Academy Monarch brand 20 gauge #1 buckshot?

[Grunt]

Has anyone ever tried this ammunition? If you did, how well did it perform for you? I currently use #3 and #4 buck in my 20 gauges because that’s what’s available. However, I am curious how well 9 pellets of .30 caliber #1 buck would compare to say 9-pellets of .33 caliber 00 buckshot that I use in my 12 gauges. I would think the ballistic performance would be better than the 3 and 4 buckshot loadings but how well does that #1 buckshot stack in a 20 gauge hull and what kind of patterns can I expect out of it. I don’t have an Academy store anywhere’s close to me so that means I have to order it online but I’d like to know if this is going to be a good idea or even if Monarch is a decent ammo brand to go with over Federal, Remington, Winchester, etc.

 

[Blkhrt13]

The monarch was all I could find to feed my twenty gauge closet gun. I haven’t shot it yet. But I have two boxes of twenty five rounds. I’ve read some of the monarch is sellior and bellot and some is prvi partisan.

 

[Ovendoctor]

FYI
#1 buck shot in 20 ga will only be 2 pellets per layer
use to reload #1 in 20 ga for my trapping partener and girlfriends dad
the pellets come out in pairs about 1'' apart in the pattern
they really will flatten a deer at close range out of a side by side

Mike

 

[brass shower]

I havn’t tried Monarch but Rio branded 20 gauge 1 buck 9 pellet patterns better (about 0.75”-1” wide per yard of distance) than 3 or 4 buck in my 870 and penetrates better. 1 buck stacks 3 pellets per layer in this loading.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I find the performance of my hand loads using the Lee .31” RB (10 in a 2-3/4”) to be indistinguishable from a 9pellet 12ga OO-buck.
Of course it recoils a Lot less!
The Academy load is a “House” branded Rio shell...

 

[Riomouse911]

I am a fan of #1 buckshot, I found it to be a good combo of penetration, pellet energy and pellet count.

I use the Federal 1 buck in my 12 Ga 870 and in my 16 Ga coach gun as well. I would not hesitate to use it in my 20 Ga shotguns for SD/HD use .

Stay safe.

 

[Old Hobo]

RSI, made by Nobel Sport Italia, also has a 20 ga. #1 buckshot loading. It has 9 pellets in its 2 3/4" shells. The company spec.s it at 1300 fps.

I have not fired this and thus am unable to comment on its effectiveness.

 

[Dunross]

I thought I had Rio #1 in mine, but it turns out to be Armscor. 3 pellets per layer.

For indoors I use low-recoil #3 buck and keep the #1 buck in the buttcuff along with slugs if I need to step outside where range and penetration becomes a concern.

 

[RMc]

Has anyone ever tried this ammunition? If you did, how well did it perform for you? I currently use #3 and #4 buck in my 20 gauges because that’s what’s available. However, I am curious how well 9 pellets of .30 caliber #1 buck would compare to say 9-pellets of .33 caliber 00 buckshot that I use in my 12 gauges. I would think the ballistic performance would be better than the 3 and 4 buckshot loadings but how well does that #1 buckshot stack in a 20 gauge hull and what kind of patterns can I expect out of it. I don’t have an Academy store anywhere’s close to me so that means I have to order it online but I’d like to know if this is going to be a good idea or even if Monarch is a decent ammo brand to go with over Federal, Remington, Winchester, etc.

Today's commercial #1B pellets actually measure close to .285" and 33 grains. Which is why the loads discussed here can be stacked in layers of three in the 20 bore.

 

[dp509]

I would say pattern it. Ammo is still hard to get locally for my area.

 

[I6turbo]

I haven’t shot any Monarch but if it’s like S&B in that it doesn’t have a shot cup type wad, it will probably print a wide pattern relative to the distance of the target. I have #00, #1, and #4 S&B Buck in 12 Gauge, and they all throw patterns that are quite a bit larger than the rule-of-thumb spread that is often cited. (I think the common claim is 1” per yard.) Changing chokes impacts the pattern some, but they are wide regardless of the choke restriction, nowhere near as tight as Federal Flite Control rounds.

I like the wide pattern for close distances but I would not hunt deer with these loads unless I planned to shoot at 10-15 yards.