20ga TSS low Recoil

[Joe from MO]

Federal Premium is making 1 1/8 oz TSS 1000 FPS loads for 20ga.

Do you think this would be safe from my 1929 Parker Trojan?

[Joe from MO]

Cartridge 20 Gauge
Quantity 5 Round
NonToxic Yes
Shell Length 2-3/4"
Shot or Slug Type Tungsten Alloy Shot
Shot Size #9
Buffered No
Muzzle Velocity 1000 Feet Per Second
Primer Boxer
Corrosive No
Reloadable Yes
Barrel Type Smooth Bore
Shot Weight 1-1/8 Ounce
Crimp Roll
Country of Origin United States of America

[Mike of the Mountain]

TSS is the hardest shot available. I wouldn't shoot it in a vintage fixed choke gun with tight chokes. I shoot TSS but won't use a choke tighter than Mod. Thing is it won't deform. muzzle may not stretch too well with a tight choke on these old guns. It's recommended to not shoot steel in our old doubles with much choke and TSS is much harder.

[Joe from MO]

Originally Posted by Mike Koneski

TSS is the hardest shot available. I wouldn't shoot it in a vintage fixed choke gun with tight chokes. I shoot TSS but won't use a choke tighter than Mod. Thing is it won't deform. muzzle may not stretch too well with a tight choke on these old guns. It's recommended to not shoot steel in our old doubles with much choke and TSS is much harder.

Kind of where I was thinking. Besides, last years bird died just fine with #7.5 pheasant shells.... But, that TSS would extend my range a bit, I will just keep on being patient...

[Joe from MO]

BTW, part of why I was wondering, is because the #9 shot is very small, and the hardness may not be as much of a factor as with larger shot sizes..... I always heard, it was the BB + Size steel shot that caused the issues in tighter choked guns.

My 20 Trojan is F/F, with the left barrel a schoche tighter than the right.

[Harold Pickens]

Amazed they can get 1 1/8 oz in a 2 3/4" hull, but that stuff is really dense.

[J. A. EARLY]

Joe,

I would not worry about it because you won't have bridging with number 9s. The wad in those should be extra thick and you can verify that before using. My hand loads of one ounce of #9 TSS call for a 28 wad inside the 20 so there is double protection and the shot fits way down in the shot cup so there are no pellets to contact the barrel.

I patterned both a VH 20 and a Sterlingworth 20. Made a shot trap, and recovered 90% of the shot. Would have recovered it all if I had made the opening bigger. Both guns were full and xtra full in the left barrel. At 40 no turkey would make it through, and possibly at 50 as well but try 40 and inside as my goal.

Amazingly they put 1 5/8 ounces of TSS in the 3" shells due to the density/weight of the shot.

https://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=23838

[J. A. EARLY]

Here is a mistake shot. Gobbler in tree thirty yards away. I call for half an hour. Fox A Grade with M&F, 1 1/4 ounces of TSS #9s. Finger over right trigger waiting for him to fly down in front of me. He flies down the other way. I shoot the modified choke. Dead bird at 67 yards. Excited mistake but TSS saved me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQUmeHZvrIQ

Enjoy my channel.

[Aaron Beck]

My experience with steel shot in old guns is based on two separate guns. This was circa 2005 so the shot was modern with thick wads and whatnot. At the time I was very bullish on steel, we needed it at the gun club because we shot over the marsh so I shot kent #7 for target and anything from steel bb to hevi 6 on ducks. I got the first gun in the spring, it was a cheap kassnar churchill 12. The chokes were m/f and I shot it all summer before I noticed it had a slight bulge in the barrels of the f choke. I never shot anything bigger than the factory kent #7. I wasnt that concerned for safety but did note that my position on small shot didnt matter needed reconsideration. I sold the gun before duck season and bought a 1904 lc smith which I had opened to ic/mod at the suggestion of the Mr Hamlin. With less than full chokes it has worked fine since. Could be luck, could be the barrel steel. Hope this anecdote helps someone.

[Joe from MO]

I think I am just going to stick with my #7.5 pheasant loads, as they worked just fine last year. I like getting them close, and so no reason to risk my gun over a turkey.

Besides, Turkey numbers are down in my area, and I wouldn't want to tag out too early.

I think last years bird was killed at 15 yds. I'll just try to repeat that scenario.