# For those using TSS, for 20 guage, question ?



## Buford_Dawg (Feb 13, 2019)

I see Federal has replaced their Fed Heavy #7 that I really love with TSS loads.  They have a option for #7 or #9 shot.  It seems like #9 shot is sold out in many of the internet stores, so I am assuming it is most popular?  Is that true?  I would think #7 would be just as good given my experience with the outdated Heavy #7 loads.  Thoughts?


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## Arrow3 (Feb 13, 2019)

I loved the federal heavyweight 7s until I shot TSS 9s. 

9s are the way to go in my opinion.  I haven't bought any store bought manufacturers shells yet though. I have several friends who load their own and I get it from them.


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## Arrow3 (Feb 13, 2019)

I have some 410 shells loaded in 9s and some loaded in 10s to try out this year as well.


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## Preacher56 (Feb 13, 2019)

in the last 3 years I’ve taken 26 turkeys (multiple states) with a 20ga shooting TSS 9s. They work! The only reason for 7s In tss is if your state has shot size restrictions.


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## deast1988 (Feb 13, 2019)

Buford, federal heavy weight #7s is 15g/cc. The TSS federal is 18g/cc you’ll get less pellets per load considering all things equal. 

The #9s in terms hit like lead #5
The #7s in terms hit like lead #3-4

Penetration is insane with TSS it drives deep, the federals are fickle on chokes can be hard to pattern. As others have said #7 is legal in most states some outlaw the use of #9 shot. But the advantage of the small shot in the 20ga you get huge dense patterns of stuff that smokes lead shot as the day is long. 7s in tss are excessive an not needed but to each is there own. I imagine TSS supply’s are drying up fairly quick and soon they will be out of stock marked seasonal item. The federal TSS is loaded with a flight control wad more flexible then the heavyweight wad was. But the shot is what makes it shine, my #7 heavy weight went 170s out of a .562 Sumtoy. That same choke shooting Nitro loaded T258 #9s is doing 330s I doubled my pattern and picked up truckloads of energy.

The #9 federals are a 1.5oz load carry lethal energy to 60yds. If you can’t find those I’d consider the duplex load by federal aswell the 20ga load is 8x10 Shot my buddy is getting 280s with that even solid hunting patterns an should hammer what he shoots at.


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## Bubba_1122 (Feb 13, 2019)

Here's your tip of the day:

You can find TSS shells on Gunbroker.com - still a few 9's and some 7-9 blends.

Might pay a dollar or two a box more than in the store, but if you're thinking you'll want some better go buy it. It'll be gone. (of course if you think you're hunting to keep the cost of food down at your house don't. Most of us aren't that delusional)

BTW, to the original question, I've killed quite a few birds over the last 5 or so years with #9 TSS. It is all they say it is. Hit's like a runaway locomotive. Birds are DRT - no flap/no flop.


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## Bubba_1122 (Feb 13, 2019)

One last thought (comparison).

The 20 gauge TSS load I've always shot had 1 5/8 ounce of shot.

#9 TSS has 362 pellets per ounce. #7's have 185 pellets per ounce.

Using #9's that 1 5/8 oz shell had 588 pellets in it.

For comparison, using 7's it has 301. The #7 shell has only slightly more than 1/2 the pellets of the #9's (51.2%).

That's a whole lot of difference in pattern density.

The magic number for TSS is 9.


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## Preacher56 (Feb 13, 2019)

I’ll second that!!!!


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## Gator89 (Feb 14, 2019)

I ordered some Apex Hometown blend to try this season.


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## GaBowhunter87 (Feb 14, 2019)

Do you have to use a choke designed for TSS or can I use my primos tight wad


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## Gator89 (Feb 14, 2019)

GaBowhunter87 said:


> Do you have to use a choke designed for TSS or can I use my primos tight wad



I would try the choke you have.  I did purchase a Carlson's TSS choke since I did not have a turkey choke for my 20.


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## GaBowhunter87 (Feb 14, 2019)

Gonna buy some and give it a try


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## Gaswamp (Feb 14, 2019)

Bubba_1122 said:


> Here's your tip of the day:
> 
> You can find TSS shells on Gunbroker.com - still a few 9's and some 7-9 blends.
> 
> ...


you must b using a special blend to get stone dead turks


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## Killdee (Feb 15, 2019)

not all my tss killed toms didnt flop but i never had a no flop kill till i started using tss.


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## Gator89 (Feb 15, 2019)

Killdee said:


> not all my tss killed toms didnt flop but i never had a no flop kill till i started using tss.



I have had one no flop kill, Federal #4's at 15 steps.  all the rest at least flapped their wings to some degree.


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## Preacher56 (Feb 15, 2019)

Gator89 said:


> I would try the choke you have.  I did purchase a Carlson's TSS choke since I did not have a turkey choke for my 20.


I have an Indian ck.555 in my Benelli and my Remington 870. Both are devastating with tss9s


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## Gator89 (Feb 15, 2019)

The Carlson's I ordered is 0.555 also.


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## Mark K (Feb 15, 2019)

I’ve decapitated turkeys before and they still flop. I only shoot the baddest Tom’s!!


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## Preacher56 (Feb 15, 2019)

Flopping don’t bother me, fleeing and flying does.


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## Mark K (Feb 15, 2019)

Let me clarify the flopping I still experience with TSS. 
I shoot he falls dead...no movement.
I get to fallen bird and grab head and all heck breaks loose. 
Still flopping in my opinion.

And yes Preacher, doesn’t bother me one bit if he flops, kicks, beats those wings while laying on his back, etc. As long as I can put my hands on him he’s mine!


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## Bubba_1122 (Feb 15, 2019)

I didn't know my little comment was gonna be taken so literally or that it'd generate so much analyzation on what flopping and flapping means. 

I just know that on the birds I've killed since I started using TSS there was zero question about their demise.

TSS is deadly stuff. I've killed 13 birds since I started using it. Did they twitch, flip, flap, flop, fuart or give me the finger? Doesn't matter. They were dead and there was zero question about it pretty much from the moment I squeezed the trigger.


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## antharper (Feb 16, 2019)

That’s my favorite part.... the flop ! Makes his buddy come running a lot of times , double flopping is even better !


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## Bubba_1122 (Feb 16, 2019)

Yep - one of my favorite things is when his buddy comes running. I especially like to shoot the buddy when he's standing on top of his dead buddy. Terminology: that's the two-story flip- flop.

The Flip - that's when that curtain of #9's hits so hard that the bird flips over backwards.

And of course when he hits the ground - I guess that could be considered the flop (Merriam Webster - flop - to throw or move oneself in a heavy, clumsy, or relaxed manner).

They are pretty relaxed after they been hit by the t-steel curtain (actually, they just pretty dead).

Is anyone ready for turkey season yet?


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## Preacher56 (Feb 16, 2019)

Bottom line, they outperform anything on the market.


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## Preacher56 (Feb 16, 2019)

I love carrying my lite weight 20ga and know that I have a more efficient turkey gun than when I shot a 3.5” 12ga with lead.


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## Bubba_1122 (Feb 16, 2019)

Preacher56 said:


> I love carrying my lite weight 20ga and know that I have a more efficient turkey gun than when I shot a 3.5” 12ga with lead.



Yep - speaking of lite weight - will be an 870 in 28 gauge with a Millet red dot for me. I loaded ten 28 gauge 1 5/16 #9 shells early this morning. Will pattern the gun this afternoon (or tomorrow afternoon) and if all's well with my pattern will get around to conditioning calls, making sure everythings in one place and start the countdown for next month.


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