20 gauge loads - lightest effective for clays?

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pangris

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That about says it all - I'm looking for light 20 ga target loads for my wife's shiny new 391...

A source would be great as well - either a major chain or internet supply...

Thanks!

Paul
 
The last few times I've taken my girlfriend trap shooting, I've rented a 391 for her and bought 7/8oz loads of #9 shot. I'm not sure how much lower than that you could go, but I don't think I'd want to go any lower than that. My girlfriend is 5'6", 120lbs and has no problem with the 7/8oz loads.
 
When my wife (5'3" 110#) was shooting a 20ga, she went through a lot of Winchester AA target loads (2 3/4", 2 1/2 DE, 7/8oz, #8 shot). Winchester catalogs these as "AA208".

They never gave her a problem, even though she was shooting them out of a pretty lightweight Benelli M1 (not exactly known for reduced recoil).

As an all-around clay target buster, I tend to like #7.5 or #8 shot over the smaller stuff. #8.5 works well, but can fail on longer shots and some rabbits (I've got a rabbit on my dresser right now that has a single hole directly in the center and 4 tiny non-penetrating chips around the edge -- I didn't get credit for it, since none were identifiable as it rolled). :cuss:

If you think you might reload at some point, I'd spend the extra bit and use Remington STS shells. The hulls make for good reloading and the factory stuf performs well. Also, it may be a purely subjective thing, but I truly believe that comparable Winchester loads tend to have more felt recoil. I don't know why, but I can almost always tell when I've just touched off a Winchester shell.
 
The Rem Gun Club shells are one of the best out there IMO. They have almost all the characteristics of the Premium STS's in an economy shell that is still reloadable to a certain extent. If that is the price with shipping, it's a good price.

Many times you can find them much cheaper than that in the add. We sell them at our club for under $5 a box and we're making a little money on that sale. Check local clubs, and bigger sporting goods stores like Gander Mountains if you have them around. Estate makes a very good throw away shell as well, usually less than $4 a box.
 
I'll second Kudu on the price... OK if shipping is included. Otherwise, you should be able to do better.

I'm still working through the last thousand or so of AA shells I got a couple years ago. A local sporting goods company was changing locations and they wanted to move as little stock as possible. I happened by when they were running a sale for 20ga AA target loads for about $3.50/box. I bought every case they had... picking my youngest son out of his stroller, putting him on my shoulders and loading the stroller with ammo until the axles bowed.
 
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