Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Low recoil 20ga ammo

Growing up I was forced to suffer a single shot 410 for the first few years of my dove shooting career. I managed to get lucky and kill a bird or two on the wing per year but it was frustrating and it’s a miracle I didn’t give up and quit.

When I was big enough for a single shot 20 it was night and day, I’d kill 7-8 birds an evening then sometimes. I swore at a very early age if I had a kid I’d never saddle them with a 410.

And of course a couple years ago my son was dying to dove hunt and I picked him up an old Savage 410. It has been an effort in frustration. Birds shot at on the ground at under 20 yards are far from a sure thing and the old Savage is built on the frame big enough for a 12ga and weighs a ton so shooting them on the wing is about as likely as hitting the Powerball.

So wanting to do better for him and promising that we’d find a better solution I’ve been on the scout for one of the old Beretta folding single shots. I like that they don’t have a hammer to deal with, I once accidentally shot a broom weed when lowering the hammer on a single shot, thankfully I had been trained to always point it in a safe direction. And being alloy framed they’re lightweight.

Lo and behold last week I swing by the gun counter at a farm and ranch store and they have Charles Daly Turkish made knockoffs of the Beretta folders, 12,20, or 410, a 100 dollar bill will take one home. So I bought him a 20, surprisingly it even has a decent piece of walnut on it. I ordered a Kickeez pad from Brownells and I’ll cut it off about 2” before I put the 15/16” pad back on and grind it to fit.

So I guess now that that’s all out there. Does anybody know of a good low recoil load and if so a line on where I can get a flat. Winchester lists a 7/8 oz at 850fps that gets good reviews but I can’t find any in stock. Fiocchi lists a 3/4 oz load at low velocity that would probably be great, none to be found of it either. Is there anything else similar out there?

I just want to get him out there to start shooting some easy clays to practice and build confidence then hopefully we have a good dove flight this fall.

These might be worth a try. FYI I've never ordered from them but it shows in stock
https://www.milehighshooting.com/fi...-1075-fps-7-5-shot-size-3-4-oz-250-case/
Well crap it originally showed in stock. Now it's not

I looked for that same ammo elsewhere. Out of stock everywhere. Winchester makes an AA 20 gauge that's loaded to 1150 or 1165. I started out a few new shooters on a 20 gauge 1100 and those shells. Obviously the single shot will have more recoil but the 20 gauge 1100 it's all but nonexistent. I know it's still available I picked up a few boxes at Walmart around the end of 2023.

I’ll hit some stores next week when I’m off work and see what I can turn up. I don’t keep up with what’s happening in the shotshell world anymore since I shoot so little these days and was hoping I had overlooked a good low recoil load in my web searching.

I did a quick search this morning. Couldn't find anything low recoil in 20 gauge bird shot in stock from the usual places. Hope you can find something local

These Fiocchis are terrific, the challenge will be finding them in stock someplace:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1836961884

The greatest reduction in felt recoil is with reduction in payload, vice reducing velocity. Velocity is certainly a factor, but ejecta is the biggest.

Be aware also that autos will probably not cycle shells like this.

They are listed in stock here also....They will ship.

https://cacassociatesinc.com/collections/fiocchi-shotgun-ammo?page=2

Thanks! Have you done business with them before? They don’t have the option to buy online but I will call in a little while.

They are around 1.5 hours from me....I buy almost all of my target loads from them. I know they used to ship, but I usually drive and pick up myself. We have gone together and made a pallet group purchase, and they shipped to the house. Not sure if they have a minimum. Have been buying from them for years. The owners are good people. ,

https://www.winchester.com/Products/Ammunition/Shotshell/AA/AA20FL8

I saw someone else mentioned these... they are an absolute hoot to shoot, but the trick is finding them in stock anywhere. I bought a couple cases of them from Graf a few years ago, and I'm not sure I've seen them anywhere else since.

I hadn't seen those. The ones I've tried were AAs but loaded to 1150 or 1165. They would even cycle my 20 gauge 1100s. The ones in your link would be great for a kid to start with

I was shooting them out of one of those cheapo fold up single shots. The thing weighed about 3.5 pounds and was absolutely brutal with most birdshot loads, but those tamed it right down. I've since gotten rid of that abomination, but still have a bunch of the shells. I don't do a lot of shotgun shooting anymore.

My 10 year old can handle them out of an 870, and he's not very big for his age. I doubt they'd cycle an autoloader though, they're pretty bloopery from the pump.

I have 8 full boxes of the "reduced noise, reduced recoil" Winchester AA 20 gauge, 980 FPS, 8 shot. If you want to trade me for "full power" 20 gauge Winchester AA's, I would be willing to ship to you. What State are you located in? PM me if you want.

Thanks!

TAG

Shotshell reloading data 600.jr mec you be gettn'r.

I appreciate the offer. I’m in Oklahoma. I’ll see what I can turn up for AA loads and let you know. Most places around here carry the cheapest promo stuff and not much more but I get to the city about once a month.

I thought of this but no more shotgunning than we do anymore I don’t think it would be worth the trouble and expense of jumping into the reloading game.

I have started reloading again because shells are difficult to find on the shelves. When I do find some the choices are limited. I dusted off my old MEC loaders that have been in storage for the last 30 years. Ordered all the components at prices that put me into shock, but I can at least shoot skeet and clays when I want.