Have many of you guys tried the 20? Are you happy with the experience? Just wondering the old 12`s have always done the job but they sure get heavy at times.
There is a 20 ga section on this site. Lots areusing them now. Technology is making them a great choice
Made the switch to 20 ga. years ago and have never been disappointed.
Switched this year best change I've ever made.
Used a 20 when I was younger. Switched to a 12 ga and swore I'd never go back. Ended up switching back to a 20 ga for squirrel hunting and eventually went with a 410. I've recently purchased a swanky 20 ga for turkeys. Once I find the choke it likes, I may never carry a 12 ga again.
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You touched on one of the advantages of the 20 gauge and that is weight. Another is recoil, and with the heavier than lead shot it is just as effective as the 12 gauge. I made the decision to go with the 20 a couple years ago. I have both the 12 gauge and 20 gauge 1300 and the 20 now goes with me most of the time.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190706/73493b5ac867c595a6d658e55ac9a31f.jpg)
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20 gauge and 410 , i'm glad i made the switch ... with the new shells ...
Son uses twentygauge he is 30years old and has killed many toms at various ranges. I'm 63 and will be switching to a twenty this year.
I started 40 years ago with a 2 3/4" 12 gauge.........then went to a 3" 12 gauge.........then the 3 1/2" 10 gauge........then the 3 1/2" 12 gauge. Two seasons ago I made the switch to a single barrel 3" 20 gauge which has been given the SumToy treatment. I am 150% satisfied with my decision.
20-ga and find it harder to go back to the 12-ga each year; 3" for everything but dove, quail and snipe.
For shooting ducks, I bought one box of 12-ga 3-1/2" and never bought another box once they were gone.
If using the 12-ga for turkeys, 3-1/2" is all I hunt with; notice I said hunt not shoot.
I got thinking this because the savage/stevens 301 20 gauge caught my eye but i have not handled one.
i tried one once for deer hunting years ago and i just didnt like it but like im hearing here ammunition has improved.
I have both and the I have never carried the 20 gauge yet. I like my 12 gauge and #5 lead shot. My 20 is a 40 yard gun all day long with federal hevi weight shells but I just dont feel the urge to carry it. It's been mentioned here before but many could afford to lose way more than a pound or two off their midsection and that would make more sense to me than a lighter gun. Cheaper too.
I started handloading tss several years back for a 20. I have 2 dedicated 20 ga turkey guns now. My 12's just take up space in my gun safe now. If I wver change , which is very unlikely , I will go backwards to a 410. When using tss in a 20 , it takes any advantage the 12 ga had away.
I went to a 20ga 7 seasons ago and except for using an old 12 gauge double once in a while, I plan on sticking with the 20g
I understand the losing a couple of pounds idea, that would be a benefit to a lot of hunters no matter what gun was carried,
But it is also a lot easier and less fatiguing to sit against a tree motionless while holding a lighter weight gun in the ready position for long periods of time. I appreciate a lighter weight gun more and more the older I get.
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 11:51:21 AM
I have both and the I have never carried the 20 gauge yet. I like my 12 gauge and #5 lead shot. My 20 is a 40 yard gun all day long with federal hevi weight shells but I just dont feel the urge to carry it. It's been mentioned here before but many could afford to lose way more than a pound or two off their midsection and that would make more sense to me than a lighter gun. Cheaper too.
But if we get cancer us fatties have a better chance of survival than a skinny.. :funnyturkey:
I haven't carried my 12 in two years now. Love the 20 and it's easier on the aging shoulder and the ears too.
Quote from: 1iagobblergetter on July 06, 2019, 01:23:52 PM
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 11:51:21 AM
I have both and the I have never carried the 20 gauge yet. I like my 12 gauge and #5 lead shot. My 20 is a 40 yard gun all day long with federal hevi weight shells but I just dont feel the urge to carry it. It's been mentioned here before but many could afford to lose way more than a pound or two off their midsection and that would make more sense to me than a lighter gun. Cheaper too.
But if we get cancer us fatties have a better chance of survival than a skinny.. :funnyturkey:
Lol. Speaking from experience, having lost nearly 70#, it doesn't make the gun any lighter in rough terrain. Don't get me wrong. Losing weight helped a lot. But, while in Colorado, an 11# gun was still an 11# gun. Switching to that model 7 after day 3 made a huge difference.
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I switched 4 years ago to the 20 and will never go back.
I switched to a 20 three years ago once I started hand loading tss 9's. Bought a 410 at the end of the season last year. No reason to go back to a 12.
My 12 never bothered me to carry it until I had shoulder surgery and they had to cut off the one head of my bicep muscle because it was to badly torn to repair. Now I notice it but will never get away from that gun, it is the first decent gun I ever owned and the only gun I have gotten decent eating animals with though they have been few because of hunting bad area's most of my life. I have it so good now where I hunt I am very fortunate.
Quote from: 1iagobblergetter on July 06, 2019, 01:23:52 PM
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 11:51:21 AM
I have both and the I have never carried the 20 gauge yet. I like my 12 gauge and #5 lead shot. My 20 is a 40 yard gun all day long with federal hevi weight shells but I just dont feel the urge to carry it. It's been mentioned here before but many could afford to lose way more than a pound or two off their midsection and that would make more sense to me than a lighter gun. Cheaper too.
But if we get cancer us fatties have a better chance of survival than a skinny.. :funnyturkey:
Yeah but I can hide against skinnier trees!
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 09:04:01 PM
Quote from: 1iagobblergetter on July 06, 2019, 01:23:52 PM
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 11:51:21 AM
I have both and the I have never carried the 20 gauge yet. I like my 12 gauge and #5 lead shot. My 20 is a 40 yard gun all day long with federal hevi weight shells but I just dont feel the urge to carry it. It's been mentioned here before but many could afford to lose way more than a pound or two off their midsection and that would make more sense to me than a lighter gun. Cheaper too.
But if we get cancer us fatties have a better chance of survival than a skinny.. :funnyturkey:
Yeah but I can hide against skinnier trees!
I had this problem plying paintball, no trees big enough to hid behind.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on July 06, 2019, 09:13:59 PM
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 09:04:01 PM
Quote from: 1iagobblergetter on July 06, 2019, 01:23:52 PM
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 11:51:21 AM
I have both and the I have never carried the 20 gauge yet. I like my 12 gauge and #5 lead shot. My 20 is a 40 yard gun all day long with federal hevi weight shells but I just dont feel the urge to carry it. It's been mentioned here before but many could afford to lose way more than a pound or two off their midsection and that would make more sense to me than a lighter gun. Cheaper too.
But if we get cancer us fatties have a better chance of survival than a skinny.. :funnyturkey:
Yeah but I can hide against skinnier trees!
I had this problem plying paintball, no trees big enough to hid behind.
Ahhh, paintball. I do miss that.
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In all serious the 20 will make a great Turkey gun with the right ammo. Nothing wrong with it at all. Whatever floats your boat. Maybe one day I will tote mine but as for now I am good with what I have carried for almost 20 years now.
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 11:51:21 AM
I have both and the I have never carried the 20 gauge yet. I like my 12 gauge and #5 lead shot. My 20 is a 40 yard gun all day long with federal hevi weight shells but I just dont feel the urge to carry it. It's been mentioned here before but many could afford to lose way more than a pound or two off their midsection and that would make more sense to me than a lighter gun. Cheaper too.
Lost a few around the midsection. The lighter gun sure is still nice. Lead in a 12 sure is cheaper , your right .
I will buy my more expensive shells by saving on the donuts I used to get for breakfast. lol
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 09:16:07 PM
In all serious the 20 will make a great Turkey gun with the right ammo. Nothing wrong with it at all. Whatever floats your boat. Maybe one day I will tote mine but as for now I am good with what I have carried for almost 20 years now.
Why do you think most of us are fat .. just because we're eating fried wild turkey, mash potatoes, biscuits and gravy .. peach cobbler and ice cream for desert , doesn't mean we are fat.. 20 gauge has never told me i was FAT... :TooFunny:
Quote from: wvmntnhick on July 06, 2019, 09:15:15 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on July 06, 2019, 09:13:59 PM
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 09:04:01 PM
Quote from: 1iagobblergetter on July 06, 2019, 01:23:52 PM
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 11:51:21 AM
I have both and the I have never carried the 20 gauge yet. I like my 12 gauge and #5 lead shot. My 20 is a 40 yard gun all day long with federal hevi weight shells but I just dont feel the urge to carry it. It's been mentioned here before but many could afford to lose way more than a pound or two off their midsection and that would make more sense to me than a lighter gun. Cheaper too.
But if we get cancer us fatties have a better chance of survival than a skinny.. :funnyturkey:
Yeah but I can hide against skinnier trees!
I had this problem plying paintball, no trees big enough to hid behind.
Ahhh, paintball. I do miss that.
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Me too, we played almost every weekend, that and riding my mountain bike most every day kept me in shape for hunting. I will tell you paintball made me a better hunter too, taught me how to blend into my surroundings better, how to move slower and quieter so I did not get shot as often and helped with taking my time and waiting for that perfect shot. (we used to do a game where you only got 1 ball in the hopper and you could not load another unless you hit somebody with it.)
Quote from: Sir-diealot on July 06, 2019, 09:23:39 PM
Quote from: wvmntnhick on July 06, 2019, 09:15:15 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on July 06, 2019, 09:13:59 PM
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 09:04:01 PM
Quote from: 1iagobblergetter on July 06, 2019, 01:23:52 PM
Quote from: Happy on July 06, 2019, 11:51:21 AM
I have both and the I have never carried the 20 gauge yet. I like my 12 gauge and #5 lead shot. My 20 is a 40 yard gun all day long with federal hevi weight shells but I just dont feel the urge to carry it. It's been mentioned here before but many could afford to lose way more than a pound or two off their midsection and that would make more sense to me than a lighter gun. Cheaper too.
But if we get cancer us fatties have a better chance of survival than a skinny.. :funnyturkey:
Yeah but I can hide against skinnier trees!
I had this problem plying paintball, no trees big enough to hid behind.
Ahhh, paintball. I do miss that.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Me too, we played almost every weekend, that and riding my mountain bike most every day kept me in shape for hunting. I will tell you paintball made me a better hunter too, taught me how to blend into my surroundings better, how to move slower and quieter so I did not get shot as often and helped with taking my time and waiting for that perfect shot. (we used to do a game where you only got 1 ball in the hopper and you could not load another unless you hit somebody with it.)
I much preferred the "spray and pray" method. Having said that, back on topic.
20 gauge. Load it. Shoot it. Watch stuff die. Good luck with it and I'm sure the OP will find a good choke/load that will do just as well as any 12 ga is doing. Side note: I felt like the Winchester LB's did well enough in terms of patterns for typical shotgun ranges. Bare one thing in mind. You'll run out of energy before you run out of pattern. It's not nearly the issue with tss for reasons stated numerous times throughout this forum.
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Im just posting to post like some other people.
I have a new Remington 870 - 20 Gauge + a 28" Barrel. Chocolate Brown Stock + black matte. I just received my new Tru-Glow Turkey choke constricted at 550. Just patterned it yesterday. Tight patterns. Happy with this 20 Gauge. I will use the modified choke for Pheasants and Woodcock this Oct- then go for the Fall Turkey in New York + New Jersey with the 870 20 Gauge. Swings well and nice and light.
I started with a 20 gauge 25 years ago and hunted with it exclusively taking 100+ birds with it using lead 5's. I went to various 12 gauges after that and they all killed birds too. The last couple of years, my 20 gauge has sat in the safe while I carried a 3.5" Maxus with Mag blends and it absolutely hammered birds.
One thing I noticed though was me not getting the Maxus up into position as early and not holding it up as long.
I bought a 28 gauge Bobwhite setup with TSS 9.5's to go to next season. It weighs 2.5 pounds less than the Maxus empty.
All that said, I have only felt under gunned a couple times and all of those I had a 12 gauge in my hands with lead shot.
That Browning Maxxus is something a couple of the guys i hunt geese with use them. I have a Beretta A350 i waterfowl hunt with that i love . But i like optics on my turkey gun so its not in use for gobbler hunting. But i might set up a 20 for turkeys. Got some good post here thanks!
Love mine, I may go to a .28 ga but I have a ton of reloading supplies for the 20, gotta love carrying it and the fact it out patterns my 3.5 12 ga with factory hevi loads!
Very seldom carry my old 12 Ga anymore.. 20's are incredible since Hevi Shot came out, I switched about 10 years ago.. and now with TSS and the right choke I"m considering a .410 now :)