doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Three quarter oz. loads

I have a granddaughter that is 11 years old and is showing some interest in skeet. I would like to start her out with a 20 ga. sxs that I have with a short stock, and need a soft recoiling three quarter oz. load. I have 2000 AA cases and would like to use them if I can. Thanks; Mike

Hodgdon's website has 3/4 oz 20 ga data for comp formed AAs. All loads use International Clays.

Alliant used to publish 3/4 oz Green Dot, Unique, and Red Dot (yes, not a typo) data. I emailed them about this and they indicated the data is still fine to use. They had dropped the data from the website because they perceived a lack of shooter interest. (!)

Sam

ETA: I first started loading 3/4 oz 20s and 12s in anticipation of my son's needs (he's now age 10). As it turned out I liked them so much they are all I use for 20 ga practice for all 20 ga guns. I manually eject from the autoloaders, though the Montefeltro will cycle 3/4 oz. I load a factory (or 7/8 oz) shell for first shot on doubles. Still not content, I started loading up 5/8 oz loads, using 3/4 oz data as a basis. These are even more kid friendly. I have done 1/2 oz 20s as well. They are a PIA to load, though they perform nicely.

Look in the free powder company manuals for loads with lower velocity. If it's a more-or-less modern gun, don't worry about the pressure, only look at the velocity. 1050-1100 fps with 3/4 oz. shot should produce pleasantly low recoil and the skeet birds will never know the difference. I'm assuming the gun is not a super lightweight. I don't recommend taking loads over the Internet. Get them out of published booklets. Taking a load from the book and reducing the amount of powder and/or shot should not create a problem, IMO.

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/youth/20remrxpsts.php

I use the downrange versalite clone of the waa 20 (drv-20) and get good crimps on a mec 9000. This is only one of many light 20 loads, a good source for reloading info is @ http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/index.php. Search for 3/4 oz loads and you'll find a wealth of useful information there.

I shoot thousands of 20 bore rounds a year and the load I am so fond of is: 3/4 ounce shot with a Rem 209 primer, a WAA20 wad and Hodgdon International powder - 12.5 gr/8,600 PSI gets you 1150 fps in a STS hull and 12.1 gr/9,000 PSI gets you 1150 in a Win AA hull. Check the Hodgdon website to be sure my memory is accurate.

Soft on the shoulder, a pleasure to shoot.

I have used the loads that Orry cited in 7 shot for quail for years. I know it isn't particularly logical but I swear they actually kill better than 7/8oz load in the same gun. Keep thinking the 3/4oz load just works better through my particular gun's choking. I don't perceive any significant recoil in a 6 lb gun, but I am a tad bigger than an 11 year old girl so I would slow these down by using the lightest charge recommended by Hogdon. Even a 900fps load will work for skeet practice. If that is too much recoil, drop the load to 5/8 oz, same powder and fill the space with a little puffed rice to get a decent crimp. I haven't tried a 1/2oz load in the 20gauge yet but will have to the next time I have the reloader going. I know everyone says use the load data provided. However, using less shot with same powder charge is not going to increase pressures. Carry it too far and it might not function well or even squib due to lack of enough inertia to cause correct powder burn. Probably have to put a filler wad in the bottom of the shot cup with the 1/2oz shot load.

interesting observation Jerry - no logic to that statement at all - EXCEPT, I couldn't agree with you more. Because of recent shoulder problems I started loading and shooting the softer 3/4 oz and my experience is that they consistently have better breaks and I have so much confidence in them that I shoot them even in 20 bore events now.

When the weather warms up I must shoot a few rounds in the greased plate and have a look.