I took my son and nephew jackrabbit hunting in Hamilton county. I was trying some different loads but none of them worked well for out set up. Basically, the shots were all about 40 yards. They were using IC and I was on a mod choke.

Next hunt we will all use full

I tired a 9 pellet #1 buck load... Not good at that range... Too sparse

1 oz #5 load... Seemed to be the best but didn't have great penetration

1 oz #6... Meh. Great up to 20 yards.

So, for big, heavy TX jacks... What should I be stoking my 20 with. Yeah, I may switch back to a 12 with heavy #4 loads but the kids can't handle that yet.

Mod choke. With duck loads(steel) for speed/penetration and pattern at that range.

Try a load meant for pheasant. High velocity copper plated #4's. Federal makes a real good one. I use them for knocking squirrel off at ranges up to 40 yards. You don't really need a dense pattern, a couple of pellets hitting the right spot does the trick.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/i...ounds?a=1594534

#4 up to BB....

I think Academy has some affordable #4 pheasant loads. I will look for some #4 buckshot as well. That should have 29 or so pellets.

I got some 1oz #4s at Academy and also found some 20 ga 1 oz #2 lead loads at chearerthandirt. Those are legal on public land too. So, i should be set for a while. Let's hope the year has a lot of huntng in it

The #2s worked very well. I still had to double tap most of them though. Jacks are the opposite of dove... Easy to hit but hard to kill. They are tough esp this time of year. The #4s probably worked better that the 5s and I think they patterned better in my sons's 870.

I'd use 1 ounce #4. I've never heard of anybody killing Jacks or cotton tails this time of year. Everyone I know waits well after the first freeze to ensure they don't have worms.

I would not hunt cottons now, I agree on that. The jacks are used primarily as food for the goat dogs and catfish bait.

If it is pest control and you don't mind wiping them out in one night you need to use a suppressed .257 caliber PCP Airgun with a Thermal scope. Yes I know it's cheating but I do what works!

If you really want some fun and good practice, do it with your deer rifle. If you can throw dirt on a running jack with a rifle your doing pretty good. Pop and I use to do that before season opened, but that was when we were walking and rocking canyons down by the Pecos.

always used .22lr

I think 4's will work, but at 40 yards I would expect some 2 shot kills. Closer should be fine. 22lr is better....

at 40yds I think the choke was your biggest problem. a full choke with a reg #6 lead or any buckshot smaller than 0 should be fine. a IPC choke In my experience is useless unless your targets are just very well within range. and at 40yds even a mod, expecially with the lighter shot charge in a 20ga is just pretty thin.

An update... LOL

I found the last case (I think) of Aguila #2 lead birdshot in 20 ga. 1oz last year. Great stuff but not findable any longer. I use what's left of that as 2nd/3rd shots and suppliment fast 1oz #4 pheasant loads for the 1st shot and for smaller game. I am making sure to use full choke also. #2s sledgehammer jacks.

But, next go around, I am going to use fast-steel #2 (1400fps) and see how they do. They have about 40% more pellets than #2 lead and their energy at 50 yards should be the same as #4 lead. That's my max range anyway. Testing side by side with lead will be tough due to chock restrictions on steel.

If anyone cares, I'll keep you updated. Oh, and public hunting grasslands around me restrict max shot size to #2 anyway so buckshot it out of the question.

This...only thing I’ve ever used

Less recoil, better for learning accuracy...

Fall Jacks are a tougher breed. The 17hmr works much better. After about 50 yards the 22 loses too much steam

Try a CCI stinger

I like #4 for all small game. I use remingtons cheap #6 on cottontails and grey squirrels but if I am in fox squirrel territory I take #4's. Federal's #4 heavy game loads work fine and still fairly cheap but I like Remington Express better. My longest kills with a 12 gauge were with the Remington Express shells.

I wouldn't use 6 on jacks unless they were pretty close. I have seen fox squirrels take 3 or 4 good hits, so multiple pellets, from #6's around 40-50 yards and just stiffen up and keep going after every hit. I think jacks might be even tougher animals.

Flip side an accurate pellet gun works great hehe.

The closest shot I got last weekend was about 40 yards and up to 60... 2 or 3 shots of #2 got it done but I want better. So I just purchased 8lb of B shot (.17 ball) and a turkey choke. We'll see how that works

Please let us know!

Have you made it out to try the 20 gauge B loads?

17 HMR or #2's if you're shooting up to 60 yards.

Yes... Last Oct... The 20 ga loads were either 1oz of Bs or half/half B/5s with the original powder charge in place. Both loads hit like a sledgehammer to at least 50 yards. I was very pleased with them.

I got one reloading tip from a site, use a wood screw 2 screw into the top of the crimp and then you can pull it open with the threads of the screw after you they are a little deeper. Works like a charm.

I worked up some similar loads and 12 gauge with also wonderful results. I think I found a good all-purpose Jack load.

BTW, everyone on the reloading forum thought I was crazy and going to kill myself but I had no signs of pressure problems and shell ejection was very normal

Double