Dove loads.....

J

jaughtman

New member
I usually prefer my 20 guage in the dove field. However, nostalgia drives me to use several 12 guages from time to time. Does anyone else drop back to a 7/8 ounce load with a 12 to avoid "overkill"?

J
 
Myself I use standard "dove loads" 12 or 20ga. I'm not to worried about "overkill" , I'm a "regular Kill" type of dove hunter;).
 
I use 12 gauge 7/8oz loads for targets year round. If I was to use a 12 for doves, I would use those loads. but I use a 20 with either 7/8 or 3/4 oz loads
 
On those rare occasions when I actually get to go shoot dove, I need all the help I can get. 12ga with the 1 1/4 oz loads.
 
Around here, along the CA/MX border, lightweight 28-ga guns with 3/4-inch loads are becoming popular. For opening day, standard #9 skeet loads work well. For later in the season, after the birds have smartened-up, you might wanna go with #8s.

It's been my experience that you'll get better 7/8-oz performance from a 20-ga gun than from a downloaded 12-ga. If you wanna hump a big gun for nostalgia, don't worry about a 12-ga with 7/8-oz being overkill.

…12ga with the 1 1/4 oz loads.​
Yikes, are those duck sized dove? ;)
 
Yikes, are those duck sized dove?
Click to expand...

No, they just fly fast enough to make the Navy Blue Angles jealous. I need to put up all the shot I can just to stand a chance of hitting anything.
 
My Beretta White Onyx Sporter is a trifle ponderous for dove, but I have used it with 7/8 oz loads with decent results. Since I obtained an Ithaca/SKB 20 gauge O/U last year, I plan on using that instead.

IIRC, I used Trap grade 7/8 oz loads of 7.5 shot at 1200 FPS through LM and Mod chokes. If I hit them they were dead before impact....
 
My wife uses a Beretta Onyx Sporter and my Savage 350 with 7 1/2's, there's not a lot of birds lately :D:D:D
 
In whatever 20 gauge gun I take... I use Estate or Federal Game Loads with 7/8 oz of 8 shot...

Something like this.. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=975167

For the .410 I use this... Remington STS #8 @ 1300 FPS..

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=813402

I haven't used a 12 gauge in years... Although I generally have one with me in case the conditions are poor..

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=968868

If you feel that 7/8 oz out of a 20 gauge is not enough.. Just check out this load :D

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=713814
 
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