After a long wait, my new 20 arrived today. It fits well and should be fun on a covey rise. I may try it out on ducks later on, though it won’t be a regular for such.
It weighs about 5 3/4 pounds, so I probably shouldn’t use too heavy of a load. Here are the gun’s specs.
Some of you fellows really know your stuff. Suggestions?

Well, that’s obviously a very nice gun. It was made to be a game gun, not a heavy fowling piece. No fleur de lis steel shot proof mark, also Notice the 950 bar proof…..for duck loads, you’d want the barrels proofed just a bit higher, usually in the 1200 bar range. The 2 3/4” chambers will also limit what loads you can shoot out of your gun.
If you were planning on shooting steel, that really limits your options.
Non-tox like TM or Bismuth gives you a few options, just remember that larger shot rarely patterns well out of a 20 bore.

What kind of ducks? Teal, gadwall, woodies, Widgeon you should be fine if your in reasonable range and using a high quality, moderate velocity non-tox like Tm or bismuth.

Unless you had a spot where you can shoot big ducks within 15 to 20 yards, I’d probably hold off and use a different gun capable of using more efficient loads.

I'd agree the everything Dustin said.

Being from GA you will likely be using it on woodies, maybe a few early teal, and possibly gadwall as they have become more prevalent here over the last 10 years. I will be doing a bit of experimenting on woodies myself with a 20 this year. I don't recall ever using a 20 for ducks, but I bought 14 boxes of 20 ga. NiceShot and bismuth a few months ago from a friend, with the intent of trying my Parker 20 on them. I have no intention of ever using steel loads with a 20 for ducks.

Yes, we hunt woodies; usually about once a week during the season. Shots aren't that tough and easily manageable with a 20. I won't be using this gun regularly on ducks, which lets me consider a legal load besides steel. I use Hevi-Metal a good bit ordinarily, but bismuth or tungsten might be good for the bit I'll be using this gun. I'm mostly trying to be conscious of finding a modest load for a lighter gun.

Beautiful picture, spring. That's a pile of woodies, and some fine eatin'. And some fine shooting too, downing only three hens out of 17 woodies.

20 gauge loads would be fine on most of the woodies I shoot, with the exception of jump shooting them on creeks from my kayak.

It's a fun spot, Stanton. We usually have 6 hunters each time though sometimes let it ease up to 8. It's pretty much a social event with Jimmy Dean sausage biscuits being regular post hunt cuisine.....

Bismuth 5's and you will be in love with it.

I just checked with the dealer and he said that since the gun won't be getting a heavy diet of duck loads that he thought one-ounce shells would be just fine. I would have to think that finding 1 once loads would be easier than 7/8s.....

Vic, if you can find them the Kent Bismuth Upland would be acceptable in your H&H. The 20 gauge load is 1 ounce at 1200 fps and I would choose #5 shot.

Wow, shooting woodies with a new H & H, and bismuth................... now that's high cotton.

Great suggestion, Bob. I'll look for it. Hope all is well with you!

Don't know about that but it took me 20 years to find a good deal! If you're in my neighborhood anytime soon, at least you'll know why I'll only be eating beans for a while....

I shoot 3/4 oz of ITX 6's out of my light 16ga and 7/8 oz out of my 12. A 3/4 oz of 5 or 6 bismuth would work great. The real trick to killing waterfowl is wait until they are in lethal range of the load your using. Sometimes you have to pass on a few birds that are marginal shots.

That is a great shotgun to take some woodies with enjoy your duck dinner.

7/8 oz ITX 6's(bismuth works just as well)

Beans with a side of duck - yum!

Those are awful small Canada geese. Aleutian by chance?

looked agin at the picture of at least 16 dead wood ducks...seems excessive and down right irresponsible to kill that many...the old phrase "game hog"comes to mind...

16 ducks between 6-8 guys, sounds like a decent morning and not overly excessive. What does seem excessive is your ignorance Ed.

Thank you, Ed. I'm sure you know the limit, how many hunters we had that morning, and how many ducks are in the area. How many per person do you think is reasonable?

I count 17 birds in the photo. Assuming 6 hunters as Spring said and a 6 duck per hunter limit, that is less than half of the number of birds legally allowed (not taking into account any sublimits which are in effect some places ie. 6 ducks per day, no more than 4 of which can be Wood ducks or whatever). In any event, it’s not excessive at all and just looks like a heck of a good time!

The last thing I'd line up to do is to justify myself to a guy like Ed, but as you'll see from that day, our duck total was well under the limit. We carefully manage our harvest so that we can hunt the pond throughout the season. It's a lot of fun , especially when we have father/son combinations, as was the case again in this pic. It's special to introduce the next generation to good times in the outdoors.

You can also probably guess which of the two dogs did most of the work....

That looks like a happy group but the look on that boy's face says it all. Great job introducing them next generation to our sport!

Less than a GA limit for eight guys. Pretty clear that the elderly guy on the right end must have shot the merganser on the other end of the picture, because he is as far from it as he can get...Geo.

did not realize it was eight shooters...hope you left some to make more...

it still seems excessive and irresponsible to hit a flock so hard...it should not be all about taking...

an just noticed, not ah doublegon in the lot...

I realize that you know nothing about the number of ducks that pour through our area, and you prove that repeatedly as you continue to assume things that are beyond your comprehension. The old adage about "quit digging when you're in a hole" comes to mind here.

My only problem with the photos is that they remind me I haven't had a duck hunt like that for a couple years! But I leave for Manitoba next week and, although weather conditions haven't been optimal, hope springs eternal.

Your lack of knowledge knows no bounds. Flocks........... really? You know nothing about wood ducks, evidently.

Can you never be embarrassed by your ignorance?

Best wishes on your hunting trip.

Thanks Stan. I’m confident my buddies and I will have a good time. And hopefully shoot a few birds.