# 20 gauge reloaded steel (help)



## decoyed (Oct 14, 2006)

I'm looking for a recipe for 20ga 3" 1 oz or 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 oz steel useing 1 or bb shot. I've looked at all the data I can find but nothing even close to this anywhere I can find. My son loves goose hunting but only can handle a 20 right know, he has killed several with fed 3" 1oz 1 shot but I can't find this load at any store anymore. I know this reload probably won't be easy to find but any help would be great.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I can't help other than to say I don't think you're gonna find any data for such a load and if you do I'd be suspicious of it. I looked when I was considering loading for the 20 and most data maxed out at 1 oz and #3 shot. I don't think you could get 1 1/8 oz of steel into a 3" 20 ga, there just isn't room. Steel is much more pressure sensitive than lead and requires special attention to loading especially with the larger shot sizes.
I don't think the companies producing supplies and data are willing to put those risks out there. Honestly if you can get birds within 30 yards a 1 oz load of #2s will get the job done. I used them all last season and was dropping birds dead at the range previously mentioned. The one hunt I have been on this year I grabbed a box of #3s instead of #2s. Had no choice but to use them. I dropped the 4 large canadas I shot at but had to chase a couple.

I patterned the Federal #1s out of my gun and it had holes a large duck could fly through. #2 were much better and better yet after some experimenting with extended chokes. Even if you could find data for a load of BBs I doubt you'd get any pattern at all. That just too big a shot for that small tube and you are gonna get a long shot string or blow patterns. I doubt you could push them over 1050 to 1100 FPS out of a IC choke. A 1 oz load of BBs will yield 72 pellets while a oz load of #2s is 125 and #1s is 103

My patterns with #2s put 78-84 % (97- 105 pellets) inside a 24 inch circle. Transposing that to BB size shot you're gonna get about 55 pellets in that same circle and thats probably being generous. While energy means something I have found multiple hit, especially with steel, means more birds on the ground

Even for my 12 ga I'm going to shoot off the rest of my BBs and go to #2s


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## decoyed (Oct 14, 2006)

to everyone thanks for the info


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