There are a lot of threads on loading 20 gauge 3/4 oz loads, and a lot of interest. Unfortunately much of the info is spread over 10 years of posts, and some of the real golden nuggets are embedded in threads that at first glance don't appear of interest. It's a lot of reading and confusing to remember what you read after all the disagreements and differing opinions.
I thought I'd list the main points I extracted from all my reading, things many of the respected reloading posters here have agreed on, with supporting links, as a way to ease the research for others (and give me a place to review what I kinda recall reading at some date in the future...)
1. Why load 3/4oz in 20ga?
- lower recoil than "standard" 7/8 oz loads.
- plenty for skeet and close clays
- great "starter load" for new shooters to keep them from quitting/flinching due to recoil (kids, wife, etc.)
- essentially a 28 gauge load but cheaper to load in 20 gauge: hulls cheaper, more available, and give more reloads (according to some folks, who say the larger diameter hull mouth causes fewer crimp failures/splits).
- save $$-- shot is the most expensive component usually as of 2015, lighter payloads give more per bag: 533 3/4oz loads vs. 457 7/8oz loads vs. 400 1oz per 25lb bag of shot. Also takes less powder, particularly if you're loading a low-recoil/slower load around 1100fps or so.
2. What hulls to use?
REMINGTON Gun Club << #1 recommended in 20ga by far! All Remington load with same data.
- Just about everyone agrees that Remington GunClub are the best. Almost same hull as the Rem Nitro and Rem STS but cheaper shells, so GC more common often and give more reloads. Some folks like GC better than the STS plastic. GC hulls are actually steel based with a brass wash applied.
- Rem GC/STS/Nitro has an integral molded basewad so no worries about basewad separating with multiple reloads.
- Rem GC has good hull capacity, more than Win AAHS (not a real factor for 3/4oz load usually as it's small volume).
- Rem GC give good numbers of reloads with mouth and crimps staying good.
Best 20 ga. factory ammo to reload • Shotgunworld.com
I've got a new Beretta 686 20 ga. on the way and I'm going to pick up ... for this gun so I want to buy factory stuff with the best hulls for reloading.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=242899
20ga hulls • Shotgunworld.com
I want to know what everybodys opinion is on the best 20ga hull for reloading trap/skeet sheels, and why. I'm tired of buying all my 20ga shells, ...
viewtopic.php?t=15907
Who makes the best hulls for reloading? • Shotgunworld.com
Would it be Winchester, Remington, Federal? Which hulls in 12 and 20 gauge do you think are the best all-around for producing a good shell?
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=200249
Help me understand 20GA hulls - Winchester and Remington
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=420367
Winchester (AA HS, old AA Compression Formed, Super Target & SuperX sometimes called "Universal")
- Most agree that the Win AA HS is the 2nd best 20ga hull to reload
- All Win 20ga reload the same: old style CF, new AA HS, and the thinner walled Super Target and SuperX hulls
- Win AAHS have less capacity than most all other 20ga hulls, proper wad selection to fid the load in is critical. Not as hard with 3/4oz loads.
- Old Win AA Compression Formed (single piece hulls) are considered good (like Rem GC) if you can get them.
- Many folks don't like reloading 2 piece hulls with concerns about basewad separating and lodging in barrel
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=255210
- Almost everyone agrees the cheap Win SuperTarget hulls with with steel head are poor, mostly due to steel head expanding and getting stuck in chambers
20 gauge hull cut aways, Win "Universal", AA HS, CF; Rem ...
All win load the same. Hard to see, but the plastic sides are much thicker for the AA than for either the Super X or Super target, I put the side ...
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=418214
Win Super Target hulls - Any good? • Shotgunworld.com
I picked up some 20 ga. Winchester Super Target hulls that my skeet partner was using. Appears to be a 2-piece hull with a plastic base-wad.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=234481
Win AAHS and Super Target difference • Shotgunworld.com
The other (Win Super Target) is a steel based hull that I throw away, but I suppose could be reloaded in a pinch. The AAHS is much easier to ...
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=398394
Win. Super Target • Shotgunworld.com
Winchester Super Target I've been saving these hulls, hoping to buy a reloader. Now's the time, but I'm not sure if these can be reloaded.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=40395
Win Super Target hulls • Shotgunworld.com
I picked up a bunch of Win super target hulls at the club on Sat. They look cheap and I've seen all the bad publicity about the Universal hulls ...
shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=191066
20ga. Win Super Target, Universals • Shotgunworld.com
The Win Universal hull is probably the worst hull for reloading of all the new shells on the market today. Win recommends that they not be ...
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=208071
Straight-Walled Euro-Hulls: Cheddite, Fiocchi, Rio, Estate
- Some folks don't like these, saying they don't get good numbers of reloads
- Some folks DO like them, saying they get good reloads.
- Ballistic Products Inc uses these mostly in their loads, so if you're using their data you'll use these hulls
- Many powders that are becomming more common and easier to find (Vectan, Nobel Sport, Maxxum, CSB) give most recipes with euro hulls.
- pre-primed hulls are avail from BPI and can be good as no hazmat is charged
Crimping NEW Cheddite hulls • Shotgunworld.com
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=321475
Reloading Rio Hulls • Shotgunworld.com
Can someone direct me to, or send me recipes for loading 2 3/4" 12, 16, 20 gauge Rio hulls? I have data from BPI but it is pretty restricted and ...
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=246027
Rio shotshell primer, and issues with Rio basewad damaging wad with low powder charges:
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=245474
3. Fitting stuff in the hulls for good crimp
- With only 3/4oz of shot, just about everything is guaranteed to fit--the problem is filling up hull enough to have good crimps that are not dished.
- Some folks recommend the 7/8oz CB wad (Win AA replacement CB1078-20). However, Claybuster now makes a 3/4oz wad specifically for 20ga, the CB1075-20. This is basically the 7/8oz wad with a plastic lump in the shot cup that takes up some space, making the 3/4oz of shot come up to the top of the wad. Using zero wad pressure is a good starting spot, just look to make sure the top of the shot cup is aligned with the "crimp edge" on the hull. Slightly high should compress fine during final crimp; but too low will allow hull walls to be unsupported and can give hull buckling or crushed crimps; and for sure will give dished crimps though that's not a real problem. Either CB wad will work in my experience; try both and see which one requires the lease tweaking of your press.
- If some filler is needed to get the powder/wad/shot stack up high enough, you can use a wad in the base of shot cup, or an OverShot card, or plop a cheerio in there on top. I've tried it with Win Universal (super tgt) hulls which needed filler, all three worked but I found just using a cheerio on top the easiest.
4. Recipes and Powders:
- Alliant give recipes for 3/4oz loads in Winchester and Remington hulls only, using American Select, Green Dot, Unique, and 20/28. Pressures also go in that order, with American Select highest around 11,000psi, GD 9-11,000, Unique 7500-9000, and 20/28 fromm 6500-8200. Powder weights are between 12.5gr and 16.5 gr.
Powder density goes from 20/28 being most dense, then Unique, then Am Select, and Green Dot being the most bulky. This makes Green Dot a very good powder-- high bulk to fill up the shells giving good crimp, and also good pressures to give clean consistent burning: not too low, but not too high either making a forgiving powder.
- I've loaded Win AA/HS, Win Comp Formed (old), Win Universal shells with: (Unique, 20/28, Green Dot). I liked Green Dot the best, very good metering for consistent loads and light recoil.
- Hodgdon also gives recipes for 3/4oz loads in Win and Rem hulls only. They give recipes for 3 powders: Winchester Super Handicap, IMR PB (discontinued), and Hodgdon International Clays. I haven't loaded any Hodgdon/IMR/Win powders in 3/4oz 20ga loads; others may have, and hopefully they'll chime in below if so.
- Lyman 5th Ed gives NO 3/4oz recipes for 20ga.
- BPI in their "Advantages" load manual gives 120 recipes for hulls by Cheddite, Fiocchi, and Rio; using their wads, and most powders possible. They have recipes for 5/8oz - 13/16 oz. There are also 10 or so recipes for Win AAHS, Fed, and Rem STS/Premier using BPI or gualandi wads. Powders they cover that are not covered by Alliant or Hodgdon websites are 700x, 800x, Clays, Solo1000, Herco, and the discontinued SR7625 and SR4756.
- OF NOTE: Any 7/8oz load can be used and just reduce the shot charge to 3/4oz, safely, as this will reduce pressures from the already published acceptable ones. Using a recipe up 10-11,000psi should ensure sufficient pressure still to get good burns and function.
I thought I'd list the main points I extracted from all my reading, things many of the respected reloading posters here have agreed on, with supporting links, as a way to ease the research for others (and give me a place to review what I kinda recall reading at some date in the future...)
1. Why load 3/4oz in 20ga?
- lower recoil than "standard" 7/8 oz loads.
- plenty for skeet and close clays
- great "starter load" for new shooters to keep them from quitting/flinching due to recoil (kids, wife, etc.)
- essentially a 28 gauge load but cheaper to load in 20 gauge: hulls cheaper, more available, and give more reloads (according to some folks, who say the larger diameter hull mouth causes fewer crimp failures/splits).
- save $$-- shot is the most expensive component usually as of 2015, lighter payloads give more per bag: 533 3/4oz loads vs. 457 7/8oz loads vs. 400 1oz per 25lb bag of shot. Also takes less powder, particularly if you're loading a low-recoil/slower load around 1100fps or so.
2. What hulls to use?
REMINGTON Gun Club << #1 recommended in 20ga by far! All Remington load with same data.
- Just about everyone agrees that Remington GunClub are the best. Almost same hull as the Rem Nitro and Rem STS but cheaper shells, so GC more common often and give more reloads. Some folks like GC better than the STS plastic. GC hulls are actually steel based with a brass wash applied.
- Rem GC/STS/Nitro has an integral molded basewad so no worries about basewad separating with multiple reloads.
- Rem GC has good hull capacity, more than Win AAHS (not a real factor for 3/4oz load usually as it's small volume).
- Rem GC give good numbers of reloads with mouth and crimps staying good.
Best 20 ga. factory ammo to reload • Shotgunworld.com
I've got a new Beretta 686 20 ga. on the way and I'm going to pick up ... for this gun so I want to buy factory stuff with the best hulls for reloading.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=242899
20ga hulls • Shotgunworld.com
I want to know what everybodys opinion is on the best 20ga hull for reloading trap/skeet sheels, and why. I'm tired of buying all my 20ga shells, ...
viewtopic.php?t=15907
Who makes the best hulls for reloading? • Shotgunworld.com
Would it be Winchester, Remington, Federal? Which hulls in 12 and 20 gauge do you think are the best all-around for producing a good shell?
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=200249
Help me understand 20GA hulls - Winchester and Remington
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=420367
Winchester (AA HS, old AA Compression Formed, Super Target & SuperX sometimes called "Universal")
- Most agree that the Win AA HS is the 2nd best 20ga hull to reload
- All Win 20ga reload the same: old style CF, new AA HS, and the thinner walled Super Target and SuperX hulls
- Win AAHS have less capacity than most all other 20ga hulls, proper wad selection to fid the load in is critical. Not as hard with 3/4oz loads.
- Old Win AA Compression Formed (single piece hulls) are considered good (like Rem GC) if you can get them.
- Many folks don't like reloading 2 piece hulls with concerns about basewad separating and lodging in barrel
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=255210
- Almost everyone agrees the cheap Win SuperTarget hulls with with steel head are poor, mostly due to steel head expanding and getting stuck in chambers
20 gauge hull cut aways, Win "Universal", AA HS, CF; Rem ...
All win load the same. Hard to see, but the plastic sides are much thicker for the AA than for either the Super X or Super target, I put the side ...
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=418214
Win Super Target hulls - Any good? • Shotgunworld.com
I picked up some 20 ga. Winchester Super Target hulls that my skeet partner was using. Appears to be a 2-piece hull with a plastic base-wad.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=234481
Win AAHS and Super Target difference • Shotgunworld.com
The other (Win Super Target) is a steel based hull that I throw away, but I suppose could be reloaded in a pinch. The AAHS is much easier to ...
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=398394
Win. Super Target • Shotgunworld.com
Winchester Super Target I've been saving these hulls, hoping to buy a reloader. Now's the time, but I'm not sure if these can be reloaded.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=40395
Win Super Target hulls • Shotgunworld.com
I picked up a bunch of Win super target hulls at the club on Sat. They look cheap and I've seen all the bad publicity about the Universal hulls ...
shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=191066
20ga. Win Super Target, Universals • Shotgunworld.com
The Win Universal hull is probably the worst hull for reloading of all the new shells on the market today. Win recommends that they not be ...
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=208071
Straight-Walled Euro-Hulls: Cheddite, Fiocchi, Rio, Estate
- Some folks don't like these, saying they don't get good numbers of reloads
- Some folks DO like them, saying they get good reloads.
- Ballistic Products Inc uses these mostly in their loads, so if you're using their data you'll use these hulls
- Many powders that are becomming more common and easier to find (Vectan, Nobel Sport, Maxxum, CSB) give most recipes with euro hulls.
- pre-primed hulls are avail from BPI and can be good as no hazmat is charged
Crimping NEW Cheddite hulls • Shotgunworld.com
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=321475
Reloading Rio Hulls • Shotgunworld.com
Can someone direct me to, or send me recipes for loading 2 3/4" 12, 16, 20 gauge Rio hulls? I have data from BPI but it is pretty restricted and ...
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=246027
Rio shotshell primer, and issues with Rio basewad damaging wad with low powder charges:
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=245474
3. Fitting stuff in the hulls for good crimp
- With only 3/4oz of shot, just about everything is guaranteed to fit--the problem is filling up hull enough to have good crimps that are not dished.
- Some folks recommend the 7/8oz CB wad (Win AA replacement CB1078-20). However, Claybuster now makes a 3/4oz wad specifically for 20ga, the CB1075-20. This is basically the 7/8oz wad with a plastic lump in the shot cup that takes up some space, making the 3/4oz of shot come up to the top of the wad. Using zero wad pressure is a good starting spot, just look to make sure the top of the shot cup is aligned with the "crimp edge" on the hull. Slightly high should compress fine during final crimp; but too low will allow hull walls to be unsupported and can give hull buckling or crushed crimps; and for sure will give dished crimps though that's not a real problem. Either CB wad will work in my experience; try both and see which one requires the lease tweaking of your press.
- If some filler is needed to get the powder/wad/shot stack up high enough, you can use a wad in the base of shot cup, or an OverShot card, or plop a cheerio in there on top. I've tried it with Win Universal (super tgt) hulls which needed filler, all three worked but I found just using a cheerio on top the easiest.
4. Recipes and Powders:
- Alliant give recipes for 3/4oz loads in Winchester and Remington hulls only, using American Select, Green Dot, Unique, and 20/28. Pressures also go in that order, with American Select highest around 11,000psi, GD 9-11,000, Unique 7500-9000, and 20/28 fromm 6500-8200. Powder weights are between 12.5gr and 16.5 gr.
Powder density goes from 20/28 being most dense, then Unique, then Am Select, and Green Dot being the most bulky. This makes Green Dot a very good powder-- high bulk to fill up the shells giving good crimp, and also good pressures to give clean consistent burning: not too low, but not too high either making a forgiving powder.
- I've loaded Win AA/HS, Win Comp Formed (old), Win Universal shells with: (Unique, 20/28, Green Dot). I liked Green Dot the best, very good metering for consistent loads and light recoil.
- Hodgdon also gives recipes for 3/4oz loads in Win and Rem hulls only. They give recipes for 3 powders: Winchester Super Handicap, IMR PB (discontinued), and Hodgdon International Clays. I haven't loaded any Hodgdon/IMR/Win powders in 3/4oz 20ga loads; others may have, and hopefully they'll chime in below if so.
- Lyman 5th Ed gives NO 3/4oz recipes for 20ga.
- BPI in their "Advantages" load manual gives 120 recipes for hulls by Cheddite, Fiocchi, and Rio; using their wads, and most powders possible. They have recipes for 5/8oz - 13/16 oz. There are also 10 or so recipes for Win AAHS, Fed, and Rem STS/Premier using BPI or gualandi wads. Powders they cover that are not covered by Alliant or Hodgdon websites are 700x, 800x, Clays, Solo1000, Herco, and the discontinued SR7625 and SR4756.
- OF NOTE: Any 7/8oz load can be used and just reduce the shot charge to 3/4oz, safely, as this will reduce pressures from the already published acceptable ones. Using a recipe up 10-11,000psi should ensure sufficient pressure still to get good burns and function.