20 ga steel loads

Cintax

Cintax

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I have a SX3 chambered in 20 gauge which will accept up to 3" shot shells. I am wondering what non-toxix loads people are using for hunting duck and geese. Any suggestions or personal anecdotes regarding this topic?
 
The 20 ga bore doesn't do well with large shot. 2's are really pushing it for decent patterns, when my boys used a 20 ga 3" for ducks and small geese, I found that Kent faststeel #3's were effective with modified choke to about 35 yds or so. If you can't decoy them in close, heavishot ( tungsten) is the only viable alternative, and can stretch your effective range to 45 yds or so.
 
Cintax said:
I have a SX3 chambered in 20 gauge which will accept up to 3" shot shells. I am wondering what non-toxix loads people are using for hunting duck and geese. Any suggestions or personal anecdotes regarding this topic?
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I've been shooting the 20 for quite a few years with steel, and have had very good killing with Fassteel 2's and 4's in the 3", and 2's in the Winchester dri-loc 3", but found the Federal Premium 2 3/4" 4's as good as the Winchesters.
The Kents are the best of the factory stuff I've tried.
I shoot over decoys, but have made some longer shots on birds that were going away as well.
Keep the chokes on the "open" side and pattern your gun, i've found that with steel the patterns vary far more than with lead shot.
Cat
 
My kids all used Kent Fasteel in 20 gauge. To about 30-35 yards (who really knows distance exactly?) it worked just as good as anything else. Never tried it on geese, but ducks die just fine.
 
Dogleg said:
My kids all used Kent Fasteel in 20 gauge. To about 30-35 yards (who really knows distance exactly?) it worked just as good as anything else. Never tried it on geese, but ducks die just fine.
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LIke wise, this is what my girlfriend uses in her 20 Ga Winchester 120 modified choke. Equally lethal inside of 30 yards.
 
Thanks everyone. Fasteel and Dryloc were the front runners to try so I am glad to see I was heading in the right direction. Last time I was in BassPro, I believe I saw the Kent Fasteel for around $15 a box which I think is quite good.
 
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