Help me choose a 20 gauge

[Pluffmud]

I love my SBE2, but it being a waterfowl gun chambered in 3.5" and having a 28" barrel, it's a little bulky. I'm looking for a lighter 20 gauge with a shorter barrel. I plan to try out TSS with it, so I'd rather it be semiautomatic to help out my shoulder a little. Does anyone care to share their 20 gauge setups and the pros and cons of them? Thanks.

[AndyN]

I'm running a 26" barrel M2. Nice light gun to carry around upland and turkey hunting. Great on waterfowl too with steel 3's. This was my first spring with it. Using LB 6s out of a Carlsons LB choke I get 130-140 in the 10 at 40yds. Took birds at 25, 40, 40, and 44 this year.

[redleg06]

Remington 1187 youth model with a sureshot stock if you just want a pure turkey gun.  I like the youth models for their size - shorter and usually lighter.  I went with the remington because its easier to find accessories for them - chokes, stocks, etc.

Lots of good options out there though

[Gmed]

I have two 870 youth models. One is the factory full camo and the other I had burnt bronze cerakoted. The camo came with spacers to make into an adult size stock and the bronze, I added the Shurshot thumb hole stock. Both are light weight, and have easy carrying 21" barrels. I run either a Sumtoy .562 or a Jebs .570 with Federal 1 1/2 ounce #9s. Either will do near 300 at 40 and are still huntable patterns at 20. Half the recoil of the 12s.

[Pluffmud]

I've heard of a lot of people using M2s. I never thought of a youth model 20. I actually have one already. I bought a youth model 870 20 gauge when I was 12 years old. I think I'll look into getting a good choke tube and adult stock for it like you have. The idea of cerakotimg the gun and getting a bottomland stock sounds nice.

[BINK McCARTY]

If you decide to go another way check out the Retay 20 gauge guns that are coming out any time....also soon to be released is a turkey specific Retay that's camo and has a 22" bbl. Another option is the new Tristar G2 viper turkey model that's cerakoted/Mossy Oak Bottomland pistol grip stock and forend equipped with a 24" bbl.

[Buckrub]

 I'm shooting a WIN. SX3 Longbeard .20 ga. 24" Bbl. and an IC 555 w/ TSS.  Real nice gun, well made and shoots fantastic !!!

[g8rvet]

I have a Weatherby SA459 and love it.  Rigged up an 870 youth for my daughter and shot it a bunch to get it just right.  I really can't tell much difference between the two in recoil.  I shot the youth stock on it with an added limbsaver recoil pad and don't even notice the short LOP.  Borrow a pad or get a cheap one and try it out before you spend much.  They are fun to rig right. 

[Gmed]

If you have the youth 870 20 gauge, and you are going to shoot TSS, you can save yourself a lot of choke testing if you do a little research on here. I read and read and took note of what a lot of members were having success with in the little gun. I was lucky in my choices, and shot them at 38 yards (as far as I had to shoot) with the Federal #9s. I was amazed as I had never shot TSS before, especially out of a 20, but I got the following results in a 10" circle at the measured 38 yards...
.568 Long Beard XR - whopping 439 - probably too tight for my liking, especially at 20 yards
.562 Sumtoy - 367 - excellent pattern - probably the one I am going to hunt in one of my 870s
.565 Jebs - 304 - excellent, even pattern- 180 in 20"
.570 Jebs - 345 - excellent pattern - going to hunt this choke in my other 870
All of these patterns were even, no holes and I wouldn't hesitate to take one at 40 yards, however, that LongBeard choke was just a test because we just happened to have it. It would about decapitate one at less than 20 yards...

[Turkeyfever]

 From your description of what you are looking for the Mossberg SA 20 Turkey would be an excellent choice 22 inch chrome lined barrel , drilled tapped and the rail comes with it. Get a Carlson .575 nonported turkey choke , shoot Federal TSS #9 and never look back!

[3bailey3]

M2 sumtoy 562, apex 9's ff3 with a sumtoy mount!!

[hoythunter]

Another vote for the Mossberg sa-20. This was my first season using one and absoulty loved it. I think I have finally  found my ideal turkey gun.

[243kid]

I sold my SBE II and bought a Savage 220 bolt action. It has a 22" barrel a rifle trigger and at 7lbs it is easy on the shoulder.

[Gebones]

Looking for a 20 for my wife who is pretty short so youth size gun. Also she thinks my m2 20 kicks too hard. So want to go to a gas cycle gun. I was looking for a new Remington compact 11-87 but it seems they don't make them anymore? The reason I like the compact 11-87 is that it has a short LOP. I think it's about 12 with the ability to make it longer if necessary. Most other compacts have a 13 1/4 inch LOP. Which is probably ok, but not sure because there are no guns in the stores to try out. What do you guys recommend for a sub 13 LOP that is a gas cycle automatic? barrel should probably be no shorter than 24 to keep the gun from bucking too hard also, right? Shorter guns kick harder which is a result of less weight, correct? Wife is 5'3" with an inside length from inside shoulder to middle of palm about 19 inches for that reach to support the barrel of the gun. She really has to extend her arm to hold up my M2 / 26 inch with a 14 1/4 LOP.

[va longbeard]

I have owned a SA-459, 11-87 and 870 in 20 gauge.

Currently have a 24 inch M2 and a 26 inch Montefeltro Benelli in 20 gauge and love them and I am not a Benelli fanboy and actually prefer the Beretta shotguns for wingshooting.

Its tough to beat the M2 and Montefeltro for quality of built and weight.