20 guage for ducks?

K

Kevin Puls

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I recently started fantasizing about getting a side by side 20 guage.

My dad’s friend had one that I use to use to pheasant hunt on his pheasant farm. I loved it. I was a kid then.

I don’t hunt upland anymore so if I got it it would be just for targets and maybe layout hunting where birds tend to be pretty close.

Anyone shooting steel out of a 20 guage for ducks? I don’t have any desire to shoot any if the high price steel alternatives btw.
 
Kevin Puls said:
I recently started fantasizing about getting a side by side 20 guage.

My dad’s friend had one that I use to use to pheasant hunt on his pheasant farm. I loved it. I was a kid then.

I don’t hunt upland anymore so if I got it it would be just for targets and maybe layout hunting where birds tend to be pretty close.

Anyone shooting steel out of a 20 guage for ducks? I don’t have any desire to shoot any if the high price steel alternatives btw.
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I shoot a 20ga for ducks. I use steel shot #4 1oz loads works the best for me.
 
During our early season i,ll shoot steel in my 20,s. 3" x 1 0z. #3 steel. And have shot big ducks also with it but latter when Goose over laps with Duck I shoot home rolled 3" Bismuth 3,s. Choked properly an ounce of steel 3,s will easily kill ducks over decoys and out to 40 yds. if your a good enough shot.
 
You’ve already been given great advice. I shoot a 20 often and both my favorite steel loads have already been mentioned above. The 20 is very capable for killing ducks. I’ve taken both geese and swans with a 20 as well. The pellets don’t know what gauge gun they were launched from if running the same fps. It’s just a slightly smaller payload. I reload for mine and a duplex with steel and htl pellets really makes you wonder why you would ever need more
 
20 is great for ducks I shoot apex ammo for my 20 and 12 absolutely love it. #3 shot for both hammers ducks and geese from September through February.
 
I shot my 20 for the second half of the season in NJ. Did surprisingly well. I used the 3" #2 blindside amo. I also use the same in my 12 as well
 
At 25-30 yards over decoys, you hammer them with a 20 gauge 2 3/4” steel out of a mod choke. I always had a 3” in the bottom of the tube for that last shot when they were getting outta here. You can actually use an improved choke in a 20 gauge over decoys, but passing shots at 40 yards benefit greatly from a denser shot pattern. In my experience, the 20 gauge with even the mod choke leaves a lot to be desired at 40 yards. I won’t say you won’t hit them, cause you definitely can, but your dog will have to work harder on average.

Nate
 
Over 20 years ago I picked up a 20ga SxS and would occasionally use it in the layout. It seemed to do just fine so one fall I committed to the 20ga for the season. Decided on Kent Fasteel 7/8oz of #4s @ 1550fps. In addition, I adjusted my spread so my furthest decoy was @ 30yds rather than the 40yds I had been setting them. The results were great. My total take for the season was the same as I had been with a 12ga - right at 60 birds. The amazing thing to me was that my cripple rate actually wend down. 90% of my hunts after that season were with the 20ga. The ducks didn't care that my spread was closer to the boat. This was gunning both layout on Lake Michigan and Mississippi River boat blind.

With the advances in shot materials I have now begun dabbling in hunting with a 28ga with good results.
 
I put my hands on the CZ sxs that I was thinking about today. Looks like a winner. Didn’t buy it because I tend to impulse buy. But seriously considering it.
 
Pete McMiller said:
Over 20 years ago I picked up a 20ga SxS and would occasionally use it in the layout. It seemed to do just fine so one fall I committed to the 20ga for the season. Decided on Kent Fasteel 7/8oz of #4s @ 1550fps. In addition, I adjusted my spread so my furthest decoy was @ 30yds rather than the 40yds I had been setting them. The results were great. My total take for the season was the same as I had been with a 12ga - right at 60 birds. The amazing thing to me was that my cripple rate actually wend down. 90% of my hunts after that season were with the 20ga. The ducks didn't care that my spread was closer to the boat. This was gunning both layout on Lake Michigan and Mississippi River boat blind.

With the advances in shot materials I have now begun dabbling in hunting with a 28ga with good results.
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All~

I, too, enjoy my 20 gauge side-by-side - with Kent Fasteel. In fact, I anticipate using it more later this year. Pumping my cherished Model 12 left-handed has proven not to be the "well-oiled machine" that it was in my right hand for the many years I enjoyed vision in both eyes. My 20 was a gift from my colleagues way back in the last century. Although mostly a Model 12 fanatic at that time, I have enjoyed many memorable shots with the smaller gauge - from lots of Woodlies to the unexpected Canada.

All the best,

SJS
 
I have shot 20 ga for ducks and everything else I use a shotgun for all my hunting career. For waterfowl, I too use the Kent Faststeel. #4 used to be my go to and I will still use it, but I really like the upland faststeel #5.
 
I switched to a 20 for ducks six years ago and haven't used my 12 since. I haven't shot much steel through it as I was a happy Boss user prior to their switch to copper. Haven't shot the copper yet, still going through my bismuth reserves. I found that #4s worked best for my style of hunting. My 20 has performed great on all species in NJ and on ducks, snows, specks, and sandhill cranes in North Dakota. I have converted a few friends to the 20 and no one has looked back.
 
If I could find it.... and knew how.... I'd post a video of a swan I smoked with my 20 several years ago. One shot, 3" steel 2s at about 35 yards.
 
I use my browning silver 20 for the majority of duck hunting. Kent's 3" with size 3 shot is great for all size birds. Would love to get a nice over/under one day in 20 but it's a want and not a need so maybe one day.
 
I was hoping to get a 20 auto loader before turkey season but couldn’t find a decent brand version locally that had the receiver tapped for an optic. I’ll keep my eyes open on the used market now.
 
Kevin Puls said:
I was hoping to get a 20 auto loader before turkey season but couldn’t find a decent brand version locally that had the receiver tapped for an optic. I’ll keep my eyes open on the used market now.
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This is what we did on my son’s turkey gun. Maybe not ideal but it’s holding so far. I have a similar rib mount on my 12 that isn’t tapped.
IMG_2481.jpeg
 
Medow Creek makes a rib mount for Red dot sights that works on virtually any rib. Pretty slick. I used one with a Fastfire 3 on my 20 till I went back to scope.
 
Kevin Puls said:
I was hoping to get a 20 auto loader before turkey season but couldn’t find a decent brand version locally that had the receiver tapped for an optic. I’ll keep my eyes open on the used market now.
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It's not hard for a gun smith to drill and tap for sights or to add a picatinny rail for sights.
My 20 silver I had a rear bead added to aid in turkey hunting. With a primos tightwad choke it has a great pattern out to 40 with lead, from Remington, Winchester, federal, and Kent in different shot sizes.
 
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