Max load silver pigeon 20 gauge

[Whitester]

I’m off game shooting soon and taking my berreta sp 20 gauge and wanted to know what the biggest load you can put through it without doing it any damage ?

[TIGHTCHOKE]

What do the Proof Marks say?

[figgy]

It's not just the max load but what carts you can get hold of. 

[Pigeon Shredder.]

What in fact does your mind tell you.

[hawkfanz]

dont bother with maximum load its really not needed,u dont need more than 28gram,my mate an me are usein 24gram homeloads on crows and pigeon he,s usein fixed choke silver pigeon.

[London Best]

On the odd occasion I shoot game with my 20 bore I generally use Express 25 gram 7s or 6s. Seems to kill game effectively enough.

This is through a lightly choked SBS.

Edited September 26, 2019 by London Best

[Old farrier]

You could probably use 3 inch magnums depending upon chambers and proofing 

however 

it’s pattern that kills not the biggest loads 

find a commonly available cartridge in your area and pattern test in your gun 

would be my advice 

remembering game shooting soon is early season and most birds will not be extreme 

[wymberley]

It is possible to come to the conclusion that the question reflects your perceived need for a bigger calibre

[Whitester]

I don’t actually want to use the biggest load but depending on what they had in the shop I didn’t want to buy a cartridge that isn’t suitable .

 

my gun is chambered for 3 inch cartridges but there’s no magnum markings so will probably go no higher than 25 g. Thanks for the advice chaps , much obliged .

[figgy]

Black gold 30g or 32g 5 is what a friend used on game and tried on the clays in a silver pigeon. Turned clays to smoke at good distance and worked better than I thought it would on game. Overkill to be honest, as others have said 24 or 28 gram is enough.

[Benthejockey]

Also you want a cartridge that isn't going to beat you up, I know it's a 20 but a heavy cartridge in a light gun on a busy day is going to be harder on you than the same cartridge in a heavier gun. I think FIL has swapped to black gold in his 20 but I couldn't justify the expense when I shoot as badly with a cheaper cartridge as I do expensive ones.

[mellors]

Eley ct 24g 7.5. For pigeon

Eley grand prix 25g 6 for everything else. 

Kent (gamebore) 24g  Steel 5 is also a very good cartridge I'm using more now. 

That's what I've found performs best in my silver pigeon 20g choked 1/4 and 1/2.

Too many people overload a twenty gauge for various reasons but you just don't need to. 👍 

[dodeer]

Seen some 3” 36/40g 20bore before but can’t see the point one bit

[London Best]

The old rule of thumb is that you need the gun to weigh 96 times the shot load, that is 6 pounds of gun for one ounce (28gram) of shot. My little English 20 bore weighs only 5 1/2 lb and 28gram cartridges are definitely too much for it. Weigh the gun.

[oldypigeonpopper]

10 minutes ago, London Best said:

The old rule of thumb is that you need the gun to weigh 96 times the shot load, that is 6 pounds of gun for one ounce (28gram) of shot. My little English 20 bore weighs only 5 1/2 lb and 28gram cartridges are definitely too much for it. Weigh the gun.

hello, thanks for that LB, 

[shalfordninja33]

I’ve tried 21 to 28gm through my 690 and other than a load more recoil the heavier loads didn’t make any difference at the receiving end. I feed it 26gm RCs now which seems to be the sweet spot for me and the gun. 👍

[figgy]

6 hours ago, London Best said:

The old rule of thumb is that you need the gun to weigh 96 times the shot load, that is 6 pounds of gun for one ounce (28gram) of shot. My little English 20 bore weighs only 5 1/2 lb and 28gram cartridges are definitely too much for it. Weigh the gun.

I'm going to used that info for my SXS, I do shoot 32g Dark Storms through it and don't feel beat up. But a good reference point.

[Whitester]

Went for 25 g 6 in the end. Will try them out tomorrow 

[London Best]

28 minutes ago, figgy said:

I'm going to used that info for my SXS, I do shoot 32g Dark Storms through it and don't feel beat up. But a good reference point.

From W.W. Greener’s book originally, 

[wymberley]

9 hours ago, London Best said:

The old rule of thumb is that you need the gun to weigh 96 times the shot load, that is 6 pounds of gun for one ounce (28gram) of shot. My little English 20 bore weighs only 5 1/2 lb and 28gram cartridges are definitely too much for it. Weigh the gun.

Think I must be showing my age as I thought that this tit-bit along with on a shotgun the safety catch only restrains the trigger would have been known by anyone having a gun.

Could that be, perhaps, 'OUR' age?

[London Best]

Possibly. Or do you think it’s maybe that today some people take up shooting as a hobby, whereas for a lot of older folk it has been a way of life.

[wymberley]

Clever thinking, I believe you could well be absolutely spot on. Because of my work with BASC some time back, I have some experience with this and it seems to me that currently new shooters tend to learn as they go along whereas previously because of family input new shooters had a headstart knowing quite a bit before being allowed to put foot out of the door with a gun. In fact, this was recognised by BASC some 35 years ago when there was a dramatic increase of interest in shooting and resulted in the best education programme that they have ever introduced.

[London Best]

It was WAGBI when I joined in 1967. Wish I’d invested in  life membership back then!

[Old Boggy]

20 hours ago, London Best said:

The old rule of thumb is that you need the gun to weigh 96 times the shot load, that is 6 pounds of gun for one ounce (28gram) of shot. My little English 20 bore weighs only 5 1/2 lb and 28gram cartridges are definitely too much for it. Weigh the gun.

Thanks LB, for reminding us of the old gun to cartridge ratio rule of thumb.

I am aware of the old established 96/1 rule but can never (in my head anyway) instantly relate to the metric loads of cartridges, but can now see that 28 grams relates to a smidgen under an ounce ( the imperial loads of 15/16ths, 1 oz 1&1/16 , 1&1/8 etc.were what I was brought up on) which is why my 20g Macnab Highlander weighing 6 lbs seems ideal shooting 28 gram loads.  

The 15/16th load was always the default load for the sweet sixteen which I have shot for over 40 years.

OB

[London Best]

Spot on O.B. I have two friends who both have McNab Highlander 28 bores, both weighing about 5 lb14 oz and both are ok with 28 grams but seem better with 21 to 26. I much prefer a light gun myself, in fact my 12 bore game gun only weighs 6 lb 2 oz. and I have never used it with more than 28 grams although I am sure it is fine with 30 grams/AKA 1&1/16oz.