20ga Upland Shooter's Which Shells Are You Shooting?

NDGuy

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Going to be picking up my new 20ga Montefeltro soon off layaway. I've never shot a 20ga consistently so am a bit out of the loop on 20ga ammo.

Which shells do you like using for Pheasants/Grouse? I like Fiocchi High Velocity or Golden Pheasant for my 12ga usually but curious about what people use.
 

Ten Bears

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I have shot a 20ga for the past 10 years as an avid upland guy

Fiocchi Golden Pheasants
6 for pheasant and sharps
7.5 for ruffed grouse

Cheaper
Federal Game Loads
 
OP
NDGuy

NDGuy

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Thanks gents I will buy a few boxes of each and do a pattern test.
 
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I absolutely do not like 20 ga 3" 1-1/4 oz loads. I'll take a 2-3/4" one ounce high velocity pheasant load every time based on poor luck with the slow 1-1/4 ounce loads. Most of my 20s through the years pattern 6s much better than 5s....same with my 16 ga SxSs. I've had good success with Winchester Mark V's, Remington Express, Federal PF stuff and my own reloads. Good luck and enjoy carrying that nice Benelli around!
 
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SoDaky

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3 inch fed 6s if lead.3 inch fed 4s if steel.
Waterfowl it’s Black Cloud 3 inch 2s and Hevi metal 3s.
 

codym

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I shoot the 20 and 28 exclusively on upland birds. I like 7/8 of 6's for almost everything. I will load up some 1 oz loads for big late season roosters. I like the 6's for patten density and they generally pattern really well even in tight tubes. I've done alot of pattern work and I think most people are shooting blown patterns and don't even know it. There's def. exceptions but big pay loads, large shot and tight tubes generally don't equal good patterns. kind of like rifles, most of the time the max load isn't the most accurate.
 

SoDaky

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Yes by all means pattern.I shoot cases of upland AND waterfowl 2o ga loads annually and,no surprise,they all are different.Your Benelli Monte like the M2,Sport and Cordoba will likely shoot any Federal load well,heavy or not.Will likely be so-so on Hevi Shot.(all curable by after market chokes)Being in NoDak you may have dealt with Reeds Sporting Goods in Mn.The owner,Jeff,shoots a 20 ga Monte exclusively and sure would help with any questions or issues you have.They hunt in your State a lot.
 

TSAMP

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Bumping an ancient thread. Is the general concensus 3" 20 ga aren't ideal for upland? I've recently been having alot of rooster run with fiochhi 3" 6 shot and retired the gun for a 12. chalking it up to poor shot placement by me and less forgiveness with a smaller # of pellets. Shooting over a pointer so range is well within 40 yards. From reading I think I likely should pattern the gun again, as I haven't with this specific load and am new to the 20 game.
 

Donjuan

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Bumping an ancient thread. Is the general concensus 3" 20 ga aren't ideal for upland? I've recently been having alot of rooster run with fiochhi 3" 6 shot and retired the gun for a 12. chalking it up to poor shot placement by me and less forgiveness with a smaller # of pellets. Shooting over a pointer so range is well within 40 yards. From reading I think I likely should pattern the gun again, as I haven't with this specific load and am new to the 20 game.
I don't know. Maybe check your pattern? My m2 and those fiocchi #6s are a hammer on pheasant
This year the only thing I can find are Boss. #7 for quail and 5 for ditch parrots
 

Wrench

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I haven't seen a box of 20ga in stock in my area. I shoot whatever I can get. I am currently killing rootys with 7.5 trap loads.
 
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