Question for the 20 gauge shotgunners

[tpcollins]

I bought my 10 year old grandson a Mossberg 500 20g a youth shotgun that came with a mod choke. I bought an extra full choke already and made an offer for a full choke online today.

I don't want to start him out on turkey loads, but today I saw 2 3/4" 1oz #6 shot and 3" 1 1/4oz of #5 shot. There's basically a number difference of just 13 pellets between the two. I know I have to shoot it to find out, but normally how does a longer shot load from a 3" shell stack up to a shorter shot load in a 2 3/4" shell? Thanks.

[T. O'Heir]

It's not longer. It's more pellets. 1 ounce of lead #6 shot has 223 pellets. A 20 Ga. 3" holds 1.25 oz for 297 pellets.
The real issue is the difference in recoil. Closest comparison is a 20 gauge, 2.75" using 1.125 ounces at 1175 FPS out of a 6.5 pound shotgun has 25 ft-lbs of recoil energy. A 3", 1.25 oz. at 1185 FPS out of that 6.5 lb. shotgun has 31 ft-lbs.
A Mossberg Youth Super Bantam weighs 5.25 pounds. I'd start him with target loads.

[NoSecondBest]

For teaching him how to shoot, use 7/8 oz target loads. I've shot turkeys with 1oz 20ga loads and they'll kill a turkey pretty easily if shot with even a mod choke at twenty to twenty-five yards in the head. With a full choke you still have to aim for the head and use an appropriate shot size to kill them. Pattern the gun with whatever shell you decide to use and make sure you get enough pellets on the head at those distances.

[zipspyder]

I agree with NSB, turkey's are not hard to kill if you hit them right. Get the boy a good load even if it's considered a light load that he can shoot and pattern well. With the right size pellets they die just the same if hit right.

[BigJimP]

Keep a young shooter on the lightest shells in terms of recoil you can for now....so 7/8 oz of shot ( not more than 1 oz ) ...and with a velocity of around 1150 fps..( 1200 fps max ). You didn't mention velocity on the loads you found...you need to check what velocity those loads are too.

2 3/4" shells are all he should need for a few years...until he develops his upper body strength....and even if he's a big kid for his age.. 10 is still pretty young.

If he can handle the weight and still swing the gun smoothly / add 1 lb of weight ( lead tape inside stock and forend ) will reduce recoil significantly. Light shotguns give you a lot more recoil for any given load.

[GarandTd]

When I took my son out turkey hunting, I used 3" nitro loads, but he chose to use Remington Express XLR rounds. The XLRs offered more power, but not quite the punch in the shoulder that the Nitro rounds did. I included him in the patterning process and he shot all of the different rounds before deciding on the XLRs. For general practice, use target loads. He was using my childhood NEF Pardner single shot. I graduated to a Maverick 88. Both are 20 gauge.

[jrothWA]

with trap loads.
then use those loads and see how the pattern is up to 30 yards.

Better to back hm uop than to shock him with recoil.

Let him decide when to use heavier loads.


Good luck,

[Blindstitch]

I have the Mossberg 500 Super Bantam 20 gauge and the first thing I did was add a bit of weight in the stock. Some of these new plastic stock guns are really brutal because of their low weight.

I would pattern the gun with everything I could get my hands on and then let the kid try from low to high and let him say where to stop.

As a teen I killed quite a few geese out to 45 yards with a mossberg 500 20 gauge so a turkey inside 30 yards shouldn't be so bad.

[jmr40]

For a young shooter I'd recommend the lightest possible loads. A 20 ga doesn't really help with recoil, it is just lighter and easier to carry. In fact many kick harder than a 12. A shell with 1 oz of shot is 1 oz of shot regardless of whether it is fired in a 12 or a 20. And on average a 20 is about 1 lb lighter than a 12 so with equal weight shot charges a 20 will kick harder.

how does a longer shot load from a 3" shell stack up to a shorter shot load in a 2 3/4" shell?

The shot column will be longer with 3" shells, but on turkey is not a disadvantage at all. On upland game that is moving a shorter shot column is helpful.

[bamaranger]

It seems to me the OP is asking which is a better turkey load, 1oz of #6 in the 2-3/4 shell, or 1-1/4 oz of #5 shot in the 3" number. The amount of recoil figures into his concerns, for his grandson, but is not paramount issue. But...I suspect a true turkey load in the youth 20 ga pump will generate quite a smack.

Bypassing the specific question, for a 20 ga load, I would suggest the new 20 ga XR lead load from W-W, or possibly a 20 ga Hevishot load. If that is not an option that he would consider, then shoot the #5 and #6 loads described and see which patterns best. There are some serious turkey hunters in my area who have gone to the 20 gauge with "space shot" and dot sights or scopes, and killing turkeys. They like the 20 ga guns due to the light weight.

[deserted]

I just know that my ten year old, who'd been shooting a lot already, did not like the recoil at all from a .410. I'm not all that recoil sensitive, but I got one of those Mossberg youth 20s for my declining years here (I figure if I'm going to wander around out here with a shotgun I'll rarely ever fire, it might as well be a light one), and it's no fun with 7/8 ounce slugs off the bench (knocks the heck out of a six inch plate at a hundred yards, though). Let the kid start with the lightest loads you can find. But of course, continue to stockpile heavier loads for when the time is right.

[GarandTd]

Deserted, some of that unpleasantness may have been the bench shooting position. I find that my 20 gauge Maverick is far more pleasant to shoot standing than from the bench with any type of shot/slug.

[FITASC]

There are two recoils - one is actual, a math equation; the other is perceived, a result of action type and fit. Light loads in a gun that fits will be the easiest for anyone to shoot. Heavy loads in one that does not fit will turn off that shooter, possibly forever,

[stuckinthe60s]

op never mentioned his intentions with the ammo.
if this is the case.....get the lowest recoil ammo you can!

[Blindstitch]

op never mentioned his intentions with the ammo.
if this is the case.....get the lowest recoil ammo you can!

Since he bought an extra full choke and talks about turkey loads i'm pretty sure he's going in that direction.

[ammo.crafter]

A 20ga gas gun would have less felt recoil than a pump.

Light gun = more felt recoil.
Heavy gun = less felt recoil.


Fit is number 1 when it come to shotguns.

[stuckinthe60s]

I never assume anything. and like most classic discussions, op disappears leaving us rolling around guessing.

[Blindstitch]

Well 3 months till turkey season so hopefully he comes back.

[tpcollins]

op never mentioned his intentions with the ammo.
if this is the case.....get the lowest recoil ammo you can!

That's what I did. Cabelas didn't have it in stock so I ordered a box of Federal Dove and Target with 7/8oz of 7 1/2 shot for store pickup. I'll see how the mod, full, and extra full chokes pattern and go from there. I'll probably limit his distance to around 25 yards unless he can prove he can shoot further.

[playin' hookey]

Assuming the goal is turkey hunting, here is what I would do. Get some turkey loads (3" shells, 1 1/4 oz of #6 lead or #7 hevi-shot). YOU pattern the gun and make sure it shoots to point of aim and if not get some adjustable sights so it does. Have the young man practice only with the lightest and slowest loads you can find for him, including some dry firing on a snap cap or spent shell. The first time he shoots a turkey load from that light gun should be at a turkey. If he practices with hard-kicking loads he will get a flinch. He won't notice the recoil if he's got a turkey in front of him.

[Virginian]

Assuming the goal is turkey hunting, here is what I would do. Get some turkey loads (3" shells, 1 1/4 oz of #6 lead or #7 hevi-shot). YOU pattern the gun and make sure it shoots to point of aim and if not get some adjustable sights so it does. Have the young man practice only with the lightest and slowest loads you can find for him, including some dry firing on a snap cap or spent shell. The first time he shoots a turkey load from that light gun should be at a turkey. If he practices with hard-kicking loads he will get a flinch. He won't notice the recoil if he's got a turkey in front of him.

Best advice yet.