I’m a firm believer in having the appropriate tools to encourage a successful outcome. This can apply to things from home improvement adventures to recipes – you must use the right ingredients to make the magic happen. With that in mind, I set out to find the perfect sub-gauge dove hunting recipe. And here’s what I came up with: The Krieghoff K-20 Victoria in 28-gauge paired with a delightful selection of Fiocchi and B&P ammunition. I decided to field test it while shooting doves in Texas.
Let’s Set the Table
Why 28 gauge? Several reasons. First, I have a passion for sub-gauge, “fun-sized” guns. The dainty, elegant shells make my heart smile. The 28 gauge has tremendous nostalgia for me as a classic and timeless platform. Many assert the pattern is “perfect.” While I do not claim to know all the technical support behind that assertion, my personal experience has been that the pattern performs exceptionally well for the typical charge weights involved.
Second, I don’t like recoil. I shoot and hunt for fun and sore clavicles and recoil-induced headaches don’t fall under that construct. I also know that I am not alone in that opinion. Our shooting and hunting population is concentrated in a couple of areas at the moment. We have our OG members who have higher mileage, artificial joints and assorted struggles that come with age. Their idea of a good time might not involve 3-½ inch magnums out of a 12-gauge pump, or even the standard dove loads.
The other group is the new additions – youth, women and new(er) shooters. Again, heavy recoil and over-sized shotguns are not big selling points. Thus, the rise of the sub-gauge.
Fiocchi Ammunition has made this realization and taken a leading role in the sub-gauge hunting load market. They have created a large variety of effective, purpose-built loads designed with the sub-gauge hunter in mind. These offerings have leveled the playing field in many ways for those that choose to take these fun sized platforms out to play.
Perfect Pairings
Just like dove goes with cream cheese and jalapenos on a grill, Fiocchi 28-gauge ammunition needs to find it’s “just right” fit. For this project, I selected the Krieghoff K-20 Victoria in 28 gauge. There are a few reasons for this.
First, the Krieghoff Victoria is a woman’s shotgun. From the correctly contoured butt pad to the flawlessly balanced Parcours barrels, the Victoria is made for the female hunter and shooter.
The K-20 Victoria in 28 gauge is built on the 20-gauge frame. While not a true scaled 28 frame, it handles with a sense of nimble responsiveness in the hands associated with the more diminutive sub-gauge.
For barrel length, I went with 30-inch barrels. This may sound long for a field gun, but balance is everything here. One of the most note-worthy aspects of Krieghoff shotguns in general is the movement of which the guns are capable. One huge benefit to the longer barrels is the melted-caramel-like swing on longer targets – feathered or otherwise. It truly is magical to behold.
Next, the 28-gauge Victoria is chambered to accommodate 3-inch shells. This is a unique feature that allows me to capitalize on the 3-inch ammunition options offered by Fiocchi. Up until recently most 28-gauge shotguns were chambered to only accommodate 2-¾ inch shells, essentially capping the full potential of this great gauge. Krieghoff was one of the first builders to chamber their over/under 28s in the 3-inch configuration.
Additionally, I wanted to showcase that sub-gauge hunting was not for strictly up-close encounters. The goal of this project was to highlight the viability of sub-gauges, specifically the 28, when paired with modern ammunition innovation in diverse hunting situations.
We have the recipe!
I had an opportunity to try this combination this fall. I was able to head to Texas in late September to put this recipe to the test. Having hunted doves in both Texas and Argentina, I was familiar with the hunting style and method. That said, my previous experiences had involved guns I had never shot before and very close-range targets.
This hunt was a bit different. Instead of a borrowed gun and doves that practically buzzed the tower, I had a shotgun I have spent a lot of time with and doves that never came closer than 50 yards. The doves offered shots between 50 and 75 yards, providing a perfect proving ground for my new recipe!
The Hunt
Feeling optimistic, I started the first evening hunt with a traditional dove hunting load – Baschieri & Pellagri (B & P) #7.5s, Heavy Dove and Quail loads. After several misses and even more halted attempts due to distance, I dumped my shell pouch back in my shooting bag and opened a box of Fiocchi 3-inch nickel plated 6s Golden Pheasant shells. And the game changed.
Before we move onto what happens next, I want to showcase the WHY behind both types of ammunition. Frequently ammunition containers have pictures on the box depicting possible applications. Whether it’s a solid for dangerous game hunting, an expandable for whitetails or a personal defense round focused on two-legged targets, there is usually a picture on the box showing potential end usage.
That said, you can evaluate an ammunition by its features and pair it with your end goal over and above its advertised purpose (check the applicable laws and regulations to make sure you remain within them as it pertains to ammunition selection – i.e. steel or bismuth vs. lead on waterfowl).
B&P makes dedicated dove and quail loads. However, I elected to take their Upland Game varietal for a couple of reasons. First, the pattern is designed to remain tighter at longer distances. Things like rabbits and sage grouse require more energy transfer to achieve the desired terminal effects upon impact. Shooting a sub-gauge generally means fewer pellets going down range. This means you need to make every pellet count. You can do this by maintaining a denser pattern and also having each individual pellet deliver more energy via weight or material (these are inter-connected and are a story all their own).
The B&P traditional 28-gauge Dove and Quail load in 7.5 had the following specs:
The Upland Game load in 7.5:
Fiocchi Golden Pheasant (6s)
To compare the B&P Upland Game load and the Fiocchi NPL 6s, I patterned them both at 50 yards. The choke combo was the same as in the field – Mod/IMod.
Both loads yielded a very good, consistent pattern at 50 yards. Density was similar. The pellet size was not an apples to apples comparison, however (7.5 vs. 6). The game changer was the depth of the pellet strikes in the grease paint on the board for the Fiocchi. This demonstrated what I would soon learn in the field – pattern is only part of the process. Energy on target is critical for birds in the bag.
Let’s see what happens after I switched to the Fiocchi Golden Pheasant Nickel Plated 6s.
The birds still flew in at a tantalizing 50-75 yards, but this time they dropped more often than not after I squeezed the trigger. Before long, there was a nice pile of doves, underscoring the importance of ammunition selection.
As I fantasized about bacon wrapped dove atop a cushion of cream cheese in a jalapeno nest on the grill, I contemplated what I had just learned. While I have long since recognized the important relationship between purpose-driven ammunition and appropriate pursuit, never has it been more apparent than with this particular experiment.
Confidence and Connection
As I wiped the victorious mix of feathers and sweat off my gun that night, I walked through some of my shots and sight pictures from the evening. One thing became abundantly clear – confidence in your recipe is imperative for success. I was confident in the shotgun on several levels. I knew both the fit and balance of the K-20 Victoria very well. When a shotgun fits correctly it becomes an extension of your body, mind and vision. But that’s only part of the equation.
You can have all the confidence in the world in your firearm, but it takes the right ammunition to connect.
Fiocchi Ammunition has recognized the societal shift to sub-gauges and has answered the call for purpose built, top-tier ammunition offerings. They have built a line-up that is both diverse and functional for sub-gauge wing shooters. I know what will be on my list for my next wing shooting adventure!
Check out Fiocchi and Baschiere-Pellegri for more information on ammunition offerings.
Andrea Bogard’s love for the range began at 12 with competitive handgun and expanded to encompass sporting clays a few years later. She became an NSCA instructor at 18 years old and spent the next 18 years getting married and raising two sons, ages 17 and 9 currently. Andrea started hunting six years ago and learned to shoot a rifle and a bow. She is now 41, a full-time writer, homeschool mom and business owner and has hunted three countries, three continents and 19 states. Her sons and lab (Mr. Moose) are the focus of her world. View all posts by Andrea Bogard
Start the Conversation