woody
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,116
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Post by woody on Sept 28, 2018 4:57:43 GMT -5
You would be fine with a 20 ga. I’ve shot a bunch of turkeys with the 20. I use Heavyshot #6’s and it’s all the gun you need. Mine 870 is 40 yard gun all day. It probably patterns and shoots better than half the guys shooting artillery/candlesticks ( 3 1/2” 12 ga.) I never understood the need for the 3 1/2”. Turkeys aren’t bullet proof. I shot a few birds with one years ago and the only thing I gained is it was punishing to shoot. The 3 1/2 had its day when it was needed to shoot large payloads of steel for waterfowl but now days Ammo company’s have it figured out with steel. Speed kills. Most my turkeys are shot at the 25-30 range or closer. As far as a turkey getting shot with a 20 and running off. Thst would be due to a poor shot. A load of 5’s or 6’s are that same no matter what gauge you shoot. For waterfowl it’s all my boys shoot. Most my duck hunting is over decoys so closer shots. It do prefer a 12 myself but do hunt with a 20 a few times a year mainly for woodies in the timber.
So the short of the story is. You will be fine with a 20 ga. Much nicer to carry all day.
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shorty500
.327 Meteor
too many dirty harry movies created me!
Posts: 908
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Post by shorty500 on Sept 29, 2018 10:54:19 GMT -5
The gentle 20 with good ammo will work wonders in hands of a well practiced shot gunner. Good patterning barrel/load combos are far more critical than anything. Since haven’t actively shoot ATA trap in years I really dont recall last time I fired a 12 gauge outside of testing a customers gun. My SP10 hasn’t been outside of gunroom in over 20years. My 100 year old Browning 16 is also a dust collector. While I recently acquired a Russian 28 bore SxS that breaks clays in the backyard I have yet to hunt it. The infamous “Idiot stick” as skeet shooters call the .410 has been my mainstay in recent years
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gregs
.30 Stingray
Posts: 454
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Post by gregs on Oct 1, 2018 1:12:29 GMT -5
Turkey no problem, copper plated 6s followed by some 4s and your good to go. Puddle jumping ducks no problem with bismuth but lay in a case of non toxic early as it is difficult to locate. Anything more than puddle jumping and you'll want to move up to the 12.
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Post by foxtrapper on Dec 3, 2018 11:38:28 GMT -5
Dang I forgot about this thread and a update. I did post in another thread that I took a turkey while running my trapline. I used a 20 gauge youth stocked mossberg 500 with a black maxx turkey choke. Ammo was federal 3” #5 turkey ammo. The 20 killed em dead at about 20 yards. Big turkey , 12” beard and heavy! Thanks to all!
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jgt
.327 Meteor
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Post by jgt on Dec 4, 2018 11:41:06 GMT -5
I use to own every gage from 12 to 410. The Remington 1100 410 was a sweet shooting gun as was the 101 Winchester. Charles Daly 28 gage over and under was also a nice handling gun. I settled on a 12 gage because at the time it patterned the best of all the gages. I have used them since the early seventies. Today I only own three 12 gages, A Winchester 37 single shot, a Remington 870 wingmaster upland, and a Browning BPS. All are good shooting guns with different jobs. I use bb buckshot for Pheasants, not because #6 won't work, but because when I walk up to where they fell they are still there dead as a door nail. Pheasants can hide in a blade of grass and have a habit of running off after they are on the ground if only wounded. If you hunt over dogs, it is not problem. The dog will run them down. If not, you can loose those sneaky little so-n-sos.
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jgt
.327 Meteor
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Post by jgt on Dec 4, 2018 11:54:29 GMT -5
One time I was hunting in a harvested corn field that was as big as the circle irrigation rig could reach. I was using a 101 Winchester 12 gage with a fairly thick recoil pad. The field had a temporary electric fence about thirty inches off the ground. While crossing it I decided to use the recoil pad to depress the fence line while crossing. Well, you might have guessed by now where this story is going. I got halfway across when the fence line slipped off the butt pad and bounced up between my legs. I tried walking on air and everything else until I finally recaptured the line and got on across. Then I looked around to see if there was anyone rolling on the ground laughing at the sight I must have made crossing that fence. There was no one. A pity. I bet it would have even made me laugh had I been able to see it on film.
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jsh
.327 Meteor
Posts: 884
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Post by jsh on Dec 4, 2018 18:55:29 GMT -5
I will throw in my findings on steel. Lead, nothing new has been done or needed for a longgg time.
One gent say speed kills, well I will disagree. Steel 2's over decoys, but have seen it 30 years ago and see it today. Hunting over decoys, ducks or geese, shoot at a bird and watch the water under the critter, shot will bounce off and splash in the water. Makes no difference in 20 or 12 or payload. Enter the black cloud and other such loads. Tight choke and a square hit with my SBE or 835, it kills, but what a mess.
I had some 1 steel shot and it worked well. Hard to find anymore, if at all. Everyone can laugh, but I use BB on everything. More open pattern, more momentum so no bouncing off.
If I were starting from scratch, I would try some of the square type shots for patterns and work on getting it opened up,rather than so tight. I have so much BB and BBB I will be good for a several years. Still have some Bismuth from years ago when I drag out and old Model 12.
Also be aware more and more public upland game areas are going ALL steel shot. Jeff
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