20 Gauge for Waterfowl ?

[Jrhunter25]

Can the 20 gauge using large steel shot take waterfowl ( Mallards, Geese, etc. ) at ranges of 10-35 yards given I do my part ? What shot size should I use in what load ? How does Black Cloud do ?

[surehuntsalot]

sometimes when hunting flooded timber,I use a 20ga 870 with #4's or 2's

[the Ward]

A 20 will work fine at the ranges you plan on shooting(10-35yrds)At those ranges I would suggest using either #3 or 4s to get the pattern density up with the small 20 gauge case.Those pellets should have enough energy at those ranges to kill cleanly.With steel shot you usually run out of pellet  energy before you run out of pattern density.Black cloud has worked well for me,but at shorter ranges it patterns very tightly.Good luck and good hunting!

[Full strut]

i hunt mostly arkansas public flooded timber and i use a 20 gauge every day in the woods. 3's and 4's work best out of my gun with a short range patternmaster. clean kills with very few cripples.

[Quackwacker NC]

 shot my Benelli M2 20 ga this yr about all season with remington nitro steel 1 oz #4 shot with a hevi shot extreme range choke, awesome killer out to 40 yrds, when patterning I was getting 140-150 in a 30" circle at 40 yrds it was my go to gun this ur love it

[blackmagic]

I shoot an old Ithaca 20ga with 2 3/4 #4 Estate steel 95% of my hunts.  No problem what so ever.  Don't feel like you've got to shoot high dollar shells.  But I shoot high percentage close shots.

[Marc]

If you have money, Hevi-Shot #6's will outperform most steel loads in a 12 gauge, and #4's are great for geese and windy days...

Steel 4's will kill birds out to 40 yards quite well with a 20 gauge if you can put the pattern on the front end of the bird.  I actually prefer the smaller shot sizes in the 12 gauge now, is I have had a marked increase in the number of head/neck shots, as well as broken wings.

I put some patterns on paper with both a Beretta and a Benelli, and the #4's patterned really well, while the #3's only patterned marginally well out of my guns (with I.C and Modified chokes in each gun).  I had no luck getting #2's to pattern out of either gun, as the patterns were thin and "clumpy."

[Will]

My son has killed countless ducks and geese with his 11-87 youth 20 using either Steele #4 or black cloud!

[Bowguy]

The answer is 100% yes., we deke em close n shoot 20 ga skeet choked guns at 20 yards or less n the ducks are pretty dead. If they hit the water head up, which happens at times w all gauges, and it's safe shoot again to finish em. My buddy's father used to isea 28. All depends on knowing range., there are no miracle loads or guns.

[drenalinld]

I shoot the #4 steel 1 oz loads in my M2 20 with factory full for ducks. 40 yards or less and it is very deadly. Cannot beat the 5.5 lb 20! I am a better shooter with the 20 as I seem to slow down and make shots count.

[Bowguy]

 

I shoot the #4 steel 1 oz loads in my M2 20 with factory full for ducks. 40 yards or less and it is very deadly. Cannot beat the 5.5 lb 20! I am a better shooter with the 20 as I seem to slow down and make shots count.

By no means questioning your advice but what kind of shot in a full choke? Almost every company's chokes are marked "full" not for steel shot. Just a fyi so a newer hunter didn't hurt a gun. Steel shot often chokes shot up so mod is full, ic is mod etc. we never have more than 15-30 at the very longest shots hence my skeet advice. Most shots around 15-20, all in the deke set up n wind direction.

[Marc]

In my limited experience patterning a 20 gauge:

*I feel it shoots a bit tighter than a 12 gauge with similar chokes (probably due to the smaller bore).
*A 20 ga. shoots smaller shot better than larger shot.
*A 20 ga. is a poor choice for shooting big wind, due to being limited to smaller shot sizes.
*It is an adequate gun for 20-40 yard shooting (given that you are taking responsible shots).
*It would be a poor choice if most of your initial shots are going to be in the 40+ yard ranges.
*#4 shot (steel) with an I.C. is a good all-around choice for most of the shooting that would be appropriate for a 20 gauge.
*Hevi-Shot (#6's or #4's) will out perform the majority of 12 ga. steel loads day in and day out.  (Of course Hevi-shot in a 12 gauge will out perform them both).

Personally, I shoot #4 steel for most of my duck hunting...  Steel #4's are bone crunchers with lots of head/neck kills and broken wings...  #4's pattern well in a 20 gauge; #3's pattern marginal; and #2's pattern poorly...  (Probably due to the smaller bore)