Hunting & Fishing 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

athanasios23

athanasios23

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Minuteman
Dec 28, 2009
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New York, USA
#1
I'd like to start bird hunting(waterfowl and turkey) and was wondering if a 20 gauge shotgun would be sufficent. I know when bird hunting you are constintly shooting and the 12 gauge will become a pain to shoot. I was also thinking of getting a shotgun with changable barrels. This way I can hunt turkey, waterfowl and throw a rifled barrel for slugs to have a deer gun aswell. So my question is which would be a better gun for what i'd like to use it for. 12 or 20 gauge?
 
#5
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

12ga 2-3/4"& 3" magnum semi.Don't fall for the 3.5" mag craze,unless your into pain and have money to burn.Remington offers an 1187 combo with a vent rib + slug barrel that should fill your multi purpose needs.They also offer the same combo in their 870 pump line.There are a ton of accessories for remingtons and they're made in NY,so you should be able to find one fairly cheap.There are other manufacturers out there that make combo's,but with me being a lefty and a resident of NYS,I support and reccomend in state manufacturers that cater to southpaw's.Plus,I've put my Remingtons through hell + high water and they've never let me down yet.
STEVE
 
#7
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ath23</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I know when bird hunting you are constintly shooting and the 12 gauge will become a pain to shoot.</div></div>

This is not true at all. Light 12ga loads are similar in shot weight, powder charge, and muzzle velocity to standard 20ga hunting loads. Also, a 12ga shotgun is typically heavier than the same model shotgun in 20ga.

Given these two facts, a 12ga can actually be more comfortable to shoot than a 20ga.

If you're really recoil shy, buy a semiauto. Beretta even makes recoil reducers that fit in the stock of their shotguns.

I've spent some time with a Beretta AL391 semiauto with the recoil reducer and an aftermarket recoil pad and it's almost like shooting a pellet gun.
 
#8
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ath23</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I know when bird hunting you are constintly shooting and the 12 gauge will become a pain to shoot.</div></div>

+1 on what maladat said. I have several pumps and semis. The semis are softer shooting. The 1187 is a pussycat but not as fast as the Benelli Inertia system. My two Franchi semis are the exception. Recoil operated, less than 5lbs makes for a great dove gun. You can carry it all day but the 20ga kicks harder than all my 12's (with the exception of the Franchi 12).

12ga. Somebody (pretty sure it's Remington but I could be wrong) just came out with a new model that has the gas ports in the chamber so more ports are open when a lighter shell is loaded.
 
#10
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

Shot a 12 gauge for most of my life since i do alot of waterfowling. Switched to a 20 gauge this year because it's lighter for walking into the ponds and i haven't looked back since. Been smoking anything from big honkers to pheasants with it. I got a lot of crap for shooting a 20 gauge starting out but no one says anything now, the 20 will amaze you. I prefer benelli's, and after saturdays goose hunt in -20 degree weather and snow there were alot of guys that had issues with their guns but not the benelli guys. Lack of ammo choices suck for the 20 gauge that is my only complaint, so for ease of use i would say go with a 12 and shoot light loads if you want or heavy loads when you need them.
 
#12
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

get a 12 and be done with it. I get tired of having to chase pheasants for guys because they want the challenge of shooting the 20 all they do is feed the yotes with the 20's
 
#15
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

Forest12,

I do use my 20 for waterfowl but I refuse to shoot cheap steel. Hevi Metal 2's or kent fast steel 2's and only use the fast steel on decoyed ducks. Other than that i've patterend both and know both work. The hevi metals absolutely pound geese and i would take my 20 with hevi's over a 12 with expert steel. The 96 honkers we shot in the last 3 days didn't know the difference between shot with a 20 or a 12.
 
#16
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

If you are buying one hunting shotgun, buy a 12 gauge. If you've got the cash, get a Browning, Beretta or Benelli semi-auto. B-guns are the hot thing when it comes to shotguns.

My gear selection...

I have a Benelli M2 12 ga that I like really well. I opted against getting the 3 1/2" gun (SBE II) because I only use them on geese once or twice a year and have a shotgun setup for that. I match the load to the game.

Recoil on the M2 12 gauge is similar to that of the Rem 870 20 gauge that I have.
 
#18
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

12 ga, ear plugs, and quality steel shot. While you can shoot a 20 ga., most do not practice enough to be consistent with it. Also, steel shot looses energy rapidly. You want as much payload as reasonably possible for those long shots.

Good luck

Jerry
 
#21
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: murrdogg</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Kurt,

It's not the guns fault. </div></div>

Might not be the guns fault but for some reason when they guys switch from 20 to 12 we have alot less runners. The other thing i have a problem with a double barrels always reloading the damn thing when the birds are flying. We just went through the books the other day and for this year we are right at 2000 wild pheasants so i am just basing this off my observations of a few pheasants being shot.
 
#22
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

I've shot ducks, geese and upland birds for 20+ years with a 20ga. With the right load and hold I have done real well on geese over decoys, even tripled several times. I still have several 12ga in the safe and always a 12ga in the boat, I just like grabbing the 20ga when the situation permits.
 
#24
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

I've hunted everything from quail and dove to waterfowl and turkeys and never used anything but a 20. I don't care what anybody sais, you need to get one in your hands and try it. There are different styles of guns, ie, semi-auto and pumps, and I've seen some that weren't as nice as others. Just find out what you like and stick with it!

Tack
 
#27
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

12ga for me,
20ga for the boys..
I picked up a Remmy 1100 Lt-20 which if I am not mistaken is a 20ga built on a 28ga reciever. I had two bbls, both sent off for the installation of choke tubes.. Love the little gun.. great for dove and quail.
Good luck
 
#29
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

When my friend got into his seventies he stayed with the 20 for the light weight, never saw him shoot and not kill what he shot at, deer and turkey, he always said you just have to put it on 'em......I carry a 12.
 
#30
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

It took a lot for me to trust the 20 gauge until I started taking youth hunters out on a waterfowl hunts and seen some of the shots they were pulling off with the 20. I switched for weight issues walking into duck ponds by myself and haven't been able to switch back to the 12 since. Even though i shoot the 20 i still suggest 12 gauges to most people but i do say not to knock the 20 until you've tried it. I also shoot more than most too, i probably have 4-5 cases of shells through my shotgun since august and shoot on two trap leagues every summer.
 
#31
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tucsondave</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a 12ga. Browning Superposed w/a set of Briley Tubes. One gun shoots,410 20 12 and 28 gauges.Sorta like a DTA. LAst shotgun you'll ever buy </div></div>

Knock that down into the bottom of the duck boat and have the dog shake pond water all over it............I'd be crying. With my 870, wipe major muck off and drive on.

A good morning hunt two years ago in Quebec all 12 ga shooters:

Geese.jpg


Good luck

Jerry
 
#33
Re: 12 or 20 gauge for bird hunting

Go to google and look for Jerry Clower and find his story about squirrell hunting, lol just for laughs. Me personally I'm a 20 ga man, theres nothing you can do with a 12 that you cant do with the 20. Happy hunting and merry christmas
 
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