NWTF missed it again

[FullChoke]

Man, do they not have fact checkers in Edgefield? Let me preach on it.

In the most recent edition of Turkey Call magazine, there is an article about 20 gauge shotguns for turkeys! Wow, finally an article about us! Once I started reading the article my excitement drained out faster than an IRA. Essentially they said that the little 20 gauge popgun was fine for chirrens, weak women and feeble old men who lacked the upper body strength needed to hold a proper 12 gauge turkey gun steady when Tom stops way on out yonder and starts looking for love. While there is a shred of possible validity in the authors premise, he does not truly realize the strength of the rising 20 gauge tide that is sweeping the turkey hunting community. The 20 gauge is no longer being dismissed out of hand as an marginally adequate firearm for turkeys relegated as a training gun until a "real" weapon was acquired. Look over on the patterning section and start investigating the results of conscientious shooters who have spent the time at the patterning boards searching for that ideal 20 gauge combination of barrel length and treatment, choke tube designs and constrictions and awesome commercial shotshells that are nothing short of a doctoral thesis on physics.

The author also made it a point to state twice that 20 gauge guns were ok to use in the spring woods, but only if you got the turkey 10 yards closer to you than the distance you would shoot them at using the 12 gauge shotgun.  Never mind the fact that the pellets in a 20 gauge shell are traveling at the same speed as those from a 12 gauge. If the 20 throws a good even pattern of a minimum of 100 sufficiently sized shot in a 10" circle at 40 yards, the rest of the argument is moot. 40 yards is the standard by which all shotguns are judged and our 20 gauge is generally not found lacking in it's ability to deliver that 1-shot kill at that range.

Guys, you simply missed it. Long live the 20!

FullChoke
Captain, The Roaring 20's

[SumToy]

Yup some guys just dont get it. LOL

[gophert]

I guess I should have not sold my teeth rattlin 870 SM 12 ga a week ago and went full bore with my 20 according to them.  I guess I will not be as winded when I carry out my bird and my gun on the same shoulder. 

Preach on brother!!!!!

[savduck]

Funny stuff.

[SumToy]

You think he will stand about 40 yards and hold the target for a 20ga shooter.

[R AJ]

You think he will stand about 40 yards and hold the target for a 20ga shooter.

I think that according to him he could stand at 30 yards and be safe.

[Waddle Whacker]

I thought that it was horribly don e as well. I was real excited when I saw the title, that quickly changed to disappointment.

[WildTigerTrout]

I did not read the article. I must agree with you fellas though, with advances in choke tube and ammo tech in recent years that the 20 ga. has become a more than capable turkey shotgun. Especially when using HTL shot. I have started to carry my 20 ga. to the spring woods more.

[BigGobbler]

Some people just do not get it. Its all what a person wants to get out of the hunt on what gun they use.I like to use a 20ga Because i choose not to shot untill he is 20 yards or closer or he gets a free pass,that's just the way I turkey hunt.My two sons have there own ways of hunting turkeys one likes to use a 410ga and not shot untill he is within 20yds but has to gobble and strut within that range before he shots. The oldest one thinks we are both crazy and uses a 12ga and shots whenever he thinks the turkey is in his shooting comfort range sometimes I think that's 50 yds and more and he likes to do the ninja thing. Everyone has there own way and reason to hunt turkey.

[BandedSpur]

Not criticizing NWTF, but I have found nearly all articles about shotgunning for turkeys in poplular gun and sporting magazines to be less than completely up to date. Members of this forum are on the cutting edge with regards to guns, loads, chokes, etc. For instance, a few magazine writers are just now starting to recognize what has been the gold standard for turkey patterns on this site for years, pellets in 10 and 20" circles. Most still recommend shooting at turkey head/neck silhouettes and proclaiming a load good. While that method certainly works, there is a better way.

And the 20 ga now, is not your granddaddy's 20 ga. As others have stated, with HTL shot and a little experimentation, it's not too hard these days to turn a 20 ga into a solid 40 yd gun that's easy to carry. What more could you want?

[gobbler336]

i have toted the 20 exclusively for the last two seasons and i haven't missed a beat, if any thing i have gained an advantage and it doesn't bother me one bit if other folks don't know about it, i do.

[WildTigerTrout]

i have toted the 20 exclusively for the last two seasons and i haven't missed a beat, if any thing i have gained an advantage and it doesn't bother me one bit if other folks don't know about it, i do.

Well they know about it now because you told them!

[surehuntsalot]

the NWTF is way behind the times in information

[mossyoakpro]

The NWTF magazine has become nothing more than a Cosmo with a few turkey pictures mixed in....I used to enjoy reading it when it arrived but not anymore, it usually gets file 13 when it gets to my office.

[Eric Gregg]

Preach on Norm,
I haven't read the article, but according to what you are saying this is proof to me how far advanced the real hunters like us on this forum are in comparison to the magazine writers.
I have found more information in regards to shooting, loads and chokes related to the 20ga than I could have possibly imagined.
Let that writer look at a patter of TSS 9's on paper out at 40 yards, and then see the pics of that hunters bird after that load got finished with it and I bet you they will change their tune about the "wimpy little 20".