Bruno2
Member
I am taking my son dove hunting for the first time. I am looking for a good dove load that will get out there and still have some thump on it.
20 ga dove hunting load
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Captcurt
Member
When I shoot factory, which I don't most of the time, I shoot Remington STS or Winchester AA target loads. They are not as cheap to shoot as the promo crap from ChinaMart but they work so much better. Plus, I then have good hulls to reload. I don't see any reason to buy heavy field loads for dove.
Bruno2
Member
Oh yeah , I am talking about a reload.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Doves aren't hard to kill, just hard to hit.
Pattern is far more important then a lot of power.
I have shot skeet loads in my 20 ga double for about 40 years with perfect results.
Just pick a load out of a shotgun manual for whatever brand of hulls you have and go for it with 7/8 oz, #7 1/2 or #8 shot.
rc
Pattern is far more important then a lot of power.
I have shot skeet loads in my 20 ga double for about 40 years with perfect results.
Just pick a load out of a shotgun manual for whatever brand of hulls you have and go for it with 7/8 oz, #7 1/2 or #8 shot.
rc
Captcurt
Member
Works well.
I shoot STS hulls, 15.6 gr. Universal Clay powder and 7/8 oz. #8 chilled shot over a RXP20 wad. Mild load around 1200 fps.
I use it for quail, dove and clay birds, although there as been a few pheasant smack the ground from it. Personally, I would recommend something a little more potent for the big birds, but when one gets up I usually don't have time to change ammo.
I would think twice about cranking it up a little with a kid involved. You usually blow a lot of shells at doves and the hotter loads in a 20 ga. starts to get into the shoulder after an hour of shooting.
I shoot STS hulls, 15.6 gr. Universal Clay powder and 7/8 oz. #8 chilled shot over a RXP20 wad. Mild load around 1200 fps.
I use it for quail, dove and clay birds, although there as been a few pheasant smack the ground from it. Personally, I would recommend something a little more potent for the big birds, but when one gets up I usually don't have time to change ammo.
I would think twice about cranking it up a little with a kid involved. You usually blow a lot of shells at doves and the hotter loads in a 20 ga. starts to get into the shoulder after an hour of shooting.
JimKirk
Member
WAA hull, W209 primer, 22.5 grs HS6 powder, WAA20F1 wad and 1 oz. Hard #9 shot for 1220 fps.
Been shooting this load for years out of a Benelli 20 ga, Browning BPS and a 870 Rem.
Kills doves as good as any thing out there!
Jimmy K
HS6 and Winchester 540 are the same powder.
Been shooting this load for years out of a Benelli 20 ga, Browning BPS and a 870 Rem.
Kills doves as good as any thing out there!
Jimmy K
HS6 and Winchester 540 are the same powder.
Bruno2
Member
Ok , this is what I went with
Federal Hull
Win 209 primer
Claybuster equivalent of the WAA20 wad
23.5 grs of Longshot
7/8 oz of #7-1/2 magnum shot.
The velocity should be around 1300-1350 FPS
If these are doing too much damage to the meat then I plan on bringing some of his skeet loads. They are;
Win AA hull
win 209 primer
Claybuster WAA20 replacement wad
15.5 grs of Hod Universal
7/8 oz of #9 magnum shot
The velocity of these should be around 1150 -1200 FPS
Federal Hull
Win 209 primer
Claybuster equivalent of the WAA20 wad
23.5 grs of Longshot
7/8 oz of #7-1/2 magnum shot.
The velocity should be around 1300-1350 FPS
If these are doing too much damage to the meat then I plan on bringing some of his skeet loads. They are;
Win AA hull
win 209 primer
Claybuster WAA20 replacement wad
15.5 grs of Hod Universal
7/8 oz of #9 magnum shot
The velocity of these should be around 1150 -1200 FPS
JimKirk
Member
That should be a good load... except I would use hard #9 shot instead of #7.5.
7/8 oz of #7.5 shot contains 306 shot
7/8 oz of #9 shot contains 512 shot
So that means there are 206 more shot or a +67% better chance of a hit. Gives the kid better odds of a hit and a better pattern too.
Early season dove are not so tough as later season ones with heavy feathers and larger birds.
Jimmy K
7/8 oz of #7.5 shot contains 306 shot
7/8 oz of #9 shot contains 512 shot
So that means there are 206 more shot or a +67% better chance of a hit. Gives the kid better odds of a hit and a better pattern too.
Early season dove are not so tough as later season ones with heavy feathers and larger birds.
Jimmy K
oneounceload
member
I'd use the slower, softer load as opposed to that 1300+ one - not necessary for doves
Captcurt
Member
That's ok, Oneounce, They'll figure it out after a couple hundred rounds.
As someone else said, dove are easy to kill, hard to hit. With a 20 ga, go for the most pellets in the pattern you can get. In 20ga, high brass, #9 shot is the best dove load, IMO. More expensive than the typical 7 1/2 "target" or "game" loads, but not if it only takes one shot instead of two.
nitroexpress
Member
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- 28
We have a blackbird problem on our farm and we switched to 7 1/2 shot. I did use a skeet load with hard 9's but the killing energy wasn't there. Doves are bigger than black birds but IMO I think #9 shot is too small. More pellets but less energy per pellet. I hope doves taste better than blackbirds, LOL.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Not much better.
The best way to do them is to take all the dove breasts and put them in a tightly sealed zip-lock bag.
Then in a mixing bowl, pour in enough Jack Danial's to cover the zip-lock bag.
Then, throw away the zip-lock bag of dove meat and drink the marinade mixed with coke & ice.
BTW: The advice for smaller shot such as #8 is best.
Pattern density is too spotty with larger shot.
rc
The best way to do them is to take all the dove breasts and put them in a tightly sealed zip-lock bag.
Then in a mixing bowl, pour in enough Jack Danial's to cover the zip-lock bag.
Then, throw away the zip-lock bag of dove meat and drink the marinade mixed with coke & ice.
BTW: The advice for smaller shot such as #8 is best.
Pattern density is too spotty with larger shot.
rc
oneounceload
member
Seems folks are hung up on 9 vs. 7.5
One of the best dove and quail sizes is your basic target load of number 8, running at 1200 fps - typically found in a nice AA, STS, Gun Club, Kemen, Federal, etc., etc., etc., loading from a slew of makers
One of the best dove and quail sizes is your basic target load of number 8, running at 1200 fps - typically found in a nice AA, STS, Gun Club, Kemen, Federal, etc., etc., etc., loading from a slew of makers
rbernie
Contributing Member
I am partial to Unique and #8 shot.
GooseGestapo
Member
- Joined
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- 6,153
My first load is also one of the best. In high school in the '70's I killed everything from doves to deer with this load. (For the deer, I substituted some lead fishing sinkers, pinched closed. approximated #2 buck shot at ~.28" ircc).
I used most any hull, 16.0gr of Unique, and any 7/8oz or 1oz wad and enough shot to get a good tight crimp. I loaded these with a Lee loader and #109 powder dipper. (Actually throws ~15.8gr of Unique). I even shot my first 25 straight on a skeet range with this load through a borrowed Charles Daley o/u.
For early season dove's, nothing ever quite matched some extra hard #8.5's I was given. (a partial bag from widow of deceased trap shooter).
For general wing shooting, I liked #8's, but for late season dove's I found the 7.5's prefered. Squirrels/rabbits got #6's, but my favorite was a single bag of #5's I managed to run across. But, magnum #6's will do....... Even for late season dove's with 2-3/4" 1oz loads.... But, I also dropped many mallards with that load....
Nowdays, I've gravitated to 15.5gr of Universal for 7/8oz and #8's or 9's, and 17.4gr of LongShot for 1oz. with #7.5's. But I do have some 3" Bismuth factory loads for ducks/geese.
But, I'm shooting these through a fine s/s I don't want to abuse like I did my Mossberg M500 pump I had in highschool..... (I even used the 16.0gr of Unique and SP20 wad in 3" hulls w/1.25oz of shot..... and blew a few primers and case heads too!!!).
I used most any hull, 16.0gr of Unique, and any 7/8oz or 1oz wad and enough shot to get a good tight crimp. I loaded these with a Lee loader and #109 powder dipper. (Actually throws ~15.8gr of Unique). I even shot my first 25 straight on a skeet range with this load through a borrowed Charles Daley o/u.
For early season dove's, nothing ever quite matched some extra hard #8.5's I was given. (a partial bag from widow of deceased trap shooter).
For general wing shooting, I liked #8's, but for late season dove's I found the 7.5's prefered. Squirrels/rabbits got #6's, but my favorite was a single bag of #5's I managed to run across. But, magnum #6's will do....... Even for late season dove's with 2-3/4" 1oz loads.... But, I also dropped many mallards with that load....
Nowdays, I've gravitated to 15.5gr of Universal for 7/8oz and #8's or 9's, and 17.4gr of LongShot for 1oz. with #7.5's. But I do have some 3" Bismuth factory loads for ducks/geese.
But, I'm shooting these through a fine s/s I don't want to abuse like I did my Mossberg M500 pump I had in highschool..... (I even used the 16.0gr of Unique and SP20 wad in 3" hulls w/1.25oz of shot..... and blew a few primers and case heads too!!!).
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