Thinking about switching to a 20 ga auto for all my turkey hunting. Give me some opinions on brand , and choke and shell combos. Also your max effective range. Wanting camo and more than likely a 24" barrel. Thanks
Plenty of guys here using 20s out to 40 yds with great results, Find one that fits you then tinker with your choke ammo til you find what you like. Like most any other gun
M2 Benelli :happy0064:
Benelli m2 is the cats meow. Franchi affinity is a poor mans m2.
I have a lot of them.. this one is best - http://www.weatherby.com/product/shotguns/sa_459
Just picked up a 20ga SX3 Winchester. Light weight and shoots great. Awesome guns. I also own a 12ga and it's a real killer .They use the invector + choke system. Really great guns.. Super X3 Universal Hunter, -- Winchester Repeating Arms -- Product Model
http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=017C&mid=511148
I love my Remington 11-87 20 gauge with a 21" barrel. It's a little over priced in my opinion but it's never let me down.
Another vote for the M2. ;D
M2
My daughter is shooter a Remington 870 20 gauge with.562 IC choke with Hevi 13 3" 1 1/4 oz. of #7 works great. Tested at 40 yards and got 168 in the 10" circle. She has taken one gobbler at. 35 yards with that settup.
I have a 1187 20ga. that I set up for the wife. I used it this year myself. In all honesty, I don't really see me going back to the back a 12...I know I won't miss the thump on the shoulder I get with 12. I'm using a Sumtoy choke and shooting Federal Heavyweight 3" 7's. This combo is VERY effective out to 40 yards.
Are you going to use the gun for any other hunting? That 24" barrel might be a bit "whippy" for wing-shooting... Plus, if ever share any kind of a blind with anyone, or shoot over a dog, they are a bit more loud as well...
Telling someone which gun to buy, is like recommending an ice cream flavor... There is a lot of personal choice...
The top auto loaders in my opinion (in no specific order):
- Benelli (M-2 or Montefeltro)
The Benelli will have more felt recoil as it is an inertia gun, but (in my opinion) is more reliable and far easier to clean. I believe the SX-3 is the heaviest, but still lighter than any 12 ga.
If the gun is going to be for turkey hunting only, I might look into a pump... I would be looking at a Browning BPS, an older Remington 870, or possibly even an Ithaca model 37... The latter two probably will not come in camo though... The Benelli Nova will go bang every time, but feels very "clunky" to me (but I am primarily a wing shooter).
One advantage of the 20 ga. is that it seems to pattern more tightly... If you are using Hevi-shot (or any other heavier than lead load) and the right choke, 40 yards is a no-brainer, and with the right choke/load combo, I would guess that 50 yards could be done.
you need to check out the Weatherby SA08 and the SA459