Light-recoiling 20 gauge loads?

[Dave Markowitz]

I could use some recommendations for light-recoiling 20 gauge loads to be used in my new Stoeger Uplander. I would like to introduce my wife to shooting something other than a .22. (I am already planning to shorten the stock to fit both of us, and add a good recoil pad.)

At this point I'm interested in factory loads, not reloading.

TIA.

 

[ArmedBear]

Your best bet, if you don't make 'em yourself (which will be a lot cheaper if she wants to do it more often):

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/shotshell/target/managed-Recoil_STS.asp

Note that the chart has a misprint. This isn't a 2 3/4 DE load. It's more like 2 1/4. Should be nice and light.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Thanks, I will look for those Remington loads.

 

[Smitty in CT]

I use Fiocchi "20Lites" with my kids (9 & 11), these shells have little to NO recoil they work great on targets.

20GA, 2-3/4", 3/4 oz, 1075fps, #7-1/2

I get mine from Ballistic Products, Inc:

http://shop2.mailordercentral.com/bpicart/prodinfo.asp?number=36520LITE

 

[ArmedBear]

3/4 oz. of 7.5 shot is a pretty sparse pattern, and 1075 is getting really slow.

Depends on what you're shooting, and how far away.

Remington also has 9 shot going 1135 fps. That'd work for skeet. But the 8.5 shot at 1100 is a functional multipurpose round, as long as you don't expect to shoot 27 yard trap with it.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

The primary purpose I want to introduce my wife to shotgunning is for home defense. We'd like for her to have something bigger than a .22 for HD, especially while I'm away on business (thankfully, that's not too often).

We live in a good neighborhood, but you never know.

 

[ArmedBear]

An Uplander is a tad unwieldy indoors, but I suppose it beats a .22

A really light load will work fine, then. I don't know what you plan to shoot.

But let her do some fam-fire with a defensive buckshot load, too, just so she knows what it's like.

 

[Fred Fuller]

A pair of snap caps from A-Zoom is a good idea for loading/unloading/dry firing drills. That's about as low recoil as it gets 8^). I like to 'rest springs' on a double gun that is put away in storage between uses, and prefer to use snap caps to drop the hammers on when putting the gun into the safe for a while.

Next step up is primer only loads. You can make those by removing the components from a loaded shell, since you don't reload. Just cut away the hull below the base of the overpowder wad and discard all but the base of the shell and the live primer. That's like firing a capgun but it is the next step up.

There are several other improvisations you can conduct up the scale to regular factory loaded ammunition. Some folks have been known to open the crimp on a shell, remove the lead shot, replace it with popcorn and recrimp it for instance- not that _I_ know anyone who would do such a thing of course. The light loads are a great idea, and the Stoeger has enough heft to make it a good platform for a beginner to learn on. Hope the instruction goes well,

lpl/nc

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Thanks, Lee. She's fired a few .22 handguns but no long guns as yet. Making up some blanks sounds like a good idea to introduce her to the noise.