TSS shot size

[LaLongbeard]

"but I personally don't think it would be an improvement over what I been using"

I think the allure of TSS is the downrange power due to the density, and therefore being able to increase the number of pellets resulting in more pellets on target.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

So 1 #6 or 3 #9s would be about the same ....dead is dead and not sure you can improve on that

[owlhoot]

FYI a lot of people mistakenly claim the TSS #9 is heavier than lead #5or #6....it is not,not even close. TSS is denser but that's not the same as weight. TSS # 9 may be great, I don't shoot TSS, but I think a lot of people are misinformed

You are right. After a little math, one pellet of TSS 9 weighs a little more than half of that as lone pellet of lead #5 and about 2/3 the weight of one #6 lead. I was wrong. I guess what it lacks in that department it makes up for just by shot density. One ounce of #5s on average contains 170 pellets, #6 225, and one ounce of #9 contains on average 585. Pretty interesting.

TSS 9's weigh really close to a 7 1/2 lead pellet.

[OJR]

I'm on the #9 bandwagon too. I only started using it this season and have connected with two at about 30 yards and it was devastating.

[LRD]

I switched to a 20 gauge with TSS #9s and haven't looked back.  This will make my third season with several kills between my son and I and see no reason to go back to a 12 gauge.  My youth model 870 along with my son's both shoot around 250 in the 10" and around 500 in the 20".  The TSS #9s have enough energy to kill a turkey past where we should be shooting at them.

If I were still hunting with a 12 ga, I would still be using Longbeard #6s.  The allure of the TSS for me is that I can get 12 ga performance out of a 20 ga.  After battling with shoulder and neck problems, it is nice to pack a lightweight gun with less recoil.

[Dtrkyman]

My first lb of tss I purchased 9.5, only size available at the time, killed a bunch of birds with it. Went with 9s now and see no reason to change.

I have a few hevi 13 7s in case of regulations some places.

This is in a 20ga, if loading a 12 with more payload I would probably try 8s.

[Jbird22]

FYI a lot of people mistakenly claim the TSS #9 is heavier than lead #5or #6....it is not,not even close. TSS is denser but that's not the same as weight. TSS # 9 may be great, I don't shoot TSS, but I think a lot of people are misinformed

YES! I shake my head when I hear someone (mostly Youtube experts reviewing commercial loads) claim that a TSS 9 weighs more than a lead 5. If that were the case then TSS 9's would have a lesser pellet count per oz than lead 5's, which we all know is not the case.

As for the original question, 9's in a 20 ga for me. I'm thinking about trying 8.5's in a 12 ga load next year but won't go larger than that.

[ChesterCopperpot]

What is the aversion to the mixed loads, say the 7/9s or the 8/10s? Is it that people aren't seeing any advantage? Never shot TSS and probably won't in my 12ga, but recently bought some for my wife's single shot 20ga. I bought the Federal 7/9 blend just because I could get it for $30 a box. Seems like there's a pretty strong consensus for straight 9s and curious as to that reasoning beyond shot density. Would seem the presence of larger shot would increase downrange energy at longer distances.

[Southerngobbler]

What is the aversion to the mixed loads, say the 7/9s or the 8/10s? Is it that people aren't seeing any advantage? Never shot TSS and probably won't in my 12ga, but recently bought some for my wife's single shot 20ga. I bought the Federal 7/9 blend just because I could get it for $30 a box. Seems like there's a pretty strong consensus for straight 9s and curious as to that reasoning beyond shot density. Would seem the presence of larger shot would increase downrange energy at longer distances.

The only reason to use TSS is to get way more shot in your pattern. If everyone believe that #9 is big enough than there would be no advantage to going larger and taking up available room in your shot shell.

[Fullfan]

Have been killing gobblers with my 20's and TSS 9's for the past 6 years. The 9's have worked great from 5' out to 53 yds.  I recently bought several pounds of TSS in 8 shot. Duplex it at 1 oz of 9's under 5/8oz of 8's resulting in 304 in the 10@40. Straight 1 5/8 of the 8's gave me 244 in the 10@40.  Shot from a sa459 through an Indian Creek .555.   Prob going to hunt with the duplex load next spring, just because..

[Dtrkyman]

I have only killed one bird at longer range since switching to tss, it was with a 9.5 1 5/8 oz load, over 40 under 50 and it looked like someone hit him in the head with a 9 iron when I touched off the shot!

The stuff is devastating no matter how you want to look at it, I was skeptical initially as well but I think I am at around 30 birds with it and it is simply impressive!

Proably an equal numer killed with 9s and 9.5 at this point, but bought 6lbs of 9s and it should last a few seasons! 

[Marc]

There seems to be some misconception about pellet count...

If a #5 lead pellet weighs the same as a #9 TSS pellet.  And...  If 100 #5 lead pellets weigh 1 ounce, and 100 #9 TSS pellets weigh 1 ounce, and you shoot a 1 ounce load, you will have the same number of pellets in each load.

What you can do, is generate larger payloads more easily with the denser loads, as smaller pellets of the same weight will take up less room...  Some of that is often negated by the necessity of a thicker wad, but in the case of TSS, it is my understanding, that there is often the issue of having to make spacers for some loads.

No doubt but that there is an advantage to denser shot.  It holds together in a pattern more consistently and for longer ranges.  It has and holds down-range energy longer than less dense materials.  But you do NOT get a larger pellet count, of pellets that weigh the same, unless you increase the payload.

[troutfisher13111]

I think you're confused

Here are the numbers:

Lead #5: 173/oz

TSS #9: 362/oz



Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

[Southerngobbler]

Just for the record here's the pellet count:
One ounce #5 lead  173 pellets
One ounce #9 TSS   362 pellets

[Greg Massey]

More pellets , great patterns and more than enough energy.

X2

[bigbird]

I shoot apex 7.5's. They shoot great at 40yards. Some states like Delaware for instance doesn't allow any shot smaller than a #6 unless it's in a blended shell that has 4's 5's or 6's in it also. So I use federal 3rd degrees because my gun shoots them good. I patterned 9's too but here in Indiana as of now 9's aren't legal but they are working on changing the rule and adding the 410 too. But it's not happened yet. Other states it's 7's so I have federal tss 7's. Pattern them 4 loads and read the rules for where you are going and you should set. Good luck ??