I purchased myself my 20 gauge semi tonight.I went with the sx4 nwtf, I wasn't planning on a new 20 gauge but It just came down to wanting a semi in 20 gauge, and seeing as I sold my sxp longbeard that I could never really get a liking for, I went sx4. I plan on putting a vortex venom on it before April.
I already have a few chokes to try, along with the .570 briley it comes with, I have
-.565 Carlson's turkey
-.560 Kicks gobllin' thunder
-.570 Primos tight wad
-.555 Indian creek
I also have lots of ammo to test and put through it when it warms up in March.
Aaahhhh nothing like a new toy/project! Enjoy!
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Awesome man what made you chose that over other options ? Retay just released a 20 gauge in a 22
inch barrel I am really wanting to try it over my Benelli M2
That should be a good shooter.
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I received the gun today,they delivered it before 11 am.I purchased it Monday evening around 830pm. 1.5 days to my door,Incredible and the reason why I paid for courier instead of Canada post (Crap) $10.00, instead of free,4 months later shipping from the most useless business I've dealt with.
I put it together after supper,I took the spacer out.The fit is awesome,shoulders perfect.I wiped the oil off,It was oiled up pretty good.I won't be shooting it for probably 5-6 weeks but It was nice to get it. I am going to order $500 worth of ammo in 20 gauge, I was already planning on buying the ammo, I still have 10 boxes of hevi mag blend,5 boxes of kent 2k7, 2 boxes of #7 federal tss,1 box of long beard 5's and 3 boxes of longbeard 6's and 2 Federal 3rd degree and a box of hevi 6, with some other average 20 gauge turkey shells.
As of this time, I plan on 5 boxes of kent tk7,4 boxes of mag blend(all they have), 1 box of longbeard 6's, 1 box of hevi 6 and 5 boxes of Federal 3rd degree.
I want to stock up a little more in case ammo prices jump even higher the price for 20 gauge tss 7's has went up 18 dollars a box of 5 in 2 years....they can shove them up their arse, I am not paying any crook that.It isnt even about the money. I just am tired of them trying to bend you over and rape you, for everything. Choke on them.
In place of the Kent TK7 ,try some of the Boss Tom 20 gauge in 7s. They load the same 7 that's in the Kent and that was in the Federal Heavyweight (15g/cc) and it comes in a 3" 1.1/2 oz load opposed to a 1 3/8oz load. AND they are $25/box of 5.
bossshotshells.com
Id try them if I can find them up here,I'm still buying more kent tk7's as I have two setups they shoot very well from.
I tried a few different optics on it tonight to see what I liked the best, I mounted a Bushnell trs 25,vortex venom and a Bushnell trophy w/circle plex and I like the scope. I left the scope on the gun. It just comes up and shoulders the way I like it.
Best of luck with it....
Good luck with the new project
Pics??
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My plan for next Saturday is too take it and get it dialed in, and maybe try a few shells to pattern it. It is supposed to be -9 and sunny with very little wind,unlike this weekend, -33 and now snow. If I do I will try and get some pictures of the patterns and the gun in the snow. I packed....
-Kicks gobbilin thunder .560
- Primos tightwad .570
-Briley .570
For this gun, I'm going to try...
-longbeard #6
-mag blend
-kent tk 7
-Fed 3rd degree (new) They shot awesome from sxp with tightwad choke
I was planning on heading out today to shoot a few guns but we had a huge snowstorm and I can't get in too where I was going, for a few weeks at least. I did however, purchase some more ammo and a new sling for the sx4 and ended up with a bushnell trs 25 on it. I used the scope for another setup.
I've been waiting for a bushnell reflex to arrive,It did today and this gun will be heading out this weekend to be sighted in and patterned.
Let us know how it goes. I have an SX4 on the way. Its the 20 Ga. Hybrid Bottomland and Cerakote combo and I can't wait. I will now have two SX3's and an SX4. My 12 GA SX3 has been my favorite turkey gun of all and I have owned a few big names. I am looking forward to carrying around a 20 with TSS.
I also have an Indian Creek .570 and Sumtoy .570 to pattern with. Will probably also pick up a Carlsons and Indian Creek in .575 too
My X3 longbeard does very well with a Truelock .585 and handloaded tss.
Ya, looks like rain all weekend.I will probably wait until the long weekend f that is the case,I am not going to shoot tss from ths gun,I already have 2 others I am. I will post up when I get it out, I still have a month to go and half my guns to test out yet. I am waiting on a few from the dippers,he says they should be shipping this week,only 3 weeks behind what he told me, typical of these guys from my experiences with bows or guns,oh well.
The weather now looks decent for Saturday,so I will be taking a few guns to pattern in the am,including the sx4.
I tried 4 different chokes and about 6 different shells through this gun earlier and was really shocked at how pathetic any of them patterned. I am going back up in a few minutes with just this gun and going to run an ic .555 after I double check I am still sighted in, It was cold, +2, but I had all my other (7) guns sighted in and patterned easy today, It has warmed a bit,there is hardly any wind. I ran a .560 kicks, .565 carlson, .570 tightwad and the stock .570 briley .
I tested every shell but the kitchen sink but I am going to do it again and maybe bring out the big shell if needed. I didnt take pictures today,I have to admit I was frustrated and just put this gun away, I even ran a snake through it as I went. I am determined to get it ready tonight for season.
I spent another hour this evening and have got it 90% ready, It took me a lot more fussing around than I thought it would. I've never had a shotgun that seems this finicky with most loads and chokes.The .555 Ic and Tss #7 is what I will be shooting and I ended up mounting one of my Bushnell 1.75 circle plex camo scopes on it and I ran out of Tss #7's. I had to adjust scope down a few more clicks after last shot. I need 1 more shot to confirm,just for my piece of mind even though I know it is now dialed in and patterned.
I was not planning on this gun being picky. I'll post picture of final session,in the next few weeks as I still have a few guns to pattern.
I still had a box of federal #7 tss here at the house but went and purchased the last 2 that the lgs has and will have before season. I will be purchasing a 2nd IC .555 choke as this one is for my Browning and I don't want to be switching them back and forth.
I am not sure what to think of the gun,I like the way it fits me and the gun seems to function flawlessly but I am disappointed in how it patterns so far with everything but an .555. Oh well.I found what It likes and what It doesn't.
I'll be trying my SX4 with a .570 Indian Creek and .570 Sumtoy in a few weeks. This will be with Apex 3" number 8's. I'll let you know how this combo works.
This is going to be mainly a backup gun to my SX3 but I will pattern it in a few weeks.
I would shoot tss #9's out of all my 20's if they were legal,7's are the smallest we are allowed to use by law right now and this is the 5th season they are legal. I do wish in the near future our mnr makes the switch to allow smaller shot and .410's but they are always a decade behind in Ontario.
So until that day I'll just setup different guns with different shells for something to tinker with and a hobby to enjoy when I can't hunt anything. I decided to start logging all my notes in an actual notepad so I will have everything in writing for all my turkey guns,what choke,shell,sight and how far i patterned them,40 yards....on here but in the "real" world.My notebook may have more info..............good luck with the new toy.
From my experience and from what I have read, the Winchesters prefer a more open choke. Try a .585
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I have read that,I however had a 20 ga sxp longbeard that shot every choke and shell as I have tried from this gun, very well. I may have to give a .585 a chance,after this year as I'd like to shoot something other than tss if I could from this gun.....Thanks.
I went ahead and purchased a .585 trulock ported choke for this gun. I have 3 weeks until the day until our season opens so I am going to wait until I have this choke to shoot this again,I am hoping I have them(ordered for two guns) by the Saturday before the hunt so I can pattern. I just figured,I have tested all other constrictions and not been pleased, I may as well test the .585. I have been reading and watching choke videos,and for some reason I am really interested in George Trulock's chokes after watching how they are manufactured.
They still cost me $100.00 after exchange rate and shipping fees,so basically same as a local Carlson's which are all out of stock.Easy choice.
Let us know how it goes. Everyone seems to love Indian Creek .570 and .575 in these guns. I have the .570 just waiting on them to stock .575. I will be testing out my gun soon with two different .570's and Apex 3" 8's.
I am going to take this gun tomorrow morning and spend some more time seeing If I can get it patterned and shooting something,I have time and am waiting on a .585 choke anyway so I figured I may as well take more time as I have every other gun patterned and ready to roll for the 25th now.
I went and shot and patterned this gun again at 9am, I thought I'd try a bushnell trs 25 on it and a .570 primos as I had used the .570 on an sxp and had excellent patterns.I can't say what changed today, whether It is that the gun now has 60ish shells through It and I have bore snaked it 30 times but It was night and day difference from my previous outings,night and day.
I first set up at 18 yards to make sure my trs was on,I was high,and too the right, 3 hevi x shells later I was "perfect". So I moved my bench back to a range lazered 40 yards as always and fired...
-Fed 3rd degree "new" 5,6,7-Left Target
-Fed Grand Slam #5's- Middle Target
-Browning Bxd #5's- Right Target
The Browning was the first shell I fired at 40 yards and was still "high" so I adjusted after the shot. I also did fire a Tss #7 as well,however It was from further than 40 yards so I won't post it. :drool:
Too say I am happy and relieved is an understatement. I'll check the .585 out when It arrives, but this gun is ready to rock some heads!
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I did not bother patterning hevi 6, longbeard #5's or 6's because I will be shooting these from the gun. I did fire a hevi x strut at 40 yards and It isn't worth posting,I have 3 of those shells left out of 2 packs,all they are good for is getting a red dot close, from the numerous different chokes/guns I tried with them,lol.
I am still "high" because I like my pattern that way,It's just where I aim on bird,It is comfortable to me and has worked for over 25 years. Good luck this spring to everyone. 2 weeks to the day for me!
I had a few good hunts opening day and Monday,I just never pulled the trigger as I had a new turkey hunter with me and the toms stayed just out of distance. I went for an hour before work on Tuesday but the birds were not treed close so I went to work.
I got up at 330 am and went to a spot I have killed some birds in the past and all I can say is what a morning,I have had some great ones but this is right up there, just for the amount of birds and the 17 jakes running off 6 toms.I thought,oh well.What a show for 30 minutes and then the bird that was gobbling 150 yards to my right walked right in a line towards me after a few little calls,he thought I was the group of birds that was leaving to my left.
This was my first time in the woods with the new sx4, I range finded this bird at 38 yards and I shot him at 34 yards. This is a good bird for this area. I was in a rush to get him home and cleaned before I had to be at work, for 730am.I shot him at 621 am this morning. Pictures suck,I wish I had somebody around to get pics and I wasn't late already.
Rain tonight and tomorrow,I am heading back up to my camp after work tomorrow,I will have the "new" turkey hunter with me this weekend,maybe he will get lucky.
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Congrats on a nice Tom, anywhere let alone the frozen north. Still happy with the gun?
Yes,more than happy with the gun.I am going to spend some more time after season and into summer testing the .585 trulock.This gun is away for the year now.
The Friday and Saturday that just passed we had 50 mph winds and snow,It was -11 when we woke up for the Saturday morning hunt,at 4am. That morning felt like I was sitting in my stand bow hunting in late December, in top 3 coldest mornings in 25 years I have turkey hunted in.
We had some action late morning but never had them close enough and this morning I called a tom into range for my "new" turkey hunter and well, Mr Tom walked off as I have come to think he got turkey "fever" and hesitated.The bird was maybe 23 yards at most.It boils down to inexperience, I had a clear shot and could have shot but I didn't want to be a bird bully,we talked and there will be no next time,I will take the shot. Fun morning though.Tommy had the last laugh.
I was reading some of your posts' and you sound like a great role model and one hell of a human being!!! Congratulations on a nice big bird and keep up with takin new hunters, cuz they are our future.