20 ga Feather lightning

I haven't tried that ammo but my wife has used this HEVI HAMMER with great success from her 5lb 8oz Franchi Veloce 20 gauge. It's a combination of bismuth and steel that was very effective on South Dakota and Nebraska roosters last fall.
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I don't know about the 20ga Heavy Hammer load but here's some of my data on the 12ga version!

12 GA 3” HEVI-Hammer Upland No. 3 Bismuth/Steel duplex load
I acquired some HEVI-Hammer Upland 12-gauge 1 3/8-ounce No. 3 Bismuth/Steel duplex loads from a hunter. I then cut open five shells from the same box as the shells to be patterned, and the components (powder and shot) were weighed, counted, and measured for consistency. Here are my findings from those dissections.

12 GA 3" Hevi-Hammer Upland Duplex (bismuth/steel) load
1 3/8 oz #3 Bi (55 pellets) + #3 Steel (126 pellets) = 181 total pellets @ 1350 fps
PELLET COUNT / WEIGHT (grains) (1 3/8 ounce = 601.6 gr)
183 / 568.9 gr
183 / 565.1 gr
181 / 557.3 gr
179 / 545.9 gr
178 / 549.9 gr
Aver. 180.8 / 557.42 gr + flax seeds 16.38gr
(Bi/55.4 + Steel/125.6 = 181 pellets) (Bi/30.6% of payload)

PELLET SIZE (25 pellets, 5 pellets/shell, #3 Bi pellet dia. = .140”)
.149”, .148”, .148”, .146”, .146”, .146”, .145”, .145”, .143”, .143”, .142”, .142”, .141”, .140”, .140”, .140”, .139”, .138”, .138”, .138”, .137”, .137”, .136”, .134”, .131”
Aver. .14128” dia.

PELLET SIZE (25 pellets, 5 pellets/shell, #3 Steel pellet dia. = .140”)
.141”, .141”, .141”, .141”, .141”, .140”, .140”, .140”, .140”, .140”, .140”, .140”, .140”, .140”, .140”, .140”, .139”, .139”, .139”, .139”, .139”, .139”, .139”, .139”, .137”
Aver. .13976” dia.

POWDER / SHELL (grains)
40.0 gr
40.0 gr
39.9 gr
39.4 gr
39.4 gr
Aver. 39.74 gr

PATTERNING RESULTS
The patterns were shot at 40 yards with a Remington 870 Special Purpose 12-gauge using a 28-inch Rem-choke barrel and factory flush Modified Rem-choke, .018-inch constriction from a bore gauge. The 40-yard (muzzle to target) pattern data is the result of pellet hits registered in a 30-inch post-shot inscribed circle from five separate pattern shots.

Hevi-Hammer Upland Bismuth/Steel Duplex load
12ga 3” 1 3/8 oz (Bi/55 + Steel/126 = 181 total pellets)
40 yards / Modified Rem-choke
107
102
102
100
94
Aver. 101.0 (55.86%)

So, how did this Hevi-Hammer Upland Bismuth/Steel duplex load perform? Well, here are a few more of my pattern numbers from some other bismuth, bismuth duplex, and steel loads using the same gun/choke as above for comparison.

PATTERNS / 40 YARDS / Modified Rem-Choke (.018” constriction)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (192 pellets) / pattern 126 (66%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 3” 1 3/8 oz #5 Bi (267 pellets) / pattern 143 (54%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 3” 1 ½ oz #3/#5 Bi duplex (226 pellets) / pattern 121 (54%)

Kent Upland Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #5 Bi (197 pellets) / pattern 119 (60%)
Kent Waterfowl Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (212 pellets) / pattern 126 (59%)

HEVI-Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #5 Bi (228 pellets) / pattern 85 (37%)
HEVI-Hammer Upland 3” 1 3/8 oz #3 Bi/#3 Steel duplex (181 pellets) / pattern 101 (56%)

Fed. Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (186 pellets) / pattern 128 (69%)
Rem. Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (193 pellets) / pattern 146 (76%)
Win. Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (195 pellets) / pattern 131 (67%)

Fed. Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (154 pellets) / pattern 115 (75%)
Rem. Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (152 pellets) / pattern 110 (72%)
Win. Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (146 pellets) / pattern 106 (73%)
 
So according to your numbers the Hevi Hammer isn’t a very good shell from your Remington, but it beats the Boss bismuth?
 
I see no reason to use these exotic loads out of a 20 gauge for pheasants. For years, I shoot ordinary off the shelf loads out of my Franchi AL48 and have no problems getting birds,
 
When I use a 20 gauge for pheasants I sometimes use Boss 1 ounce of #5 or #6 but I've also used the Remington Express fives and sixes (1 ounce) 2 3/4" shell and they work fine too. I agree there's no reason to use the real heavy (and costly!) loads on roosters.
 
Very nice, congratulations!
 
Appreciate it, I was happy with the weight and looks. I ordered it from a local gun store and had no idea what I was gonna end up with until it came in.
 
I picked up the exact same feather lightning 20ga 28" about 1 mth ago. Ive shot some 3" boss #5 shot thru it using a mod and imp mod to pattern it using trulock precision hunter chokes and seems to be just what I'm looking for pattern wise. 1000007253.jpg
 
An alum alloy is fine unless you have an accident where lateral pressure is applied against the action of the closed gun. Then you see why nearly all of them are made out of steel.

Steel can fail, too, but it is much less likely to.
 
Boch0627 said:
I picked up the exact same feather lightning 20ga 28" about 1 mth ago. Ive shot some 3" boss #5 shot thru it using a mod and imp mod to pattern it using trulock precision hunter chokes and seems to be just what I'm looking for pattern wise. View attachment 11246
Click to expand...
You done pretty good with that one also it’s a good looking gun. Thanks that’s always nice to hear, glad it’s pattering good for you.
 
Honeybun0196 said:
I’ve been shooting a 12 gauge white lightning for a couple years and planning on getting a 20 shortly. I was planning on going with the regular white lightning but the weight of the feather sounds pretty nice. I’ve been kinda weary on the aluminum alloy on the feather not holding up like the regular full steel model. Has anyone ever heard or known of any problems with the feather’s or should they hold up to everything and last just as long. I’d guess I might shoot 6-10 flats of shells a year at the most, and majority of those being 1 1/4 oz 7 1/2’s with some 5 & 6’s. It definitely won’t be a safe queen or just a looker, it’s gonna get used and tossed around.
Click to expand...
A Citori 725 Feather 26" in 12 gauge has been my go-to since 2018. Have never had any problems with it and it is a joy to carry all day. I can see no reason why the 20 gauge model would be different...
 
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Al Bonkers said:
An alum alloy is fine unless you have an accident where lateral pressure is applied against the action of the closed gun. Then you see why nearly all of them are made out of steel.

Steel can fail, too, but it is much less likely to.
Click to expand...
I think it would / does take a LOT of pressure to collapse the sides of the receiver. I can’t think of anything that I’ve seen in 50+ years that would damage it other than seeing a shotgun being ran over by a truck and had other problems!
I’ve never had any problems with my 5 alloy framed O/u’s.
 
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