Who on here uses or have used a 20 gauge to turkey hunt. They effective? Thought about using one this year.
20 gauge turkey guns and 20 gauge patterns , lots of info..Fed. hwt 7 very deadly. Hevi 6 very deadly.
Light and easy on the shoulder , some wont use anything else.
Just be advised , that 12 may begin to feel like a safe queen!
Quote from: owlhoot on February 17, 2015, 07:55:16 PM
20 gauge turkey guns and 20 gauge patterns , lots of info..Fed. hwt 7 very deadly. Hevi 6 very deadly.
Light and easy on the shoulder , some wont use anything else.
Just be advised , that 12 may begin to feel like a safe queen!
what he said...I give up the 12 a few years back and dont see me going back to it
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Same here, LOVE my 20!!! With the right load and choke combo they are very effective. I would highly recommend using either Hevi-Shot or Heavyweight. Lead just doesn't typically pattern dense enough for shots much beyond 30 yards out of the 20 guages.
Get a youth model. They give you a few more degrees of coverage and since you shoot a turkey shotgun like a rifle you lose nothing at ten o'clock.
Thought about taking my bunny gun turkey hunting but I just can't bring myself to.
^^^^ Good advice from silvestris. I'm completely spoiled now after carrying what used to be my son's 20 gauge 11-87 youth model for a few years (he's taller than me now), especially in these New Mexico mountains. With Federal HW #7 I feel confident at any range that I consider it ethical to pull the trigger.
The only turkey gun I ever had was a 12ga 870 until I treated myself and picked up a 20ga M2 before last season. Can't imagine I'll ever replace it, and I sure won't be carrying a 12ga again. The M2 with HW 7's is far deadlier than the 870 ever was with lead 5's.
I switched from 12 to 20 gauge a few years ago. The lighter weight of the 20 is certainly a plus, but not just in carrying it in the woods. It is much easier to hold on target for extended periods when the gobbler is just out of sight. It is also easier to swing smoothly onto a bird when you are caught out of position. With the advances in choke tubes and shells, there is nothing lost in going to the 20. A group of pellets travelling 1,100 feet per second have the same effect on a gobbler regardless of what gauge gun they come from. Find a combination of choke & shell that gives you an even distribution of 100 or more (sometimes many more) pellets in a 10" diameter circle and you can kill any gobbler anywhere within range.
FullChoke
Captain, The Roaring 20's
Quote from: FullChoke on February 17, 2015, 10:06:36 PM
I switched from 12 to 20 gauge a few years ago. The lighter weight of the 20 is certainly a plus, but not just in carrying it in the woods. It is much easier to hold on target for extended periods when the gobbler is just out of sight. It is also easier to swing smoothly onto a bird when you are caught out of position. With the advances in choke tubes and shells, there is nothing lost in going to the 20. A group of pellets travelling 1,100 feet per second have the same effect on a gobbler regardless of what gauge gun they come from. Find a combination of choke & shell that gives you an even distribution of 100 or more (sometimes many more) pellets in a 10" diameter circle and you can kill any gobbler anywhere within range.
FullChoke
Captain, The Roaring 20's
It's hard to grasp for some but FC is right. 1100 fps is 1100 fps no matter what gauge. I quit carrying my 12 2yrs ago & it has a fantastic pattern. My little 20 kills them just as dead. How dead you want them?
I only use my 20 ga 390. Primos Jellyhead choke tube and Hevishot 5s and turkeys drop.
Can't see myself carrying my 12 much anymore.
The 20 will do anything I ask of it.
Benelli M2 20 gauge with TSS for me.
Can't Imagine not using it.
Mine outperforms 10/10 Bigbores shooting
Traditional loads or Hevishot.
I carry my wife's 20 every chance I get.
It's so light to carry in the woods.
I've been hunting with my 20g two seasons and love it. It patterns great with HW and Hevi-13's. I am hand loading TSS this year and with the right choke combo, it will make you switch to a 20g :drool: Good luck
Quote from: FullChoke on February 17, 2015, 10:06:36 PM
I switched from 12 to 20 gauge a few years ago. The lighter weight of the 20 is certainly a plus, but not just in carrying it in the woods. It is much easier to hold on target for extended periods when the gobbler is just out of sight. It is also easier to swing smoothly onto a bird when you are caught out of position. With the advances in choke tubes and shells, there is nothing lost in going to the 20. A group of pellets travelling 1,100 feet per second have the same effect on a gobbler regardless of what gauge gun they come from. Find a combination of choke & shell that gives you an even distribution of 100 or more (sometimes many more) pellets in a 10" diameter circle and you can kill any gobbler anywhere within range.
FullChoke
Captain, The Roaring 20's
FullChoke you nailed it. It's the ease in carrying a lightweight gun for a full day afield, ease in which you can maneuver you gun into position, ease in which you can hold the gun up for an extended period of time. All these things sold me on the 20 not to mention the effective killing patterns that can be achieved with them. Strutter.
I use my Mossberg 20 dropped my Benelli Nova 12 that left me wore out after shooting it, the 20 is so much lighter foe me to carry and it is a youth model, so I have plenty of sight improvement especially sitting and seeing approach at 10 oclock too. I just wish Fereal would hurry up with their 20 Longbeard shells...then everything would be perfect.
I bought one for the grandsons last year and was so impressed with it that I bought me a Winchester SX3 20 gauge for this season. Patterns great with Federal HW 7's.
Really enjoy the comfort of carrying the bantam 20 gauge in the woods / no concerns at all about if it can get the job done compared to my 12 gauge, resason being I have only ever taken Turkey's with a 20 gauge, I guess I just don't know any other way right now. Planning on buying my kids / and brother a 20 as well, as I get them into all things Turkey.
I will admit that with all of the great things I have heard about the 835 I am tempted to get one, but really do not need it, it would just round out the gun collection
The 20s seem to be lighter than 12s. I would rather carry my 20 any day. But have never killed a turkey with it.
Quote from: ep427 on February 19, 2015, 07:08:41 PM
The 20s seem to be lighter than 12s. I would rather carry my 20 any day. But have never killed a turkey with it.
when you do, you will never pick up a 12 again
I have two 20's and one 12 now.. well one of the 20's is my sons.. but I carry it more than he does.. I am slowly finding myself carrying them more over the last couple of years than the 12.. they are so light and just as deadly out to 40 yds.. I'm afraid I will be a full time 20 user sooner rather than later :)
Just drink the Kool-Aid and soon you will see the light, real soon. :happy0167: 8)
I went from carrying a gold 10...to a 20ga. I still occasionally use my Benelli m1 12ga since the patterns I get with 3" hevi 7 is unreal. However, my 870 20ga with ssx and federal hw 7 give me patterns that would beat any 12ga lead pattern I have ever seen. I just picked up a m1187 20ga and can't wait to see how it patterns with federal hw 7 and the ssx.
When I hunt with my father I have to use my 12...because he always takes the 20 :) Now that I have 2, we can both have one.
Just can't beat the little 20's for carry weight and shooting. And like everyone has said, with the rite choke and shell they are just as deadly to a reasonable and ethical distance. Here is my little H&R I tweaked abit. 4 lbs of spring ridge running delite! I LOVE this gun! ;D
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a297/ltpack/20%20guage%20project/finsiheddeal.jpg) (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/ltpack/media/20%20guage%20project/finsiheddeal.jpg.html)
That's what " wez talkin bout".... :icon_thumright::Strutter.