20 gauge

colonel3006

colonel3006

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I am thinking on getting into reloading for shotguns and was hopeing for some advice. I am wanting to load #7.5's. For skeet, 5's and 6's for small game and possibly BB or buckshot for the odd coyote I get coming into the yard. I am shooting a Savage 24. 20ga with the 20" barrels so I am getting a fairly open pattern, and was wondering what wads,powder may help me get a little tighter pattern. I have never loaded for shotgun before and was hopeing for some pointers from some experienced handloaders on the forum before starting into it.
 
Barrel length has not a lot to do with your pattern, it depends on your choke. What is your barrel choke at? It should be marked on the side of the barrel. Have the barrels been cut?
 
A modified choke will throw a modified pattern designed for close shooting on birds etc. One option would be to thread the barrel for tubes and use a full choke tube for a tighter pattern.
 
I have only ever used Winchester AA hulls for reloading 20 ga. target & field loads, only in 7/8 oz.(lead) loads ... and have never loaded buckshot.

Of the powders I have used, WSF , Unique, Green Dot & 800X, I preferred the Winchester SuperField (WSF) as it was easiest for me to get hold of on a regular basis and provided very good ptaterns for Skeet & Sporting Clays.
Alliant's Green Dot seemed to give the densest patterns, particularly with Winchester AA wads. The clone wads, like Claybuster, seemed to pattern just not quite as well, but were certainly serviceable for target & hunting loads.

You can find lots of load data available online from the various powder companies like Hodgdon & Alliant, and Lyman prints a pretty good Shotshell Loading Manual with a ton of different loads in it.

For large shot sizes, like BB & Buckshot, I think you would really have to go to a 3" shell, ith different wads & perhaps "fillers" like card wads, to adjust heights for a proper crimp.
Copper plated (actually copper washed) shot provides a little less bore scrub & pellet deformity contributing to better patterns, and some have found "buffering" materials like "GREX" interspersed within the shot to help tighten patterns ( Remington & Winchester both load "copper plated" & "buffered" lead ammunition ... mostly for heavy turkey loads.
 
iceman2 said:
A modified choke will throw a modified pattern designed for close shooting on birds etc. One option would be to thread the barrel for tubes and use a full choke tube for a tighter pattern.
Click to expand...

I had thought of that too, I called Ellwood Epps about threading it and was told after giving the gunsmith the measurements he wanted there wasn't quite enough thickness there to do it.
 
You could always keep your eyes open for a single shot with a full choke, or a used pump etc with a full choke barrel. Playing with loads is iffy at best to get tighter patterns, it migh improve them but not really tighten them .
 
I already have 12 ga semi auto ithaca with full choke that I can use for anything, I just picked up this savage and really like it and thought I would like to try it for everything I mentioned. I like the thought of having the 22 for anything out a little to far for 20ga, but would like to figure out what I can do, or use to get best patterns possible.
 
Rather than buckshot or BB's out of the shotgun barrel for coyotes, why not a rifled slug utilizing the guns rifle sites ?
Some slug guns (even short barreled ones with no choke) can be pretty accurate out to 75 yards or better.
 
That's a thought too, I actually did look for slugs when I was at our Canadian tire the other day but of course they didn't have any, and we don't have any where real local to get them. Be heading down to kitchener in a couple weeks so I will have to shooters choice out.
 
You could try custom cutting the wad slits. There are some unslit wads available from Ballistic Products Inc (Bilozir.net) Some folks use what is called the turkey cut. They use two slits in the wad only. They claim it works but I have not tried it. I have tried 3 slits and it does have an effect.

Good luck

Rob
 
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