Is there a place for a 20 gauge?

[slvrslngr]

I bought a LH M2 in 20ga for my wife, it’s about the only gun I shoot anymore. Found a great deal on some TSS and plan to hunt geese with it this season. You won’t feel undergunned for upland with the 20.

 

[McCrapper]

I won a hunt, aka kick and shoot, to kill pheasant, chukar, and quail. That was the first time shooting alot with a 20 gauge and I never felt undergunned.

 

[lil' bear]

I bought a LH M2 in 20ga for my wife, it’s about the only gun I shoot anymore. Found a great deal on some TSS and plan to hunt geese with it this season. You won’t feel undergunned for upland with the 20.

Are you a lefty? Or a rightly in love with the left hand gun?

 

[lil' bear]

I only shoot 20g. Sometimes I shoot my old 16g with 2.5 inch shells. But there's no reason to have a 12g unless your a competitive trap/skeet shooter. I'll be that guy though. As a lefty i hate left handed shotguns. I'm even fairly persistent in trying to get righties to shoot left handed guns. Even my rifles are left hand bolt, right hand eject.
But to answer your question franchi is owned under the same umbrella as benelli and beretta. The main question is do you like gas guns or inertia driven. My 16g is inertia driven and my 20 is gas. Both brownings. I personally prefer the gas gun.

 

[5MilesBack]

I've killed way more pheasants, quail, and doves with my 20ga Rem 1100 than my 12ga 1100. It's just a preference. And I'm left-handed and have never owned a LH gun. I also have a Rem 870 Wingmaster that will fire off 3 rounds almost as fast as the auto's.

 

[mighteywhitehunter]

Get a Browning Citori Lightening O/U in 20ga and don't look back.

 

[Okie-hunter]

I started my shotgunning life at 7 years old with an $80 break over 20 gauge from Walmart. That little gun whacked a whole bunch of turkey, ducks, rabbit, dove & quail in my youth. Today I still prefer a 20 in most situations. The exception for a 12 is Turkey & the occasionally duck hunt although inside 30 yards a 20 with the right choke will certainly do a fine job. The smaller frame & lighter weight of a 20 is just more enjoyable to handle for me compared to a 12.
If you want an autoloader the Franchi affinity is an outstanding gun for the price tag.

 

[rye_a]

For years I’ve shot 12 gauge for turkeys, geese, and big ducks and 20 gauge for all other birds including teal. I love shooting both rounds, it is just about the right tool for the job.

 

[Spoonbill]

Partially sarcasm....but. I am a left eye dominant shooter. Trained myself to shoot Left Handed from Go. I am dedicated and married to left handed firearms. There's no need to tell me how you shoot a right handed gas gun just fine.....I won't.

I've been a die hard Waterfowler my whole life. Couple dogs of a couple different flavors. My "Grail Gun" has always been a Super Black Eagle. But what I own is a Lefty VersaMax that does just fine. But it's chubby and somewhat of a club. And I don't think I've ever fired more than 3 or 4 shells 3.5" through it. I ran a Browning BPS 10 gauge for a while. Quite a novelty gun. Was neat. T shot can be impressive. But after I mastered my craft, mastered my calling, and advanced my spread and blind set ups.....I learned that when ducks are truly within range...they can be taken rather cleanly and regularly. My shotgunning is TERRIBLE. I do really need and want to invest in some professional instruction.

Moving into retirement and a home in central Idaho, and a new puppy to start all over again, I've been into much more traditional Upland. I've found a few sensational pheasant holes in Montana. And have some private access to some great Sharpies. Idaho will have nearly unlimited land for Huns and Chukars.

Having always been a "bigger is better" person, I've never run anything other than a 12.

Somewhat rhetorical, but is there a place for a 20 in the Chukar mountains and Montana prairies? I think the biggest draws and "rage" into the new sub gauge cult is a lightweight shotgun? That and flat brim hats and IPAs and truck stickers. But I digress.....

I found a handful of Benelli M2 lefty 20 gauges in stock. $1500. Specs are hard to find, but I think this is a sub 6lb gun. 5.84lbs.

Franchi made an Affinity in lefty/20. Right at 6lbs. Ammo seems rather comparable between 12/20, as I generally buy it by the case, not nickel and dime boxes here and there. Being somewhat Eco friendly...I hopped on the Bismuth train a while back. Plus it was just easier to have all my ammo Non Toxic. A few of my MT places can be ducks at daylight and birds after sun up. Pretty easy to get pinched with mix n match ammo on one trip out from the truck.

Any other Southpaw shooters with gas gun insight? I do fully understand that velocity can be the same/equal between the 12/20, just reduced pay load. But being a shitty shot....I'd prefer as many pellets as possible. But assuming I could miss shit just as easily with a 20 not being pointed properly as a 12.

Big difference in toting a 6lb 20 up Mt MF all day vs a 7.5lb gas gun?

I own an M2 Benelli 20ga left hand, I initially bought it because it was a screaming deal, I think 900 new. It has quickly become the main gun I hunt with. I imagine the franchi is nice as well, but never handled one.
I only grab my 12 if I am going duck hunting or shooting clays, mainly because I have a few cases of 12 ga ammo to burn through.
The lighter weight gun is nice to carry, hit the sporting clays range a few times with your 20 to get a feel for it.

 

[Macintosh]

For almost a decade I shot sporting clays, about 5000 rounds a year, shooting almost exclusively 7/8oz loads. Absolutely zero problem decisively smoking targets well past 50 yards, and they kill birds just fine too. I havent met more than a handful of people who can out-shoot an ounce of lead 6’s from a 20ga. But, at some point the fringe of the pattern with any lighter load of larger shot isnt dense enough and hits at longer range become less consistent, even if the core center of the pattern is still just fine. Ive argued against the current here recently FOR a 12ga because I think paying for even moderate shooting volume of non-toxic shot shouldnt cost more than a new autoloader per season, and a sub gauge just doesnt fit larger steel shot well. But if you are willing to spend for tss the subgauge is very capable. Bismuth isnt going to provide as good penetration or density as lead, but it will be close. For sure try a 20, doubt you’ll be disappointed.

The subgauge snobbery is over the top though. I say get a light 12 just to snub the subgauge-only crowd. Plenty of nice brit 12 sxs’s that handle like most 20’s can only dream of but without the subgauge attitude, and some nice UL autoloaders too. An ounce (or less) is even better in a 12 than it is in a 20.

 

[sanpedroranch]

I only care about duck hunting these days and a 20ga or 28ga are what I will be using from here on out. Be able to fully utilize a 20ga or 28ga on waterfowl and retire the 12ga is all about how you hunt, what species are primary to your area, knowing how your gun patterns, and if the price difference is worth it to you. The first two being very important and the third being most important imo. I rarely pass shoot these days. Since my focus is to have the birds work into the hole. My shots are on average 22-25 yards depending on pond I’m hunting that day. My ponds are flooded rice fields except for one that has millet and is surrounded by woods. So, the majority of ducks I see and hunt are puddle ducks. I shoot a lot of BWT, GWT, Pintail, Hollywoods, and Gaddies. Being close to the coast I’ll see just about everything, but my bag is predominantly those. With those species at the distances I mentioned and a 1oz to 1 1/8 oz 20ga load or a 3/4oz to 1oz 28ga. I have no issues taking birds and having few cripples. I also pattern my shotguns and figure out what the gun is doing. That has made the most significant difference why I don’t feel under gunned shooting a 28ga for early teal and 1st split. I also use bismuth or tss or a tss/steel blend. For all practical purposes a 12ga and 20ga are real world equivalents performance wise inside 25 yards on most ducks.

 

[slvrslngr]

Are you a lefty? Or a rightly in love with the left hand gun?

I’m a righty that is left eye dominant, should have switched long ago.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

For almost a decade I shot sporting clays, about 5000 rounds a year, shooting almost exclusively 7/8oz loads. Absolutely zero problem decisively smoking targets well past 50 yards, and they kill birds just fine too. I havent met more than a handful of people who can out-shoot an ounce of lead 6’s from a 20ga. But, at some point the fringe of the pattern with any lighter load of larger shot isnt dense enough and hits at longer range become less consistent, even if the core center of the pattern is still just fine. Ive argued against the current here recently FOR a 12ga because I think paying for even moderate shooting volume of non-toxic shot shouldnt cost more than a new autoloader per season, and a sub gauge just doesnt fit larger steel shot well. But if you are willing to spend for tss the subgauge is very capable. Bismuth isnt going to provide as good penetration or density as lead, but it will be close. For sure try a 20, doubt you’ll be disappointed.

The subgauge snobbery is over the top though. I say get a light 12 just to snub the subgauge-only crowd. Plenty of nice brit 12 sxs’s that handle like most 20’s can only dream of but without the subgauge attitude, and some nice UL autoloaders too. An ounce (or less) is even better in a 12 than it is in a 20.

Good info. Thank you

And to the handful of Lefties with real world experience with the M2...thank you. It seems there was a Gen 2 M2 dropped, but I am not sure it applied to the Lefty version. Briley has several in stock, but it's difficult to determine which Gen. I don't think the Benelli sight shows a current production Lefty in M2.

I THINK they show a SBE 3 in 20g Lefty. But for a chunk down the mountain and a trip n fall gun....not sure I am dumping $1900 into a "maybe". I also believe the SBE # in 20 is a sub 6 pound gun. 5lbs 14oz. Am guessing Franchi is the way I will swing. LOTS of great reviews for the Affinity in either gauge.

 

[Weldor]

I shoot a 20 semi auto for years, my thumb was always sore from loading. I went back to the 12 Beretta, It's easy to carry and doe not jamb my thumb -up. Still like my 20 for Turkey. Lefty's are pretty hard to find, I was kind of surprised in this day and age.

 

[Dos Perros]

A 20ga is all I've ever carried on the prairies for huns and sharpies. If there is something better I'm too stubborn or too stupid to find it. Killed lots of pheasants with a 20 too. We found waaaay more than we lost, and not because of the gun in my hand, but because of the dogs on the ground.

 

[Fowl Play]

Bullshit..

I kill Chukars and Huns regularly past 40 yards with a 20 ga. I bet my crew killed over 500 last year, 80% with 20 ga. I don't think that average shooter would notice the difference between a 12 and 20 on Huns and chukars. Hit them where the eat and not where they sheet and they die.

Make it whatever yardage you feel comfortable with, but there is definitely a point that even with the same shooter a 20 gauge is going to drop off on consistent/clean kills. And it’s probably 10-15 yards closer than the 12. If you’re dog-less (like me) that extra 15 yards can make or break.

And with tons of locations requiring non-tox for all upland now, I feel the 12 is no brainer. It’s not just California anymore. Some of the best public land in Montana, South Dakota, Etc is non-tox for all birds. In many instances, that’s the deciding factor for land owners in walk-in programs.

 

[WRO]

Make it whatever yardage you feel comfortable with, but there is definitely a point that even with the same shooter a 20 gauge is going to drop off on consistent/clean kills. And it’s probably 10-15 yards closer than the 12. If you’re dog-less (like me) that extra 15 yards can make or break.

And with tons of locations requiring non-tox for all upland now, I feel the 12 is no brainer. It’s not just California anymore. Some of the best public land in Montana, South Dakota, Etc is non-tox for all birds. In many instances, that’s the deciding factor for land owners in walk-in programs.

I’ve broke a pile of clays with a 12 and with a 20, I haven’t seen any correlation.

Non tox shot isn’t even a discussion where I hunt.


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[Cbubq]

Shockwave under the bed

 

[Jack321]

Lets be honest. A pheasant getting hit by #6 lead shot isnt going to know if its from a 10, 12, 16, 20, 28 or 410!

I shoot em all, 12, 20, 28 and 410 all from different manufacturers Benelli, Browning, Winchester, Remington, O/Us, autos (got rid of my pumps)

I'm partial to Benellis as I love the inertia systems. I have a 12 and 28 ga SBEs. But i also have several gas guns in 12ga and 20ga. Tristar 20ga and 410. Browning Citori 12ga, Rem 1100 in 20Ga, Winchester SX4 12 ga. (Funny i dont have a 16ga nor a 10ga so i cant speak to them.)

And I shoot just about everything with every gun. Doves, pheasants, chuckar ducks, turkeys, geese & clays with all of them.

Modern ammo has made it possible to take down any N. American game bird with any gauge shotgun. Bismuth, tungsten & tss has opened the gateway to subgauges taking down larger birds (turkeys and geese).

I switch guns just to have variety. I will shoot my 28ga at geese and the next weekend take the 20ga, then the next the 12ga. I shoot Hevi-XII 4s with my 28ga at geese. I can shoot #9 TSS at turkeys from a 410. Or busmuth #2s with my 20ga, or #7.5 TSS for turkeys.

Makes it fun. Makes it challenging. Makes it a talking piece when walking in the field or sitting in the blind, "What you shooting today?"

The only real difference between different gauges (using the same size shell & same pellet size) is the speed and the # of pellets in the shell.

 

[medvedyt]

the little question to ask is can you get locally 20ga ammo as here it will so complicated even worse with the 16ga. other than that as a left hander shooter i wish you the best.