20g cartridge for Geese?

[Fishermandan]

I sometimes shoot on a permission with noise control issues so I'm limited to a moderated 20g. Of course, it's proofed for steel, 3" chamber.

 

Can anyone recommend cartridges that'd be up to the job of taking down a few of our tough Canadian immigrants (and any other geese in season!)?...

 

As always, any advice wil be much appreciated.

 

Thanks

[kent]

Not likely as steel needs far faster than subsonic speed to work correctly. Ideally you want number 2 steel traveling at 1400fps minimum, the rest is down to range and patterns. Canada geese are not immigrants and mostly came from the USA not Canada as welcome guests of the lords and ladys of the day before your great, great Grandma was about BTW. so treat them with respect not distain

[Big Mat]

ITM 3s do a good job on canadas.

[Guest cookoff013]

its the nontoxic issue.

you could reload subs with BB niceshot. but that really pushes up the cost. i wouldnt bother.

 

i wouldnt even bother using steel subs with 12gauge.

 

its a tricky one.

[Fishermandan]

Not likely as steel needs far faster than subsonic speed to work correctly. Ideally you want number 2 steel traveling at 1400fps minimum, the rest is down to range and patterns. Canada geese are not immigrants and mostly came from the USA not Canada as welcome guests of the lords and ladys of the day before your great, great Grandma was about BTW. so treat them with respect not distain

Not necessary to have subs, I appreciate that would be rubbish with steel! Hushpower makes everything quieter though so something more purposeful is fine!

 

Any suggestions?

 

I do respect them btw! Even though they aren't indigenous...

[Big Mat]

i'd go with something other than steel but probably expect to pay a premium or possibly load your own. ITM ( if you can get it ) is very good, hevi shot, nice shot, bismuth

[Fishermandan]

i'd go with something other than steel but probably expect to pay a premium or possibly load your own. ITM ( if you can get it ) is very good, hevi shot, nice shot, bismuth

Thinking I could reload some 35g Fiocchi I have, not sure what with though...?...

[kent]

Not necessary to have subs, I appreciate that would be rubbish with steel! Hushpower makes everything quieter though so something more purposeful is fine!

 

Any suggestions?

 

I do respect them btw! Even though they aren't indigenous...

your going to be limited in factory to duck loads in the main, if you get them close enough head and neck shots will work but they need to be close to catch a dense pattern. Try a PM to Deewildfowler on here he used to use a 20 for fowling, if its handloads I do have some data but I don't see it as a suited gun personally not with steel and geese

[Kes]

Its just my personal preference but I wouldnt shoot any species of geese with a 20 bore. I use a minimum 3" 12 guage cartridge with 40+ grammes of shot min size 3. I once had to kill a large Canada which had been wounded 100 yds away by 20 bore at 40 yds, still flying. I like them dead in the air if poss.

[Big Mat]

a 20 bore with the correct load is perfectly capable of taking geese, perhaps not with steel but we do have other non toxic available. I know of one local fowler who used a 20 for all his wildfowling, he uses ITM.

Its just my personal preference but I wouldnt shoot any species of geese with a 20 bore. I use a minimum 3" 12 guage cartridge with 40+ grammes of shot min size 3. I once had to kill a large Canada which had been wounded 100 yds away by 20 bore at 40 yds, still flying. I like them dead in the air if poss.

 

What type of shot are you using to get 40+ grams in a 3" case? Hevi shot?

[kent]

Its just my personal preference but I wouldnt shoot any species of geese with a 20 bore. I use a minimum 3" 12 guage cartridge with 40+ grammes of shot min size 3. I once had to kill a large Canada which had been wounded 100 yds away by 20 bore at 40 yds, still flying. I like them dead in the air if poss.

 

That's a little unfair with an equal number of strikes the 12 and 20 are equal, chokes / range and how the gun prints its pattern are the only relevant bits. I have wounded geese at less than 40 yards with all sorts of heavy 12 ga loads it happens, though we all like them dead in the air. I don't know any 3" steel 40 gram load, I don't think you could fit it in a 3" case

[shootinfishin]

The only difference in using a 12g or a 20g for geese is skill.

 

A good shot will take geese with a 20g easily.

 

My mrs can only use a 20g effectively due to weight and we have had 1000 size 3 and 1000 size 4 loaded for us, also have a couple of 100 no 1s.

 

If you are a poor aim then I would imagine you are better with a 12g or even 10g

[kent]

The only difference in using a 12g or a 20g for geese is skill.

 

A good shot will take geese with a 20g easily.

 

My mrs can only use a 20g effectively due to weight and we have had 1000 size 3 and 1000 size 4 loaded for us, also have a couple of 100 no 1s.

 

If you are a poor aim then I would imagine you are better with a 12g or even 10g

 

I should say RANGE especially with those shells. Within the killing range of the load 20 ga is fine but you just cannot get one loaded to compete with the bigger bores when needed no matter how good a shot you are.