Can you use 00 in a 20ga?

[DanishM1Garand]

I used to pour out shot and put 00 buck from spray paint cans from the dump as a kid. I used the lead shot to buffer the buck. My father would only buy #6 birdshot field loads for me as a kid. I used these 20 gauge duplex loads for groundhog killing. The .22 I had back then was minute of barn accuracy at best.

These 4 or 5 00 buck shot and filled with #6 were devastating on a groundhog.

[RMc]

See pages 36 and 37 for the Voluntary Industry Standards for conventional small pellet buckshot:

http://saami.org/specifications_and_..._Shotshell.pdf

[MT Chambers]

It won't damage your barrel, however I would reload what ever buckshot size stacks the best in your hull/wad. Some sizes may leave a lot of empty space, other sizes may pack in there nice and tight.

[RMc]

It's probably been asked before, but does anyone load 00 for 20ga? I can use either 2 3/4 or 3in loads. All the hulls I have now are 2 3/4. I was told by a lady at a local gun shop that you cant shoot 00 because it will rip off your barrel. Now is it just me, or does it sound like BS? I don't know, but if you have any recipes, Ill be more than happy to use them!!

Check this post for pellet per layer calculator:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...lets-per-layer

[GhostHawk]

Speaking for myself, Turbo your post was right on target, and awesome.

And stated exactly and precisely why.

In 40 years of hunting I have never seen 20 ga for sale with 00 buck. #3 was normal.

I do have some brass hulls (Magtech) loaded with #1's in 20, but have had no real push to go pattern them.

FYI the #1's are also my preferred load for 12 ga. They are a little lighter, which translates into lower recoil. More of a "Tactical" load. They pour 9 pellets of #1 in a wad in hull and you get 3 stacks of 3 with zero fiddling, stacking, or fussing. Being a little smaller there is more flexibility for different wads. I happen to like adding an overshot card punched out of milk jug plastic and a scoop of cornmeal for filler.

Neccessary probably not but it makes an awesome tight crimp that does not open up, does not leak or cause problems.

Every time I tried loading 00 I got bulges in the hull which made chambering in a pump debatable. So most of those got religated to feed the old single shot H&R. It doesn't mind. I'm not convinced that I could not dunk a 10 ga round in alum and shove it in there with a little grease and a solid shove. JK no I won't try it.

[6pt-sika]

I bought a flat of some Euro trash factory 20 gauge buckshot loads that were #1 buck . They'd probably do in a pinch , but the two 20 gauge SxS's I was shooting buckshot in liked handloaded #2 and #3 more .

[finstr]

#4 buck in my 20ga is pretty lethal on coyotes to 60 yards. I do have some 00 buck loaded but never needed to use them. I'd go right to a slug at that point I think.

[w5pv]

All the buckshot loads that I have seen for 20 gauge were commercial #4 which are lethal for deer,yotes and such.I loved my 3" 20 gauge.