TSS waterfowl loads

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
SO as to not highjack the thread in the turkey forum anymore, I would like some info on what I would need to start loading these on my own. Also, what are you guys using for buffer since it seems like the duplex loads with steel shot as buffer are not as good as straight TSS loads. So what equipment do I need as far as rolling my own. Can I load them with out a press or will I need to buy a cheap 20 gauge press
 

CBD21

Eight Pointer
Your basics will be a scale, a hull vise, and a roll crimper to do them without a press. Whoever you buy your Tss from will give you a recipe for what buffers type of Hull and Your wad, powder and stuff needed to build them.
 

shurshot

Ten Pointer
True above^. Contact Hal (Hawglips) on the DuckChat reloading forum. He’s the man and I believe not far from the Raleigh area. While TSS is fabulous stuff, it’s also very expensive. An very good alternative is Heavy Weight 13 (HW13). I load # 6’s for my 28ga. which performs superbly in any duck hunting situations.
 
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dhsten

Ten Pointer
First off Hal, (Hawglips) on this forum is the guy for all things TSS. He is the reason ya have all these companies, turkey hunters, waterfowlers, and predator hunters shooting it. So I would def contact him. If you are loading for turkey you will use straight tss or tss/lead duplex and need Precision reloading spherical buffer. I would suggest straight 1 5/8 tss load for 20 gauge. All you need is a drill and a roll bit for crimps. For prettier crimps I use a drill press on low speed.
If you are loading for waterfowl then you won't need buffer because you are gonna want a more open pattern. I shot a 12 gauge 1400fps load of 7/8oz #3 steel x 1/4oz tss #9's one season at ducks one year and it murders them. The #9 tss penetrates like #1 steel and beefs up your pattern density by adding 90 pellets in a 1/4 of shot. A standard load of 1 1/8oz steel #3 has 178 pellets and #2 has 141. The 1 1/8oz steel/tss duplex has 220ish pellets. I think a 20 gauge 1oz load of 3/4oz steel and 1/4oz tss would be just as deadly on them. I pattern some of those, but did not field test them. I stopped loading for waterfowl because I mostly hunt tight swamps and small ponds and reg steel was good enough and it takes a pretty good while to load them with a roll crimp and drill press. The TSS spiked shells really shined at the coast shooting divers. So if you are going to be shooting them a lot at ducks I would think you would want a 20 gauge press.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
First off Hal, (Hawglips) on this forum is the guy for all things TSS. He is the reason ya have all these companies, turkey hunters, waterfowlers, and predator hunters shooting it. So I would def contact him. If you are loading for turkey you will use straight tss or tss/lead duplex and need Precision reloading spherical buffer. I would suggest straight 1 5/8 tss load for 20 gauge. All you need is a drill and a roll bit for crimps. For prettier crimps I use a drill press on low speed.
If you are loading for waterfowl then you won't need buffer because you are gonna want a more open pattern. I shot a 12 gauge 1400fps load of 7/8oz #3 steel x 1/4oz tss #9's one season at ducks one year and it murders them. The #9 tss penetrates like #1 steel and beefs up your pattern density by adding 90 pellets in a 1/4 of shot. A standard load of 1 1/8oz steel #3 has 178 pellets and #2 has 141. The 1 1/8oz steel/tss duplex has 220ish pellets. I think a 20 gauge 1oz load of 3/4oz steel and 1/4oz tss would be just as deadly on them. I pattern some of those, but did not field test them. I stopped loading for waterfowl because I mostly hunt tight swamps and small ponds and reg steel was good enough and it takes a pretty good while to load them with a roll crimp and drill press. The TSS spiked shells really shined at the coast shooting divers. So if you are going to be shooting them a lot at ducks I would think you would want a 20 gauge press.
My main use will be fore Divers at the coast and maybe some permit hunts, other then that I will use steel as well in our swamps.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
Not a fan of the duplex loads for reasons already stated but like I said on the turkey thread, some love it. Just now how I choose to spend my money.

I’m loading 1 oz of 9-1/2 in my 28 gauge and also loaded 1oz of 10’s. I’ve killed geese with the 10’s that looked like they got shot with a howitzer. I shot geese with the 9-1/2’s at ranges most wouldn’t believe but the ones with me when I did it, are now loading tss for their 410’s.
I do not need a buffer with my 28 gauge recipe from Hal (hawglips). But on the 410’s I loaded, it does call for a buffer. I was loading those shells when I was out of work from knee surgery and it was right after I’d sowed millet for doves. I had some left over and the millet made a fine buffer. The patterns out of the 410 were phenomenal at 30 and 40 yds.
I’ve also loaded some 7’s for swans and T’s to use as a buckshot load in my 28. I have 3 different 28’s. One is fixed mod, one has Briley chokes and one I use comp-n-chokes in and mullers. I’ve patterned every gun with dam near every choke combo and they all pattern great but the compnchokes are in a league of their own and my “go to” when I’m shooting tss.
Really all you need to load is a roll crimping die (~$30), a drill press (or hand held) and powder scales. A hull vice is nice but once you get the hang of roll crimping and the feel for the speed and down pressure, I found it was just as easy to hold the hull with my fingers. Ballistics products has everything under the sun for a shotgun reloader.
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
I look at the duplex loads as a viable option for cost effective loads with an increased performance over steel. Derrick (dhsten) was the first one to try out the steel x TSS duplex loads on real ducks.

But I'm like darkthirty - I like my TSS straight....

Bryguy, you're welcome to come over to my place and load some up if you'd like. I'm almost in line with your daily commute.
 

CBD21

Eight Pointer
I look at the duplex loads as a viable option for cost effective loads with an increased performance over steel. Derrick (dhsten) was the first one to try out the steel x TSS duplex loads on real ducks.

But I'm like darkthirty - I like my TSS straight....

Bryguy, you're welcome to come over to my place and load some up if you'd like. I'm almost in line with your daily commute.

Like Darkthirty and hawglips said straight Tss is where it shines to me especially in the sub gauges but the duplex is a viable way to save money. I’ve seen Darkthirty’s patterns and shots with the 28’s and it’s down right impressive. Hawglips is a good guy to deal with and the only person I buy from. Whichever way you decide to go you won’t be disappointed.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
Let me clear something up. I mistook “buffer” for a “filler”. I used the millet as a filler. Not a buffer.
 
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