Leaving the 12 GA

[varmint101]

You know I should add. Wasn't thinking about the original reason you wanted a 20. I think sorta like gooserbat said, your lightest recoiling shotgun will be an autoloader(weight),
Lighter load, and a fantastic buttpad. I don't have any experience with any 20 gauge autoloader or any current 12g 2-3/4" load however. I do know my Beretta 12 with a limb saver pad on it shoots softer than any other shotgun I've got. I've gone with the 20g pump lately due to how light it is to carry long distances not because Of recoil. The Hogue stock set does a great job in recoil I think for a light 20g pump.


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[Gooserbat]

Odd man here.  I switched to the 20 for a few years.  Went back to the 12.  Still shooting tss and only using 2 3/4 loads.

  You didnt like the 20

I didn't like everytime I need wads or hulls that they were out of stock.

For what it's worth I am using 2 oz of shot and it's all I need or want.

[Mossberg90MN]

I got a Stoeger M3020 20 Ga. with an indian creek choke, and Apex #9s. That gun patterns so well... it patterns better then my Mossberg 835.

[wchadw]

wchadw , i will look into the trijicon with a triangle at dot . Thanks for all the advice. Keep the posts coming . Nice to see what all the 20 ga shooters are shooting.

any red dot type sight that is "parallax free" would work.  you can move your head off the stock and the dot should stay on target

I agree with Limbsaver.  this is my yildiz youth 20.  limbsaver made a huge difference since this is such a light gun.

[Spurs Up]

 

I got a Stoeger M3020 20 Ga. with an indian creek choke, and Apex #9s. That gun patterns so well... it patterns better then my Mossberg 835.

"Better" like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I have a couple of deadly 20's that will consistently (with clean barrels) put over 90% of the payload in a 20" diameter circle at 40 yards. It took a lot of tinkering to find those combinations of gun/loads/chokes. I also have an ole 835. It will shoot identical shot loads to those of my 20's, only denser and more consistently.  And, of course, I can always up the payload for even "better" patterns.

I'm a big fan of the sub-gauges but reality is 12's are just generally better if you are punching paper (or think you need >2 oz of shot). Unless you just want the cachet of a sub-gauge, you might want to try a couple of other combos in your 835.

[Vinci1964]

I am also switching to a 20 ga this year - Franchi Affinity with a Carlson's 575 choke. Bought some Apex and Federal #9's TSS.  It is supposed to have a fantastic pattern so I cannot wait to get out and pattern it.

I will always have my 12 gage pump as a backup. 

[Mossberg90MN]

I got a Stoeger M3020 20 Ga. with an indian creek choke, and Apex #9s. That gun patterns so well... it patterns better then my Mossberg 835.

"Better" like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I have a couple of deadly 20's that will consistently (with clean barrels) put over 90% of the payload in a 20" diameter circle at 40 yards. It took a lot of tinkering to find those combinations of gun/loads/chokes. I also have an ole 835. It will shoot identical shot loads to those of my 20's, only denser and more consistently.  And, of course, I can always up the payload for even "better" patterns.

I'm a big fan of the sub-gauges but reality is 12's are just generally better if you are punching paper (or think you need >2 oz of shot). Unless you just want the cachet of a sub-gauge, you might want to try a couple of other combos in your 835.

I suppose so... my 835 is my main gun, and it does give me great patterns. I've just noticed that certain loads my 20g stoeger will give me a very good pattern, with a nice spread vs my 835 with the same pattern. I don't know... maybe it's due to the fact that the recoil isn't as much with the 20g so it's a steadier hold and follow through.

I'm gonna hit the range soon and really compare these 2 head to head. I may end up going with my stoeger, this season, at a minimum switch off between the 2.

[Mossberg90MN]

wchadw , i will look into the trijicon with a triangle at dot . Thanks for all the advice. Keep the posts coming . Nice to see what all the 20 ga shooters are shooting.

any red dot type sight that is "parallax free" would work.  you can move your head off the stock and the dot should stay on target

I agree with Limbsaver.  this is my yildiz youth 20.  limbsaver made a huge difference since this is such a light gun.

I love Limbsavers! I have one on my Mossberg 500 12ga that I use for Trap shooting. If I've got nothing to do that day, I'll just hang out at the club and go about 4 rounds and put 100 loads through that thing. Don't even think about the recoil.

Unfortunately my limbsaver doesn't fit well over my Mossberg 835. So I'm not using it. Considering I will only be doing 1 maybe 2 shots... it's not a major deal for me. It would be nice for patterning different loads through the gun though. My shoulder can get kinda sore playing that game.

[skimerhorn]

I made the leap last year. No kick, lighter gun, hard to argue on behalf of the 12 with tss in the game. Liked it so much I traded my 12ga turkey gun for a 301 .410. Gonna play with that this year

[Mossberg90MN]

I got a Stoeger M3020 20 Ga. with an indian creek choke, and Apex #9s. That gun patterns so well... it patterns better then my Mossberg 835.

"Better" like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I have a couple of deadly 20's that will consistently (with clean barrels) put over 90% of the payload in a 20" diameter circle at 40 yards. It took a lot of tinkering to find those combinations of gun/loads/chokes. I also have an ole 835. It will shoot identical shot loads to those of my 20's, only denser and more consistently.  And, of course, I can always up the payload for even "better" patterns.

I'm a big fan of the sub-gauges but reality is 12's are just generally better if you are punching paper (or think you need >2 oz of shot). Unless you just want the cachet of a sub-gauge, you might want to try a couple of other combos in your 835.

I retract my earlier statement. Went to the range today to really put those 2 head to head. My Mossberg 835 does in fact shoot a very nice pattern. My 20 guage Stoeger does give me a good pattern that I am happy with. But head to head the Mossberg wins. Still very happy with my Stoeger though, it will be a nice back up gun to my main set up (Mossberg) or to just change it up for the day.

[Big Pine]

I spent most of my life getting punished by the ol 835 until last year. I bought a 20 gauge 870 and 20 gauge is it for me from now on. 835 did throw a great pattern, but man dit it put a wallop on that shoulder.

[KentuckyLB]

I down graded this year to, went from a 12 guage 3 1/2 to a 3 inch gun 12 guage  maybe a 20 in the next couple years.

[West Augusta]

My 870 Super Mag is now my backup
My 20 ga. 870 is now the main turkey cannon.

[ncturkey]

I think is a great combo. Why did you go with the Mossberg instead of getting a 870 20 gauge.

[roberthyman14]

Hardest kicking shotgun I ever shot was a Remington 870 SM in black synthetic stock.  I hunted with an 835 until I went to a 20 gauge and it never kicked anything like that 870 SM.

I'm still shooting the black super mag.  Not shooting 3 1/2" shells anymore.   

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