TSS Pattern question

[RiverRoost]

I'm awaiting for a Remington SF for my 20 gauge to come in and have my first experience with tss tomorrow. From what I've read and my thinking my question is, is does the tss need to have those super full cores at 40 to kill and that's the advantage of them being that a light,small gauge gun can produce that tight of core and kill at 40 yards or is it just as lethal at 40 with a more open pattern? I like a tight 40 but I want my wife to shoot this and afraid up close it's too tight for her. So does it really need to be that tight to kill and you can get the lethality from it bc it's so much of small shot and make a tight core or is that just the nature of the beast?

[Gooserbat]

I'm not an expert but I'm not a novice either.  No the tight core IMHO is exactly what you are wanting to get away from.  The beauty of tss is patern density.  250 in a 20 gauge with a 1 5/8 oz of #9 is about perfect.  It will yield  a volleyball size pattern at 20 yards and kill much farther than OG wants to discuss.  Coincidentally I have my Remington 870 20 ga doing 240-260 on average and I don't feel like I'm in anyway under gunned. 

[Swampchickin234]

I'm with gooserbat on that.  Sure, counting up a bunch of holes at 40 yards is fun, and it's fun to see how many you can get, but in reality, that "swarm" of "insurance" is a whole lot more needed when the time arises.   I'm rolling 280s with 9.5s at 40......with 9s in the same load, running 240-250s.    The trick for me has been finding that sweet spot in the 10-20 instead of that super hot core.    Even rolling 280s with 9.5, my 10-20 is still a beautiful swath like posted pic., and I still have insurance outside of that.    I'm shooting a .562 , but absolutely loved my .575 carlsons pattern also.  Rsf was lights out in 4 guns we tried, and averaged 260 as a low, to 280-90s.  For your wife, I would seriously suggest a Carlson .575 or a tru lock .585.   

With my stated numbers, what I absolutely love is I can scoot up to 15 yards, and still have dang near a 8-10" pattern with flyers.   


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[RiverRoost]

I have enough tss loaded that if she does go and want to shoot my plan is to have a more open choke like the 585 you stated to give her a more open pattern as I won't let her shoot past about 30 yards or so bc it will be her first turkey

[Hevishot 13]

Gooserbat is right. I'm shooting a IC .570 and get 275 in the ten inch at 40. I killed a bird two weeks ago and he turned a flip, never moved a muscle.

[Spitten and drummen]

I'm not an expert but I'm not a novice either.  No the tight core IMHO is exactly what you are wanting to get away from.  The beauty of tss is patern density.  250 in a 20 gauge with a 1 5/8 oz of #9 is about perfect.  It will yield  a volleyball size pattern at 20 yards and kill much farther than OG wants to discuss.  Coincidentally I have my Remington 870 20 ga doing 240-260 on average and I don't feel like I'm in anyway under gunned.

For not being a expert you are spot on in my opinion lol.

[honker22]

I have enough tss loaded that if she does go and want to shoot my plan is to have a more open choke like the 585 you stated to give her a more open pattern as I won't let her shoot past about 30 yards or so bc it will be her first turkey

At 30 yards, you could use a modified choke and be fine.  Out of curiosity, I shot a load through a modified and did 250/250 at 40 with my 20 ga.

[Spitten and drummen]

I actually shoot a indian creek .555 in my m-2 Benelli and its potent . It is a little tight and could stand a little more open choke as im averaging 300 to 320 in a 10" at 40yds. I have killed 11 birds with this set up and haven't whiffed yet knock on wood. Shoot at enough though and you are going to miss some no matter what choke you use lol.

[RiverRoost]

Shoot at enough though and you are going to miss some no matter what choke you use lol.

Oh no doubt! I found that out last year

[RiverRoost]

I'm pretty excited to see exactly how this does seeing all this talk on the patterns. Could possibly become my new favorite setup but I do love my sx3 longbeard!

[dirt road ninja]

I like the tight cores, though it's not necessary to kill birds.