Hello i'm new on here. So i already have a 28" stoeger 2000 my wife hunts with, it kicks a lil on her cheeks and that 28" barrel is long for turkey toting but she dont complain so i'm wanting to buy another gun. Looking at the benelli m2 in both 20 and 12 gauge with the comfortech system. Here's my dilemma, so im figuring since the 20 weighs roughly 1 pound less their both going to recoil very close to equal. Next thought is i'm very torn on barrel lengths, i really dont think a 26" has enough advantages over the mobility so i'd really leaning towards the 24"...next question...the 12 gauge you can get in a 21" barrel, anybody thinks that will be too short? i plan to carry this as my gun when she aint using instead of my stoeger 3500 and i think that 21" would be really nice, but i'm more concerned with how it patterns well out to 70 yards. I plan to shoot TSS in whatever i shoot....lets hear ya'll thoughts please..also this will be strictly just a turkey gun..
It's a pers. Choice
I shot a 12for 32 years
Switched to a 20 few years back and never
Regretted it.
Now I wonder why I waited
Either way have fun
Big thing is shells. TSS go 20ga. Lead go 12ga.
20 lighter and less recoil.
Short barrels are loud. You need your ears to hear turkeys. Short barrels are more likely to be pointed at your head while carry. The advantage in maneuverability of short barrels is mostly advertising, not practice. Kinda like fishing lures being made to catch fisherman more than fish.
I'd get the longer barrel and in 20ga. 1 5/8oz T9s will blow through trash and cover your yardage estimation errors at least as well as lead 12ga ever did.
If you are concerned with patterns out to 70 yards, i would suggest shopping for a rifle instead of a shotgun. If i had to decide between a 12 or 20 gauge, i would choose a 12, much more versatile with a wider variety of ammo, no small concern in the ammo shortage we are now experiencing.
I've got a 12ga m2 with a 21" barrel. It'll put 320-330 Federal TSS #9s in a 10" circle at 40 yards. The 20ga will weigh 3/4lb or so less. So weight isn't a concern. And with modern chokes and loads, neither is patterning. That being said, I'd never even consider shooting at a turkey at 70 yards. If that's your plan, you can pick up a model 70 Winchester and some shells for a good bit less than a new m2.
I have a m2 12 gauge with the 21 inch barrel. It patterned the long beard 5 shot extremely well. I just started shooting tss this year so I don't have much experience with that but I can say that I had trouble getting the federal 9 shot to pattern well but with boss 2 ounce load it gets over 330 in the 10 at 40 with a sumtoy .660. As far as handling the gun I love it but I've always like shorter barrels. Ive never shot a m2 in the 20 gauge but I have a Franchi affinity compact 20 gauge with the 24 inch barrel. It loves the federal tss 9 shot with a jebs choke.
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Just a suggestion for your wife. They make a cheek pad that may help with the slap. I have one on my 835 and it makes a world of difference.
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I'm currently shooting a sx3 12 ga and debating going to a 20 as well but would the 12 be better to get through any brush you may have in front of you, or would TSS be a better fit in a 12 vs the HTL if wanting a little "blow through" power in your pattern
I went through this not to long ago. I went 12 because you can shoot lighter loads that are similar to a 20 gauge in recoil but still have the ability to go heavy if you want. My 9 year old son is using my 12 for youth season this year, he will be shooting hi brass 1 1/4 oz #5's. Kicks about like a 20, I had him shoot turkey targets out to 25 yards and the 25 yarder had 64 pellets in the head and neck. I am going to start loading my own TSS and will be loading 1 to 1 1/4 oz of #9 at around 1200 fps. Recoil will be easy and birds will drop and flop. There is no need to send a truckload of shot downrange.
If it was me I'd go with the 20. Made the switch a few years ago and see zero disadvantages, I'm shooting 3" 7-1/2 TSS handloads.
Quote from: RiverRoost on April 04, 2021, 12:11:55 AM
I'm currently shooting a sx3 12 ga and debating going to a 20 as well but would the 12 be better to get through any brush you may have in front of you, or would TSS be a better fit in a 12 vs the HTL if wanting a little "blow through" power in your pattern
1 5/8oz T9s out of a 20ga will do everything a 3.5" lead shells will and then some.
OP, you are no turkey hunter. Pathetic nonsense.
20 ga. is what i would buy, less weigh with gun and shells and with those 20 ga. turkey loads you will have one turkey killing machine..
I have a sbe1 in 12 and a 24 inch barrel! I switched to the m2 20 gauge last year and now my sbe 1 never leaves the safe! I even dove hunt with the m2
I would take the ammo shortage into consideration if you are changing to a new guage . My wife got me a .308 deer rifle for Christmas, which was nice but i had never used a .308 before so I had zero ammo for it. It was like hitting the lottery when I found 1 box of ammo. Luckily it was sighted in pretty easily, but i am still looking for that second box.