Small Game loads 20 guage

[PGTMG]

Hello All wanted to know your 20 guage small game loads for squirrel and rabbit or any small game you like to hunt.

I have the Blackpowder Notebook recommended loads. But would like to have feed back your all pet loads if you care to share.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[CoyoteJoe]

For all around upland hunting it is hard to beat 70 grain of powder with one ounce of shot, which works very well out of 12, 14, 16 & 20 gauges. If you're shooting a cylinder bore, and if it patterns uniformly, #6 shot will be adequate to 25 yards on rabbits and pheasant and should knock squirrels from the tree tops. I would go with #7 1/2 or #8 to increase pattern density on quail or doves. If you have some choke and want to reach out to 40 yards then probably #5 would do better. I'd not use #4 shot unless throwing at least 1 1/2 ounces because there are just too few pellets to give reliable hits with lighter loads. With shot now selling for about $50.00 per 25 pound bag I certainly see the advantage in sticking to just one size and #6 is probably the best all round choice.

 

[Black Hand]

I shoot 75-80 grains FFFg and 90 volumetric grains worth of #6 shot. Works well for squirrels, grouse and rabbits.

 

[fort fireman]

I just started shooting mine 20 gauge. I've been using 70 grs of fffg . Then I make a cup out of a post it note and use my powder measure and put 80 grs of 6 shot in the cup. It doesn't make a real dense pattern but it kills the beer cans I shoot at. I may bump up my shot to 90 grs though. I'm just gonna play with it. Andy

 

[PGTMG]

#6 sounds good to me. Do you have any thoughts on nickle plated rounds?

Describe you load( is it over powder card, cushion wad, shot, and over shot card)?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Nickle plated shot is very good, if you can find it and don't mind paying for it. I think it will normally pattern more evenly and may even penetrate a bit better.
I just run two of the 1/8" overpowder cards down on the powder, rammed very tight, drop my shot and top off with another overpowder card split to 1/2 thickness. In that way I only have to carry one kind of wad for hunting. One overpowder card is probably adequate but why settle for "probably"?
If I shoot a round of clays I will need some lubrication so for that I will add a 1/4" lubricated fiber wad. I buy the 1/2" size and split them as I find some guns don't pattern well with a full wad. For that I like wet lube and trust the cards to keep it away from the powder. In fact I sometimes just pop a dry wad into my mouth for a few seconds and ram that onto the cards. No, they do not taste very good.
I always have a cleaning jag which will screw onto my ramrod and a few flannel patches. I can generally load three or four shots before the bore becomes too fouled and hard to ram wads but then I just wet a patch in my mouth to swab out the bore and follow with a dry patch and I'm back in business. But other than doves I've never fired more than four shots at game in a single day so fouling is just not an issue for me in hunting. Five days to dove season! :haha:

 

[Edlebrock454]

My gun prefers equal volumes of shot and powder in the 75 grain area with #6's and #7 1/2's for all my small game hunting, it's a family tradition on Christmas day to have a cold Georgia morning quail hunt, and thats what the #7 1/2's are for, other than that #6's are golden for everything. Hope this helps

 

[PGTMG]

It does. I like you Christmas Tradition as well!

 

[paulvallandigham]

Check the Lyman Black Powder Handbook for loads. Remember: you can load a MLing shotgun DOWN to smaller gauge loads for hunting small game, at closer ranges. So, don't hesitate to use 28 gauge loads for that purpose in your 20 gauge gun, or even in your 12 gauge gun. Expect the patterns to have more pellets in the inner circles in the larger barrels.

Read the load data on Bob Spenser's Site- Black Powder Notebook. The V.M. Starr article is as good today as was back when it was written.

 

[PGTMG]

Thanks I have looked Bobs site it is his stories and this sites wily enablers that have me trying this. :grin:

I did not think to use the Lyman Load book. I will check it out.

 

[Chilidog]

I use about 70 grains of 3f and an equal volume of shot. Use the same measure for both. Over power wad, greased cushion wad, over shot wad. Works great on small game as well as birds. Varying the shot size accordingly of course.

 

[nessmuk]

My small game load in my 20 ga. is 60 gr of 3F with an over powder wad with 1 oz. of #6 shot and an over shot wad. This is good out about 25 to 30 yds. on birds and rabbits and 20 yds on squirles.

 

[jmac]

Small game? I use 60 gr FFF an OP wad followed by a cushion wad and 1 oz. of #6 shot and an over shot wad. I like a duplex load of # 5 shot and #6 or 7 1/2 's for squirrels. Better shot density and the bonus of penetration with the 5's. Tree rats is tough, tough critters...

J-Mac

 

[Hoyt]

In my 20ga. I use 70grs. 3f two thin overshot cards, a .125" felt lubed wad, 100grs. by volume no. 5's and a thin overshot card.

 

[roundball]

For squirrels, 70x100 #5s in the .28ga and 80x100 #5s in the .20ga are what I've settled on the past couple years.

 

[jmac]

Dang RB, you sit and count every one!!? ... 79, 80, 81..what Honey? ..#!@O! 1, 2,3...:rotf: :rotf:

Sorry, couldn't resist

J-Mac

 

[roundball]

Referring to powder measure settings, ie:

80grns setting of Goex powder
100grns setting of #5 shot (1+3/8oz)

 

[jmac]

YEP!! :hatsoff:

 

[BrownBear]

I can't say I ever shot this in a 20, but a hunting pard was loading his 20 with 7/8 ounce of #6 shot and a dump of 3f with the same measure. It was working so well for him, so I tried the same in my 12 and it was fantastic. Many a ptarmigan and snowshoe hare didn't survive their acquaintance with that load, whether from his 20 or my 12.