TSS report

[KEOutdoors]

Thanks, appreciate that. I typically hunt where I could run into bobwhite quail and pheasants, so the pellet count of a TSS #9 load is attractive. But if the pattern is ridiculously tight at typical quail-shooting distances, thinking it might be tougher to hit them with that than with a 20 gauge 3" 1 1/4 oz #5 lead load.

I will not pass on a quail with them, but I think there would be a better choice for a combo load. Sub 20 yards you will not have an edible quail (or pheasant), and letting a quail get out to 30+ yards is tempting the bird gods. I think it will work, but theres better options if quail are more than a once a season chance like they are for me.

My whole idea with the tss was to not have any shot left in birds, to be able to shoot waterfowl during season (i hunt a lot of creeks for pheasant), and to have a load that i can shoot everything from a quail to a goose if the opportunity arises.

 

[KEOutdoors]

Thanks for the report. Don't know how many birds you shot & inspected, but the no broken thighs thing is interesting. Sure would seem like a #9 at 35 yds has met its match with a thigh bone. Would be interesting to know how, say, 1.5" of ballistic gel penetration translates to the ability to break a wing bone or thigh bone. Did you notice any pinholes through wing or thigh bones?

About a dozen. Not enough to make up my mind 100% on them.
It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but field testing is field testing. During pattern testing they went clear through 1/2" OSB at 35 yards.

I have not looked at all of the bones yet to see if there are any holes or shot stuck in them, just noticed none were broken. I usually have a lot of broken thigh bones with lead 5s. The wings were completely shattered

 

[sdsuttu]

I’m new to the site but came across this thread and was quite interested. I switched to TSS this year and while I did not keep close track of birds, I didn’t feel I seen as many broken legs or wings as I have in the past. I’m shooting a 13/16 ounce load of 8.5s. I didn’t shoot a lot of birds with Hevi 4s this year but I definitely recall more broken wings with the 4s even though the pellet count is way lower than the TSS load I used. Gonna load some 7.5s next year and see how they do.

Penetration with the 8.5 shot seems to far exceed the steel 2s i’d been shooting for 30 years. I noticed very few balled up feathers in the birds. While I found pellets on the far side of birds, I don’t recall any pellets in the breast meat of the 60 plus roosters I shot with TSS. Numerous roosters/chickens/sharpies DRT on the far side of 50 yards. I was so impressed with TSS, I purchased enough to last me a a decade!