NEVER should've done it

I made the switch to TSS for pheasants last year and will never look back. I'll be shooting 2-3/4" 3/4oz 28 gauge this fall loaded with TSS. It kills and patterns like nothing I've ever used before. Yes, it is expensive, but well worth it. I've even got my eye on a 410 over/under. There are guys shooting turkeys, duck and even large geese at extreme ranges using 410s. Light weight and very mild recoil. TSS is a game changer for sure. For anyone wanting to give it test, I used the Federal Black Cloud Steel/TSS #3/#9 duplex load on pheasants last fall and it kills roosters stone dead. You can find this ten pack on sale at times for around $35/ten shells.
 
The part it took me a while to wrap my head around was the fact that you can go down to a #9 TSS pellet(357pellets/oz) and get the same penetration and killing power of a #BB steel pellet(71pellets/oz). Pattern density is off the charts compared to steel shot because of this also. You can shoot lighter charges at lower velocities and carry WAY more downrange energy than any other type of pellet.
 
If you think that's impressive go look at some of the patterning tests with the 28ga apex and 60-70 yards. Lots of hardcore turkey hunters are migrating to 28's because of the tungsten.

There's no reason to get the **** knocked out of you with 3.5" 12ga magnums anymore for turkey hunting.
Sincerely begging your pardon sir, but are you serious???!!!??? REALLY can reliably and consistently get to 60-70 yards? I and my two sons have spent MANY $100s of my dollars on shells and AM chokes patterning and practicing with my three dedicated 12ga 3.5" turkey guns to be able to reliably and ethically take 60 yard shots on Toms and have accomplished just that.
But it takes a 12ga 3.5" shell with 2.125oz of #5 lead and a 8.75-9.75lb gun to do it
If I can reliably and consistently get lethal patterns at 60 yards out of a <7lb gun I'll work some OT and buy us two new SA-28 and 50 rounds of FoxTrot 28ga TSS shells and sell two of my three 12ga 3.5" shotguns to help recoup the cost of the new guns.
 
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I had neck surgery back in 2018 so I needed something with less recoil. I love turkey hunting and not ready to give it up decided to go to TSS in a 3" 12 ga shell instead of a 3.5". Best decision I ever made. Way less recoil and shoot lots farther than I did with lead shot. I shot a lot of chokes to figure out what was best and holy smokes. A 10" circle at 40 yards I put 400 #9 pellets in. There's roughly 630 pellets total. Don't get much better than that. I've shot several birds at 60 yards DEAD! But now I do not like em closer than 25 yards. Also I put a vortex holographic red dot sight on it so I can shoot farther more consistent.
 
Seriously. Check out all the videos on YouTube. TSS is killing turkeys and geese at unheard of ranges. Guys are using 410s and 28s to hunt ducks and smashing birds that guys using 12ga are not.
 
As a comparison between steel and TSS, a 1 oz load of #BB steel(71 pellets) at 1450 FPS will penetrate 2.25" of ballistic gel at 45 yards and 1.5" at 72 yards. Now compare that with a 1oz load of #8 TSS(251 pellets - over 3X the number of steel) at 1450 FPS will penetrate 2.25" of gel at 65 yards and 1.5" at 96 yards! The density is where the magic happens. TSS is 2.5X more dense than steel and almost 63% more dense than lead.

Shot density by type

Steel........................7.3g/cc
HeviSteel..................9.2g/cc
Hevi Duck... ..............9.7g/cc
Bismuth.......................9.8g/cc
Nice Shot.....................10.2g/cc
Lead...........................11.3g/cc
Winchester Ext. Range...12g/cc
Remington HD...............12g/cc
Hevi Goose..................12g/cc
Hevi 13.................... 13g/cc
Federal Heavyweight....15g/cc
TSS..........................18g/cc
 
Sincerely begging your pardon sir, but are you serious???!!!??? REALLY can reliably and consistently get to 60-70 yards? I and my two sons have spent MANY $100s of my dollars on shells and AM chokes patterning and practicing with my three dedicated 12ga 3.5" turkey guns to be able to reliably and ethically take 60 yard shots on Toms and have accomplished just that.
But it takes a 12ga 3.5" shell with 2.125oz of #5 lead and a 8.75-9.75lb gun to do it
If I can reliably and consistently get lethal patterns at 60 yards out of a <7lb gun I'll work some OT and buy us two new SA-28 and 50 rounds of FoxTrot 28ga TSS shells and sell two of my three 12ga 3.5" shotguns to help recoup the cost of the new guns.

Seriously, lots of people are doing it. TSS is a game changer. You can pretty much buy a Mossberg SA28 tactical turkey, an Indian creek choke, a red dot, and TSS and you've got a 70 yard turkey killer.

The ammo is expensive at $10/shot but when you think about it you should be able to get zerod and pattern it within 5 shots and then it just costs you $10/turkey to hunt which isn't bad. You can buy a case of cheap slugs and once you're zero with the TSS swap chokes and shoot a couple slugs to have a reference target for POI and then use the same type and lot of slugs to confirm zero whenever needed to keep yourself from shooting up expensive ammo.
 
As a comparison between steel and TSS, a 1 oz load of #BB steel(71 pellets) at 1450 FPS will penetrate 2.25" of ballistic gel at 45 yards and 1.5" at 72 yards. Now compare that with a 1oz load of #8 TSS(251 pellets - over 3X the number of steel) at 1450 FPS will penetrate 2.25" of gel at 65 yards and 1.5" at 96 yards! The density is where the magic happens. TSS is 2.5X more dense than steel and almost 63% more dense than lead.

Shot density by type

Steel........................7.3g/cc
HeviSteel..................9.2g/cc
Hevi Duck... ..............9.7g/cc
Bismuth.......................9.8g/cc
Nice Shot.....................10.2g/cc
Lead...........................11.3g/cc
Winchester Ext. Range...12g/cc
Remington HD...............12g/cc
Hevi Goose..................12g/cc
Hevi 13.................... 13g/cc
Federal Heavyweight....15g/cc
TSS..........................18g/cc
You left out depleted uranium. Its only 19gm/cc. That's why the stuff is so amazing. I only shoot in 28ga and .410. I shoot 15gm in the bigger guns. What most people don't know is the patterns in heavy tungsten don't deteriorate over distance anything like lead. Super tight chokes are not needed. let the pattern open up some. It won't open up much more over distance. Scopes are not needed or even desired (IMO) You kill more birds up close than far. Spend some time at the pattern board all the way to 100yds. Compare. You will see what I mean. I have shot several 100's of pounds of Tungsten, maybe even a ton. As an example I have a handload in a 3-1/2" 12ga hull with 1-7/8oz of 12gm #2's. It will pattern nearly 66% in a 30" circle @100yds, with an IM CHOKE!! Will kill a goose a long ways. Further than you would believe if you were standing there watching. The heavier stuff is even more amazing.
 
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Holly krapp you shoulda NEVER suggested 28ga to me:

That Mossberg is the same gun as the Tristar Viper and Weatherby SA-08, just not as finely finished out. A stone and some oil and it will run like a Swiss watch.

28ga #8s and #9s are plenty in 410 or 28ga, 5/8oz #9 load cost about $1.68 to load at today's prices, new primed hulls, powder, wads, filler and TSS. That is excluding the cost of the loader.

5 man limit and all birds shot with 410s or 28ga

IMG_2753.jpeg
IMG_2766.jpeg
 
That Mossberg is the same gun as the Tristar Viper and Weatherby SA-08, just not as finely finished out. A stone and some oil and it will run like a Swiss watch.

28ga #8s and #9s are plenty in 410 or 28ga, 5/8oz #9 load cost about $1.68 to load at today's prices, new primed hulls, powder, wads, filler and TSS. That is excluding the cost of the loader.

5 man limit and all birds shot with 410s or 28ga

View attachment 570032View attachment 570033
You need to ditch the 28's in the woods. Tears 'em up too bad. Stick with the .410 or ditch the dog LOL
 
Question
Is the receiver for the SA-20 and SA-28 drilled and tapped? as due to an astigmatism iron sights on long guns are to difficult for me to hunt with, plink yes but not hunting.
 
Im running the Apex greenleaf 9&10 duplex in my 20g Franchi
I made the switch to apex TSS in my Franchi 20 gauge and the pattern was remarkable at 50 yards using a Carlson choke tube. Shot my bird on Saturday at 40 yards and I was amazed that not one pellet landed in the breast although there was plenty that hit head and neck.
 
Yup, my daughter's 20 gauge at 40 yards with the turkey ninja shells--- we moved the pattern down a little as we were a little high on the target.
20240507_203239.jpg

I got me a me Tom at 63 yards this year with my 12 gauge 3" #9tss-- dropped on the spot and did the turkey flop!

Still trying to get my daughter on a bird this year so she can have a shot at one

Here is her pattern at 30yards
20240507_203921.jpg
 
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