00 Buckshot go 20ga

[Master24149]

Does anyone load 00 buckshot for 20ga? I have been searching and all I find are loads ranging from #4 - #1. I know that you can't get that many pellets in the wad but I am curios. I have found several loads for slugs for the 20 ga. and have estimated a load comparable in weight to the slug. Having said that, best practice is to "never substitute components". Any advice is appreciated.


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[GhostHawk]

I don't even like OO in my 2 3/4 12 ga rounds. 3 out of every 5 loaded had an issue of some sort from poor crimps to bulges in the side wall.

I have loaded at least 200 rounds of #1 buckshot, 3 stacks of 3, which self stacks 9 out of 10. Looks like factory ammo without the logo on the hull. Tight crimps, and easy.

On top of that my 00 mold is a cranky ol female dog. Which takes half a pot of lead to warm up to where I have any useable from it. (Sharpshooter combo mold, 00 & #4)
Where my Sharpshooter #1 mold has a serious work ethic. That thing lives to make buckshot, and it shows. By the second pour I have at least 2/3rds filled and by the 3rd it is only one here and there that does not fill correctly.

Buckshot rains out of that mold.

So I mostly load light tactical buckshot, label and box them up. And call myself lucky that I can do so. Mostly loading new Rio hulls bought from BPI at 9 cents a hull, a very reasonable TP 1215 wad, and a little over 20 grains of Red Dot. Ohh and those Rio hulls are primed.

They feed slick as can be through my Rem 870 Wingmaster, and plunk into an H&R single shot just like they ought to.

YMMV, but me I'll stick with the .30 caliber #1's. Big enough for me.

[RogerDat]

If you wanted to try #1 you can get a 2 cavity .310 round ball mold from Titan for around $20 or a 6 cavity one from I think Track of the Wolf. Neither one would be high volume production but if you just wanted to check it out it is certainly not too expensive. I recall reading #1 was very solid performer in terms of penetration and spread. Self defense, household ranges it would be like doing a mag dump from a little .32 auto but all hitting at once. Then you fire the second round. Ouch accomplished. And #4 is around .25 so... same only a bit less so.

For what it is worth I can easily cast a few hundred round ball in a couple of hours or so in a two cavity so a box of shells with 9 each is 225 and that wouldn't take all that long.

[Baja_Traveler]

My Home defense shotgun is a 20ga Winchester 1200 that uses #2 Buck. I sure wouldn't want to get hit by it...

[Hogtamer]

00 a no-go in 20 ga. This is the best I've found in both.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?336260-Another-good-load-from-Track-of-the-Wolf-310-buck-mold

[6pt-sika]

I've hand loaded #2 and #3 with satisfying results on paper . I bought some Euro #1 buck and while it'll do in a pinch the results were not as good as my smaller size hand loads .