Substitute #4 buck for birdshot in 20 gauge?

So, I've got the itch to shoot buckshot in my 20 gauge 870 and factory 20 gauge buck just doesn't exist here. 20 gauge target loads are cheap and plentiful though. Would it be feasible to uncrimp the birdshot loads and fill 'em up with #4 buck instead? Of course, I wouldn't exceed the original birdshot weight. I have an old 20 gauge Lee Loader tool that I could probably use to recrimp. I know it's not going to duplicate premium buffered loads or anything, but would it at least be good enough for the typical range of, say, magnum #4 shot? Or, how about replace the birdshot with lead BB or other shot?

Same weight, same load, may work, depends on wad, may lead barrel ? I did similar years ago to load heavy duck loads...

If my Lee tool will recrimp it well, then I'll order a box of buck and give it a try.

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Originally Posted by FergusonTO35

If my Lee tool will recrimp it well, (Oh you hopeful, but delusional person you.)then I'll order a box of buck and give it a try.

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I started my reloading career with a couple of Lee loaders. One in .410 and one in 20 gauge. I don't think I ever got a perfect looking crimp from either of them.

Admittedly I never opened the crimp of a factory shell just to replace the shotload, but I don't forsee good results. I may be wrong, others seem to be able to make acceptable crimps with the Lee Loader, but I never had good luck with plastic folded crimps until I went to using a MEC or P-W loader.

I will highly recommend you open one up and try to recrimp it before ordering a bunch of buckshot that may not work as you plan.

Robert

Worst case scenario you need a punch for overshot cards and a roll crimp. Neither are all that hard to find.

I've recently done this with plastic hulls in 12 gauge. Haven't fired them yet, so no feedback on that.

Since the crimps (star) weren't blown open (heat & lots of force) they easily re-crimped. Used a hair dryer to soften the plastic then a piece of round stock in a drill press to push the crimp back closed. Finished off with a roll crimp tool to clean up the end of the shell.

The original crimps weren't fully undone. Just enough to dump the birdshot and get the buck into the shell.

You can't fit as much #4 buck (weight wise) into the shell as it takes up more space then birdshot. Lots of open area between the buckshot versus the birdshot.

45_Colt

Sounds good. I have some .31 caliber lead balls which I think are the same size as 00 to experiment with. I just won an auction for a really nice Mossy 12 gauge, so if this doesn't work out no big deal.

I load with lee load-all II's they make a decent crimp if you use the same crimp the shell had.

People have been doing same weight shot for buck substitution for a looooong time when buck or slugs were not available.. but cheap field loads were...

You can also load up some mild recoil red or green dot 1100fps loads of buck... I might not use them on a 600 pound hog at 75 yards.. but a regular hog at 30-40.. sure..

Sounds great, thanks.

If you have Academy stores near you; check this comparison deal out.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...895ced195a.jpg
The Monarch brand is what I’m riding the river with for my Maverick 20gauge.


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You can get good crimps with a Lee Loader but you have to play with it and every shells is a project unto it's own. The key is in getting the Pre-crimper (multiple times) far enough onto the hull to end up with a hole about 1/8-3/16" in the center. Then you will have to press the Ram on the crimp tool on to the shell until it closes the crimp completely. This will take several attempts to get right on each shell.

I have had one of these tools for decades and had pretty much given up on it, Then one day I decided to make it work and using my Drill Press as an Arbor Press I was able to get some decent Results. My tool is a Pre Lee tool. See Pics below.

You have to press on the crimper a lot harder than you'd think to get it to fold shut that's why you need an Arbor Press..

Randy.

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Originally Posted by Texas by God

If you have Academy stores near you; check this comparison deal out.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...895ced195a.jpg
The Monarch brand is what I’m riding the river with for my Maverick 20gauge.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Thanks! We do have an Academy nearby, I'll check them out.

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Originally Posted by W.R.Buchanan

You can get good crimps with a Lee Loader but you have to play with it and every shells is a project unto it's own. The key is in getting the Pre-crimper (multiple times) far enough onto the hull to end up with a hole about 1/8-3/16" in the center. Then you will have to press the Ram on the crimp tool on to the shell until it closes the crimp completely. This will take several attempts to get right on each shell.

I have had one of these tools for decades and had pretty much given up on it, Then one day I decided to make it work and using my Drill Press as an Arbor Press I was able to get some decent Results. My tool is a Pre Lee tool. See Pics below.

You have to press on the crimper a lot harder than you'd think to get it to fold shut that's why you need an Arbor Press..

Randy.

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Thanks Randy. I may end up rolling my own 12 gauge loads too. Cheap East European buckshot here is still twice as much as target loads.

The Lee shotgun loaders were originally designed in the day of paper hulls. Great crimps are easy with paper hulls. I loaded several thousand 12 gauge Federal paper hulls back in the day. When I moved to Winchester AA hulls the Lee's days were numbered. I made an psuedo arbor press to help with the crimp, it worked ok, the MEC 650 cured the crimp problem.

Thanks, will remember that.

That's a project worth following up on. I have shot a bunch of #4 Buck loads in the 20 870 and love them. Slugs are just as much fun.
I have a light and a medium #4 buck load. I'm not shooting hogs or bears but it works pretty well for unwanted critters like skunks.
I just used that theory on slugs. Substituting a slug for a known shot load. Slug was a tad lighter and it worked well for me./beagle

its dead easy to do...and will work just fine with tools you have on hand....triple check the weight... and if worried about the crimp,slip in a overshot card of some sort...cardboard disc roughly cut out of milk carton etc etc...try to only open crimp enough to pour our bird shot and slip in buckshot..then refold as best you can and finish off in the LEE loader..Ive done this many many times before and was doing it long before I got even the simple reloading tools
the wee .410 is a classic for buckshot loads too..you get really good payload and velocity with minimal effort.

I'm reloading fired hulls in 20 gauge, but doing pretty much what you propose. 18 pellets of #4 buck in a shotcup weighs less than the equivalent in small shot.