20 gauge duck load

[steve04]

What is a good load for ducks with a 20 gauge?  I'm shooting a mossberg 500, it's the only shotgun I have at the moment. I bought some Winchester 3"  7/8 oz #2 shot waterfowl loads.....will these do just fine? Oh, choke is a factory modified. What distance will I get with A modified choke?

[C-Money]

You should be good to 30 yards with that load & choke. 7/8oz of 2s with be fine. I prefer 3" 1oz #4 for duck hunting with a 20ga, and it will kill geese under decoys just fine as well. Good hunting!

[Mfowl]

As stated, that load should do fine. My only suggestion would be to keep your shots as close as possible. You increase your chances of wounding/sailing birds when you downsize your gauge/load. Ducks can be tough and its no fun battling through brush and cattail oceans looking for a cripple. Good luck out there, have fun!

[steve04]

Thanks c-money and Mfowl.

[sirfunkeybut]

I used to use the same choke and ammo, only difference was i had a single shot 20 and didnt have any problems. Like said though, keep shots close.

[steve04]

How'd you do with the single shot? I have a single shot 12 gauge but wanted to use the pump so I could have back-up shots just in case. Should I use the single shot 12 instead?

[LndShrk]

Heavy-metal 3" #4's. Very deadly on the ducks patterns very well out of my 11-87 modified choke. Been shooting it for 3 years now will not shoot anything else out of the 20gauge anymore.

[sirfunkeybut]

I would only kill a couple a day, but my buddy would have his semi auto to the difference up. I would stick to what you shoot better with. Its better to have a couple dead birds than a whole bunch of wounded ones. 

[jeepster]

I shoot a side by side 20 gauge at ducks all day long. I use black cloud no2 3 inchers. Light weight, almost no kick, I love it. It's the perfect early season gun. Later on in the season, I'll grab the 12 and shoot 3.5s and really later on when all the dumb birds are gone, I step up to a single shot ten gauge with a 36 inch barrel that just decimates those high altitude snow geese....

As far as chokes go, for my 20 gauge, I run improved modified and modified or Im and ic but if I'm hunting really tight cover, and don't need the extra reach, ic and skeet, but I also step down the shot size too. I haven't had the chance to really pattern the 20 yet but, I hit what I shoot so it works. Every gun, brand of shell, and choke tube will do something different... your setup is what my buddy uses and he loves it.

I used to bash the 20 gauge and called it a girl's or kids cartridge, but I'll tell ya, it's my new favorite.

With the advent of the 3 inch 20 gauge shell, the performance is identical to a 12 gauge minus some extra pellets, and it has a different, longer shot string, but we won't get into that now....

Put yer waders on, grab your dekes, load the gun, and go hunt!

[Stilly bay]

Does anyone have a 2 3/4" 20 gauge load they like?  does one even exist? I have been completely unimpressed by all the ones I have sampled so far.

[goosegunner]

 This is my 12 year old boys 3 season hunting with a rem youth 20ga, factory mod choke. Up until the start of this year I was buying him 3 inch 1oz loads mostly 2's and some 4's for the first couple weeks of the season. This year he was gifted some 7/8oz #3 and let me tell you he did a # on the sept honkers and has been just been creaming ducks. Some out in the 40 yards range. I haven't patterened them yet but they are getting the job done.

[singleshot12]

Does anyone have a 2 3/4" 20 gauge load they like?  does one even exist? I have been completely unimpressed by all the ones I have sampled so far.

Federal 3/4 ounce copper-plated 4's seem to be the ticket for junior

[Cougar125]

You'll be fine at that range with what you bought. 

[dawei]

What is a good load for ducks with a 20 gauge?  I'm shooting a mossberg 500, it's the only shotgun I have at the moment. I bought some Winchester 3"  7/8 oz #2 shot waterfowl loads.....will these do just fine? Oh, choke is a factory modified. What distance will I get with A modified choke?

In my 20ga Mossberg Mdl 500C, with a Carlsons® IC (.610") choke; I use Federal® Black Cloud™ FS Steel™ 3" Mag 1oz #2 (#PWB209 2). It does indeed "Drop Ducks Like Rain"!

[steve04]

Went out today and got my very first ducks, two hen mallards.slow day. I was Impressed with the 20 gauge.  Blew them out of the sky and there were feathers everywhere.