20 gauge round of choice

tlo7mm · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 6:27 pm Post subject: 20 gauge round of choice

So I was curious for those of you that hunt turkey what would be a good round of choice for a 20 gauge round for hunting turley, It is for my daughter.

slimjim · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 6:54 pm Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

How old and big is your daughter? Is she accomplished at using the shotgun?

tlo7mm · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 8:28 pm Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

She has never shot a shotgun and I planned on taking her out before april to get some practice in. She is 9 and about 70 lbs. I would set her up with a .410 but we are not legal to hunt turkey here with anything smaller then a 20 gauge. I am thinking of just getting her a .410 and letting her hunt grouse, quail and pheasent rather then turkey.

slimjim · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 10:31 pm Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

If you could pick-up a .410 cheap, let her learn on that then sell/trade for a larger bore.

Elvis · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 10:43 pm Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

check out waterfowl sawn off another one.

hunterjoe21 · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 8:22 am Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

My wife has a Remington 1100 LT-20 that will only accept 2 3/4" shells. I struggled to find a factory "turkey" load for it. Everyone makes a 3" 20 ga. "turkey" load, bot not 2 3/4". I found a couple boxes of Winchester Super X "Super Pheasant" (1 ounce copper plated #5's @ 1300 fps) that patterned great from her gun, and without much recoil (the gun being a gas operated semi-auto helps with recoil too).

chambered221 · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 9:35 am Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

Do ya really need a "turkey load" to take turkey ??? Shocked

Marketing at it's finest............so called turkey loads and chokes do help but are definitely not needed !!!

Crackshot · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 4:13 pm Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

I think the 3.5" loads are a waste of money. I have killed 2 nice toms with my 12 gauge double barrel black powder shot gun with 60gr FF BP and 1.5oz #5 shot.
I love the 20 gauge, though I dont have a BP in that gauge any more.

chambered221 · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 6:22 pm Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

I second that crackshot !!!

We did some limited testing when they first became all the rage.......wasn't impressed.
I ended up going the opposite way and reduced to a 1 3/4oz load and got a better pattern than the 2 oz loads.

Aloysius · Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 3:06 am Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

the shorter the shotcolumn, the tighter pattern. (less pellets disformed by touching the wall of your barrel)

You can also decrease the speed (= the powder) to get a tighter pattern. A gass-operated semi-auto also decreases the speed...

Further: you can do many things with different wads, or you can fill the openings between the shotpellets with f.e. (baking) flour (NOT the self-rising Smile

)
but everything starts with a nice round hard pellet. Check the shotpellets first. When they are dented, start with other shot! Don't be surprised when you cannot find nice round, hard shot in the bigger sizes.

Vince · Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 3:12 am Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

Aloys wrote:

...or you can fill the openings between the shot pellets with f.e. (baking) flour (NOT the self-rising)

I've seen this before Aloys...what does filling the space with flour achieve mate? Does it keep the shot apart to save denting it?

Cheers, Vince

Aloysius · Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:20 am Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

Yep. The trick to get a dense pattern on longer distance is to start with a round pellet and keep it nice and round. That's why a hard pellet, a short pelletcolumn, suitable wad (=sealing, protecting and outside the barrel: leaving without disturbing), flour (vibrated between the pellets) and all the things that help to keep that pellet without dents are a big help.

chambered221 · Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:12 am Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

Have you ever seen what Hevi-Shot looks like ???

Crackshot · Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:48 am Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

I have also used corn meal for a buffer. works very well and has less powdery crap floating around the shop while reloading. Very Happy

tlo7mm · Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 6:56 pm Post subject: Re: 20 gauge round of choice

I know I do not need a turkey load as I have killed turkeys in the past with a BB gun actually. Funny thing is I was not trying to kill any I was just trying to mess with the turkeys. Anyway I was just curious if anyone had any good suggestions. I have killed lots of birds with target loads 7 1/5 shot or 8 shot. I figure I will use 6 shot this spring for turkey.