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Max load silver pigeon 20 gauge


Whitester
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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 .

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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.

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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. 👍 

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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, 

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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

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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.

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