20 guage loads using BP

[Capt. Augustus]

Anyone have any loading info using BP in 20 gauge.  If you use plastic wad I will need that info also, as I have no experience in this gauge. 

[hellgate]

In order to get enough powder & shot to duplicate the factory charges you'll be using an over powder cup shaped wad and that's about it. There is not enough room for much else with a 50-55 gr powder and 7/8oz shot. An alternative would be to load 777 which will give a nice velocity and less volume taken up so you can get more cushion wad in there. You might get a good load with a AA wad and the "legs" cut out. i.e. an over powder part and the shot cup only. Be sure to pattern your loads in both barrels before making up a bunch.

[dpote]

I don't use plastic wads in my loads. All wads are Circle Fly brand.
I fill a .45-70 case with 2F and pour it into a brass shotshell. I put in a fiber nitro card, and press it down with a dowel. Next a shot buffer soaked in Crisco, and a .45-70 case full of shot. This is too much shot, and will not fit, so it's a bit less. Then an overshot card, sealed with Duco cement.
These are accurate in my gun, your mileage may vary.

Hope this helps,
Dave

[Noz]

I use an over powder wad, a 1/2" vegetable wad, and an over shot wad in my 20 ga AA hulls.  With those components I get about 55 grs of FFg and 1 oz of reclaimed shot(mixed 7 1/2, 8, 9 shot). The loading procedure is BP, card wad with heavy compression, cushion wad with light pressure, shot and crimp with overshot card. If I apply heavy pressure to the cushion wad I can get a teaspoon of carpenters chalk in the shot charge.  These pattern well out of my Spartan SxS with modified and improved.  Take knockdowns down with authority.

[Delmonico]

If anyone cares, the original 20 gauge load was 3/4 oz in a 2 1/2 inch shell.

[Dick Dastardly]

Here's an interesting and curious load for you.  I use the SAME charge bar to load bp shot shells in 12ga, 16ga and 20ga.  I vary the thickness of the fiber cushion wad to allow room for a nice roll crimp.  All three guns shoot good with this load but the shortened 12ga with an open choke scatters too much to take down tough poppers.

Of the three, the 16ga is my favorite and the lil 20ga is second.  All three are SxS Stevens 311s.

DD-DLoS