulls, wads, cards and primers to load these shells ..  Now i was just looking at loading 20 ga, and the cost. I don't thing it would be feasible to load the 12 ga. but hey it's your money. IMO  Just like this spring i fired 3 shells and killed 3 gobblers

If you wait until February to start then yes it will be hard to find components, let alone with what is going on this year with ammo and components. The initial investment in high because you are buying components in bulk but for $250 you can have at minimum 100 hulls, pound of powder, 250 wads, 500 of needed fillers, shot for 18-19 shells at 1-5/8 oz, buffer, and overshot cards. That pound of powder will do 250ish shells. You do need a crimper, $30, a drill/drill press, something to seat everything but can use a striker, a scale, a funnel, and a couple various items to make it easier on yourself. At $50 a box of 5 you would have your overall investment paid for in a few years with the only cost continuing is shot for 100 rounds until you need more hulls etc.

Gives you peace of mind that the shell was done right, nothing changed, and gives an added bonus in preparation for the season and knowing you killed a bird with a shell you put together.
"A turkey hen speaks when she needs to speak, and says what she needs to say, when she needs to say it. So every word a turkey speaks is for a reason." - Rev Zach Farmer

Yelper

Now is the time to be thinking about buying some shells for next year. Yes they are costly and buying reloading items is not to bad if you reload enough to make it worth your time. But if you are  shooting less than 10 TSS shells a year, buying them loaded probably is your best option.



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Greg Massey

#14
Quote from: davisd9 on May 28, 2021, 02:17:52 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 28, 2021, 01:59:49 PM
Sure people will tell you to load them, but they don't tell you how hard it is to find the items you need. Almost all of these guys who are loading these shells already had a stock of hulls, wads, cards and primers to load these shells ..  Now i was just looking at loading 20 ga, and the cost. I don't thing it would be feasible to load the 12 ga. but hey it's your money. IMO  Just like this spring i fired 3 shells and killed 3 gobblers

If you wait until February to start then yes it will be hard to find components, let alone with what is going on this year with ammo and components. The initial investment in high because you are buying components in bulk but for $250 you can have at minimum 100 hulls, pound of powder, 250 wads, 500 of needed fillers, shot for 18-19 shells at 1-5/8 oz, buffer, and overshot cards. That pound of powder will do 250ish shells. You do need a crimper, $30, a drill/drill press, something to seat everything but can use a striker, a scale, a funnel, and a couple various items to make it easier on yourself. At $50 a box of 5 you would have your overall investment paid for in a few years with the only cost continuing is shot for 100 rounds until you need more hulls etc.

Gives you peace of mind that the shell was done right, nothing changed, and gives an added bonus in preparation for the season and knowing you killed a bird with a shell you put together.
I agree with you on this, but I've never had a problem with Apex or Federal TSS as for as shooting.  But i can see the pleasure of loading your own. Now if i were a younger man i would for sure probably load my own, but at my age it's just not feasible. I'm just giving you different perspective in us older guys.. imo