20 Gauge Project

[crenshawco]

After reading about all the 20 shooters on here and their success I think I am going to buy one for next year. For yall who have had some success and tried different gun, load, and choke combos, where should I start? Is there a particular gun that a lot of yall are having some good success with?

[dirt road ninja]

I put together a 11-87 compact youth for my son, and I've been using it when he's not with me. The only combo I tried was a JellyHead .570 with Hevi -13 7's and I got 137 @ 40. At 20 yards it has a nice, forgiving pattern, so I did not feel like it needed any further tweeking. The little rig has killed one right at forty yards this year and I've yet to feel undergunned when carrying it.

When I bought the gun I was looking for an 870, but found a deal on the used 11-87. If I were buying one for myself it would be a 870 with the 26" tube.

Sorry that I don't have any more insight, but my 20 gauge experience is just starting and it has been very positive so far.

[gobblergls]

I'll make a pitch for the Mossy Super Bantam 20.  With a slip on recoil pad over the recoil pad that comes with the gun, you'll get a LOP of 14" and a resulting recoil reducing system that takes the punch out of heavy loads.  You get a lightweight platform (5.25 lbs) that comes pre-drilled and tapped for optics.  Synthetic stock with camo finish on metal.  It's a tried and true design with origins in John Moses Browning.  With a simple modification, it can handle the Knoxx Spec Ops stock designed for the Ultimag.  It also comes with built in swivel attaching points.  It's a lot of gun for the money and is perfect for pitching htl downrange with aftermarket chokes.

[n2deer]

870- mossy 500 are the two easiest options.

There are plenty other good ones also. The little mossy I have will out shoot my Sbe at times
But I got a voodoo in my head cause of the miss with it.

I'm going to look for a cz ringneck in 20g before long.

[Sand Man]

After building and hunting with a SBE last year, it was just flat unfair with 2oz TSS.  The gun when 9 for 9 on birds and convienced myself TSS 9's will flat hurt a turkey.  So after seeing several guys on here build these youth 20's, I sat out to build myself and my dad one.  After all, the shorter you can make them and the lighter the better in the turkey woods.

A buddy who owns a pawn shop found me a smoking deal on a Remington Youth 870.  In the process of running down parts and scouring hunting classifieds I found another 21" 870 20ga barrel as well as a "home defense" Remington 870 20ga I picked up for my dad.  His gun came with the Knoxx adjustable stock and synthetic forearm.  Mine did not, so I bought a used Knoxx on this site someone was selling for my 20ga and ordered the forearm from Remington. I also order us replacement mag caps with the sling swivel studs built in.

Next I took and polished all 3 barrels and patterned with 1 5/8oz TSS 9's.  I keep the best two barrels for our guns.  I gave him the more open pattern as he hunts a lot of woods in MS.  I hunt a lot of open wheat fields in West Texas, OK, and KS.  So, I wanted the tighter barrel.  Come to find out the difference was I shot a Remington Super Full "Lead Only" choke and his gun has the Remington Super Full Hevi-shot choke I picked up for $10 from a link I found on OG.

After I found the guns were shooters, I sent both off to a gunsmith and had him drill and tap both receivers for rails.  I ordered us both FF II's and the guards from a member here on OG.

The only other mod I did was put a Limbsaver recoil pad on each gun.  His gun was practically unshot and looked brand new, so I left it black.  My gun had a little surface rust on the barrel, so I sanded the entire gun down and painted it myself.

He hasn't used his gun, but I killed 3 Rio's last week with mine.  It flat HAMMERS birds.  I will NOT ever carry a 12ga again unless I have a problem with this 870.  So nice carrying a gun about half the weight of our other guns and much shorter.

Here's some pics of mine:







https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/k7VY0B-v7az79LOjlCPWk1WQtTHNX5PWTlLcpL8yjhk?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-fSLQvMt640Xxjg-O4EwU1WQtTHNX5PWTlLcpL8yjhk?feat=directlink

My dad's gun is the black one.  The camo is my SBE:

[surehuntsalot]

very nice looking turkey guns

[crenshawco]

Thanks for the replies guys. Those are some good options and y'all have some good looking little turkey killers

[lmbhngr]

My son and I shot the other day. He has a youth 1187 remy 570 choke. 30 yds his put 202 pellets in a 10" circle. Straight 7 hevi-shot.

[killdee]

Great looking 20's. I just stepped over to the dark side myself this morning. I picked up an 870 Magnum express 20 that already has synthetic stock and forearm sling swivels and has been duracoated od green on the metal parts. It appears to have a 203/8''s barrel from reciever to the end, I assume this would be called a 21"? I have a sf rem choke rated for hevi already, any one know what constriction this choke is? I have some hevi 13 #7's and plan on trying some Federal heavyweight also. Any thoughts on a good choke  to try in this length barrel with either of these loads. I would love to try the TSS 9s but dont reload shot shells.

[gobblergls]

Here are two configurations of my Super Bantam 20.  The top is with the Knoxx Spec Ops stock.  The second with the factory stock and Uncle Mike's slip on recoil pad and Beartooth neoprene comb kit.  The second configuration is my preferred.  It weighs 9 ozs. less than the Knoxx version.  Doubling up on recoil pads on the second version depicted makes recoil a non-issue with my TSS #9 1 5/8 oz load.  The second pad was added to increase LOP.  The Knoxx version definitely looks cooler, but the other version is more practical for me.