What is TSS ammo? Whether you hunt turkeys or waterfowl, TSS ammo is ballistically superior to every other type of non-toxic shot currently available.
This super dense material has completely revolutionized the way hunters go about harvesting game and dramatically increases success in the field. TSS stands for Tungsten Super Shot and is a super dense tungsten pellet made up of almost pure tungsten at 18 g/cc.
It’s the heaviest non toxic shot for hunting geese and turkeys at extreme ranges. In this review, we’ll discuss in more detail what TSS ammo is and why it’s the most popular new shot available for hunters today.
- What is TSS Ammo?
- Why does TSS ammo pattern so tight?
- What choke tubes work best with TSS ammo?
- What TSS ammo is currently available?
- Ways to improve the way TSS patterns
- Is TSS the best shot for turkeys and waterfowl?
- TSS Pellet Count Table
- What hunting situations does TSS shot work best?
- How to make shooting TSS affordable
What is TSS Ammo?
TSS is an acronym that stands for Tungsten Super Shot. It is the commonly accepted term used to describe the shot across the hunting industry today. TSS is made up of almost pure tungsten at 18 g/cc (pure tungsten is 19.25 g/cc for comparison). It was first made available through a reloading package around 2010 but was subsequently phased out. Individuals in the reloading community then began to source their own TSS from Chinese suppliers and began providing loose shot in bulk quantities. Today, Chinese companies manufacture Tungsten Super Shot pellets to be used in hunting ammo in the U.S.
The popularity of TSS ammo has since grown due to its devastating ballistic effects, and what was once largely limited to the reloading community, has expanded to ammo manufacturers such as Federal, Remington, and Browning who have all jumped on board to offer factory loaded TSS turkey ammunition. Additionally, choke tube manurfacturers such as Carlson’s and Primos now offer specialized TSS choke tubes.
Why does TSS ammo pattern so tight?
Denser materials, like TSS, are less affected by outside forces such as drag, drift, and friction which cause pellets to slow down or change their trajectory as they move down range. This means TSS shot columns stay compact longer which provides tight patterns at longer distances.
Due to the hardness of TSS, it can’t be used with all shotguns, especially older shotguns not rated for hard shot or high pressures. More malleable shot types such as lead are considered safe to shoot for older shotguns. However, tungsten is better than lead shot by an increase of over 56% in performance.
SUMMARY
TSS stands for Tungsten Super Shot. Its density of 18 g/cc makes it the densest shot currently available for hunting. TSS has a max range of over 100 yards and produces consistent patterns with greater pellet density than other pellet types.
What choke tubes work best with TSS ammo?
For waterfowl, an open choke tube such as improved cylinder, is best for allowing the pattern to open up quicker for fast shots on moving birds. Cylinder, skeet, and improved cylinder chokes, like those from Carlson’s, work best due to how tight TSS patterns.
- 30 YEARS WORTH OF PATTERNS: No...
- HIGH-QUALITY MANUFACTURED: Our...
- HIGH PERFORMANCE: Carlson's...
- LIFETIME WARRANTY: We back all...
- MADE IN THE USA: All our...
For turkey hunting, Carlson’s TSS Turkey choke provides dense patterns for shots over 50 yards. Carlson’s turkey chokes range from extra-full to turkey in size, giving them the ability to punch holes in paper at 50 yards or more with TSS.
- 30 YEARS WORTH OF PATTERNS: No other company like ours at Carlson's Choke Tubes with 30 plus years of experienced patterning and testing data, by analyzed thousands of load and choke combos with our proprietary software. We bring you the best and most accurate aim choke tubes for your hunting needs.
- HIGH-QUALITY MANUFACTURED: Our high quality Carlson's TSS Turkey Compatible for Beretta Benelli Mobil is made of high quality Tungsten. The Federal Premium's Heavyweight TSS Turkey Load has an incredibly high pellet count in both 7 and 9 shot, along with the ability to carry energy further, makes them ideal for .410, 20ga, and 12ga. Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) has a 22% heavier density than heavyweight shot and a 56% heavier density than traditional lead shot.
- HIGH PERFORMANCE: Carlson's Choke Tubes Carlson's TSS Turkey Compatible for Beretta Benelli Mobil 12 Gauge constricted at Turkey and measured at 0.64 diameter.
- LIFETIME WARRANTY: We back all of our choke tubes with our lifetime warranty so you can focus on busting clays and filling bag limits.
- MADE IN THE USA: All our Carlson's Choke Tubes are made, right here, in the United States.
Also consider the Primos TSS Choke.
What TSS ammo is currently available?
Federal TSS Ammo (check price at Cabelas) – Federal Premium’s Heavyweight TSS Turkey Loads come in both #7 and #9 shot and are seated in Federal’s FliteControl Flex wad. They offer them for the .410, 20 gauge, and 12 gauge. The 2.25 ounce 12 gauge load has a whopping 416 #7 pellets and 812 #9 pellets, respectively.
Browning TSS Ammo (check price at Cabelas) – Browning’s TSS Tungsten Turkey Shotshells are available for the 12 ga in both 3-inch and 3.5-inch versions. Each are 1200 fps and available with either #7 and #9 pellets. Browning also offers a duplex load of #7’s/#9’s for increased versatility in the field.
Remington TSS Ammo – Remington Premier TSS shotshells are available in .410, 20 gauge, and 12 gauge all in 3-inch. 12 gauge loads are 1200fps, 20 gauge loads are 1100fps, and .410 is 1050fps. Shot sizes are offered in #7’s and #9’s.
Apex TSS Ammo – Appex TSS shotshells are available for the .410, 16 gauge, 28 gauge, 20 gauge, 12 gauge, and 10 gauge shotguns. Pellet sizes range from #8 to #9.5.
Reloading your own – The last option is to order loose TSS pellets in bulk and reload your own shells. This is often the cheapest method. See this page to buy bulk TSS pellets.
SUMMARY
Federal is the leading ammo manufacturer for factory loaded TSS shotshells. Due to the high price of TSS shells, reloading your own can make it more affordable. If you need loose bulk TSS shot, see this page.
Ways to improve the way TSS patterns
Patterning TSS for waterfowl is challenging and consistently hitting birds at 40 yards and missing those up close due the compact shot pattern is a real issue. Here are some tips to help get TSS to open up for closer shots.
1) Open up the choke tube. Start by patterning with a cylinder choke and work your way to skeet, improved skeet, and finally improved cylinder to see what works the best. To see what diameter your chokes are, check out the diameter chart here.
2) Put a hard wad or straight wad under the shot. If you have a lot of cushion under the shot, it will tighten your pattern. The hard surface under the shot acts as a disrupting force once the shot column is put into motion and it doesn’t allow the column to compress as tight.
3) Duplex TSS with steel in a combo using an open choke. Duplex loads aren’t anything new, but TSS tends to work well duplexed with steel shot. The steel opens up quicker to take birds down at close range and the TSS does the job for long range birds. If you happen to center a shot on close-range birds though, it will make swiss cheese out of the bird and that does happen occasionally.
Is TSS the best shot for turkeys and waterfowl?
TSS is the best all-around performing type of shot currently available for both waterfowl and turkey hunting. Its downrange energy cannot be matched by steel or other non-toxic pellets. The TSS pellet sizes that have the deepest penetration are #2 and BB.
Below are some comparisons of several shot sizes types, and their ability to achieve 2.50″ of ballistics gel penetration at the listed range.
Steel BBs (72 pellets/oz) @ 1400 fps = 2.50” of ballistics Gel Penetration to 33 yds
Steel BBB (62 pellets/oz) @ 1400 = 2.50” of ballistics Gel Penetration to 39 yds
Lead BB (50 pellets/oz) @ 1300 fps = 2.50” of ballistics Gel Penetration to 81 yds
HW13 BB (47 pellets/oz) @ 1300 fps = 2.50” of ballistics Gel Penetration to 117 yds
TSS #2 (54 pellets/oz) @1300 fps = 2.50” of ballistics Gel Penetration to 160 yds
TSS #6 (139 pellets/oz) @ 1300 fps = 2.50” of ballistics Gel Penetration to 79 yds
TSS #7.5 (219 pellets/oz) @ 1300 fps = 2.50” of ballistics Gel Penetration to 54 yds
As you can see, even though TSS pellets are smaller, the greater density per pellet far outweighs the large, less dense pellets of other materials.
TSS Pellet Count Table
This table lists the TSS pellet counts per ounce compared to lead and hevishot. TSS allows you to drop down 3-4 pellet sizes and increase pattern density while not sacrificing range.
See this chart for TSS weight per pellet, and this chart for TSS equivalency to lead and steel pellets.
What hunting situations does TSS shot work best?
TSS ammo works best for turkey hunting situations where you only need one shot and a dense pattern to harvest a bird cleanly and be done for the season. Since TSS is almost pure tungsten, it’s the most expensive shotshell to shoot in large quantities. Using TSS to fill specialized roles such as providing dense turkey patterns at over 50 yards is where it really shines, and the expense can be justified.
TSS use for waterfowl hunting is a growing trend, but mostly with the reloading community. The most popular size tungsten shot for waterfowl are 7 shot and 8 shot. Unless you’re a good shot, it may take 10 shells or more to get your limit of ducks and geese on a good hunting day. This means the costs for TSS ammunition can really build up over the course of a hunting season.
To make TSS more economical for waterfowl hunting, many choose to shoot light loads of an ounce or less which can bring the total cost per shell closer to $2 and in line with Hevi-shot and other heavier than steel alternatives. Even with light loads, TSS still provides adequate pellet density and range, without the sore shoulder or wallet.
Another trick waterfowlers use to make TSS stretch further is to duplex it with steel shot. This can help open the pattern up for close in shots, as well as retain the long range that TSS pellets provide. Finally, if cost isn’t an issue or you want to develop some long-range goose or coyote loads, there’s really no matching what TSS has to offer.
How to make shooting TSS affordable
TSS shot is the most expensive shot on the market. The costs associated with shooting it for waterfowl can add up quickly. To lessen the impact to your wallet, the best option in addition to those already mentioned, is to reload your own shotshells.
Loose bulk TSS shot can be found through several suppliers which distribute the shot by the pound. A pound of TSS shot ranges from $40-70. One pound of shot will make (12) one ounce loads.
With shot, wad, hull, powder, and primer, this makes reloading TSS for under $4 a round a possibility. And with the ballistics that TSS offers, it really is a small price to pay to be effective in the field.
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Read more about TSS
- TSS Pellet Count Chart Per Ounce
- What is Tungsten Super Shot made from?
- TSS Pellet Weight Chart
- Effective Range of TSS Shot for Hunting
- What is Tungsten Super Shot?
- TSS Pellet Size and Diameter Chart
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