Thread: 20g ammo advice

Hi all im not exactly educated when it comes to shotguns however I managed to get my hands on a Savage arms 24v-a combination rifle .222/20g for 30 bucks that needed some work so I managed to get it running nicely so I built a suppressor for it and plan to shot deer with it close range with 00 buckshot but the rounds have to have a wad because of the style of suppressor, I tried a couple of hunting shops to see if they could get me something in but they never got back to me, I have made a 12g suppressor in the same style and it works fine. I have put slugs through the 20g but I defeats the purpose of using a combo rifle, I guess I’m asking if anybody knows of 20g 00 buckshot that has a wad or will I have to get somebody to hand load them if that’s possible cheers

All buckshot ammo has a plastic or fibre wad between powder and shot, or do you mean ammo that uses an over-shot wad instead of a crimp closure?

Winchester, Remington and Federal all make 20g shells with 20 pellets of number 3 buckshot which is a bit bigger than BB. Probably marginal on deer, might do OK on goats close up.
No one makes 20g 00 buckshot shells that I can find. I guess the big pellets wouldn't stack well in the small case.

Originally Posted by rockland

All buckshot ammo has a plastic or fibre wad between powder and shot, or do you mean ammo that uses an over-shot wad instead of a crimp closure?

Winchester, Remington and Federal all make 20g shells with 20 pellets of number 3 buckshot which is a bit bigger than BB. Probably marginal on deer, might do OK on goats close up.
No one makes 20g 00 buckshot shells that I can find. I guess the big pellets wouldn't stack well in the small case.

I guess you would call it the wad skirt possibly?? I will up load some photos, also gun city sells imperial #00 rounds and also imperial 9p, I brought some Winchester #3 because it’s all the shop had and cut it open and all it had was plastic granules packed with the shot which I’m not to keen on trying through the suppressor just in case it spreads inside the can,

game bore, not sure on the wad though

Originally Posted by MSL

game bore, not sure on the wad though

Hi MSL are you using this ammo and if so where did you buy it from and could open one up to see if it has wad of some sort, maybe I could pour some wax in it mite hold pellets together till it’s outside the can........maybe

You can see that there is no containment wad like in a birdshot load, most likely because it is not required, but also because there is not enough clearance to fit it between the shot and the shell. I've used a few, they work. Got these when passing through Rotorua but pretty sure I've seen them at reloaders

So the rods in the supressor hold the wad petals shut till they exit the can like a longer barrel, clever that.
However I do forsee problems with factory loaded buck as its unsupported, or plastic powder packed to prevent damage as theres a lot of space around the pellets. 00 is .33 of an inch in diameter 20 gauge is .61 something, so the pellet is over half the bore diameter and wont nest which is why you cant buy it. In 12 gauge you get 3 layers of 3 pellets that snuggle up nicely. Even then the practical limitation of its range is 10 yards max

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

So the rods in the supressor hold the wad petals shut till they exit the can like a longer barrel, clever that.
However I do forsee problems with factory loaded buck as its unsupported, or plastic powder packed to prevent damage as theres a lot of space around the pellets. 00 is .33 of an inch in diameter 20 gauge is .61 something, so the pellet is over half the bore diameter and wont nest which is why you cant buy it. In 12 gauge you get 3 layers of 3 pellets that snuggle up nicely. Even then the practical limitation of its range is 10 yards max

Yea that’s the idea, oh really I thought I mite be able to tip over a deer at 40 yards or so. Have you had any experience with filling them with wax or something, any idea if it would hold together until it was at least out of the can.

You got a pic of the gun?

Originally Posted by Chippychow

Yea that’s the idea, oh really I thought I mite be able to tip over a deer at 40 yards or so. Have you had any experience with filling them with wax or something, any idea if it would hold together until it was at least out of the can.

Ha Ha, the old bushmans solid, my grandad used to do this with duck shot prise the top open and dribble wax from a candle in till it was full, it used to come out as a solid lump most of the time. I wouldnt risk it in your silencer though.
If it were me Id forget the idea of the silencer for buck shot too much chance of an accident.
As to range, it spreads out like a normal shot load but instead of a couple of hundred pellets you have only 9 so game sized holes occurr pretty quickly. From shooting at paper, I would not use 00 buck past 15 yards, yes the pellets have enough energy 200 ftlb each to drop medium game but they have to hit either in enough numbers or just one somewhere vital to be humane, at 40 yards maybe only 1or 2 might hit an animal.
The 20 gauge I think only goes to no 3 buck and they only weigh 23 grains each compared to the 54 grains of 00 and have only one third the energy even if the speeds the same.
So i would limit buck to goats etc at no further than 15 yards, however a solid from a 20 gauge has a bit of authority and would probably be of more use, would go through the silencer and with rifle sights could be good out to 100 plus. Hope this helps, and yes lets see a photo.
By the way whats the reason for wanting to use buck?

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Ha Ha, the old bushmans solid, my grandad used to do this with duck shot prise the top open and dribble wax from a candle in till it was full, it used to come out as a solid lump most of the time. I wouldnt risk it in your silencer though.
If it were me Id forget the idea of the silencer for buck shot too much chance of an accident.
As to range, it spreads out like a normal shot load but instead of a couple of hundred pellets you have only 9 so game sized holes occurr pretty quickly. From shooting at paper, I would not use 00 buck past 15 yards, yes the pellets have enough energy 200 ftlb each to drop medium game but they have to hit either in enough numbers or just one somewhere vital to be humane, at 40 yards maybe only 1or 2 might hit an animal.
The 20 gauge I think only goes to no 3 buck and they only weigh 23 grains each compared to the 54 grains of 00 and have only one third the energy even if the speeds the same.
So i would limit buck to goats etc at no further than 15 yards, however a solid from a 20 gauge has a bit of authority and would probably be of more use, would go through the silencer and with rifle sights could be good out to 100 plus. Hope this helps, and yes lets see a photo.
By the way whats the reason for wanting to use buck?

Sounds like I’m going to have to stick with solids, I bush hunt a lot and come across deer in close range, 15 yards is probably not really practical though was hoping for 40 or there abouts.

You are quite a smart boy! One supressor for two very different barrels. How is the thing attached, how effective is it, and do you make them to order as Im quite intrigued.

Before you blow that poor combo gun up you should sell it to me

I've used #3 buck on deer maybe only 20 yards distance, it worked well enough. I always keep one or two plus a solid handy when bird hunting in certain spots. Never seen 00 for sale in the 20g.

A combo gun will find its way into my safe one day...

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

You are quite a smart boy! One supressor for two very different barrels. How is the thing attached, how effective is it, and do you make them to order as Im quite intrigued.

It is very snug fit on both barrels and grub screwed top and bottom, I don’t have any decibel readings for any sort I’m probably going to make some more changes to it for more volume but it definitely makes a difference as for making them to order I haven’t exactly done any calculations or anything so probably not the safest thing to do haha


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