12 ga. Coyote loads

I thought about the same thing but a guy explained to me that it’s not a great idea to take a really good load that I’m gonna load and add lead to it? I’m just gonna eat the cost and go with straight TSS right or wrong?
 
223 said:
I thought about the same thing but a guy explained to me that it’s not a great idea to take a really good load that I’m gonna load and add lead to it? I’m just gonna eat the cost and go with straight TSS right or wrong?
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Interesting way of posing the question. You ask me, "add lead to your TSS load?". I say, awe, heck no man! You ask me, add TSS to your lead load? I have to stop and think about that.

I hoarded up on TSS shot in bulk direct from China some years back and have a good supply I got at a good price. My TSS loads cost me less than half what you guys are talking about now. For me, my situation, ain't no way I'm adding lead to my TSS loads.

But for someone buying the stuff at todays prices? Fair question I think.

- DAA
 
OKRattler said:
I bought some Winchester Varmint X BB the other day for $27 a box. I thought that was kinda high but that TSS stuff is crazy expensive. One thing I'll say about the Winchester Varmint X is that's the only shotgun round I've ever shot that I noticed the thud of the pellets impacting on the coyotes body. I thought that was kinda cool. So far I haven't lost any coyotes using that round. Shot at one too far with it once and didn't accomplish anything other than scaring it. It ran to the road a 1/2 mile away and got ran over by a truck when it tried to cross. So..........I dunno.....can I count that one?

I believe if I were to start using TSS shot I'd start reloading shotgun shells. I'd be picking shot out of dead critters to save money too, I guarantee ya. That ain't no bull. That's like shooting gold at 'em. I'd have to invest in a metal detector to find pass throughs. I've never spent 3 hours in one spot after killing one but I bet that'd change real quick after I let a few of those bad boys rip.
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I've saved tungsten shot pulled out of game to reload. When I do, I put a pellet or two of "experienced" shot on top to lead the way.

GC said:
Actually, the hardness of the lead is at least as important as the plating. Good high antimony hard shot is sometimes referred to as a "magnum" or "chilled" shot. I shot an empty typical convenience store 16-ounce water bottle with copper plated Federal Premium #4 Buckshot from 60 yards. Three pellets struck the bottle, two passed through. One pellet struck where the bottle had a hard molded ridge. That pellet didn't exit the bottle and was lying in the bottom flattened out as large as a nickel. Half of the copper plating had peeled off and what was left was thin enough that I could easily scrape it off with my thumb.
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Chilled is soft shot with low antimony.
 
wildflights said:
I've saved tungsten shot pulled out of game to reload. When I do, I put a pellet or two of "experienced" shot on top to lead the way.


Chilled is soft shot with low antimony.
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You are correct. Not sure what I was thinking when I posted that, thanks for catching the mistake.
 
I wouldn't use lead data to load TSS shot. If you use the same weight of TSS shot and use lead data you will have a bunch of empty space in the wad to fill. If you put a bunch of soft cork, fiber or felt wads under the shot that will lower the pressure quite a bit. The much shorter TSS shot column will also lower the pressure.

TSS shot is close to being 60% denser than lead shot. 1-5/8 oz of small TSS shot will fit in a 7/8 oz steel shot wad.

If you mixed lead shot with TSS shot the two different shot sizes and types would not reach the coyote at the same time and for sure the lead pellets would not penetrate as deep or break bones like the very hard TSS shot.

Since TSS shot is very round and hard it patterns very tight. I use a Mod choke most of the time when hunting coyotes and a Skeet choke while hunting geese with TSS shot.
 
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