20 ga purchase opinions and facts

[agturkey]

Killed lots of turkeys with 20 ga guns but I am up in the air on this one.  My wife shoots the bantam because it's what she liked and I built it to shoot for her... But I hate the rattle and roughness of action.  I am wanting to set me up anadult 20 for me 6'1" 200 lbs with a few concerns....1. Quality of gun 2. Pattern 3. Option for optics....price not an issue really but for the most important reason I'm not on a budget but a goal.

1187/870 option

Benelli options

I really like the semi auto 20 ga but a pump is ok to as long as its not a rattle box!

Now from your experience and opinions what are some key things you know about the 20's......I know my experience but want to learn something new.....I'm not building a pellet counter just a turkey killer....Wish them Benelli 20ga autos were an easy find used

[SumToy]

1187 for the money but it is heavy.  The M2 will put up good numbers on paper and $$$$$$. LOL

Both are fine guns and sights can be put on both. 

[savduck]

I know where there is a 20 ga Benelli M1 used...guy still wants 980 for it.



Check out the weatherby SA08. It meets all the conditions your looking for. Value price gun, puts up great patterns with Hevi 7s or federal 7s. To me the fit and finish is awesome and it shoots like a dream.  I'm 6 foot 300.... Fits me great.

Couple other guys on here have bought them based on my recommendation and feedback to me is that they love them. Dupree on here has been hunting everything with his. I set mine up just for turkeys.

[SumToy]

weatherby SA08  I had forgot about it. 

[savduck]

It's packs a punch with a Sum Toy 562-5 and fed 7s

[agturkey]

What price tag on the SA08?

[savduck]

450 to 550

[DUPREE]

Love my Weatherby sa08. Bought it after turkey season was over and haven't patterned it yet for them, but its been deadly on doves, squirrels, and quail.

[K9Doc]

No one talking about the Beretta 390 or3901?
I believe Beretta is the best Semi-Auto on the market.
Any comments? Pros and Cons?
I am reading nothing but good things about the Betettas.

[sawtooth]

I have a Beretta extrema and love it but its a 12.  Im sure their 20 is good to.  I have a M2 Benelli 20 that is very light and patterns very good with hevi 6's.  Love it too but my dad uses it most of the time.    For a pump i purchased a new Ithaca Turkey Slayer and really like it to though.  Not a rattle trap, light but slightly heavier than M2, patterns great, love true timber camo pattern, great sights, and the best trigger you will find on ANY shotgun period.  Overall quality is VERY high on these new Ithacas since the company was bought and is now located in Ohio.  The trigger is AWESOME.  I have a 20 in thier Deerslayer too and that trigger. Is the same.  Good luck with your purchase.

[davisd9]

Very excited about my Remington 11-87.  Shoots great and with that 26" barrel I am positive it will be a nasty killer.

[savduck]

No one talking about the Beretta 390 or3901?
I believe Beretta is the best Semi-Auto on the market.
Any comments? Pros and Cons?
I am reading nothing but good things about the Betettas.

The beretta 390 is an excellent gun. The weatherby gas system is based on the beretta. The original 390 hasn't been made in a few years, however they do make the 3901 American. I haven't shot it yet. I own two old style 390 s in 12 ga

[Sand Man]

We must think alike.  I was in your situation about two years ago.  I have a Benelli M1 20ga with a 26" barrel as well as a SBE I with a 26" barrel.  I'm just as crazy about duck hunting as I am turkey hunting.  It didn't take me long to realize how well these chrome lined Benelli barrels would pattern my TSS reloads.  So well in fact it taught me I needed some form of scope or red dot on my Benelli if I was shooting TSS.  I had more than one experience where a nice tom came in, I got excited, and didn't put my head down on the barrel.  You guessed it............MISS!  That leaded me to finding a smoking deal on a 24" barrel SBE that I had the receiver drilled and tapped for a rail that I attached a Burris FF II to.  That gun was flat out poision on turkeys.  I felt it was just flat unfair and sold it once I built my 20ga.  I really wanted a Benelli 20ga for a turkey gun since I got such great patterns, but I was NOT drilling and tapping the receiver on my M1 duck gun.  I didn't want anything in my sight picture such as a rail when wing shooting.  Plus I didn't want to re-sight the gun in each spring with this expensive TSS.  I couldn't find a deal on a Benelli 20 like I did with the SBE, so I settled for a Remington 870 "youth" 20ga to get the 21" barrel after seeing the patterns guys on here were getting.

I can tell you after polishing that barrel and pushing my TSS reloads thru a Remington Super Full choke it patters and kills better than any 12ga I've ever shot with factory ammo.  That's saying something.  Granted Remington's quality isn't what it used to be, but after replacing both of the wood furniture stocks I don't think it's a rattle box at all.  I can't tell you what a dream it is to carry in the turkey woods with a 21" barrel either.  It's also the lightest turkey gun I've ever owned.  The beauty also is I have an ajustable stock where I can use the gun as well as my wife and daughter.  I'm 6'4" and 295.  The gun feels like a toy in my hand, but I couldn't be more happy with it.

After saying all of that, I don't think you can go wrong with a Benelli 20.  It's going to throw a phenominal pattern from my experience with both reloads and H13 factory shells.  They do make a 24" barrel.  That's the route I would go and put a Burris FFII or FFIII on top.

I also wouldn't rule out the Franchi 20ga as I know they use Benelli's interia system.  Not sure if the barrels are chromed lined in the Franchi like Benelli, but if they are that would be the next place I'd look for a cheaper alternative to the Benelli.  Here's a used one listed on 24 campfire:

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/7281384/Searchpage/1/Main/515518/Words/Franchi/Search/true/FRANCHI_AFFINITY_20_GA_F_S#Post7281384

However, having been there and done that I'd go with the Remington 870 youth for the 21" barrel 100% of the time if I had it to do over again.

[gophert]

I'm with sandman....I got about $600 total (even with FFII) in this 870.  Not one thing rattles. and It will flat dust a turkey further than you want to shoot.  I like the auto's, but just can't see spending that much on a gun that is going to go through all kinds of abuse during the season. 

[sawtooth]

Nice pattern.  I have a 1980s vintage 870 and it does pretty well also.  I wish the new ones were made like the old ones.  All the plastic and cast components suck.  New ones still function well though.