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Gentlemen,
I have never duck hunted and need some help selecting the best load for my 20 gauge. I know a 12 gauge would be better but all I have is a 20 and I figure it should work.
Thanks, Les
Will Munny: It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.
The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it coming.
Will Munny: We all got it coming, kid.
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Depending on distance, I would go 3" with number 2 steel as an all around load.
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Campfire Tracker
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Gentlemen,
I have never duck hunted and need some help selecting the best load for my 20 gauge. I know a 12 gauge would be better but all I have is a 20 and I figure it should work.
Thanks, Les I use #4 Hevi-Shot for ducks. Spendy but it works well. I only hunt a couple of times per year.
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I'll give those a try thanks
Will Munny: It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.
The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it coming.
Will Munny: We all got it coming, kid.
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Campfire Outfitter
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How much is a guy giving up by using a 20 gauge?
Will Munny: It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.
The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it coming.
Will Munny: We all got it coming, kid.
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Nothing in the velocity department. Most 20"s throw a 7/8 oz load. A 12, anywhere from 1 1/8 on up. With a load of 2"s, I'd have to look it up, but , there isn't a huge difference, in pellet count. Been wanting to take my wife's CZ o/u out for a run on ducks! If I would mess up her trap gun, I'd be in some hot water, tho! Got shells!
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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one of my buddy's shot a few with a 410 this season.
God bless Texas----------------------- Old 300 I will remain what i am until the day I die- A HUNTER......Sitting Bull Its not how you pick the booger.. but where you put it !! Roger V Hunter
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Roger,
He's probably a better shot than me lol.
Will Munny: It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.
The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it coming.
Will Munny: We all got it coming, kid.
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I know a fella that used a 20ga for ducks after shoulder surgery. He put some money into a good choke tube and Hevi Shot,but had wonderful success with the combo. Hunting over deeks anyway. Not sure about pass shooting. Should do the trick if you get the shot on the birds. It is expensive,but Hevi Shot is a rel killer. I used it for turkey for couple years after it hit the market. Impressive stuff.
"Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."
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If you're shooting decoying birds, look at a 1oz or 7/8oz load of #4s. You'll get a few more pellets out of the 4s vs the 2s which will help with pattern density. All I shoot anymore is a 20ga, and I've shot 1oz load of 2s and 4s, 7/8oz of HV 4s, and 3/4oz load of 4s and 6s. They all kill just fine. I believe that the 1oz load of slower(1350fps range) 2s and 4s work better out of a 20ga, but I've killed birds out to 40 yards with no problem with all the loads listed. Just buy a few different boxes and pattern your gun. The little bores will more than likely respond better to a more open choke, so try a Skeet or IC to begin with(my gun likes the SK the best).
"A man may not care for golf and still be human, but the man who does not like to see, hunt, photograph or otherwise outwit birds or animals is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for one do not know how to deal with him." ~ Aldo Leopold
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"A man may not care for golf and still be human, but the man who does not like to see, hunt, photograph or otherwise outwit birds or animals is hardly normal. He is supercivilized, and I for one do not know how to deal with him." ~ Aldo Leopold
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I have lots of shotguns, but this year I tried something different. Mostly because my duck hunting partner was busting my chops about the idea. I bought a new semi-auto 20ga for ducks! I've killed several turkeys with a 20 so why not ducks (Encore)? It might have been an excuse to buy a new gun. I used it this season, every day I went out. Bought the Black Could long range tube for it and I have been using Black Cloud #2 1oz loads. Honestly, I feel like I kill more ducks with this over my A400 12ga, but that's probably just me. Only thing I try to be careful of is distance because the pattern density is slightly less. Obviously on Deke birds it makes little difference, you could kill them with anything if you let them come in close enough.
Let me say it again in Spanish "NO"
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I shoot 3" Kent #4 and have done really well with them. I shoot them out of a Benelli M2 20 gauge
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I've used my montefeltro 20ga quite a bit over the last 14 years for ducks and geese. All I've ever used has been estate, kent, and a little bit of remington nitro steel. All 3" with the majority being #4s and some #2s
Proverbs 12:27 The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.
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I shoot 3" #3's and 4's. Shots inside 35 yards work best.For shot over 40 I think larger shot is warranted. If money is no object Heavy Shot and Tungsten Matrix will take you to ranges where lead becomes you nemesis.
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Wow I was at Cabelas last night and priced some Heavy Shot . So number 2 or 4 steel you say should work.
Will Munny: It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.
The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it coming.
Will Munny: We all got it coming, kid.
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Yep that's why I don't shoot it, but I did try it and it's the real deal. The good news is that steel will work just fine,it just limits the range that one can make consistent clean kills. For me that's inside 40 and the closer the better to a point.
Last edited by Farming; 01/08/14.
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#4 steel is the best in a 20 gauge, as it gives a good pattern, but I hate the stuff past about 30 yards.
#2 steel will kill ducks about as far as you can hit them, but a 20 gauge doesn't have many pellets in it for that work.
#3 is a good compromise if you can get it.
All three sizes work great if you limit your yardage to 30 or 35.
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Agree that the #2 have the mass for the longer work but not the pellet count for consistent multiple hits.
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Well, If the 20ga is putting 99% of the pellets inside 30" at 30yrds. Like mine has. Pellets on the bird is what kills, not how many are in the shell. Pattern it, 1550fps #3-#2 will work. Beyond 30yrds in fact
The anti American Constitutional party (Democrat). Wants to dismantle your rights, limiting every aspect of your constitutional rights. Death by 1000 cuts is the tactic. Each cut bleeds constitutional rights to control you. Control is the goal.
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Where are you in Texas exactly? I have several 20ga 3" and 2 3/4" loads I like, maybe we can meet up if your close and I'll give 4-5 of each one to pattern test. The cats meow for me lately is the Winchester Super X Drylok #3 1oz @ 1330fps. It accounted for all of these:
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Where are you in Texas exactly? I have several 20ga 3" and 2 3/4" loads I like, maybe we can meet up if your close and I'll give 4-5 of each one to pattern test. The cats meow for me lately is the Winchester Super X Drylok #3 1oz @ 1330fps. It accounted for all of these: Central Texas near Gatesville, thank you for the kind offer
Will Munny: It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.
The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it coming.
Will Munny: We all got it coming, kid.
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If in the off season you get up to DFW, drop me a PM and we'll meet up and you can get some to try out.
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Will Munny: It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.
The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it coming.
Will Munny: We all got it coming, kid.
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