Tungsten Tremendous Shot is the most popular factor to hit the turkey looking world because the pop-up blind, however nonetheless, so many hunters don’t perceive its efficiency — or its limitations.
In hopes of shedding some gentle on this very dense, wildly costly, and unnecessarily controversial pellet materials, I sat down with Adam Moser, the director of product engineering for shotshells at Federal Premium. Federal, in any case, was the primary main ammo firm to extensively provide TSS hundreds. I additionally caught up with my fanatical turkey looking buddy Josh Dahlke, the VP of content material for HuntStand. Dahlke has witnessed greater than 100 turkeys get shot with TSS hundreds. If anybody can clarify the physics behind TSS, it’s Moser. If anybody can element its turkey killing capabilities, it’s Dahlke.
What Is TSS, Precisely?
The time period TSS is reserved for a Tungsten-based pellet materials that has a density of about 18 g/cc. For reference, lead shot has a density of about 11.2 g/cc. A TSS pellet is 95 % tungsten and 5 % nickel and iron — these metals assist to bind the shot materials. TSS is fashioned by metallic injection molding, which could be roughly described as taking a combination of metallic powders and heating them up after which molding them right into a spherical form. The pellets are then hardened, floor, and polished for his or her remaining dimension and end.
This manufacturing course of and the price of harvesting tungsten from the earth are what drive up the price of TSS, Moser says.
“Lead is about 1 to 2 {dollars} per pound and tungsten is 30, 35, to 40 bucks per pound, relying on the place you’re getting it from,” he says.
Are TSS Pellets Truly Heavier?
Measurement being equal, sure, TSS pellets are considerably heavier than lead pellets. Nevertheless TSS pellets sometimes are available in smaller shot sizes than what turkey hunters shoot when using lead pellets. The commonest pellet sizes for TSS are No. 7s and No. 9s. The commonest pellet sizes for lead turkey hundreds are No. 5s and No. 6s.
| Shot Materials | Pellet Measurement | Weight per Pellet | Pellets per Ounce |
| Lead | No. 5 | 2.5 grains | 170 |
| TSS | No. 7 | 2.3 grains | 188 |
| Lead | No. 6 | 1.9 grains | 225 |
| TSS | No. 9 | 1.2 grains | 362 |
As you may see within the chart, a No. 5 pellet is barely heavier than a No. 7 TSS pellet and considerably heavier than a No. 9 TSS pellet.
So What Is the Benefit of Capturing TSS?
The true benefit of taking pictures TSS comes from pellet penetration and sample density at distance. Let’s focus on penetration first.
Right here’s the fundamental physics idea to know: smaller, denser pellets retain velocity higher and penetrate higher than bigger, much less dense pellets. If you need the mathematics on this, then Moser says it’s extra helpful for turkey hunters to take a look at penetration vitality than kinetic vitality. Penetration vitality is the measure of pellet vitality per cross-sectional space, Moser says. In different phrases, it’s the kinetic vitality of the pellet divided by its floor space, additionally known as the 2D space of the pellet (Ke=1/2 mv^2).
Right here’s a pattern of penetration vitality generated from 1200 FPS muzzle velocity at 40 yards.
- No. 7 TSS pellet: 535 ft-lb/in²
- No. 9 TSS pellet: 374 ft-lb/in²
- No. 5 lead pellet: 241 ft-lb/in²
- No. 6 lead pellet: 205 ft-lb/in²
As you may see, each TSS pellet sizes carry much more penetration vitality at 40 yards than the lead pellet sizes.
Pellets kill a turkey by penetrating its vitals, particularly the central nervous system (spinal wire and mind). You need to see a number of pellet strikes within the head and neck. A dense sample is essential and that is the place TSS actually outperforms lead, particularly TSS No. 9 shot. Due to the small shot sizes TSS hundreds provide far larger pellet counts than lead turkey hundreds. Right here’s a fast have a look at pellet counts.
| Pellet Materials & Measurement | Payload | Pellet Rely |
| TSS No. 9 | 1 3/4 oz. | 634 |
| Lead No. 6 | 1 3/4 oz. | 394 |
| TSS No. 7 | 1 3/4 oz. | 330 |
| Lead No. 5 | 1 3/4 oz. | 298 |
Additionally, as a result of TSS is so arduous, there’s much less pellet deformation, fewer flyers, and higher general sample effectivity.
At What Distance Can You Kill a Turkey with TSS?
You’ll definitely hear tales of hunters killing turkeys with TSS at 70 yards and past. However this doesn’t imply it’s best to try pictures at these ranges. Each hunter wants to ascertain their very own most efficient vary with their setup and expertise. With TSS the important components are sample density (not penetration vitality) and your taking pictures potential.
For an efficient killing sample, there’s a long-standing guideline of 100 pellets or extra in a 10-inch circle. This ensures a number of pellet strikes within the head and neck, so long as you place the core of your sample on the right track (learn our information on where to shoot a turkey). The most effective 12-gauge turkey shotguns paired with an acceptable choke will accomplish this with a TSS turkey load from 40 to 60 yards. In my evaluate of the best .410 turkey loads, I used to be capable of persistently put 100 or extra pellets on the right track at 40 yards with a number of TSS load/gun combos.
You may need to do some experimenting with totally different chokes and cargo combos to make it occur. Simply do not forget that for those who optimize your sample for lengthy vary, it’ll turn out to be ultra-tight at quick ranges, which makes it a lot simpler to overlook a close-range chicken.
So what about pellet vitality? The traditional rule of thumb was that you simply want a minimal of two.5 ft-lbs per pellet so as to kill a turkey. However this concept comes from a historical past of taking pictures lead hundreds and isn’t relevant to TSS pellets.
“Underneath that guideline, a No. 9 TSS pellet wouldn’t have sufficient vitality to kill a turkey at 35 yards, which we all know isn’t true,” says Moser.
Dahlke is aware of from years of discipline expertise {that a} strong sample of TSS will kill a turkey at 60 yards with good taking pictures, each time. And that’s the place he units his private most distance. The one method to set your personal max taking pictures distance is by performing some sincere patterning work. Merely discover the vary at which you and your setup can not put about 100 TSS pellets inside a 10-inch circle over the middle of your goal persistently, then don’t shoot past that vary.
If all goes effectively, this may value you a couple of field of turkey hundreds (which can be about $65 for those who’re taking pictures a 12 gauge). My course of is to first get my shotgun sighted in with cheaper goal hundreds. Then I’ll shoot one TSS load at 40 yards. Assuming it throws a very good sample of about 250 or extra pellet strikes inside a 10-inch circle, I’ll transfer again to 60 and shoot three patterns. If at that vary I’m persistently placing about 100 pellets inside a 10-inch circle over the guts of my goal, then I do know I’m good to go. If not, I do know I’ve to restrict myself to nearer pictures or begin experimenting with totally different chokes and hundreds.
