Old 20 side by side

[Jody/NC]

I have a old stevens that I would like to try and get a turkey with. It has fixed mod/full barrels with 2.75in chambers. What shells would you recommend to try. Not looking to shoot long range.

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[g8rvet]

How old of a gun? There are pressure restrictions if it is a Damascus.  Would have to be really old, but just thought I would ask.

Personally, I would try a box of Fed HW#7.  Not for the range, but for the pattern.  Maybe then just a standard lead load in the Mod choke for close in work. 

[Greg Massey]

How old of a gun? There are pressure restrictions if it is a Damascus.  Would have to be really old, but just thought I would ask.

Personally, I would try a box of Fed HW#7.  Not for the range, but for the pattern.  Maybe then just a standard lead load in the Mod choke for close in work.

agree, you may also want to look at some pheasant loads. if you can get those in 2 3/4 shells with buffer etc....most pheasant loads are pretty fast...

[Jody/NC]

From what I can find my gun dates to 1940-1948. I will try to find some pheasant loads. I'm scared that Hwy loads might damage the barrel.

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[g8rvet]

My brother and I have both had older guns and we called the manufacturer and asked about what ammo was safe for that age and caliber.

1940s steel was as good as anything done today, sometimes better.  You could probably shoot anything you want.  With that said, I agree with Greg, if you want to shoot lead, Federal makes Flight control wads in lead pheasant loads (Prairie Storm).  I shot them out of my rig that I use HW#7 and they were no doubt a killing pattern at 30 yards. I grabbed a box of 25 Prairie Storm #5 at Bass Pro and they give a good POA reference that is much less expensive than the HW to at least get close on the aim. 

Post a pic of the dead bird with the gun laying on him when you kill one! I love 2 shooters.  I hunt that exclusively for ducks and geese and never feel like I need a 3rd shot.   

[codym]

I have a DT SxS, it's not vintage it's a newer dickinsons from Cabelas, but I have been thinking it would be pretty cool to kill a turkey with next year. I think I will probably go with TSS 9's out of the factory full, and maybe lead or HW 7's out of the mod barrel. It will all depend on patterning.

[TRG3]

One of the gobblers I took this season was with a double barrel hammer Damascus 12 gauge with  handloads of 80 grains of Goex 2F black powder and 1 1/4 oz. of #5 shot. When the smoke cleared, he wasn't even flopping at 20 yards. Get him in close and whatever load you choose will work fine.

[Hayudog]

Just to start, the 2 3/4" is not a real handicap. I have both a Savage 220A (single shot) and a 311A, both are 2 3/4" guns. Both are circa 1940's guns. I hand load TSS 9's , it's actually pretty easy. Both are easy 40 yard guns with their straight full chokes. All my 20's like the TSS 1 7/16 ounce 9's. I use the 2 3/4" shell in all of them....even my auto which is a 3" gun.

One thing that sometimes is a challenge with doubles is that both barrels will hit the same spot.  That's one thing you'll need to run them to find out.

I'm not sure how other folks have done with the Federal 2o gauge 2 3/4", but I didn't have good luck.

[Greg Massey]

I have a old Stevens 410 double barrel , haven't seen a lot of these around...

[codym]

The more I think about it a heavy game load of 7/8 oz 6's out of that mod barrel might be pretty good for anything up to 25 yards then the TSS 9's with the full for anything beyond that...... hmmm got me thinking now!

[Hayudog]

I'm thinking that the TSS 9's in both barrels could be a good combo.