# 20 ga. waterfowl loads for youth ?



## Bob B. (Jun 26, 2005)

Hey guys! I saw that some of you have mentioned that you use a 20 ga. for waterfowl. Our 12 year old son will be using his 20 ga. pump this year for ducks and geese. We have'nt patterned it yet and I was wondering what loads and choke combinations you guys like to use. I did buy him a box of the new Kent Tungsten Matrix 3" 3 shot but did not pattern it yet.

I will also be using a Mossberg 12 ga. 3-1/2" for the first time this year. I shot the Tungsten matrix with a 3-1/2" #1 shot with a mod. choke & got a good pattern @ 40 yards. It was pretty bad @ 50. I have read & heard of guys getting good patterns out to 70 yards! Any suggetstions on what else to try?

Thanks in advance for your help & suggestions!


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## jkern (Aug 10, 2005)

My 7 year old son shoots a single shot 20ga with 2 3/4 steel #4s. He has shot plenty of ducks and puts the whoopin on decoying Canadas with this load. I have thought about getting him some Hevi #4s or #6s but he seems to be doing fine with the steel loads.


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## Bob B. (Jun 26, 2005)

Thanks for the info. I'm trying to figure out if the heavy loads are worth the money or not. I hit a few geese at close range last year with steel and they kept on going. I didn't pattern my gun though. I think our first step will be patterning our guns with steel instead of spending the money on the other loads right away.I'm sure they are better at longer ranges because the weight of the shot is heavier than steel, but I'm just not convinced that it's worth the extra money. I would like to hear what you guys think about steel vs. the heavy loads (tungsten, bismuth and heavy shot).

Thanks again for your help!


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## Bob B. (Jun 26, 2005)

Thanks for the info. I'm trying to figure out if the heavy loads are worth the money or not. I hit a few geese at close range last year with steel and they kept on going. I didn't pattern my gun though. I think our first step will be patterning our guns with steel instead of spending the money on the other loads right away.I'm sure they are better at longer ranges because the weight of the shot is heavier than steel, but I'm just not convinced that it's worth the extra money. I would like to hear what you guys think about steel vs. the heavy loads (tungsten, bismuth and heavy shot).

Thanks again for your help!


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## Bob B. (Jun 26, 2005)

Thanks for the info. I'm trying to figure out if the heavy loads are worth the money or not. I hit a few geese at close range last year with steel and they kept on going. I didn't pattern my gun though. I think our first step will be patterning our guns with steel instead of spending the money on the other loads right away.I'm sure they are better at longer ranges because the weight of the shot is heavier than steel, but I'm just not convinced that it's worth the extra money. I would like to hear what you guys think about steel vs. the heavy loads (tungsten, bismuth and heavy shot).

Thanks again for your help!


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## Marty Haakenson (Jul 6, 2005)

We switch to a 20 gauge every now and then and I tried the Kent Tungsten matrix last year and that stuff really put the hurt on the honks.I was dumping birds stone cold dead in and out of the spread while some of the other boys were sailing birds.For me, I would pay the xtra cash for the Matrix shells over conventional 20 gauge steel shells.


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## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

I would get Federal 3" 1 shot or somethng like it. (remington, Winchester, kent) Then let the kid shoot away....Not a good idea to have the kid, or yourself for that matter, shoot at anything over 35 yards.....Get them in close and you won't have a problem bringing down geese. Or ducks. 70 yard shots at geese or ducks?.....You're just asking for a lot of cripples.


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

I continue to be amazed at how effective the 20ga can be on waterfowl, particularly the big geese. On decoying birds, 3" #4 steel loads are death unwrapped! I also use #2 on occasion, but am not convinced that it's any better than the #4's. My personal 20ga is a Remington 870, with a 28" modified barrel, which patterns steel #4's within 30" at 35 yds. Another thing worth mentioning is the light weight and slimmer profile of the gun makes getting into shooting position, and shooting from awkward positions much faster and easier. I still shoot the 12 and 10, but find that when the geese are decoying well, the 20 is all I really need. Good shooting, Burl


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## Bob B. (Jun 26, 2005)

Thanks for the additional info. guys! I agree about keeping the shots within 40 yards.That's what we did last year and we still had cripples. The first thing we are going to do is pattern our guns for 40 yards. Burl,that's an incredible pattern for a 20. We will try the Matrix 3" #3's I got him first and go from there.

My wife & I both shoot a 20 ga. o/u for upland, but I never thought of trying them for waterfowl.We both love those guns and they fit us alot better than our 12 ga.'s do. I think we will throw some waterfowl loads through them and see what we get.

Thanks again for your tips!


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

Bob B MY wife switched from a 12 ga. O/U to a 20 ga. auto. While hunting Canadas she only shoots 3" #4 Heavyshot. It is very effective. Kills as good as or better than a 12 with steel. Shoot a mod choke. You can pattern it if you want to but I wouldnt pattern more than 1 or 2 loads. Unless the pattern is very bad(Idoubt it) you will be wasting money. It is absolutly the best thing for a 20 ga. They make 3" 2.Mother Goose hasent tried these yet she will this year.


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

Bob B MY wife switched from a 12 ga. O/U to a 20 ga. auto. While hunting Canadas she only shoots 3" #4 Heavyshot. It is very effective. Kills as good as or better than a 12 with steel. Shoot a mod choke. You can pattern it if you want to but I wouldnt pattern more than 1 or 2 loads. Unless the pattern is very bad(Idoubt it) you will be wasting money. It is absolutly the best thing for a 20 ga. They make 3" 2.Mother Goose hasent tried these yet she will this year.


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## Bob B. (Jun 26, 2005)

Thanks Old Hunter! I never tried the heavy shot but I know guys who love it. I'm assuming that most of the manufacturer's heavy loads are similar to each other in performance. From everything you guys have said, It sounds like the 20 ga. 3"#3 matrix load we bought should work well for ducks & geese.

Thanks again!


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## wtrfwlr (Sep 29, 2004)

My two cents is 40 yrds is plenty, 70 yrds and you won't KILL anything, wound maybe not kill.


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## adokken (Jan 28, 2003)

I have tried them all, Hevi shot in a 20 is deadly and next is Kent Matrix. Have loaded both Hevi and Bismuth and understand now there is a new shot out so it is hard to keep up with progress. I will never shoot steel again as have seen enough cripples with it, and I am to old to chase after a running goose anyway.


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