Tungsten Alloy Shot

[SPEEDY]

I wish we could get Tungsten, TSS or even Hevi-shot here but unfortunately it's only lead or steel, even then 3" 12ga shells are hard to find, I just bought the last of my locals stock of 46gm #4 so I will have to only use it on special occasions.

[stokesrj]

You should be able to buy the shot and load your own. I don’t think the shot is a controlled material and since it comes from China I would think it could be shipped to Australia.

[SPEEDY]

Pretty costly per shell to do it like that but it might be the only option.
Although I'm crap at loading shot shells, I always stuff up the crimp.
I might have to start roll crimping again, I can get that done right.

[stokesrj]

It is pretty costly for TSS any way you do it as the cost of the shells is driven by the cost of the shot.

Roll Crimping is better than star crimping for long range patterns anyway. I use a Mec 600 JR press it does very good star crimp. Of course the quality of case you start with matters also. There is a wealth of information on loading TSS on the Web and in all the tests I've seen roll crimp wins.

I don't know if it would apply to your methods of hunting or not but there are a lot of folks using BB size TSS for hog control and they are killing them at unbelievable distances. The kind of distances that make you rethink using slugs.

[stokesrj]

The case of Federal Premium Heavy Weight TSS I just bought on sale actually works out to be cheaper than buying the shot and reloading my own.

[SPEEDY]

It is pretty costly for TSS any way you do it as the cost of the shells is driven by the cost of the shot.

Roll Crimping is better than star crimping for long range patterns anyway. I use a Mec 600 JR press it does very good star crimp. Of course the quality of case you start with matters also. There is a wealth of information on loading TSS on the Web and in all the tests I've seen roll crimp wins.

I don't know if it would apply to your methods of hunting or not but there are a lot of folks using BB size TSS for hog control and they are killing them at unbelievable distances. The kind of distances that make you rethink using slugs.

Two things, firstly I've got the same press, I just really suck at using it.
2nd, I'd definitely keen to load some up in BB's and try them on hogs, is there much more information on them?
I've always preferred shot over slugs, if I can get some heavy shot loads that will kill a pig at 50 yards then it's definitely worth buying some shot, shipping it over and lesrning to load them properly.
I'd even roll crimp, actually I'd prefer to roll crimp.

They would probably work out about the same price as slugs anyway.

Where's a good place to order some?

[stokesrj]

In the US a guy named Hal buys bulk quantities of all shot sizes and breaks it down into small batches hganc@aol.com. I'm not sure if he would export to Australia. But here are some international sources https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/tungsten-shot.html
A good place to get all components is https://www.ballisticproducts.com but they only carry #7 and #9 TSS under the brand name SpheroTungsten.

[SPEEDY]

Looks like they export to Australia, I'm definitely going to look into them, would also be excellent for muzzle loading, 36gm of 2mm TSS would be deadly on foxes.

[stokesrj]

I think that is way to big for foxes even #6 will completely penetrate them at 75 yards. The number two completely penetrate deer and boar.

[mchughcb]

Is there any evidence to support that? 75 yards on a fox with #6 and complete penetration is something ive never seen.
TSS is totally different from lead shot. Even number nines penetrate 3-5 inches in 10% ballistic gel in my testing which is deeper than number 4 lead at 75 yards which penetrates 1.5-3 inches. I haven’t tested the #4 TSS but am going by the results of a friend who is a very accomplished tester and who I have verified other results he has achieved. He has killed coyotes at 90 yards with number 4 TSS so I think a fox is quite a bit easier.

[mchughcb]

I looked at the cost of importing from China and the shipping price is way too expensive even if I wanted to import myself and reload.

[SPEEDY]

What's the minimum size for hogs?
If I'm going to order a bunch then I will want to get the most versitile shot size.

[stokesrj]

What's the minimum size for hogs?
If I'm going to order a bunch then I will want to get the most versitile shot size.

#2 has also killed hogs but the BB is better for ranges beyond 50 yards on Hogs. For use on Fox you will be limited with BB by pattern density but you would have to pattern with your gun and choke to be sure. They seem to pattern best with a .670-.680 exit pupil extended choke tube.

[SPEEDY]

I might get a KG or two of BB's and #4 for the smaller stuff like foxes and ducks.
I wonder how the BB's would go on deer?

Maybe even go for T shot, but that might limit the patten too much for longer shits, but either way it will pattern much better the SG or SSG buckshot.

[stokesrj]

One report I read on deer with the BB size was that a deer at 57 yards weighing about 140 pounds was hit with eighteen shot and all but two passed through. The other two were captured by the offside hide after penetrating heavy bone.