bamaranger
New member
The rage this year for spring gobbler hunters is TSS shot. Tungsten Super
Shot is about twice as heavy as lead. Due to this, a little bitty #9 TSS pellet will hit and penetrate like a lead #5, and you can pack a BUNCH of those little #9's into a shotgun hull. You can even buy .410 TSS shot and hunt gobblers with a .410. TSS shot will turn your .410 into a 20 gauge, your 20 ga into a 12, and your 12 ga into 10 ga, and your 10 ga into an AAA gun!
I don't need the stuff and here's why:
-TSS costs too much....35-50$ for a box of FIVE. 'Till you zero/pattern your gun, see how it shoots in maybe a second gun, you may have 2 rounds left for the season, you will need a second box of the stuff, especially if you have a multibird limit. Think 70-100$ for shells for the season. By contrast, $100 will likely buy you enough conventional lead turkey loads to last a lifetime.
-You will need a new choke tube, if you've been shooting a traditional "lead only" turkey tube. Another $50 bucks....you've not killed a bird yet by the way!
-To take full advantage of the additional range offered by the larger TSS pellets, you will need an optic on your gun, your single bead or double bead will hamper you ability to send these expensive space shot pellets where they need to go. So, 35-$300 bucks or more for fiber optic rifle sights, a scope, or a good red dot. No bird yet either.
-TSS shoots so well because it is very true and round, and HARD. Like I cannot imagine what biting into one might be like. You better be REALLY sure there is no TSS shot in your turkey sandwich.
-TSS in the small sizes (#9 seems popular for mathematical reasons especially in the smaller gauges) is equal to lead #5 in punch. You are still shooting the equivalent of a lead #5, just more of them, albeit a bunch more. But they will not crack that gobblers noggin', or shatter his neck any better than traditional lead pellet at distance. It would seem to gain the full advantage of TSS, one needs to shoot bigger pellets, and #7 seems the next step, which theoretically "hits" like a lead #2. But now one is cutting into the payload numbers in the smaller gauges.
-The additional range offered by the larger TSS pellets is just not necessary in most instances. My longest shot this season (with lead XR load) was still under 50 yds and in an open field. Once the leaves come out in the timber, most shots will be under 40 yds. Maybe way under.
About the only rationalization for TSS shot that I can see is to allow the use of the smaller guns, .410 and 20, used reasonably by those who cannot shoot a 12 due to recoil or weight. A true light 20 ga, loaded with #9TSS would be a light portable gun for the run and gun crowd too, or perhaps someone up in years. My 70+ yr old pal could have used one this spring. But I do not see a #9TSS 20 ga having more reach than a 12 ga with lead.
Shot is about twice as heavy as lead. Due to this, a little bitty #9 TSS pellet will hit and penetrate like a lead #5, and you can pack a BUNCH of those little #9's into a shotgun hull. You can even buy .410 TSS shot and hunt gobblers with a .410. TSS shot will turn your .410 into a 20 gauge, your 20 ga into a 12, and your 12 ga into 10 ga, and your 10 ga into an AAA gun!
I don't need the stuff and here's why:
-TSS costs too much....35-50$ for a box of FIVE. 'Till you zero/pattern your gun, see how it shoots in maybe a second gun, you may have 2 rounds left for the season, you will need a second box of the stuff, especially if you have a multibird limit. Think 70-100$ for shells for the season. By contrast, $100 will likely buy you enough conventional lead turkey loads to last a lifetime.
-You will need a new choke tube, if you've been shooting a traditional "lead only" turkey tube. Another $50 bucks....you've not killed a bird yet by the way!
-To take full advantage of the additional range offered by the larger TSS pellets, you will need an optic on your gun, your single bead or double bead will hamper you ability to send these expensive space shot pellets where they need to go. So, 35-$300 bucks or more for fiber optic rifle sights, a scope, or a good red dot. No bird yet either.
-TSS shoots so well because it is very true and round, and HARD. Like I cannot imagine what biting into one might be like. You better be REALLY sure there is no TSS shot in your turkey sandwich.
-TSS in the small sizes (#9 seems popular for mathematical reasons especially in the smaller gauges) is equal to lead #5 in punch. You are still shooting the equivalent of a lead #5, just more of them, albeit a bunch more. But they will not crack that gobblers noggin', or shatter his neck any better than traditional lead pellet at distance. It would seem to gain the full advantage of TSS, one needs to shoot bigger pellets, and #7 seems the next step, which theoretically "hits" like a lead #2. But now one is cutting into the payload numbers in the smaller gauges.
-The additional range offered by the larger TSS pellets is just not necessary in most instances. My longest shot this season (with lead XR load) was still under 50 yds and in an open field. Once the leaves come out in the timber, most shots will be under 40 yds. Maybe way under.
About the only rationalization for TSS shot that I can see is to allow the use of the smaller guns, .410 and 20, used reasonably by those who cannot shoot a 12 due to recoil or weight. A true light 20 ga, loaded with #9TSS would be a light portable gun for the run and gun crowd too, or perhaps someone up in years. My 70+ yr old pal could have used one this spring. But I do not see a #9TSS 20 ga having more reach than a 12 ga with lead.