20 ga Recomendations

[alclark2]

I have not been real active on the forum since I made a career change a few years back, but I know you all will point me in the right direction. I'll looking to put together a 20 gauge for my wife and a few youth hunters. I might even just use it myself.  Anyway, we've been using my wifes 20 ga Savage 511 double barrel. It's a legit 25-30 yard gun ethically with turkey thug federal shells. I'm really considering putting together a 20 gauge semi auto, possibly a pump gun. I want low recoil, good pattern to 40 yards, something with shorter barrel, easy to manage for a 10 year old. Budget is probably $300-500 range but that is flexible. I've been using a 22" 835 with 3 or 3.5" Longbeards and an Indian Creek choke myself. I'm pretty sure the kid would never shoot a shotgun again if he shot it. My wife won't shoot it regardless.    I'd appreciate any options you throw out. I know the ammo has came a long way in the last 7-8 years since I've started chasing the crazy birds. The 20 ga is a good option, but I don't know what models pattern well, where the best bang for the buck comes from, what has less recoil, what youth model might be ideal, etc.. Thanks in advance! -Aaron

[bbcoach]

Whatever 20 gauge you decide on put some 3" TSS in it.  The new TSS offerings are bad medicine in 20 gauge loads.  TSS will make it a GREAT 40 yard gun.

[Jbird22]

I personally hunt with an 870 20 ga with 26" bbl and 1-5/8 oz TSS #9's. As for recoil, it isn't extreme but certainly not mild either. I like that combo so well that I truthfully do not see myself going back to a 12 ga. My 9 yr old uses a Weatherby SA-08 Compact with 3" Fed HWT 7's. If Fed hadn't discontinued them I'd advise going with those since he handled it pretty well. It still kicked him pretty hard but he didn't seem to mind at all.

[g8rvet]

With that budget, I would go with a youth model 870 and a limbsaver pad.  TSS #9 would be my current choice (I am well stocked on heavyweight #7).  A Sumtoy choke or a Trulock would round it out.  My daughter (an adult) has never shot long guns at all.  She picked it up and shot it with no complaints.  I started her on dove loads for practice and let her shoot a couple of hotter shells just to show her it did not kick bad. I had her practice exclusively in a sitting position (lounger type). I actually moved her to a Remington full to give her some extra spread.  It is a 30 yard killer for sure.

[howl]

1 5/8oz from a six pound 20ga kicks like a .375 Weatherby. None of the commercial TSS 20ga loads I know about are any kind of low recoil. If you want low recoil, you need to go down to an ounce or less; a slow duck load. 7/8oz T10s is light recoil. It'll do 40+ with TSS, but you have to handload.

Just the shot on TSS is ~$50/lb. Add loading tools and components cost if you don't already have them.

Federal has a .410 TSS load that would be low recoil in a standard weight gun. In a three or four pound single barrel it gets up into 30/06 territory. A trick to keep kick down is get a short light gun and pack extra weight in the butt stock. Weight closer to the shoulder is easier to hold up while still taming kick like an overall heavier gun.

[g8rvet]

Pretty sure they are making a 1.5 ounce offering. Still will kick a bit, but should not be terrible.  Can always work them up to it. 

[bbcoach]

Recoil can be tamed.  I only shoot 3 1/2 inchers in my 835.  To reduce the recoil, I added a Limbsaver and about 4 ozs of weight (lead shot) in the rear of the stock along with a Beartooth Comb Raising kit for the cheek slap.  Tamed 3 1/2" loads down to 20 gauge IMO.

[alclark2]

The idea of the 870 youth model seems like a good idea. I figure I'll use some variety of heavy 7s. I only mention recoil because... well the 835 is pretty violent by many peoples standards. Even if it ends up being a 30-35 yard limitation on the gun I would be happy. We shot my wifes first bird with a pheasant load last year with the double barrel at 20 yards. I don't want to limit ourselves to 20-25 yards. We hunt a lot of public and a lot of miles of hiking. Thanks for the advise.

[bbcoach]

Al, I'm not saying get a 835.  I was just making a comparison of reducing recoil from a 12 gauge down to a 20 gauge.  I would definitely go 20 gauge for your wife and youth hunters.  Mossy does make a youth model in 20 gauge (500).  Add a limbsaver to whatever you buy and the weight and Beartooth for cheek slap, if the limbsaver doesn't do the trick.  I shoot the Hevi 7's in my Mossy but TSS in a 20 will be Bad Medicine, out to 40 and a little beyond, for those Longbeards.  Good Luck and keep us posted.

[captpete]

If you are interetsed in an autoloader look at the Mosseberg Sa-20 Bantam. I bought one for the wife last year. They run between $400 & $500. I had it drilled & tapped, put a Kick-Eez recoil pad and put a red-dot on it. I made my own cheek pad/comb-riser for it. She shot Longbeard 6's with a Hevi-13 choke(.573). It has a great pattern out to 35 yds, but it is getting kind of thin at 40yds...80-85 in a 10" circle. At 15 yards she has a vollyball pattern.

[alclark2]

If you are interetsed in an autoloader look at the Mosseberg Sa-20 Bantam. I bought one for the wife last year. They run between $400 & $500. I had it drilled & tapped, put a Kick-Eez recoil pad and put a red-dot on it. I made my own cheek pad/comb-riser for it. She shot Longbeard 6's with a Hevi-13 choke(.573). It has a great pattern out to 35 yds, but it is getting kind of thin at 40yds...80-85 in a 10" circle. At 15 yards she has a vollyball pattern.

I like the longbeard 6s. Every bird I've taken has been with lead. I'll check the SA-20 Bantam out. Thanks