This gun was the first that started me getting into 20 gauges for turkey hunting. I shot two toms with it in 2014 and have rarely carried it in years.I hand painted it last year but have not done much with it since.I just put a reflex sight on it and took the Bushnell red dot I had on it off. I may carry it in bad weather. I am taking it up in a few hours to pattern it with all kinds of different ammo,I plan on having a good friend take this gun as his if he decides to get into hunting with a firearm.
The ammo i am going to shoot this evening is..
-Remington Premiere #6
-Hevi shot Triple Beard 5,6,7
-Federal Premium High Velocity #5 & #6
-Federal 3rd Degree 5,6,7 (old stuff)
-Federal 3rd Degree 5,6,7 (new stuff)
-Hevi shot #6
-Hevi shot Mag blend 5,6,7
-Winchester long beard #6
I am really hoping the new Federal 3rd degree 5,6,7 is the ticket,they shot very well out of my Fathers Hatsan 20 gauge semi with the same choke.
My plans have changed with the weather tonight,I will be patterning it this weekend instead.
I will be interested in hearing about the new 3rd degree. The old 3rd degree shot nice out of my son's Escort 20 ga SA.
The new federal 3rd degree did well in my fathers hatsan semi 20 gauge the other day,same choke as I have in my pump and same barrel length 26".
I went and patterned this gun this morning,I ended up only shooting 4 different shells,the new federal 3rd degree,mag blend,hevi 6 and longbeard #6.I did keep targets and am just heading to buy a pistol grip for my Winchester 1300 but when I get back later I will post them,I only patterned at 40 yards and three of the 4 were good,the 4th was average,for me the clear winner was long beard #6 and is what I will use,but I would also hunt with the mag blends and hevi 6 and be confident to 40 yards.
My targets got all messed up,they were the stick on splatter 8" circle targets and they all got stuck together and basically destroyed and just do not show proper pattern.The long beard #6 was incredible,followed by hevi #6,then the mag blends and fed 3rd degree 5,6,7 (new stuff).
I have piles of the hevi #6 and the long beards so this setup is good to go for years to come,and no need for my buddy to buy ammo when/if I give him this gun to start turkey hunting.