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Old June 14, 2008, 06:35 AM   #1
LJ-MosinFreak-Buck
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#00 Buckshot for 20ga.

I've got a Steven's M77f 3" chamber 20ga pump shotgun that I am planning on getting the barrel shortened to 18" and I was wondering where I could find #00 buckshot in 3" or 2 3/4" 20 gauge.

Thanks.
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Old June 14, 2008, 08:40 AM   #2
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Im not sure where to get 00 for a 20 ga. But my sons gun throws a wicked pattern with 3" mag #3 buckshot and he has killed deer at 45 yards with it. I think that 00 buck might be too large of a pellet for it to work well in a 20 gauge. Try the #3 buckshot and I think you will be happy with the results. The Winchester Magnum XX copperplated that I have has 24 pellets in a 3" mag. Thats alot of pellets and might be better with a shortened barrel.
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Old June 14, 2008, 08:49 AM   #3
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I think #2 is the largest buckshot made for 20ga
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Old June 14, 2008, 09:08 AM   #4
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00 buck is a .33 cal ball. I have some 20ga Fed premium vital shock #2 buck. It is a 3 inch mag w/ 18 .27 cal ball. It make a pretty good boom. I have not shot a deer with it yet. I would get a second barrel before shortening the one you have. 18 inch will give a very dispersed pattern very quickly. If your smith can install choke tubes it would make a big difference.
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Old June 14, 2008, 01:02 PM   #5
.45 COLT
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00 Buck is too large to stack in 20 Gauge shells. It would load in sort of a staggered column, with only 1 pellet per layer. No manufacturer that I know of loads it.

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Old June 15, 2008, 09:22 AM   #6
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unless you load your own. you will not have 00 buck in 20 ga. i've only seen 00 in 12 and 10 ga. the only buckshot available in 20 ga. is #2 and #3 buck.
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Old June 15, 2008, 11:19 AM   #7
LJ-MosinFreak-Buck
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Well see this is going to suit the need for home defense. Right now I can't afford a new gun and a friend is cutting the barrel down for free so this is my only option. The gun is wayyy to long to be swung around in a house.
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Old June 15, 2008, 09:54 PM   #8
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LJ, #2 or 3 buck is fine for HD and you should try to keep your barrel as long as possible(around 22-24") so in the future you could have tubes installed. You could with an 18" but it wouldnt be as good. You might even want to try and find an old Poly-choke to install on it. Their cool old book stuff. I just bought one last week im going to put on a shortened Ithaca.(someone chopped)
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Old June 15, 2008, 10:04 PM   #9
Bill DeShivs
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There is no reason to keep the barrel any longer than a little over 18 inches. Choke tubes can be installed in an 18" bbl., and it will shoot and pattern just as well as a longer barrel.
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Old June 16, 2008, 09:59 AM   #10
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Bill, you are a man that knows his stuff. I love short barreled shotguns. The longest that I use in the field is 24". For turkey, I like a 20-22". Since I don't do clays, I don't need anything longer. I do have many guns that have longer barrels but they get very little use. At my hunting club, we have all sorts, but the most successful use short barrels. There is little if any velocity loss after 18".

There is one guy that uses a 20 gauge with #2 buckshot in a 22" and he delivers as much venison as the guy that uses the 10 gauge Ithaca. His hunting ability is much superior to mine. Camo, gilly suits, and all the other things, he can slip right up to a deer.

Mike has a great suggestion. Put a Polychoke on the barrel and you can have any length that you want so long as it is of legal length. It has put new life into many an amputated barrel. One of our hunting club members ran over his gun when it fell off his dog box. Crushed and horseshoed the last few inches his 30" barrel. He sent it to Polychoke and for $145 they cut his barrel down to 22" and put the Deluxe Polychoke on it. He now is back in business and loves it. BTW, all my single barrel guns wear Polychokes or Poly IIs.

Happy shooting.
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Old June 16, 2008, 10:34 AM   #11
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Weren't there at one time 00 buck commercial loads for 20 ga?? I know there aren't any loaded anymore, but I seem to remember some years ago running across some old 3" 20 ga shells stamped as 00 buck. Maybe I'm misremembering though. Very possible these days..........
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Old June 16, 2008, 11:24 PM   #12
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well the thign is, the shotgun isn't made anymore and the mag tube is attached to the gun via screw. Here's a pic.

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Old June 18, 2008, 06:49 AM   #13
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LJ, Cool old shotty. Are you sure you want to chop it? I would look around for a cheap gun for HD and save that one for hunting or the vault. Or try to find a barrel for it at egunparts.com and keep that one intact.
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Old June 18, 2008, 07:12 AM   #14
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ge
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Old June 18, 2008, 10:19 AM   #15
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Loaded my own 3" 00 20ga once. Patterned like crap.
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Old June 18, 2008, 10:37 AM   #16
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Quote:
I would look around for a cheap gun for HD and save that one for hunting or the vault.
Agreed. A Remington 870 Express, Maverick 88, or Mossberg 500 can be found on the used market for $100-150 if one is patient enough looking.
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Old June 18, 2008, 02:43 PM   #17
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If you do chop it down, you can get a replacement barrel here for $82 if you decide you want to restore it to original later.
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Old June 18, 2008, 03:25 PM   #18
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Size does matter

I'd stick to a 22" but don't chop your original. Either pickup an 870 of mossy 500 or buy a replacement barrel to chop (or buy one to size).
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Old June 19, 2008, 09:08 AM   #19
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Personally, I'd buy a used Remington 870 or Mossberg 500, if possible.

As far as 00B 20 gauge loads, well, there ain't no such animal. #2B is as big as it gets.
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Old June 19, 2008, 09:25 AM   #20
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I'll probably do that. My gunshop has a couple (newer) model 12's that he can't get rid of, might buy both and have one shortened.

The only reason I don't like the new shotguns, like the 870 is that the pump release tears up my fingers.
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Old June 25, 2008, 01:08 AM   #21
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Old June 25, 2008, 07:48 PM   #22
LJ-MosinFreak-Buck
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yeah, I've shot and handled... even owned one. They're good guns, but not for me. lol
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