Anything bigger than #8s just ain’t worth it

[ChesterCopperpot]

Why even mention Hevi13 since it's not really available.

As the original post said, "God I wish they still made Hevi13." It was and is a superior load in states with shot size restrictions. That was the worst discontinuance of a turkey shot shell in history in my opinion. I would like to pattern some of the Hevi XII in #6. Same pellet count as copper plated lead, but it might be a nasty pattern. If I was in a restricted state I'd really be trying to pattern those. A shame the shell I'm most interested in from Hevi now is intended as a duck load. They don't have any turkey offerings that I'd fork over money for. None.


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[sswv]

was talking with a fellow in the neighborhood yesterday evening and he was telling me about his new turkey loads. some sort of TSS and he said he didn't bat an eye to pay $15 per round. told me he could kill a gobbler out to 120yds.   I told him there were two different types of people in the spring turkey woods...real turkey hunters and those that just want to kill a gobbler at any cost (or distance) just for the hero shot. he might as well carry a varmint rifle. like the opening song to Ol Archie Bunker..."those were the days". yep, the days when calling in a bird close enough to kill him with an old polk stock with the same shells you squirrel hunted with the fall before. the innerweb and "SPECIAL" ammo has ruined the real meaning of spring gobbler hunting and the younger crowd just getting started. my advice....save your money and learn to hunt and call the all mighty spring gobbler. the reward is priceless.

[Cowboy]

I just can't see paying that much for turkey loads.  That's why I'm a holdout. My brother shoots TSS and always trys to sell me on it but I'm standing firm. Not that I dont spend $$ on other things but that's dang sure alot of $$ for one shot. I still shoot 2 3/4 inch 5 and 6s!! Lol

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[JeffC]

Just jumped into the 20g game, hunt New Jersey where 7 1/2 is smallest shot allowed. Only 3" shot I can find is TSS or steel. Bought some 7 & 9 TSS blend, hoping that's all right with rules. Found a box of 20g #7 steel to use to sight gun in with. With my old 12 used Hevi 13 # 6, used everything I had up, tried their Hevi Strut , didnt pattern as well.  Hoping Jersey will allow #9 next year.

[Dtrkyman]

I had to load TSS 7.5 for legality in a state I will hunt this year, weather or not the number of pellets per ounce show an advantage doesn't matter, it still drastically out shoots lead and Hevi 7s as well as federal heavyweight!


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[ChesterCopperpot]

Just jumped into the 20g game, hunt New Jersey where 7 1/2 is smallest shot allowed. Only 3" shot I can find is TSS or steel. Bought some 7 & 9 TSS blend, hoping that's all right with rules. Found a box of 20g #7 steel to use to sight gun in with. With my old 12 used Hevi 13 # 6, used everything I had up, tried their Hevi Strut , didnt pattern as well.  Hoping Jersey will allow #9 next year.

If #7.5 is the smallest shot allowed then a duplex load containing #9s would not be legal.


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[ChesterCopperpot]

I had to load TSS 7.5 for legality in a state I will hunt this year, weather or not the number of pellets per ounce show an advantage doesn't matter, it still drastically out shoots lead and Hevi 7s as well as federal heavyweight!


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By "out shoots" do you mean it patterns better out of your set up? That's surely possible. With less pellets, I doubt it would be enough difference to warrant that cost for me, but I could surely understand wanting the absolute best pattern your gun could have. If you mean "out shoots" with regard to lethality, it's just not true. At 40 and under TSS doesn't kill a bird any more dead than anything else you listed. They're all flopping.


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[lmbunch69]

I'll go to tss when my lead numbers 5s won't kill a tom. I know that's not the argument here but I just don't see the point is the extra cost. This past week I bought my usual double x 3.5 inch #5s for 16$. They had hevi 18 for 80$ for 5 shells. Maybe if I reloaded but I just don't see the point. Dead is dead

[Crghss]

I will get a 20 ga this year, maybe a 410. For me I think this is where TSS really shines.

But if you want to shoot TSS out of 12 ga, go for it. It's not like it will degrade or hinder your shot.

Kinda weird that people are hating on TSS.

[ChesterCopperpot]

I will get a 20 ga this year, maybe a 410. For me I think this is where TSS really shines.

But if you want to shoot TSS out of 12 ga, go for it. It's not like it will degrade or hinder your shot.

Kinda weird that people are hating on TSS.

Definitely shines in sub gauges. It's the only thing that makes the super small sub gauges viable weapons for turkeys. I shoot it out of 20s and 12s. But I stick with #8.5s and #9s. My point is only that once you get to #8s and bigger the reward doesn't warrant the cost for me.

People will always hate on things that cost money. "Why you need $1,000 worth of Sitka gear to kill a whitetail?!? I kill 'em in blue jeans and flannel!" Sure, but, sit on stand through a -5 morning and you'd wish to God you owned the Sitka. The point here's the same, though, there has to be a real tangible advantage and when TSS gets larger than #8 it just doesn't have the advantage that warrants that price difference. In #9s, and even #10s in .410, it most certainly does.


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[Crghss]

I will get a 20 ga this year, maybe a 410. For me I think this is where TSS really shines.

But if you want to shoot TSS out of 12 ga, go for it. It's not like it will degrade or hinder your shot.

Kinda weird that people are hating on TSS.

Definitely shines in sub gauges. It's the only thing that makes the super small sub gauges viable weapons for turkeys. I shoot it out of 20s and 12s. But I stick with #8.5s and #9s. My point is only that once you get to #8s and bigger the reward doesn't warrant the cost for me.

People will always hate on things that cost money. "Why you need $1,000 worth of Sitka gear to kill a whitetail?!? I kill 'em in blue jeans and flannel!" Sure, but, sit on stand through a -5 morning and you'd wish to God you owned the Sitka. The point here's the same, though, there has to be a real tangible advantage and when TSS gets larger than #8 it just doesn't have the advantage that warrants that price difference. In #9s, and even #10s in .410, it most certainly does.


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Say what? Have no idea what the point is. Once you pattern you're shotgun then it may cost, per shot, per turkey, per year, $5 or more. If I shoot 2 turkeys a year, every year then my cost go up, at most $10? Why is this a discussion? When one of my 2 shotguns cost $400 the other $800, clothes, calls, license/tags. Why does $100 over 10 years Shooting 2 turkeys a year matter?

[ChesterCopperpot]

Why does $100 over 10 years Shooting 2 turkeys a year matter?

Doesn't to me. We're on the same page. I shoot TSS out of every gun I hunt with, two 12s and three 20s. TSS in #8.5 and smaller, the advantage warrants the cost. My response was to your question of why people hate on it. People hate on it because it's $12-$15 per shell. To them that cost isn't something they can justify.


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[Dtrkyman]

Better patterns Chester, dead is dead, though I bet a stray TSS 7.5 may blow through the body of a bird?

I already handload and trade for some legal shot size for my hunt, I normally shoot 9s, but started with 9.5s as that is all that Hal had at that time, they worked fantastic as well.

I do not recall the cost of my handloads, thought it was around 6 bux?  I saw a box of five federals for 70 bux...ouch.

[ChesterCopperpot]

Better patterns Chester, dead is dead, though I bet a stray TSS 7.5 may blow through the body of a bird?

I already handload and trade for some legal shot size for my hunt, I normally shoot 9s, but started with 9.5s as that is all that Hal had at that time, they worked fantastic as well.

I do not recall the cost of my handloads, thought it was around 6 bux?  I saw a box of five federals for 70 bux...ouch.

Better patterns is a great reason. And at $6 a shell, you're shooting cheaper than Hevi 13s typically were. Handloading would be the exception to everything I'm saying. Going from $4 a shell for LongBeards in #6 to $6 a shell for TSS in a #7 or #7.5 for restricted states, that's justifiable and makes good sense to me.

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[crow]

 1 real world advantage of #7 TSS would be for a backup shot on an already hit and getting away turkey if your using a single shot shotgun.
I hunt with a single shot 20ga., it has 2 rubber bands around the forearm that hold a #7 TSS shell in place  for a fast follow up shot.

If something goes wrong with the first shot, by the time you reload most people are going to be as Col. Tom Kelly puts it "shooting at turkey, all of turkey". #8 TSS would be fine for most backup shots, but #7 TSS will hold a tighter center core and penetrate better than #8's or 9's.

this particular gun has a fixed Xfull choke, at 40yds the 10" averages only 8-9 pellets less with Tss #8's than with #9's. I hunt with 8's in this gun for the first shot, no reason not to.

I hunt with TSS #9's in another 20 and am aware of what they will do. In my opinion #9 TSS are better killers than the fed 15g/cc HVWT #7's  which were/are deadly on gobblers.