20 Gauge Fans ?
- Thread starter Gunznat
- Start date
?? 16ga
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I have a love of all shotgun gauges
Fixed it for you LOL
I thought you worked at Cabelas on the gun counter. I assumed ammo would be no issue for you and there are a ton of nice 16ga out there. Not sure what interests you
Cheers
I have used my 20 gauge guns for everything from partridge to pass shot Snows and big decoyed Canada's, with everything from 3/4 oz lead hand loads to 1oz factory with no issues whatsoever
Cat
Shot column height vs bore size.
12 ga 1 1/8 oz. .765”
16 ga 1 oz .824”
20 ga 7/8 oz. .836”
28 ga 3/4 oz. .896”
The Field and Stream shotgun columnist asked Federal Cartridge Engineers about the 28 gauge and square loads. They said that patterning improved in a linear fashion with an increase in bore size. So I guess the 28 and 16 do pattern well, just not quite as good as the 20 and 12.
He then mentions in the following paragraph that there still seems to be something about the 28 that makes it hit hard. Magic ?
Not that straight forward
and they said
"was an almost linear relationship between bore size and pattern"
The size of a shotgun's bore has nothing to do with the overall size of its pattern. Air resistance opens patterns, and pellets react to air resistance the same way. Comparing larger and smaller bores is apples to oranges because of the difference in payloads.
No distinction can be made between a .75 oz. 1200 fps load producing a 65% pattern at 40 yards whether it came out of a 28, 20, 16, or 12 gauge. There is no tangible difference.
Also shot type/ quality, hardness and wad type used all comes into play. If you reload, play with your chokes and shoot a lot of paper over time you can improve your patterns in any gauge. I have always found lower pressure loads always pattern better than higher pressure
LOL on the magic they said "Yet in the field, the 28 does seem magical "
Take care
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Not that straight forward
and they said
"was an almost linear relationship between bore size and pattern"
The size of a shotgun's bore has nothing to do with the overall size of its pattern. Air resistance opens patterns, and pellets react to air resistance the same way. Comparing larger and smaller bores is apples to oranges because of the difference in payloads.
No distinction can be made between a .75 oz. 1200 fps load producing a 65% pattern at 40 yards whether it came out of a 28, 20, 16, or 12 gauge. There is no tangible difference.
Also shot type/ quality, hardness and wad type used all comes into play. If you reload and shoot a lot of paper over time you can improve your patterns in any gauge. I have always found lower pressure loads always pattern better than higher pressure
LOL on the magic they said "Yet in the field, the 28 does seem magical "
Take care
I can live with “seem” magical and the no “tangible difference” has always been my position.
You take care as well.
Cool. I have just grown very fond of the 28ga and it's abilities over the last 50 years and believe me I can and have shot and reloaded them all. I still have my grandfathers model 12 28ga skeet which got me started . Sold just one 28ga in all those years
daughters university was more important Still have 33 I think and still 8 20gaBet you don't know anyone that shoots 16yard trap with one LOL and not that bad either
The looks are priceless. Take the skeet barrel off the wingmaster and slap on the full choke barrel and grab a box of hardshot 7 1/2 reloaded AA's and holler PULL
Grandfather used to say anyone can shoot a 20ga well
but he had to be talking the 410 since I don't mind the 28 at allCheers
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Sorry. Sometimes we forget that some folks just aren't able to appreciate the finer things.
I hear you brother
Jack Robinson
CGN Regular
- Location
- Alberta / Mazatlan
Our whole family for 3 generations have used Model 12 20 ga. shotguns for bird hunting. I once brought a 12 ga. out to the duck blind and my dad and uncle said in unison " What's that wagon tongue doing out here? " They always said 12 ga. is for people that can't shoot.
I just like the handling of the 20's that I have owned far better than the 12's. The weight and size doesn't do anything to mitigate recoil with the 1-1/4oz loads in a 20, but, it is till comfortable for me that way. I like the options that it gives me, the ability to shoot waterfowl or sparrows if I want to, in a gun that is light, but, not too light. I still shoot 12ga 3" SxS's, but, most days I am just as happy with the 20ga as long as the birds are decoying somewhat decently. Only use on 12ga last fall was on snows in a week of really krappy weather and one day when I ran out of 20ga ammo because I forgot to top off the field bag, and we had a good shoot going on. Shot specks and snows with it this year, definitely like that little FAIR Iside Vintage in 20ga, something about cocking those hammers when the birds are jinking or cruising in and dropping altitude on us. Pretty decent patterns out of it as well, shot a few birds at some distances when they flared, that I told myself, was probably not what I shud be shooting at with it. But, did it anyway.
I have been wanting to take my Iside 20 out for waterfowl. Could you elaborate on which shells you were using and chokes?
I have used both Federal Premium 4's in 2 4/4" for ducks and Kent Fasteel3"2's in my 20
gauge FAIR shotguns since I bought my first one many years ago .
These days it seems that Kent is more available .
Cat
Thanks Cat, I will have to pattern a few but I will start with those.
