Best 20 ga for turkeys

[wvmntnhick]

Normally, I'd be concerned about this getting heated but the folks here seem to be mature enough to handle it. I'm curious as to what the thoughts of the OG members are. I've never killed a bird with the 20 but want to try this year after I get one on the ground. Have an 11-87 that pattern like no other and love it very much when mated with the PG choke and federal HW 7's. Just wanting others opinions on this at the moment.

[dirt road ninja]

The ammo makes the gun and your already using a good load. That being said I too have an 11-87 youth, but wouldn't mind putting together a mossy 510 bantam. Short and light.

[Happy]

If memory serves me right there was a certain bird you killed with the twenty. One that was roosted right behind me.

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[Dirtybird552]

I have a 870 youth I set up for my son last year and I really like it. I'm looking at single shots right now to make me a run and gun 20.


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[davisd9]

I set up a 500 last year because it was relatively inexpensive to do and finding what I wanted to modify it was also easy. She shot lights out. Best advice I can give and think exactly what you want and then buy a gun that has those or can easy be set up that way. I like to personalize it to what I want  myself. Good luck!

Also, as stated the ammo is what makes the gun and you are planning to use the best store bought ammo for the 20!


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[Tail Feathers]

Go for it.  If you like the gun, pattern it and get it out in the woods this spring!  That sounds like a fine combo.

[wvnut3]

There is really no Best 20 gauge gun, all work well. Just like any other shotgun some take more time to get dialed in . I look at it this way its like Ford vs. Chevy etc. everyone has a preference but it doesn't make one better than the other.I will say for me after 30 years of hunting with only Remington 12 gauge shotguns i stared looking at different 20 gauge guns last year. After a long list of possibilities i settled on the Weatherby SA-459 Turkey Xtra Green. To me its the best pure Turkey gun on the market. Its light,fast and just plain shoots, not to mention it looks good .I can not believe it took me this long to go with a 20 gauge . That is all i will be using from this point on since i sold all of my 3 1/2 and 3 in Fed heavyweight for the 12 gauge. I have an abundant supply of Fed heavweight for the 20 and cannot wait for the spring season. Good luck, Lee

[allaboutshooting]

Our "quest" for the perfect 20 gauge turkey gun began in earnest in 2000 and that was the real reason I began participating in still target shooting events the next year. I wanted to see what was out there and see if there was a way to improve what we had to shoot. I learned that there was a lot of room for improvement. Patterns from 20 gauge guns at 40 yards were terrible then.

Since that time, I've set up a bunch of 20 gauge turkey guns. I was fortunate enough to set an Open Class World Record with a 20 gauge in 2005 and Doris used that same gun/choke to set a Women's World Record in 2006. That gun was a stock, off-the-rack Remington Express with a 26" barrel with a Swarm choke tube. We were looking for the best venue to test our ideas and the competition gave us that opportunity to see if we were on the right track.

Over the years, we've set-up several different brands of guns, with different barrel lengths, choke brands and exit diameters. We've also used most if not all of the shotshells that have been made available over that time. Remington Hevi-Shot was a real breakthrough round but the introduction of the 20 gauge Hevi-13 shell in 2005, really changed the picture. Later, the Federal Flitecontrol Wad shell with #7 Heavyweight shot, became another breakthrough round.

Here's what I think I've learned about 20s. They can be finicky. Shorter barrels, less than 26", can be "challenging". It's important to learn how your barrel patterns best, squeaky clean, slightly fouled or dirty. There are always some major exceptions to the rule. For example, there are guns with very short barrels that pattern well, we have one.

After a lot of rounds down-range, I think I've also learned that the more you shoot whatever gun you choose, the better off you are. It helps to put lots of shot through the bore and choke. I do believe that bores "wear-in" and pattern better over time. The same is generally true with chokes. Deep Cleaning is important to get the "gunk" out of the bore, maybe even more important with 20s than with 12s. You will occasionally run across a box of shells, regardless of brand, that does not pattern well. Just take it in stride and keep on shooting.

Lastly, we are currently shooting 2 different 20 gauge BPS guns with 26" and 28" barrels; 2 different 870s with 26" and 28" barrels; a Mossberg 500 with 24" and 26" barrels; and an 11-87 with 28" and 21" barrels. I'm probably leaving something out but those are the ones that come to mind.

I'm looking forward to trying the new 20 gauge WLB shells to see how they pattern. Maybe they'll be another breakthrough round. Time will tell.

Thanks,
Clark

[Gobble!]

Normally, I'd be concerned about this getting heated but the folks here seem to be mature enough to handle it. I'm curious as to what the thoughts of the OG members are. I've never killed a bird with the 20 but want to try this year after I get one on the ground. Have an 11-87 that pattern like no other and love it very much when mated with the PG choke and federal HW 7's. Just wanting others opinions on this at the moment.

20g are killers with the right shell, heck so is a .410 for that matter. Tungsten super shot has changed the game for turkey hunting with smaller calibers. A 20g shooting TSS will out perform a 12g shooting over the counter loads 9/10 times. The shell type is more important than the gun type from what I have seen.
That said the combo you have should do the job.

[lmbhngr]

My son shoots a 3" 1100 youth model. First guy. I ever bought him when he was 12. Now he's 20. He's killed a bird 7 out of 8 years hunting with that gun. PG choke. He I shot ammo. Absolute turkey takin machine

[wvmntnhick]

If memory serves me right there was a certain bird you killed with the twenty. One that was roosted right behind me.

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Nope. That was the old H&R Excel auto 12 ga I had. Small part of me misses that gun. Not enough to track another down and it's certainly not comparable to what I've got now but man was that thing light for carrying into the woods.

[TauntoHawk]

I am over the top pleased with the weatherby SA-459 for a turkey gun

[Kevin6Q]

Killed more with a 20 then a 12. 20s are lighter and easier on the shoulder.

I think the key to killing turkeys is having unwavering belief and confidence in your choice of weapon; shoot it a lot so you know it cold; and shoot it some more. Because of the cost of good turkey ammo most of u cannot afford to run 5,000 round through the gun each year but time spent shooting clays or pumpkins or even paper from a variety of positions will make whatever load you choose go where you pointed it. a lot can be learned from shooting field loads and this experience transfers well to the expensive loads.

Guage isn't as important as practice.

[Full strut]

The consensus on this forum is gonna be an 870 youth 20

[agent eight seven O]

Probably not the best, but one I have to try is a Franchi AL 48. Great handing gun.