jOe, I said in my post that the pattern was off; it was the first shot I fired using a tss load in that 20 gauge sxs. It was a challenge to get it to shoot both barrels to the same POA, but I finally managed it. The point I was trying to make is that there is no reason to put shot into the breast if you know what you are doing.

I didn't like the idea of such small shot as #9 either when we first started handloading it 15 years ago. I started with #8 in a 12 gauge gun. A tss pellet that is #8 by diameter weighs what a size 6.4 would in lead. I have killed a good many turkeys with #6 lead, so I felt like #8 tss would work. It actually worked much better than I ever expected, and I eventually realized it was overkill and went to a 20 gauge. I still used #8 for a while, but so many folks were having success with #9 that I decided to try them. I had great results with them, but as I said in the other post, I don't think it really matters. The edge of the pattern is denser with #9, giving me a little more room for aiming error, but the advantage is very minor over size 8 or even 7.

If you go to a larger size than 7, you get fewer pellets in the load and you might as well use lead if we are talking about turkeys. As you said, doesn't take much to break a turkey's head or neck.

Well, I am not far from needing to stay on the porch. I got my AL 5 bird limit this past spring, but next year they are starting the season later and cutting the limit to 4. I don't think it will be long before they cut it to 2, and then one. There are more turkeys on the places I hunt than ever, but the government is not gonna let us continue to hunt them like they have during my lifetime. It looks like I picked a good time to get old.