doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Husqvarna model 20B question

I picked up this Model 20B the other day, its in 90%+ condition 12 gage made in 195?. I always wanted a hammer gun to sorta play with and this one seems really nice the case colors are still pretty good and it locks up tight no play in the action. It has 2 1/2 inch chambers and full chokes. I load 2 1/2 7/8 and 1 oz loads with the X spreader wad for my Simpson and JP Sauer's so wondering if these loads would be ok.
I really don't know much about the guns other than they are really inexpensive. Would appreciate any additional information on these guns anyone could tell me.
As my English friend says "its a delightful little gun"

Yes, those loads would be perfect for that gun. Back action hammer guns like those tend to be prone to cracks around the tang and locks, so being kind to the wood with light loads is always a good idea. Enjoy!

Model 20B was made 1944-1956, 28,000 guns were made. In Sweden we call Husqvarna models 17 and 20 "torparb�ssor", which means something like tenant farmers guns, because they were made for low income farmers. Both built on the Lefaucheaux system.

They are very common in Sweden, but thanks to the gun restrictions we are only allowed six guns and/or rifles for hunting purposes, so sadly many 17, 20, 20b:s are beeing "deactivated" to the scrap heap.

Congrats on the new Husky. I just picked up a 615AS myself. The attached link will give production date by serial number and identify the finishers and fitters by proof marks.

http://www.shotguns.se/html/hva_in_general.html

Really nice looking 12 ga. Husky.

I just picked up a 16ga. Husquvarna Model 20 choked Full/Full with 2-9/16" chambers made in 1932. I noted the following comment about Husqvarna shotgun chokes in the link posted by HuskyPaul. http://www.shotguns.se/html/hva_in_general.html
As many older guns older Husqvarna - before 1960�s - are normally heavily choked and normally performs best with Eley GrandPrix or other cartridges with fibre or paper wad. Modern cartridges with plastic wad might give extremely tight and uneven pattern.

Has anyone , especially those of you who reload, found that to be the case? Anyone know if RST's Paper-Lite shells use fiber wads and pattern better than RST Lites?

This is probably heresy here but since I bought my Husqvarna to be a �shooter� I am having a good double shop make the following changes.
Open up chokes to LM (skeet II) and IM � Per my gauge the original chokes were very tight
Open 2 3/4� chambers to 3�
My thought on this is to load ITX nontoxic in 1 1/8 and 1 1/4 shot weights in a 3� hull this loads develops 9000 PSI with a fold crimp. If I go with a roll crimp the chamber pressure will go down even more. Hard to say how much a roll crimp will reduce chamber pressures but testing by BPI appears to suggest a 500 PSI reduction.
Lead loads will be 1 1/4 oz.load with no shot cup using a BPI light brush load. this gives me true choke performance and 8500 PSI pressures with fold crimps. I have friends that are doing similar with their 10 gauge guns loading 1 3/8 oz. These square loads really pattern well.
Once again this is an early 1950 production gun which is in excellent condition.
Once I get photos in the bucket I will post a pic
Your thoughts are appreciated

Husky
These guns are not for collecting, they are for using.If whatever you have done makes it useable to you,"drive on".When the complaints come in,I'm on your side.
Mike

Mike, I agree with you. If I shoot my "new" Model 20 well with its Full/Full chokes, I will likely have the chokes opened up to make it more practical for clays and upland birds.

I'm no expert on Huskies (or much of anything else) but have owned and used quite a number of shotguns imported from Sweden, and they all (including Huskies, Valmets, AyAs, and a Simson) had both barrels very tightly choked--we'd say "Full and Fuller."

Can a Scandinavian (or otherwise knowledgeable member) explain that? Were these field grade "farmer" guns used for "everything BUT upland hunting" like we sometimes used to use full-choke 12s--pot shooting birds out of trees, passing ducks and geese, varmints like crows, foxes and coyotes with heavy shot, and general self defense?

Were "scatter loads" available for upland wingshooting, or were other guns used, or is that just not a common sport in Scandinavia?

Certainly the ones I've had needed choke-opening, even with paper shells, for the kind of upland shooting we normally do--grouse, quail, and close pheasants.

Mike, "the fuller the better" seems still to be the creed amongst most Swedish hunters, unfortunately. The concept of instinctive shooting is unheard of and techniques from rifle shooting rules supreme. Take your time and aim carefully, squeeze the trigger... I think this is because 95% of all Swedish males, at least in the past, got a rifle education during the compulsory military service. The shotgun is basically treated as a rifle.

Another explanation is the type of game Swedish hunters normally shoot with a shotgun. Roe dear. The combination of extra full chokes and extra magnum 40+ grams of US1 shots is very popular. This combination was taught to me by my father and all the older men at the shooting range frowns upon anything less full than 3/4 choke. Anything smaller than US3 is regarded to weak regardless of what the Swedish hunting magazines try to tell. The theory is that the thick winter fur on the roe dear requires large pellets, a theory which has been proven wrong time after time in Swedish hunting magazines, but tradition beats knowledge in the Swedish hunting culture, I'm afraid. I was regarded as an idiot when I after reading the book "The Better Shot with Holland & Holland" wanted a side by side shotgun choked open and 1/4...