Thread: 20 GA for ducks

I am toying with the idea of importing 5lbs TSS 18gm in size 9 to try. Will also need to buy suitable wads at the same time.
The fly in the ointment is the cost, will work out about $100 per lb for shot landed if I am real lucky.
19gm loads in a .410 would give approx 245 pellets. A better would include some larger steel shot to "loosen up" the pattern as from what I have read TSS patterns very tightly.
You sure aint going to use such a costly non tox load for duck bashing although they have been hunting geese to 70-80 yards with .410 and size 9 TSS with some success
For reference TSS 9's are similar ballistically to 4's lead apparently
Prairiewind Decoys TSS Infomation
From their site

18 gram/cubic centimeter heavy weight Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) shot turns your sub guage gun into an extremely lethal weapon. It is perfect for the 410 Bore, 28ga, and 20 guage. You won't believe the ballistics. For example, a 3/8oz load of #9's in a 410 2 1/2" shell gives you 135 pellets.(That is more pellets than many 12ga loads) These pellets carry more energy than Lead #4's at 1510 FPS with 23 grains of powder. This loads yeilds 1.25" of penetration into Ballistic gel at 88 yards!

What makes me laugh is you can't use lead to shot ducks but it doesn't matter how many lead sinkers you loose

Originally Posted by GDMP

I know for fact this issue (lead shot exemption for .410) was discussed at a recent meeting.....obviously some not too happy with it.Just seems to me it will eventually end.Not actually the end of the world if one can reload as these small bores do not use much shot.....loading bismuth would be the obvious solution here.

id almost bet you i could name the biggest nay sayer in that room.
the laugh is you can shoot lead over land for ducks geese and shelducks where presumembly the lead sits till it sinks or is stepped into the ground
but in our mostly soft bottomed wetlands you cant and what measurements were undertaken to prove the contamination of lead
that wasnt from paint or paint deterioation or runoff or.......
yes i get the ducks and grit argutment but how much lead is shot over grit spots i bet no f...ker in nz or the world knows that ??????

No the ludercrous bit is you can hunt upland game in riverbeds with lead but woe betide a duck flies over.............you better hold your fire.

Non toxic may be the way forward and there should be no exemptions or only for muzzle loaders perhaps.

Here if you look like you are waterfowl hunting you better have no lead on you at all, not even in the car!!

However I can report 20ga steel works fine on ducks and puks. Its just different.

Originally Posted by country cuts

What makes me laugh is you can't use lead to shot ducks but it doesn't matter how many lead sinkers you loose

Going by the logic it would be that the sinkers are too big for the ducks to eat as grit.

Originally Posted by gsp follower

id almost bet you i could name the biggest nay sayer in that room.
the laugh is you can shoot lead over land for ducks geese and shelducks where presumembly the lead sits till it sinks or is stepped into the ground
but in our mostly soft bottomed wetlands you cant and what measurements were undertaken to prove the contamination of lead
that wasnt from paint or paint deterioation or runoff or.......
yes i get the ducks and grit argutment but how much lead is shot over grit spots i bet no f...ker in nz or the world knows that ??????

I believe they used data from the states. Shallow waterways, gravel bottom with a lot of shooters..
Not relevant to a lot of NZ. There would be bugger all of that shot on the West Coast back home.
Lots of rain and run off to wash or bury lead or just deeper and not a not of shooters.
Last few years have done parried shoots for opening on the coast. All paddock shooting. Other than one year we had a creek directly behind us, everything was out in front of us.
We even double checked on go's and nope, still to close to the creek so had to use steel
Load of wank

Originally Posted by csmiffy

I believe they used data from the states. Shallow waterways, gravel bottom with a lot of shooters..
Not relevant to a lot of NZ. There would be bugger all of that shot on the West Coast back home.
Lots of rain and run off to wash or bury lead or just deeper and not a not of shooters.
Last few years have done parried shoots for opening on the coast. All paddock shooting. Other than one year we had a creek directly behind us, everything was out in front of us.
We even double checked on go's and nope, still to close to the creek so had to use steel
Load of wank

In the days of Helen Clarke and her nemesis,one Jim Anderton(mods this is historical reference)Labour had Andertons new labour in its ranks and as a favour new labours Sandra Lee as crown minister. got the conservation portfolio.It was her mission to rid the country of lead so dubious USAresearch as detailed abovewas the basis for this decision.

if you follow letter of law ANY body of water over 3mtrs INCLUDING a puddle in a gateway...means 200 mtrs away or need to use steel....

Yup MD. We did use steel. Just very annoying for out situation

Originally Posted by csmiffy

Yup MD. We did use steel. Just very annoying for out situation

i know like texas everythings bigger on the coast but a 3 metre wide creek is no longer a creek ......is it??

Honestly under 3m would be quite stream. A west coast creek is from there up to river size

you have missed point...3m in ANY DIRECTION..... so if you can step over it but its running its more than 3mtrs if this wasnt the case you could make your pond that was say 25x25mtrs into strips 2.5mtrs wide with dry ridges for ducks to sit on..but you cant because the strips would be still 25mtrs long.

Nope I didn't miss it at all. I understand it completly. I don't agree with it, nor with how it was justified, but it is what we have and we abided by it

Originally Posted by csmiffy

Nope I didn't miss it at all. I understand it completly. I don't agree with it, nor with how it was justified, but it is what we have and we abided by it

leave it to f&g to bafle you with bullshit cos dazzling you with brilliance was out that day

Originally Posted by Dama dama

Thanks for the replies team. Sounds like a 20ga could definitely be a goer.

@Dama dama did you end up getting one? I'm thinking of going to a 20g, what's everyone's thoughts?