Dove loads.....

jaughtman · July 9, 2011, 06:01 PM

I usually prefer my 20 guage in the dove field. However, nostalgia drives me to use several 12 guages from time to time. Does anyone else drop back to a 7/8 ounce load with a 12 to avoid "overkill"?

J

Steel Talon · July 9, 2011, 06:11 PM

Myself I use standard "dove loads" 12 or 20ga. I'm not to worried about "overkill" , I'm a "regular Kill" type of dove hunter

.

oneounceload · July 9, 2011, 07:09 PM

I use 12 gauge 7/8oz loads for targets year round. If I was to use a 12 for doves, I would use those loads. but I use a 20 with either 7/8 or 3/4 oz loads

Doyle · July 9, 2011, 07:21 PM

On those rare occasions when I actually get to go shoot dove, I need all the help I can get. 12ga with the 1 1/4 oz loads.

zippy13 · July 9, 2011, 07:35 PM

Around here, along the CA/MX border, lightweight 28-ga guns with 3/4-inch loads are becoming popular. For opening day, standard #9 skeet loads work well. For later in the season, after the birds have smartened-up, you might wanna go with #8s.

It's been my experience that you'll get better 7/8-oz performance from a 20-ga gun than from a downloaded 12-ga. If you wanna hump a big gun for nostalgia, don't worry about a 12-ga with 7/8-oz being overkill.

…12ga with the 1 1/4 oz loads.

Yikes, are those duck sized dove?

Sailor1911 · July 9, 2011, 08:18 PM

I usually use the 20 with 7 1/2's-9's Never use the 12 for dove.

Doyle · July 9, 2011, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Yikes, are those duck sized dove?

No, they just fly fast enough to make the Navy Blue Angles jealous. I need to put up all the shot I can just to stand a chance of hitting anything.

Dave McC · July 9, 2011, 10:46 PM

My Beretta White Onyx Sporter is a trifle ponderous for dove, but I have used it with 7/8 oz loads with decent results. Since I obtained an Ithaca/SKB 20 gauge O/U last year, I plan on using that instead.

IIRC, I used Trap grade 7/8 oz loads of 7.5 shot at 1200 FPS through LM and Mod chokes. If I hit them they were dead before impact....

egor20 · July 9, 2011, 10:56 PM

My wife uses a Beretta Onyx Sporter and my Savage 350 with 7 1/2's, there's not a lot of birds lately

publius · July 10, 2011, 12:01 AM

In a 12 I reload 1 1/8 oz. #9. Good high quality hard shot is key in any load.

.300 Weatherby Mag · July 10, 2011, 03:09 AM

In whatever 20 gauge gun I take... I use Estate or Federal Game Loads with 7/8 oz of 8 shot...

Something like this.. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=975167

For the .410 I use this... Remington STS #8 @ 1300 FPS..

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=813402

I haven't used a 12 gauge in years... Although I generally have one with me in case the conditions are poor..

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=968868

If you feel that 7/8 oz out of a 20 gauge is not enough.. Just check out this load

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=713814

armsmaster270 · July 10, 2011, 10:30 AM

1 ounce for me I bought 2 cases (20 box cases) of 12 ga 1 oz Activs at GEMCO when they folded and still have a case.

July 9, 2011, 06:01 PM	#1
jaughtman Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2010 Posts: 620	Dove loads..... I usually prefer my 20 guage in the dove field. However, nostalgia drives me to use several 12 guages from time to time. Does anyone else drop back to a 7/8 ounce load with a 12 to avoid "overkill"? J

July 9, 2011, 06:11 PM	#2
Steel Talon Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2007 Posts: 138	Myself I use standard "dove loads" 12 or 20ga. I'm not to worried about "overkill" , I'm a "regular Kill" type of dove hunter.

July 9, 2011, 07:35 PM	#5
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,281	Around here, along the CA/MX border, lightweight 28-ga guns with 3/4-inch loads are becoming popular. For opening day, standard #9 skeet loads work well. For later in the season, after the birds have smartened-up, you might wanna go with #8s. It's been my experience that you'll get better 7/8-oz performance from a 20-ga gun than from a downloaded 12-ga. If you wanna hump a big gun for nostalgia, don't worry about a 12-ga with 7/8-oz being overkill. …12ga with the 1 1/4 oz loads. Yikes, are those duck sized dove?

July 10, 2011, 12:01 AM	#10
publius Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2005 Location: Mississippi/Texas Posts: 2,349	In a 12 I reload 1 1/8 oz. #9. Good high quality hard shot is key in any load. __________________ "Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress, but I repeat myself." Mark Twain

July 10, 2011, 03:09 AM	#11
.300 Weatherby Mag Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2008 Posts: 1,707	In whatever 20 gauge gun I take... I use Estate or Federal Game Loads with 7/8 oz of 8 shot... Something like this.. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=975167 For the .410 I use this... Remington STS #8 @ 1300 FPS.. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=813402 I haven't used a 12 gauge in years... Although I generally have one with me in case the conditions are poor.. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=968868 If you feel that 7/8 oz out of a 20 gauge is not enough.. Just check out this load http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=713814 Last edited by .300 Weatherby Mag; July 10, 2011 at 03:36 AM.

July 9, 2011, 07:09 PM	#3
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	I use 12 gauge 7/8oz loads for targets year round. If I was to use a 12 for doves, I would use those loads. but I use a 20 with either 7/8 or 3/4 oz loads

July 9, 2011, 07:21 PM	#4
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Bradenton, Fl Posts: 4,128	On those rare occasions when I actually get to go shoot dove, I need all the help I can get. 12ga with the 1 1/4 oz loads.

July 9, 2011, 08:18 PM	#6
Sailor1911 Member Join Date: June 23, 2011 Location: Kansas Posts: 22	I usually use the 20 with 7 1/2's-9's Never use the 12 for dove.

July 9, 2011, 10:46 PM	#8
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 14, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,831	My Beretta White Onyx Sporter is a trifle ponderous for dove, but I have used it with 7/8 oz loads with decent results. Since I obtained an Ithaca/SKB 20 gauge O/U last year, I plan on using that instead. IIRC, I used Trap grade 7/8 oz loads of 7.5 shot at 1200 FPS through LM and Mod chokes. If I hit them they were dead before impact....

July 9, 2011, 10:56 PM	#9
egor20 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2010 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 1,743	My wife uses a Beretta Onyx Sporter and my Savage 350 with 7 1/2's, there's not a lot of birds lately __________________ Chief stall mucker and grain chef Country don't mean dumb. Steven King. The Stand

July 10, 2011, 10:30 AM	#12
armsmaster270 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,750	1 ounce for me I bought 2 cases (20 box cases) of 12 ga 1 oz Activs at GEMCO when they folded and still have a case. __________________ http://www.armsmaster.net-a.googlepages.com http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f...aster270/Guns/ Retired LE, M.P., Sr. M.P. Investigator F.B.I. Trained Rangemaster/Firearms Instructor & Armorer, Presently Forensic Document Examiner for D.H.S.