Recommendation? 20 Gauge load for Skeet?

allen-1

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I've been shooting the occasional round of skeet off and on for the last two years, and I'm enjoying it. Gotten to the point where I'm hitting 18 to 20 in a round, and starting to take it somewhat seriously.

To that end, I'm wondering if I'm running the right ammo. I've been pretty much grabbing whatever shells I can find at Wally World. I have an 20 Gauge CZ Drake, (over/under).

Most of the ammo that I've found has been #7.5 or #8 in 7/8 oz loads, but I occasionally see 1 oz loads or #9 and I'm looking for advice.

I know that I need to pattern the load, (I've patterned the stuff I'm running and I don't see much variance).

What I'm really asking here is if the load I'm running is appropriate for skeet, or if I should be running something else?

Thanks.
 
#7-9 should all be perfectly acceptable for skeet. It really comes down to personal preference. Personally, I like a larger load of shot, but some people go the opposite direction.

If you're getting serious about it and shooting more than just a few rounds a week, and most importantly you're asking this particular question, it might be time to start reloading. Reloading 20 ga might not save you a lot of money, but you'll get the exact load you want at the velocities you like.

I shot trap with a guy a few weeks ago who reloads his own at some stupid low velocities that there was actually a noticeable lag between the gun going off and the clay breaking. It was freaky.
 
#7-9 should all be perfectly acceptable for skeet. It really comes down to personal preference. Personally, I like a larger load of shot, but some people go the opposite direction.

If you're getting serious about it and shooting more than just a few rounds a week, and most importantly you're asking this particular question, it might be time to start reloading. Reloading 20 ga might not save you a lot of money, but you'll get the exact load you want at the velocities you like.

I shot trap with a guy a few weeks ago who reloads his own at some stupid low velocities that there was actually a noticeable lag between the gun going off and the clay breaking. It was freaky.

The problem is - I don't know WHAT load I want. That's what I'm asking. nutsym16 has given me a succinct definitive answer, "1 oz 9s" and that's the kind of answer/advice I'm looking for. I keep googling, and getting more confused - that's why I'm asking here.
 
My go to load for 20 Ga. 7/8 oz #9 in a Winchester AA HS Hull. This worked well out of my Gr.6 Browning Citori 4 barrel set

Hodgdon Universal 15.5 gr. 10,200 psi 1200fps
Win 209 primer
WAA 20 7/8 oz wad

Every skeet gun in different in it's pattern
 
shots taken in skeet are much closer up than in trap......8 and 9 shot is generally preferred shot size because you don't need longer ranges....you need a more open and denser pattern because of the extra lead necessary in skeet (more open with more pellets equals a little bit more of a "forgiving" of a pattern if your lead is off a bit).

I use 7 1/2 for trap........longer distances........larger pellets give you a better pattern at distance.
 
#9's have more than enough energy to break the bird at the distances you take the target in Skeet.

7/8ths oz of shot gives you:
#9 = 512 pellets
#8 = 359 pellets
#7-1/2 = 306 pellets

By choosing #9 shot you will get the maximum number of pellets in the 7/8th oz load, more pellets is more better!

I'll shoot most any 7/8th oz #9 lite target load I can buy reasonably, and I've never found a shell that seemed to preform any better or worse than any other.

If you can evaporate birds shooting LOW 7, your pattern is just fine.

Don't over think it.
 
Go buy several different types of ammo.

Pattern said different types of ammo, an the ranges you're shooting the birds.

See what ammo works best with your gun.

Just so you know....if you're not shooting more than an occasional round of skeet, the real variable is most likely you. Unless you're shooting consistently, the ammo (within the parameters above, especially Icycle's post) is less of a factor than you are.

From what I've seen on the Trap field, it's an "It's the Indian, not the Arrow," situation. I'd advise a new/newish shooter to spend less on the ammo (WallyWorld cheap stuff, as opposed to AAs), and pay 30% less per box, then take the savings and spend that on more ammo.

My kid is a better Trap shot than I....and he's posted 100 straights on whatever promo load was cheapest that day.

Shoot more cheap loads, until you're getting 22+ per round....then worry about tweaks.

Keep shooting!
 
I've been shooting the occasional round of skeet off and on for the last two years, and I'm enjoying it. Gotten to the point where I'm hitting 18 to 20 in a round, and starting to take it somewhat seriously.

To that end, I'm wondering if I'm running the right ammo. I've been pretty much grabbing whatever shells I can find at Wally World. I have an 20 Gauge CZ Drake, (over/under).

Most of the ammo that I've found has been #7.5 or #8 in 7/8 oz loads, but I occasionally see 1 oz loads or #9 and I'm looking for advice.

I know that I need to pattern the load, (I've patterned the stuff I'm running and I don't see much variance).

What I'm really asking here is if the load I'm running is appropriate for skeet, or if I should be running something else?

Thanks.
for skeet i would be more concerned with how your choke patterns and if your shotgun is shooting where you think it should be.
As for loads. For skeet i would go with 1oz 9s myself . the longest shot you have in skeet is 20 yards or bouts. For comparrison my wife shot trap with 7/8oz loads at 950fps and when she was on the target she smoked them. she was a late shooter so the target was about 35-40 yards away.

test your chokes to make sure they are throwing a pattern thst they should and mke sure the choke puts the pellets where your looking.
i bought a used trap gun with several chokes....after a few bad rounds with some of those chokes I sat sown at 13 yards to see where the shot was impacting. even at 13 yards i found one browning choke was putting the shot aprox 4" to the left of my aim/look/hold point also found one that was miss labeled it was marked full but i was getting weak hits. when patterned i found that at 35ish yards my full choke was spreading out beyond the target frame of 60" ......browning replaced both chokes.

pattern for POI first, shot density secound and go from there. patterning does not show your shot string.

personally i would make sure the gun fits before you worry about ammo
 
for skeet i would be more concerned with how your choke patterns and if your shotgun is shooting where you think it should be.
As for loads. For skeet i would go with 1oz 9s myself . the longest shot you have in skeet is 20 yards or bouts. For comparrison my wife shot trap with 7/8oz loads at 950fps and when she was on the target she smoked them. she was a late shooter so the target was about 35-40 yards away.

test your chokes to make sure they are throwing a pattern thst they should and mke sure the choke puts the pellets where your looking.
i bought a used trap gun with several chokes....after a few bad rounds with some of those chokes I sat sown at 13 yards to see where the shot was impacting. even at 13 yards i found one browning choke was putting the shot aprox 4" to the left of my aim/look/hold point also found one that was miss labeled it was marked full but i was getting weak hits. when patterned i found that at 35ish yards my full choke was spreading out beyond the target frame of 60" ......browning replaced both chokes.

pattern for POI first, shot density secound and go from there. patterning does not show your shot string.

personally i would make sure the gun fits before you worry about ammo


Thank you. The gun fits nicely, it points beautifully and it patterned fine with the 7/8 7.7 and 7/8 8 that I've been shooting with. I picked up some 1oz #9's and I'm going to pattern them with the chokes that are in the gun and see where we go from there.
 
for skeet i would be more concerned with how your choke patterns and if your shotgun is shooting where you think it should be.
As for loads. For skeet i would go with 1oz 9s myself . the longest shot you have in skeet is 20 yards or bouts. For comparrison my wife shot trap with 7/8oz loads at 950fps and when she was on the target she smoked them. she was a late shooter so the target was about 35-40 yards away.

test your chokes to make sure they are throwing a pattern thst they should and mke sure the choke puts the pellets where your looking.
i bought a used trap gun with several chokes....after a few bad rounds with some of those chokes I sat sown at 13 yards to see where the shot was impacting. even at 13 yards i found one browning choke was putting the shot aprox 4" to the left of my aim/look/hold point also found one that was miss labeled it was marked full but i was getting weak hits. when patterned i found that at 35ish yards my full choke was spreading out beyond the target frame of 60" ......browning replaced both chokes.

pattern for POI first, shot density secound and go from there. patterning does not show your shot string.

personally i would make sure the gun fits before you worry about ammo


Holy crap! That's one serious manufacturing defect if you get that kind of performance out of a full choke. Glad Browning replaced those for you.
 
Holy crap! That's one serious manufacturing defect if you get that kind of performance out of a full choke. Glad Browning replaced those for you.
Chokes are cheap and I'm sure mis labeled more often than we want to think. Other than trap shooters I personally don't know anyone who actually took the the time to check their chokes.
Knowing where your shot string is going is the most important and you can't tell this by the wads line of travel.
also important is if the choke and or the barrel is machine well enough that it's true. I have one of those extended extra full turkey chokes. If your not paying attention you would mis that it does not sit flush on the end of the barrel. There is a slight space at 9oclock. This shows up on the pattern board as shooting to the left. The space is just enough to snag a finger nail edge but it's enough to toss the shot string off line to where your shooting.
Also what pattern test will show you is where your shot string tends to go relative to your point of aim. I don't like to use "aim" for shooting moving targets but I don't know another term. Anyway. If your shotgun after you set up and mount it. With the "sight" picture you like is putting your shot string high or low of the line of your target you will miss shots.

There's a guy out there on the web. Neil Winston has good info on patterning shotguns and shotgun fit.

I don't shoot a lot of skeet maybe 1-2 rounds a year. I use my 870 and generally I can get the double shot off on station 1 and 7 about 7-10 times with the pump. Station 4 I just can't get on that out going shot. The rest are all luck
watch the guys shooting the sub gauges on the skeet field. My best shotgun teaching came from a man who shot 410 and 28 almost exclusively unless competing . On the trap line he crushes them with a 410 from the 16 line and I have seen him as far back as 20 yards in the club shoot to your out of ammo fun match.
Again I will add gun fit , body position , target acquisition and line of flight perception will cause more losses than ammo choice.
 
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The best tip I ever got was to accept your sight picture .
Do not try to wiggle,squish,bend,or hold some perceived sight picture or bead alignment.
Set up with a unloaded shotgun. Take your stance of your favorite station. Imagine your target and swing zone. Low gun ready. Now close your eyes and call for the imaginary target.
Keep your eyes closed to you get to that point you think you would pull the trigger. Now open your eyes and check you "sight" picture. Do this enough to see and consistency. Now what do you see.
I grew up on either no sights or just a little nib of a front sightsight on the shotguns. So either you accepted where it shot or in my case either sand the stock or add tape or other material to the comb.
Today we have all sorts of adjustments that can be made easy with adjustable combs,recoil pads, ribs and such.
 
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