The Golden Age of Ammunition

[FullChoke]

One area of great advances for today's turkey hunter is the field of ammunition. The popularity of the 20 gauge shotgun is due in large part to new and highly efficient loads being offered by most of the major ammo companies. Awesome results that are available for a minimal investment can be achieved by hand loading your own shells with  TSS shot resulting in pattern density unheard of in the past. We really are living in the Golden Age of ammunition.

Tell us what ammo you are planning on shooting this year and why?

FC

[shedhunta]

Federal 20ga HW 7's in 3".  Why?  Because New Jersey will not allow me to use anything smaller than 7 shot or else I would probably be shooting TSS 9's.

[FullChoke]

Federal 20ga HW 7's in 3".  Why?  Because New Jersey will not allow me to use anything smaller than 7 shot or else I would probably be shooting TSS 9's.

If your hand loads had a "6" printed on the OSC and written on the outside, would they ever look inside? 

[cramerhunts]

Currently shooting mag blends with a jelly head 570. Getting great results but will be trying a few different prior to go time. This combo did the job on four birds last year!

[xarcher]

TSS 9s

[Sand Man]

TSS 9.5s.  They are wicked!

[FullChoke]

I will be shooting the 3" Federal FlightControl #7 Heavyweights this year. I have loaded and shot TSS shells in the past and agree that they are the best ammo that we generally have available today. The only material beyond tungsten in density might be spent uranium, and the gubmint seems to want to keep all that stuff.

FC 

[3seasons]

TSS 9.5's

[surehuntsalot]

still shooting the old Remington/ Hevishot #6's

[harleytom]

Mostly TSS 8.5's and maybe some Federal Heavyweight 7s.

[FullChoke]

For everyone who is shooting the TSS shot, I have a question for you. Why have you gone that route? Is it to allow further killing range? Denser patterns? More consistent patterns? Or do you just like fooling around with the notoriety of this kind of thing?

Also, have you built a shot trap to catch and recycle those pricey pellets?

FC

[Sand Man]

For everyone who is shooting the TSS shot, I have a question for you. Why have you gone that route? Is it to allow further killing range? Denser patterns? More consistent patterns? Or do you just like fooling around with the notoriety of this kind of thing?

Also, have you built a shot trap to catch and recycle those pricey pellets?

FC

Simple for me.  I like to have my cake and eat it too.  I'm able to go to a much lighter/smaller gun in the youth 870 20ga and not give up any performance I would have shooting a 3.5" 12ga.  I now have a more compact lighter gun that doesn't kill on both ends that performs as well or better I'd argue than any 12ga factory load.

I have not built a trap.  I sighted my gun in when I patterned it and never looked back.  I do plan on replacing the battery in my FF II this year, so I will shoot one more load to verify POA/POI.

[xarcher]

For everyone who is shooting the TSS shot, I have a question for you. Why have you gone that route? Is it to allow further killing range? Denser patterns? More consistent patterns? Or do you just like fooling around with the notoriety of this kind of thing?

Also, have you built a shot trap to catch and recycle those pricey pellets?

FC

Not really interested in long range killing.  But when I can carry a lighter gun and put more holes in the paper at 40 yards than what comes out of the pipe with most 3 1/2 inch 12s, there is really no more to be said. 

[3seasons]

Fullchoke I built a pellet trap and I highly recommend one if you're going to pattern any of your shells.
I had some lumber laying around so all I had to purchase was some rubber matt which I got from Lowes for less than $30.  Mine is a 36"x36" on the trap and I put a side piece for shooting lead through.
My front piece of rubber matt I got from work, it's a solid 3/16" matt and the others are thin from lowes.   The pellets will go through 2-3 layers then fall through the slot in the bottom.
Shooting 1 5/8oz I'm getting over 1.45oz back per shot.