How low pressure?

[Fred Lowe]

I want to load some quail shells for my GHE 20 ga., it has special steel barrels.

I've run out of Universal, 20/28, and now SR4756. I checked everywhere locally today and was skunked.
But I have plenty WSF, Longshot, HS-6.
What pressures would you expect I could shoot through this gun? Can it handle something in the way of an AA target load?
Will I be able to load appropriate shells with any of the powders that I have on hand?

Thoughts and advice?

[Ron Gebhart]

You might take a look at this article on low pressure 20 ga. loads. It addresses at least one of your powders.

http://www.nssa-nsca.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/SSR/cerettos.pdf

Hercules (1990) manual shows a very low pressure load, but not one of your powders:
3/4 oz. CCI 109 RXP20, or WWAA20, 17.0 gr Unique, 6,800 psi, 1200 fps - Federal paper case!

Ron

[Harold Lee Pickens]

I load the Universal and 20/28 load listed in article to shoot in my VHE 20 and Fox20.
Hogdon lists a load with Longshot 17.8 gr/ AA hull/WAA20 wad/ win 209 primer/7/8 oz/ @ 1250 fps, 10,600 psi.

[Bruce Day]

Your gun was designed and made to handle SAAMI service loads.

Win AA 7/8 oz loads are well within design pressures. Parker literature and The Parker Story contain Parker used loads. Many threads here have addressed the subject.

Winchester, Remington ,Federal, RST, Fiochi and others make acceptable 7/8 oz loads.

[Gary Laudermilch]

Okay, I'll throw my hat into the ring. I've loaded most of the powders recommended for 20 ga. 7/8 oz loads and patterned them all including factory loads as a standard.

Years ago, and many 10's of thousands of shells ago, I settled on using Winchester WSF for 20-7/8 loads. It patterns well and consistently, recoil appears moderate, burns as clean as any, and it meters extremely well. Until the recent powder shortage it was not difficult to find. I did find some during this shortage however, just had to look a bit harder.

What I load:

Rem STS or Gun Club
7/8 oz shot
Win 209 primer
Claybuster 1078-20 wad
16.8 gr. WSF
Something less than 1200 fps
Pressure in the 10,500 range

I've shot this load in sub-zero to blistering hot weather with no discernable difference in performance although there is always some degradation in cold weather. I cannot remember ever getting a squib load or anything similar. I do not push my hulls until they fall apart though as some folks do.

After all of my testing I concluded that 20/28 would be my second choice but have no experience beyond my initial testing.

[William Davis]

I find factory 20 G shells like the AA or STS recoil too much in my Trojan 20 G. Safe but not pleasant to shoot. For high volume clays shooting and occasional game Quail and Chukkas here are my loads.

Win AA hull Win 209 primer Claybuster 1075 – 20 Wad 12.5 grains Intl Clays ¾ oz shot. Fold Crimp. Winchester AA’s are a bit shorter than Remington hulls, I shoot them without trimming in the 2 5/8 inch chamber. It does not cause any problems. Looking at a fired hull no evidence it’s coming in contact with the end of the chamber

Remington Hulls like the STS are a bit longer and show the end of the chamber on a fired hull, so trim them then roll crimp. It’s also my spreader load, different hull and crimp helps keep them separated

Remington STS trimmed to 2 5/8 inch Win 209 Primer. Claybuster 1075-20 wad 12.5 grains Intl Clays. 11/16 oz shot with a Polywad disk spreader insert on top of the shot. Dropping 1/16 oz shot volume makes room for the Polywad which also acts as the over shot wad. Then roll crimped,

I am about out of Intl Clays will switch to a jug if 20/28 when it's gone. Will pattern and crono when switching

William Davis