Federals 20ga tss #9 field report

[petemoss83]

 The general consensus is that this tss is the best thing since sliced bread. Ive patterned most premium shells available for 20ga including apex, federal,  Winchester,  and hevi shot.  However i haven't had the chance to try out nitros yet. Of the rounds i have tested this new federal tss has consistently patterned better than any other out of my rem 870 youth model. Best i could get out of the apex #9 shells were an average pattern of 210-10@40yds and that was trying several chokes. Plenty good for hunting i know but the patterns were inconsistent.  250, 190, 270, 230 in 10@40. The federals were much more consistent averaging 300 in the best choke (Carlson long beard choke .568)combination and 275 in the second best (Indian Creek .555).  And patterns were within 20-30 hits difference from shot to shot.  However,  this is with my particular gun but anyhow the real reason for this post is I've been lucky enough to harvest a couple of birds this season already with the federal shells and i wanted to report their effectiveness at multiple ranges.  At 1000 fps a few people have questioned their effectiveness.  Well i can report that at 43yds and 53yds the #9 tss bb's will completely penetrate the breast bone of a 19 lb long beard. I was shooting uphill on the 53yd shot and thought the bird was alot closer... both birds had broken wings and one broken leg as well with a good bit of bleeding from their heads.  The tss penetrated completely through both breasts and breast bone at 53yds from a 21" barrel. So yea I'd say 1000fps is plenty...

[turkeyinstrut]

Really none of my business but you really aren't suppose to mention shots over 40 yards on this site, don't be surprised if you get the boot.

[petemoss83]

Yes I'm aware of the 40yd rule.  But even the most ethical hunters have made mistakes on judging yardage. (All of us) I just gave an honest report. I prefer the close in hunts. But seriously i just knew that 53yd shot was actually 40-42yds. After walking up to the bird and then looking back down at my blind i thought goodness that was farther then 40. I was glad however that the bird was taken cleanly and so quickly which is what prompted my original post on the effectiveness of the shells used.

[Remturkey]

Thanks for the real world report. Can't wait to try the same shell out in my 870. I was lucky to snag a couple boxes.

[g8rvet]

I like to radiograph my birds that I take with a new load.  Just kind of shows the pattern and the spread.  I have ones with Hevishot (old Remington) from my 12 and looked at the pellets.  Bird I shot with the HW #7 was equally devastated but there were fewer pellets retained in the head and neck.  Both were right at 37 steps.  I think the HW passes through more due to the heavier density. 

[mtns2hunt]

I like to radiograph my birds that I take with a new load.  Just kind of shows the pattern and the spread.  I have ones with Hevishot (old Remington) from my 12 and looked at the pellets.  Bird I shot with the HW #7 was equally devastated but there were fewer pellets retained in the head and neck.  Both were right at 37 steps.  I think the HW passes through more due to the heavier density.

Long beard, I know this is an old post but was wondering how you radio graph a bird without a whole lot of heavy equipment.;

[g8rvet]

It is pretty heavy equipment, but I take the bird to it!  I am a vet and I just wrap him with a towel (don't want to alarm the bunny huggers) and take him inside. 

It is pretty cool to look at the pattern and penetration.  Nephew shot a turkey with longbeard #5s at about 35 steps. Dropped him on the spot, but there was a lot more retention of pellets in that bird than in the Hevi 6 or the HW 7.  I want to see what the TSS #9s look like.

I also shot one low as I was getting used to my new sights.  I took rads and could see I had pellets in the body.  The bird acted like a heart shot duck, he rolled, popped up and started running straight to me. I was going to give him another, but when he got to about 15 steps he keeled over dead.  Turns out one had hit him right in the heart when I cleaned him.

[mtns2hunt]

Interesting and unique perspective. I once worked on a Trauma team and witnessed x rays showing shot in the chest. Perhaps you could share a photo or two of the #9 results? I appreciate the feedback.

[g8rvet]

I hope I get to.  So does my brother.  He is the only one in my group shooting it and just started this year.  Fingers crossed.