Best 20 Gauge Ammo: Upland, Youth and Field Loads

Why 20 gauge, and what this guide covers

The 20 gauge does almost everything a 12 does in the uplands, with a lighter gun and less recoil. That makes it the default for youth shooters, smaller-framed adults and anyone who walks a long way between flushes.

This guide is organized by job: clays and practice, doves and quail, pheasants, small game, and youth shooters. Home-defense use is a separate topic and not covered here. Prices change often, so check the retailer links for current listings, or browse BuyMoreAmmo's 20 gauge ammo page.

Reading a 20 gauge box

Every shotshell box tells you four things that matter:

• Shell length, usually 2-3/4 or 3 inches. Your gun's chamber length is stamped on the barrel. Never fire a shell longer than the chamber.
• Payload, the weight of shot in ounces. In 20 gauge, 7/8 oz is the common target and field weight and 1 oz is a heavier field load.
• Shot size. Bigger numbers mean smaller pellets. Shot sizes step about 0.25 mm per number, with #7 shot at about 2.5 mm.
• Velocity or dram equivalent. A dram is 1/16 ounce. "Dram equivalent" is a holdover from black powder days and today works mostly as a velocity rating.

The picks, by use

Other common 7/8 oz target loads listed at Ammunition Depot include Remington Gun Club #9, a good skeet load, and Winchester USA Game & Target #8.

Shot size cheat sheet

These are common starting points, not rules. Bird size, season, range and your choke all shift the best answer. Waterfowl and many public lands require non-toxic shot, so read the regulations before you pack lead.

Youth and recoil-shy shooters

A 20 gauge is not automatically gentle. A light youth gun with a 1 oz magnum load can kick hard. A few rules keep new shooters smiling:

1. Start with 7/8 oz target loads. They are the lightest common 20 gauge loads and usually the most budget-friendly for practice.
2. Fit the gun. A stock that is too long makes any load feel worse. Youth stocks and adjustable stocks help.
3. Keep sessions short. Stop before the shooter gets tired. A flinch learned early is hard to unlearn.
4. Use hearing and eye protection every time. That includes spectators.
5. Save field loads for the field. Practice with target loads; switch to heavier loads only for the hunt.

Semi-autos and light loads

Pumps and break-actions fire anything that fits the chamber. Semi-autos need enough recoil or gas to cycle. Manufacturers often publish a minimum load. Benelli, for example, lists a minimum recommended load of 2-1/2 dram, 7/8 oz for its 20 gauge M2 Field models. Check your manual before buying cases of the lightest target loads.

Chokes for 20 gauge

Choke matters as much as the shell. As a general guide, more constriction means a tighter pattern: Improved Cylinder puts about half the pellets in a 30-inch circle at 40 yards, Modified about 60 percent, and Full about 70 percent. Close quail and skeet favor Skeet or Improved Cylinder; doves and pheasants at longer range often favor Modified. If you shoot slugs, stay with open chokes or a rifled choke tube.

Lead, steel and where you hunt

All the picks above use lead shot, which is fine for most upland hunting on private land. Federal rules require non-toxic shot for waterfowl, and many state wildlife areas and some public lands require it for other birds too. Steel, bismuth and tungsten loads are made in 20 gauge for those situations.

Steel is lighter than lead, so hunters usually go up one or two shot sizes when switching, for example from #6 lead to #4 steel. Steel also patterns tighter through the same choke. Check that your choke tubes are rated for steel before using it, especially in older guns.

Storage and carry tips

• Color matters. Many makers use yellow hulls for 20 gauge so they stand out from 12 gauge shells. Do not rely on color alone; read the headstamp and the box.
• Use separate shell bags if you own guns in more than one gauge, and empty your vest pockets between hunts.
• Keep shells cool and dry. Paper and plastic hulls can swell with moisture, which can cause feeding trouble.

A note on slugs and buckshot

Ammunition Depot also carries 20 gauge slugs and buckshot in its 20 gauge section. Slugs are legal deer ammunition in many shotgun-only zones. If you hunt deer with a 20, read our sabot slugs explainer to see whether your barrel suits sabots or smoothbore slugs.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications, retailer listings and published sources. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and the law where you live.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links to Ammunition Depot. We may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial choices are not influenced by commissions. Check current price, stock and specifications directly with the retailer.