20 ga loads for pheasant

L

Little Brit

New member
I got a few questions

What is the heaviest load that is good for pheasant and where can I buy them

What is the best load to use 5 or 6 or other

I'm shooting a 20ga Franchi Instinct L O/U
 
I like number 5 shot, 1oz, 2 3/4 inch.

Beretta 686 20GA. Shotthis gun for 15+ years and tried all sorts of different loads and the 1oz,#5 has been the best for me on pheasants.
 
Fiocchi Golden Pheasant (1 1/4 oz, #5 @ 1200 fps) work well for me in my Benelli M2. However, it is a 3" shell. Almost everyone makes a 1 oz load of #5 or #6 in @ 1200-1300 fps in a 2 3/4" shell length. The #6 seems to pattern better in a 20-gauge gun, but the #5 puts a hurt on pheasants. I usually have a LM or Mod choke in the gun for pheasant. Able Ammo and Personal Choice Outfitters have very good selection and prices.
 
Last edited:
Little Brit said:
I got a few questions

What is the heaviest load that is good for pheasant and where can I buy them

What is the best load to use 5 or 6 or other

I'm shooting a 20ga Franchi Instinct L O/U
Click to expand...


The heaviest load may not be the best load. Sometimes trying to stuff an once and a quarter of shot from a 3" shell down a 20 ga. tube can make for some bad patterns. You may find that 1 oz. from a 2 3/4" shell will throw a better pattern. You really need to pattern your gun with a variety of loads to find out. I think a 1 oz. load in either the Fiocchi Golden Pheasant or the Federal Premium Pheasants Forever load would do you just fine.

As for which is best between #5 & #6 shot I don't think it matters much other than #6 may pattern a little better. If you do your part the pheasant won't know if it's been hit with #5 or #6 pellets.
 
get the prarie storm 2 and3/4 1 ounce shot in #5 shoots 1350 fps my girlfriend shot her first pheasant with them in a mod choke while blocking i was impresed
 
Little Brit said:
I got a few questions

What is the heaviest load that is good for pheasant and where can I buy them

What is the best load to use 5 or 6 or other

I'm shooting a 20ga Franchi Instinct L O/U
Click to expand...

I've been shooting a stoeger side by side 20 gauge the last six seasons using winchester's super pheasant loads in a 3" 4 or 5 shot. The loads are 1 1/4 ounce and are lethal. Definitely pattern your gun with different loads but that load has worked wonders for me with a modified and improved cylinder. I have plenty of friends that only shoot 20 gauges and we all love that load.
 
Thanks guys but I have been using Kent fast lead #6 and its doing a number on them. Got these 3 on the weekend. It was a good day out
 
20Ga.

As was stated above I find the 6#'s patterned better from my 1100, than the 5#'s. It has a fixed mod choke, I was holding off on having the barrel worked for muilt. chokes and forcing cone job done....:coolpics:litteBrit
 
Can't emphasize enough what others have said above, you really need to test your pattern with both #5 and #6 at the range(s) you expect to shoot. Example, I found out that my Winchester 101 20 ga patterns #6 beautifully out to 40 yds, but #5 not nearly so well. I am a believer in #5 and use it on phez in my 16 and 12 gauge guns for wild phez on cold windy days, but in the 101 I stick to #6. Also, what zeb said, the heavy loads may not help you anchor birds and the recoil in a light weight 20 can be brutal. Many 20 and 16 gauge guns just don't handle more than 1-0z well, mine sure don't, but if your gun can pattern 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 well and the recoil is tolerable, go for it.
 
I agree that you really need to pattern your gun. I used some
Hevishot Classic Doubles this past weekend and was thoroughly
impressed. The OLD side by side was thankful as well.
 
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