20 gauge HD loads.

[GigaBuist]

I'm due to receive my old Saiga 20 gauge tomorrow and in light of that went shopping for 20 guage ammo at the local Meijer. That's like a WalMart and grocery store combined for you folks outside the Great Lakes area.

Much to my surprise I only found a bunch of #3 20 pellet buck shot there. Everything else was in bird or small game territory. Nothing in 00 Buck to be seen in 20 gauge.

Now, the #3 buck stuff was on sale, as was all Remington ammo (about 30-35% off across the board. Pistol, rifle and shotgun.) so I snagged 55 rounds of it. I'm sure I'll have fun with it but I'm stunned that I didn't see anything in 00 Buck there. It was there in 12 gauge naturally, just not 20 gauge.

Why is that?

Now, I know why the store in question doesn't carry 00 Buck: It doesn't sell well. I'm sure somebody makes it, but they don't see fit to carry it. What I'm wondering is why #3 buck in 20 gauge sells enough for them to stock it. How did this win as "the" buckshot load in the market? Or did it? Perhaps my local mega-stores are just out of touch with the shooting community.

If the stuff pattens well I'll probably ditch the 870 stocked with 00 buck as my "go to" gun in the house. Yes, feel free to call me a heretic. Fact of the matter is I'm recoil sensitive and I've got a LOT more trigger time on AK pattern guns than I do pump shotguns, so if this actually patterns well I'll probably adopt it as the HD gun. However, I'd like some info on why #3 Buck seems to be the only choice in 20 gauge. If it isn't the only choice, then I'd like to try and pattern out some 00 Buck stuff if that seems prudent.

 

[41magsnub]

I found some federal #2 buck for my HD shotgun, but I think that is as big as it comes in 20ga other than slugs of course.

 

[wdlsguy]

20 gauge is approximately .615 caliber.

#1 buckshot (.300 caliber) will form layers of 2.
#2 buckshot (.270 caliber) will form layers of 3.
#3 buckshot (.250 caliber) will form layers of 4.

OO buckshot (.330 caliber) is too big to layer in a 20 gauge shell.

 

[Gordon]

Allthough #3buck is almost too small, it worked well for me on raccons to 25 yards. I haven't shot anything YET with the #2 Buck that is loaded in my wife's HD Ithaca DS 20ga., but you are getting close to the good working (on deer and people) #1 buck. This is the problem with the 20, no 00 or 000! BTW the 20 ga. slug DOES work rather well on most anything under big bear.

 

[MCgunner]

I don't think it gets a lot better than #3 buck for home defense. A load of that stuff in the chest and lights out. It will also penetrate walls less and carry less distance than bigger shot, safer in neighborhoods. It's what my 20 is loaded with and I'm plenty happy with it. If you think you need more, slip a slug in.