20 guage round ball load for whitetail deer

[Daryl]

This design doesn't beat you up, with any charge. The most I've shot from it is 120gr. 2F and a .600" ball, in .020" patch.
That is a snug load. I now use a .595" ball from a Tanner mould with the same patch.

[Mike from OK]

I've watched this thread with some interest as I am working on getting my .62/20 to shoot as accurately as it can.

Range is 50 yards. Patches were .018 ticking and .020 cotton from Track (EMSS brand I think)

I had worked my way up to 85 gr of Goex 3f and a .595 patched ball... Not accurate at all and punishing to shoot. So after reading some of the suggestions here I cracked open my can of Goex 2f and loaded up with 110 gr and .595 patched ball... Still no good. So I went to a .600 patched ball and started seeing a noticeable increase in accuracy. It's not fantastic, but it is better. Also less punishing to shoot.

I have some .610 balls but they are nearly impossible to patch. I may fire some bare just to see if they'll do anything. But I figure I will have to stick with .600 balls and try progressively heavier patching. I have some denim and linen that I can try... The linen mics about .025 to .026... I think the denim is .022 to .024... Not sure, been a while since I measured it.

Mike

[Daryl]

Depends on what the gun wants, of course.  In the above gun, I use a .595" ball from a www.ballmoulds.com (formerly jefftanner) mould
along with a .020" to .022" denim or ticking patch.  It shoots OK, I guess, for a smoothbore, but I am not quite happy with it. It is not nearly
 as accurate as Taylor's Rice Barreled Pennsylvania Fowler, with round balls, but I'll swear it shoots better patterns with shot. Mine has a weak
choke, but shoots about modified patterns. I've never done well at 50yards on paper, however it does shoot well at 25 to 30yards.
One of the lads here shoots nothing buy a 20 bore fouler he built. He uses a .020" ticking patch and 85gr. GOEX 3F along with a .595" tanner
mould ball, same as mine.

[Mike from OK]

Are you saying I should try moving closer Daryl?

My best group was about 7" @ 50 yds... Strung laterally... So I guess I have my elevation down. Lol

Mike

[Daryl]

On a broadside deer, 7" will kill deer all day long.
I've yet to beat that myself.  The ratio of group size at 25 to 30yards, did not carry to 50 yards.
In that it did not double, but actually multiplied by about 7 times.
I would be hard pressed at this point to take a 50yard shot with my gun - need more practice of load development
which is likely closer to the need.
Next time out, I will increase the speed, either by changing to 3F or simply increasing the load.  This load just
doesn't "cut it" for shooting much past 30 yards as another 20 yards just blew the group. Need more velocity,
 I think.

[Mike from OK]

I appreciate it Daryl... Guess when I go out for the postal shoot at 25 yds we'll see what happens.

I was going to try to go today... Would've been nice, 59° and light winds... But I figured I would be better served using the nice weather changing the belts on the truck.

Mike