Looking for input on 20 gauge loads for ducks and geese. I'd like some expert opinion whether 1550fps 7/8 oz steel is necessary or if 1300fps 1oz steel is adequate. This speed stuff is confusing. Thanks in advance.
Either one works. Just increase your lead if the velocity lowers. I would prefer the 1oz at 1300fps.
My son uses 3" 1 oz. loads and does well with ducks. I would pick pellet count over speed any day of the week. Some goes for bigger gauges. I use 1 1/4 oz loads in my 12 gauge even though 1 1/8 oz loads are more available.
I think at shorter range pellet count matters; but a longer range speed increases pellet energy - speed kills! We are about to be blessed with the northern Canadian birds that have thick down. I go to T or even F for geese, as smaller shot don't seem to impress them.
Do a phonebook test and then make a judgment on how speed kills. You lose most of the extra energy from speed in the first 20 yards or so. Shoot a phonebook with a fast load then shoot another identical phone book with a slower load of the same pellet size, then see what number is on the page of the last pellet that penetrates on both books.
Appreciate the input - not a lot of info on 20 gauge steel loads available. Almost nothing on reloading them.
A 1oz load of #6 Hevi-shot works great.
If geese are in the picture, use #4 Hevi-shot.
Very impressive stuff.
A 1oz load of #6 Hevi-shot works great.
If geese are in the picture, use #4 Hevi-shot.
Very impressive stuff.
Yeah, so is the price.... can't afford it on a fixed income.
Wish I could.
No contest the majority of advice (rightly so) will be in favor of the 1oz #3 steel loads for ducks. For geese it get more difficult 1oz #2 you might get to pattern well but so few of a small shot size requires decreased range. 1oz of #1 steel most likely will not pattern well at all. So that leave heavier than steel shot which the only commonly available factory loads would be from Hevi Shot either #4 or #6.
There has been a lot written on various forums about using the 20ga for ducks and with both steel and HTS shot.
http://www.duckhuntingchat.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=14(Copy and paste link into URL box)
http://www.google.com/cse?cx=011358298806334250876%3Atgu2trurtro&ie=UTF-8&q=20+ga+duck&sa=Search&siteurl=www.shotgunworld.com%2Fbbs%2F&ref=&ss=4298j2977532j10#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=20%20ga%20duck&gsc.page=1
Wyogal most certainly you can afford hevi shot you just have to be like me and shoot less than 25 shells per year.
In reality, I just need to learn how to shoot a shotgun properly.
Then I'll get more hits using fewer shells. So, yes, you're right on.
I would Pick #2 steel in the 7/8oz Or 1oz then just stick with that load. The Faster load will give you about 5yrds of more effective penetration In real life bird killing experience. The 1oz will give you 15 more pellets.
1 1/4 oz #4 boss all the way!
Fast #3 or #4 steel will do what most will need from a 20. IF you’re all that and a bag of chips with a shotgun, you can stretch it some with HTL or bismuth, or get less cripples if you aren’t....but cost/benefit is doubtful for most.
I like 3 or 4 shot in 20 GA. If stepping up to premium shot (not steel) will shoot 5's.
My son used 1oz #2s in Arkansas last year. I was quite pleased with the results. Birds didn’t decoy well, so shots at high/passing birds were common. He was bring the ducks down as well as I was with a 12 gauge. Of course we had to do a follow up shot with the occasional cripple. Maybe We will try the faster stuff next year to see if we notice a difference.
We use both depending on where and what we are hunting. We have several cases of the Remington SuperSonic that we use for early teal and woodducks. For Slower flying birds later in the year, we use standard velocity shells
I use a Win Model 24 sxs so I use Kent Bismuth. Good stuff, but pricey.
We shoot ducks, nearly all mallards, exclusively with 20 & 28 gauges. While we often use steel in the 20’s, Hevi-Metal shot shells really are superior. I like 4’s in a 3” load and they work great. In the 28 gauge, I prefer 4’s in Hevi-X shotshells. We also shoot Hevi-X 6’s in the 28’s, but 4’s seem to kill birds more efficiently. We are typically shooting decoying mallards at 15-25 yards and the smaller gauges work fine.
Envirometal can pound sand AFAIC
Small TSS shows the most lethality in 20ga, period. Bismuth does very well, and approaches lead in 4/5/6 shot. To 40 yards, fast steel 3 & 4 shot has killed most any duck I put them on. It’s better to front half them, no matter what gauge and shot. It’s not harder to kill them with a 20ga, it’s harder to get the pattern in the right place, with the right density. All else being equal, shot doesn’t care about gauge.