smoothbore waterfowling

[mdtrekker]

For all of you who hunt swan/goose/duck with a smoothie, is a 20g good enough? in the market for a smoothbore primarily for waterfowling, but also big game. Can you help me out? Thanks.

 

[Rebel]

If you want it mostly for waterfowl, then i would definately go with a .12 ga. or even a .10 ga. I have a double barrel .12 ga with cylinder bore barrels that i use for most all my hunting. Will be using it for deer and elk now too that i got it shooting good with rd. balls. A very vesatile gun. I use mine with steel shot, in the special plastic Steelshot cups, for ducks and geese. It throws a good pattern with steel shot. I use mostly #1 steel. For jack rabbits i use #5 lead, and for doves and quail #7 1/2 lead. The .20 ga will not through the patterns the larger bore will unless you use a lot less shot. I really think you will be better served with a .12 ga. JMO

 

[Huntinfool]

I agree with Rebel you'd be ahead of the game with a 12 bore. A 20 bore could be used but it would limit your effective range somewhat more than a 12. If your a waterfowler you know those critters die hard!LOL

Chuck
"The Original Huntin' Fool" ::

 

[Stumpkiller]

I've got no Swan history, but unless you load stout and get 'em in close I would say a 20 is too light. 9 or so 0.25" balls over a heavy charge would work if you can throw a pattern into them. What we call "buckshot" used to be called "swan drops" in Europe. I imagine their heavy feathers pad the vitals and absorb pellets like a Kevler vest. With the new anti-lead regulations you might want to see what mandates are in place for swan and any shot size limitations.

Goose is also pushing a 20 ga. and you should limit youself to 25 yards, which is mighty restrictive. Even then you would want a full choke. You can't duplicate the 3" maximum buffered centerfire loads the breechloaders are tossing.

For jump shooting wood duck in cover a 20 is ideal. For most other ducks, it all depends on how well you shoot. Center 'em and a 12 vs. 20 doesn't make much difference. The individual pellets are moving about the same for either. There's just a bunch more pellets in a 12 than a 20. Some folks are better with shotguns than others. The extra pellets in a 12 make a world of difference. I've watched guys shoot a clean a trap series with a 28 ga. and powder every pigeon. Not this puppy.

 

I haven

 

[riarcher]

My input-
For jump shooting, even on geese (at very close range) you could get away with the 20 ga. (probably).
However, wouldnt be my first (or 2nd) choice. Like others, I'd recommend 12 ga. as a minimum (11 or 10 wouldbe better by far,,, even bigger) You can download a 12 much easier than you could upload a 20. Swans are "protected" here (One crappy bird! :curse: ). But geese are fair game and they don't fall that easily even with stiff loads of #2 and BB (max. allowed by state).

 

[mdtrekker]

Thanks for all the input guys. Looks like I will stay with 12g. I will be using bismuth loads for my shot. Just trying to find someone willing to build it and then of course, I will need input on loads to start with. I will be going after swan in NC and VA. Do any of you know of any smiths doing double barrel smoothies?

 

[roundball]

An alternative approach might be to just pick up a clean used one off auction and see how you like it...I bought a slightly used Navy Arms .12ga double / cylinder bores, and it's been fun with just a few doves last September...will be getting after them again on Labor Day.

If it was me, and I was going to buy one to basically use for swans and geese, then I'd probably buy a .10ga if I stumbled across one with cylinder bores.

On the other hand, if you're not going to try and duplicate the way the BP waterfowlers did it and you're just going to use modern plastic shot cups in a blackpowder shotgun, then the .10ga would be of less importance

 

[TwoShadows]

Whar do it say thet u caint put a 12 guage load down a 20 guage barrel wif a muzzleloader? Do hit make all thet much difference whut sized hole it starts from iffn hit gits to tha target and does tha job? Puhleeze don't tell me it don't wurk, cause I been adjusting muh loads to suit whatever I'm questin for over a lotta years. Alls ya gots ta wurry bout if iffn yer gun will throw a decent pattern with thet perticklar load.

 

Whar do it say thet u caint put a 12 guage load down a 20 guage barrel wif a muzzleloader? Do hit make all thet much difference whut sized hole it starts from iffn hit gits to tha target and does tha job? Puhleeze don't tell me it don't wurk, cause I been adjusting muh loads to suit whatever I'm questin for over a lotta years. Alls ya gots ta wurry bout if iffn yer gun will throw a decent pattern with thet perticklar load.

. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif thats my point as well ,learn to read what you shoot not shoot what you read

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

A bit of Cherokee wisdom ther fer sure :winking:

Nice thing about front stuffers - they will tell you what works real quick like!

 

na no wisdom just alot of having to make do with what i had . if you have a 12 use it but if a 20 is what you have , she will do the job just fine no mater if it be shot or ball.

 

[riarcher]

Understood him to say he was "in the market" to buy,,, not that he had one. :redface:
Would think that a 4-5 dram "heavy load in a 20 ga. might not be all that enjoyable? ::
And I'm not too sure how "comfortable" I'd be in the confidance dept. shooting a 12 or 10 ga "heavy" load in a 20 either.( :nono
Just me maybe, I'm a bit "chicken" when it comes to the possibility of a bulged barrel and/or scrapnel in my face.
While the 20 may very well handle the preasure, I'm chicken!
I just think if he's shopping, shopping for a 10-12ga. right off may save him some "Danged,, should of..."

 

I agree
if you are looking for a shotgun "and can afford it" just for swan, sand hill, and geese, go get a 12. I myself must from necessity

 

[mdtrekker]

In the majority of my waterfowling experiences, including those that will be replaced by using the smoothbore, I am able to have my shots all within 30 yds or less, with decoying birds. I understand that patterning loads for ducks will be different for swan and geese, however, thinking of how it was done 250 years ago, you need to be a good shot with a pattern to handle any situation. I have talked with three different smiths and all seem to relate that a 20 gauge will handle what I am looking for. Bismuth, being my shot choice, as it is identical to lead, except non toxic, with size four pellets and FFFg at 80 grains is what I will start to pattern with. I also have BB, #2, and #6 bismuth so let the fun begin. We can't forget though that it only takes one well placed pellet to make a kill, and I have witnessed that first hand. Seems that a 20 should be just fine, as it will also serve in the dove field and with patched ball for deer, bear and elk.

 

[tg]

Many .58 connicals weigh over 500gr, about an 1 1/4 oz so I would not be concerned about shooting 1 1/2 oz or more in a .62 or 20 gauge, if you have a well built gun with a 1 1/8 in. breech, I used to shoot a ball and several buckshot out of my NW gun and I think the weight total was over 1 1/2 oz the progressively smaller shot loads assumed to be proper for the smaller bores is for lack of a better word baloney, the length of shot shell is the only factor that determines this in centerfires.

 

[riarcher]

Shezzz, Don't apologize! ::
I would think different view points was just what MDTrecker was looking for (and I appreciated hearing your story too, kinda made me rethink some things :redface
Perhaps I've still got too much "centerfire metality" in the old cranium. Anyways, your last posting makes a lot of scence. Admittedly I've never really gave the 20 ga. much thought (anouther throwback to centerfire days). I was thinking that the beauty of a 20 ga. was the lightness of weight when carried in the field all day that it would kick like a mule! However, BP doesn't "kick" like smokless and would prossibly be more doable?
No apollogy needed, thanks for the "food for thought". :applause:
Me thinks me learned sumptin!
But, for my goose hunting I'll stay with the 10-12 ga. (ummmm maybe a 16ga? :