The Italian company Nobel makes a #1 buck in 20, as does the spanish company Rio - both harder to find now while they were pretty common through covid. Aguila makes a #2 buck. After that it’s all #3 - Federal, Remington, Winchester, Barnes - is there a reason why most of the US manufacturers have standardized on #3 Buck?
Why is #3 Buck almost the only choice for 20 gauge?
- Thread starter nugi
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desmobob
Member
It has to do with the way they fit into the shell or shot cup. Because buckshot is so large, it can't simply be poured into the shot shell... it needs to be stacked. Certain sizes will stack in a certain gauge hull with uniform pattern and give optimum patterning.
Why is #3 Buck almost the only choice for 20 gauge?
Where are you looking? If it's just big box stores or maybe even just your LGS then that might be all they carry. Online they pretty much have everything you could possibly want in 20 gauge ammo.
*Limited personal experience* but 9 balls of #1 buck in a 20 gauge shell pattern a lot nicer than #2 and #3 buck. However all the #1 buck I've seen was roll-crimped rather than star crimped, maybe that is why the majors stay away from it?
ammoseek
I just checked ammoseek and there's lots of bird shot, target loads, etc.
I mean why is #3 buckshot almost the only buckshot choice for 20 gauge. Lots of bird and some slugs available. But all the major manufacturers exclusively make #3 buckshot for 20 it seems (besides Aguila with #2) and I wonder what the reason is.
Jim Watson
Member
I think because it passes down the smaller bore smoothly.
Back about 1910, W.W. Greener recommended selecting buckshot size by pushing a wad into the choke and trying different sizes to find which one(s) stacked evenly and would be more likely to get through the choke without deformation.
Back about 1910, W.W. Greener recommended selecting buckshot size by pushing a wad into the choke and trying different sizes to find which one(s) stacked evenly and would be more likely to get through the choke without deformation.
I misinterpreted based on your thread title. Looked like you were saying that was the only rounds you could find, sorry.
Grunt
Member
#3 buck in 20 gauge is the most common but by no means the only thing out there. Federal makes them in 3” and Winchester makes a 2 3/4 load as well. Academy has their #1 buck load from Monarch (their stores brand) that has been working well for me. I have seen though that their #1 buckshot pellets are a little undersized so they stack better being in between true #1 buck and #2 buck in size so I think of it as a #1.5 buckshot load. So yes, there are other buckshot loads other than #3 buck for 20 gauge but you have to look for it.
Riomouse911
Member
I though I didn’t have a 20 ga that would be a candidate for buckshot, but then I remembered that I have a BPS 20 ga Micro Midas with a 22” barrel that could do extra duty as a HD gun in a pinch.
I am also a #1 buck fan for my 12 and 16’s, I think I will have to go find some 20 ga buck to set aside for the reserve stash.
Stay safe.
I am also a #1 buck fan for my 12 and 16’s, I think I will have to go find some 20 ga buck to set aside for the reserve stash.
Stay safe.
redneck2
Member
IRRC, from my days of owning a 20 gauge, 00 fills too much of the bore and you get very, very few in a round. I believe most 12 gauge loads only have nine pellets. Not sure but I’d suspect in a 20 you’d only get a couple and any type of patten would be non existent
EIB0879
Member
Just received a box of Monarch #1 buck from Academy.
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