doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Twenty bore feeding advice

I favor heavy fowlers and am thus a 20 bore virgin in need of a basic education – please be gentle.

About 15 years ago, I bought my daughter a Smallwood 20 bore at auction and had it sent to her in NY, along with a case of RST shells (getting her shotgun license in NYC turned out to be a months-long ordeal). She shot it a few times, developed a flinch, and it has sat in its case ever since, until we got it out yesterday and took it to a local sporting clays range where I burnt up her last box of RST’s. The action is tight, the barrels are excellent, and her husband hopes to start using it.

If I read the barrel flats correctly, it was made 1904-25 for a 7/8 oz. load; I was not able to measure the chamber length. As the gun is in NY and I am usually in California, reloading for it isn’t a convenient option. My first question: once we establish the chamber length, are there any commercially available loads other than RST which would be suitable for a gun of this vintage?




Many thanks.

Undoubtedly the gun originally had 2.5" chambers in that time frame. If it still does, Gamebore imports 2.5" 20ga ammo via Clay Shooters Supply. Not cheap, but good ammo and fine for that gun as originally chambered. You may be able to scrounge up some other Brit 20ga ammo in 65 ot 67mm which would generally be fine, although my experience is any 67mm-marked ammo seems to be more powerful loads and less comfy on the shoulder.

If the chambers have been lengthened, but have sufficient thickness, then any 7/8oz load should be fine. I prefer to keep them to 1150 to 1200 fps in a light gun.

You are correct; 1904-1925 (there is no chamber length marked) and the 20 over C indicates 2 1/2" chambers. 2 3/4" chambers would be 20 over LC.
21 = bore .605 - .614" (.615" would be marked 20)
The standard load for 2 1/2” cases was 33 gr. “Schultze” = 2.36 Dr. Eq. (about 2 3/8) with 13/16 oz. shot.
7/8 oz with 2 1/2 Dr.Eq. (1210 fps) with Nitro loads of that era would run about 10,000 psi

As Matt warned, CIP allows for both 65 and 70 mm 20g max. service of 12,038 psi; with MSIP 950 BAR or 13,779 psi

You didn't say the gun weighs, but IMO the tighter bores, as marked 21, adds to the felt recoil. I went through a number of heavy 12 Brit guns that were 13/1, a 12 ga with tighter bores and despite their weight exhibited more recoil.

have gun evaluated by gunsmith...if enough metal is present in front of chambers. (90 thousands of better) have chambers and forcing cones opened to accommodate 7/8 oz field loads, 1200 psi or less...saves you trouble of finding 2 1/2 loads and reduces possibility of cracked wood...

as gun is in ny, suggest griffin & howe, who are now in jersey...

Many thanks for all the good information and advice, gentlemen; it is a nice little gun and deserves to be put back in service.

Because this gun is nitro proofed I would use 2.75" 20 gauge ammo with 7/8 ounce of shot. I would avoid magnum loads at all costs to protect the wood. It has been shown time and time again that chamber pressures are not much more when going from 2.5" to 2.75". If you can obtain 2.5" shells and afford them then great. If not, 2.75" will work fine.

Qualifier-I don’t believe it has been shown time and time again in anything other than 12 gauge. I seem to recall that sub gauge guns run at higher pressure, and a bit of caution would be well advised.

A 7/8ths load, at 1100fps, would likely be fine. 7/8ths at 1300fps, likely wouldn’t be fine.

Best,
Ted

If you can still find them, Nobel Sport makes a 3/4 oz 20 gauge load that's quite mild. I have shot many quail with them.

Fiocchi also makes a 20 ga. trainer load at 3/4 oz. 1200 fps.
Karl