# 20 gauge



## ShawnD (Oct 7, 2019)

Anyone use a 20 gauge to hunt turkeys with??


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## Big7 (Oct 7, 2019)

Uhhh. Yep. About half the Turkey hunters on the board. Rest shoot a 12ga or .410 bore.
There is also a bunch that bow and blackpowder hunt.

Do you have a specific question someone may be able to help you with?


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## Gator89 (Oct 8, 2019)

Turkey, pheasant, dove....yep I do.


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## TomC (Oct 8, 2019)

Switched from high priced 12 gauges to the cheap Remington 870 Youth 20 gauge. TSS certainly or even Longbeard XR will roll em at distance!!


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## Gator89 (Oct 8, 2019)

TomC said:


> Switched from high priced 12 gauges to the cheap Remington 870 Youth 20 gauge. TSS certainly or even Longbeard XR will roll em at distance!!



No need to panic, Benelli makes 20 gauges and 28's too!


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## TomC (Oct 8, 2019)

Haha.......so true. Walked in Walmart one day, $269 plus tax for the gun, couple of sponges and some paint made her look "custom" and she was ready to rock and roll. I normally use higher end chokes (i.e Trulock, Indian Creek) but apparently a cheap gun likes a cheap choke and the ol' $20 Primos Tightwad was the trick to make her really sing which seems to be confirmed by quite a few over at oldgobbler. I have really appreciated toting a light gun, easy to maneuver and it really hammers them hard!


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## ol bob (Oct 8, 2019)

Switched last year wish I had done it 20 years ago.


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## Gator89 (Oct 8, 2019)

TomC said:


> Haha.......so true. Walked in Walmart one day, $269 plus tax for the gun, couple of sponges and some paint made her look "custom" and she was ready to rock and roll. I normally use higher end chokes (i.e Trulock, Indian Creek) but apparently a cheap gun likes a cheap choke and the ol' $20 Primos Tightwad was the trick to make her really sing which seems to be confirmed by quite a few over at oldgobbler. I have really appreciated toting a light gun, easy to maneuver and it really hammers them hard!



I am happy with Carlson's chokes, not the cheapest but not the most expensive either. I would really like to find a good non-extended choke.


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## BBond (Oct 8, 2019)

Wife shots a Mossberg 500 youth 20 with a Carlson choke and it's been good.  Son has the same setup  for his first year next year with a dot added.


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## Mark K (Oct 8, 2019)

Yes


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## drewskyc (Oct 8, 2019)

My son, who is 10, shoots a Mossberg 510 mini super bantam 20 gauge. He killed a turkey with it using a Truglo choke this past season. I credit myself with all the work since I did the calling. He would be super mad if he read this lol He also takes it to Garland Mountain to bust clays with. Good all around youth shotgun.


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## SC Hunter (Oct 8, 2019)

I've been shooting a youth 870 20 gauge for the past 5 or 6 years. I've killed a pile of turkeys with it. Kicks choke and hevi shot #7's or federal heavyweights. I've got a benelli m2 20 gauge on my short list of wants. I shoot my 20's for dove, ducks and turkeys and never feel underfunded.


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## Buford_Dawg (Oct 9, 2019)

All we use anymore is 20 guages, have for 10 years or so.  Federal Heavyweight #7s, I got a good stock of them, when they run out, will go to TSS like the other guys.


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## six (Oct 9, 2019)

Switched to a Weatherby SA459 about 3 years ago.  Love it.


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## GunnSmokeer (Oct 9, 2019)

I hunted turkey once, with my Mossberg 500 Bantam (youth sized, 22" barrel) 20 gauge and the short little factory "FULL" choke. Fired 3X at one big Tom at 35 yards, and only put a few of those #6 pellets in him.  My pattern was excessively wide. He was flopping around, wounded, until several seconds after the third shot. Then he finally gave up the ghost.

Since then, I've bought a real turkey choke that extends 3/4" beyond my muzzle, and it patterns much tighter.


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## Big7 (Oct 9, 2019)

SCPO said:


> Yep. Use a Rem. 1187 Compact with a Sumtoy choke and FFIII. Shoot TSS shells. Going to use a 410 next year also. Bought used H&R 410 last year. Sent it to William at Sumtoy and had him thread it for a choke tube and drill and tap for a FFIII mount. Added different butt stock and hand guard.



You should be good to go then.
Locating Turkey, while you go undetected and get in range is the "hunting" part.
If they could smell, you'd probably never kill one.

The "shooting" part is relatively easy.
They are not hard to kill with any shotgun.?

Just Saying'.


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## nick_o_demus (Oct 10, 2019)

I dropped my 12 gauge like a bad habit when I got my 20 gauge patterned right.


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## duDucks44 (Oct 23, 2019)

Definitely use a 20 gauge but only with quality shells
like the Hevishot Magnum Blends or the new Hevi 18 TSS


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## trad bow (Oct 23, 2019)

I have four twenty gauges I hunt with. A Mossberg SA20 with a Sumtoy choke Fastfire 111 red dot on top is my dedicated Turkey gun although the others just need a choke change to get after them.


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## Juan De (Dec 15, 2019)

I hunted with a 10 ga for forever, then a 12 ga, I purchased a 20 ga  Benelli nova to have ready for next season.


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## frankwright (Dec 17, 2019)

I have only used a 20ga for the last 6-7 years. Lighter to carry and very little difference killing ability. I have used the Federal Heavy Weight but switched last year to Longbeard XR. 
Many love the TSS ammo but I grew up poor and am not going to spend that much money for a shell
This season to make it more challenging I will be using a single shot 20!


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## Turkeytider (Dec 17, 2019)

If I was younger and had more years to hunt I would transition to a 20 from my 870 Super Mag 12. The 870`s a tank, functions great, and I`ve tamed it down with a slip on Limbsaver and a padded T-shirt, so I`ll go ahead and stick with it. TSS has absolutely revolutionized sub gauge shooting.


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## Swamprat (Dec 20, 2019)

For the money the Longbeard XR's are bad in a 20 or 12. 

Picked up a .410 today, gun was cheap but at around 6 bucks a shell for TSS shooting it wont be.


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## turkeyhunter835 (Jan 4, 2020)

What distance tall getting out of a 20 vs a 12?


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## ssramage (Jan 4, 2020)

I've been hunting with a single shot 20 gauge for years. It patterns equal, if not better, than most 12 gauges. I have killed a turkey at 50yds with it, stone dead when I misjudged distance once. Camo gun is my 20 gauge and the other is a .410.


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Jan 4, 2020)

Gator89 said:


> No need to panic, Benelli makes 20 gauges and 28's too!





duDucks44 said:


> Definitely use a 20 gauge but only with quality shells
> like the Hevishot Magnum Blends or the new Hevi 18 TSS





trad bow said:


> I have four twenty gauges I hunt with. A Mossberg SA20 with a Sumtoy choke Fastfire 111 red dot on top is my dedicated Turkey gun although the others just need a choke change to get after them.





Juan De said:


> I hunted with a 10 ga for forever, then a 12 ga, I purchased a 20 ga  Benelli nova to have ready for next season.


or hand loaded 28g. A shotgun shell doesn’t know what gauge it really is.
I think many a 28g is often overlooked and nearly always under loaded.
Where’s my slugs? 54cal.


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## hawglips (Jan 6, 2020)

Big7 said:


> Uhhh. Yep. About half the Turkey hunters on the board. Rest shoot a 12ga or .410 bore.



I kill most of my turkeys with a 28 ga.


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## duDucks44 (Jan 11, 2020)

I am seeing more and more turkey hunters using sub-gauge shotguns
with superior shotgun shell offerings that are available.  The Hevishot
family of turkey loads are lethal and what I choose with any shotgun


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## Bubba_1122 (Jan 11, 2020)

Until 5 or 6 years ago I shot a M2 12 gauge with 3" Hevi Mag Blends. Didn't much enjoy the moment when the firing pin hit the primer.

Then I shot a 20 gauge with homegrown TSS for several years. That kicks too dang hard too.

Two years ago I used a 410. It's deadly.

Last year a 28 gauge (and that's a sweet shooting shotgun). I know it'll roll em out to 43 yards.

Probably gonna swap between the two this year (I'll likely shoot a Tristar G2 Viper Turkey Special 410 if my grandson isn't with me. If he is I'll probably have the 28 on me. Or I  might just want to tote more firepower (shooting 13/16 ounce in the 410 (about 295 pellets of #9) and the 28 shoots  1 1/2 ounces of 9's (that's 540 or so #9 shot headed towards the turkey's head)).


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## RedHills (Jan 11, 2020)

duDucks44 said:


> I am seeing more and more turkey hunters using sub-gauge shotguns
> with superior shotgun shell offerings that are available.  The Hevishot
> family of turkey loads are lethal and what I choose with any shotgun



I've been a 20g guy for 50 yrs, way before it was fashionable. The new loads offer nothing for me in my hunting environment and where I like to be and how I hunt turkeys. I have yet to say to myself...." if ida just had a TSS load."


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## trad bow (Jan 13, 2020)

I hunted and shot turkeys for years with a longbow or recurve. Do to physical issues I now have to hunt with twenty gauge. Almost feels like cheating.


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## longbowdave1 (Jan 13, 2020)

trad bow said:


> I hunted and shot turkeys for years with a longbow or recurve. Do to physical issues I now have to hunt with twenty gauge. Almost feels like cheating.


I'm in the same boat as you. Trying to work my way back though.


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