20 gauge recommendations?

[pparris3]

I like the 28" 20 ga barrel set on my 686 20/28 two barrel set gun. The 28 ga barrel set is 26" barrels and I don't shoot it as well as the the longer 20 ga barrels and rarely even shoot them. Good luck, the Silver Pigeons are nice reliable, excellent carrying and shooting guns. Bought mine 21 years ago.

Very cool. Thanks for the recommendation. I'm highly considering getting into the O/U realm soon.

30" if you can find em, especially if any clays are on the menu. If it's entirely an open-country/clays gun I would not be at all afraid of 32" tubes. 28" is easier to find on a field gun, I would not go any shorter than this even in extremely thick brush--26" tubes are really whippy and difficult to control for most people, and the overall length of the gun is still quite short with longer barrels. Keep in mind that the length of a double gun will be similar to the length of an auto or pump with a 4" shorter barrel, but in a reasonable quality gun will have less weight out front. Best-handling gun I ever shot much was a 10lb perazzi with 34" lighter-weight fixed-choke barrels. Due to the distribution of the weight it was extremely STABLE but also exceptionally FAST handling. That's the combination I'm looking for in a shotgun, and I think more important the lighter the gun is. Assuming the barrels in whatever gun you are looking for arent super heavy the way some of the entry-level doubles are, those longer tubes really help to get that balance.

Good word on the barrel lengths. I do like shooting clays so maybe a 30" barrel is what I'm moreso looking for.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Ithaca 37
Light, reliable, bottom ejection.

 

[SuspiciousFish]

Also dont discount 16 gauge. They used to be the bread and butter for upland hunting until 12 gauge took over. They are starting to make a lot more ammo for the gauge now too. I have my Grandpa's old 16 gauge Wingmaster and it points and swings very instinctively.

The Best 16-Gauge Shotguns. Plus, Why the 16 Is the Most Versatile Gauge

The 16-gauge doesn't get the fanfare of the 12-, 20- or even 28-gauge. But it's highly versatile. Here's a look a the best 16-gauge shotguns.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[JD Jones]

I carry a cz bobwhite 28gauge most the time. It’s light it’s functional and it shoots lights out. I have and will again carry a 20 gauge benelli ultralight chasing roosters and I’d like to also add an ethos one day

 

[jmez]

Now wait a second here!! Are you guys implying you can knock a pheasant down with anything other than high brass #4's out of a 12 Gauge????????????? Blasphemy.

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[MtnDunn]

Benelli M2 20ga is wonderful. It is super light weight and easy on recoil. Personally, I've never had an issue with the "Benelli click". Also, don't overlook CZ. They are making killer shotguns at a fraction of the price. I bought my wife a CZ upland Ultralight All Terrain Series 20GA and have really taken a liking to it. It is definitely my preferred quail gun if she lets me barrow it!

 

[willidru]

Upland I would go with Beretta Silver Pigeon OU I forget which grade but not the overly fancy one. OU makes collecting shells easy and it shoots great.

 

[dkell]

I was in this conundrum a few weeks back. I was told by a much older friend that has been hunting with doubles for 50 years that you are really rolling the dice buying a SxS under a grand. You could get a diamond or get a lemon where the barrel timings are not optimized. He recommended a Winchester 101 Silver Grade or a Dickinson estate SxS instead of buying around 1,000. I heavily looked into CZ’s double line up but ended up getting a screaming deal on a weatherby Orion O/U. It shoots lights out with IC/M in my preferred load of 2 3/4 7.5 shot for ruffed grouse. It fits me really well and was like finding an old friend the first time I took it to the range. I lucked out with it but you do have to be slightly cautious with those Turkish made guns because you don’t really know what you’re going to get. Not knocking them at all just saying that quality can be inconsistent.

 

[WRO]

I was in this conundrum a few weeks back. I was told by a much older friend that has been hunting with doubles for 50 years that you are really rolling the dice buying a SxS under a grand. You could get a diamond or get a lemon where the barrel timings are not optimized. He recommended a Winchester 101 Silver Grade or a Dickinson estate SxS instead of buying around 1,000. I heavily looked into CZ’s double line up but ended up getting a screaming deal on a weatherby Orion O/U. It shoots lights out with IC/M in my preferred load of 2 3/4 7.5 shot for ruffed grouse. It fits me really well and was like finding an old friend the first time I took it to the range. I lucked out with it but you do have to be slightly cautious with those Turkish made guns because you don’t really know what you’re going to get. Not knocking them at all just saying that quality can be inconsistent.

I've been around more Turkish o/u that fire both barrels than not that occasionally when loaded with high base shells.

 

[ColoradoWalt]

Benelli M2 for dove and teal. I've got a Ruger Red Label from the 80's that I love for quail and skeet.

 

[jayhawk]

I picked up quite a few scatter guns shopping around to see how they agreed with me, and a few even fit me. But when I picked up a 20ga Beretta Silver Pigeon I shouldered it and said, "That's it". It was just perfect for my body frame and arm length and everything, and I shoot very well with it in the field.

When purchasing OU or SxS, I try to think of buying two guns. After all, there are 2 separate and complete actions, barrels, ejectors, etc. So whatever is the price for a good auto loader or pump, just double it and add a few hundred bucks and that's what you should look to pay for a double.

 

[Mike Islander]

Love my Benelli M2 Field. Got it for flooded timber ducks, quail, everything else.

 

[yfarm]

Silver Pigeon gets great reviews, only negative for me as a left handed shooter is that the gun is built with a cast off for a right handed shooter. Only option is to steam the stock. Brownings are supposed to be neutral but there are individual variations so check each gun if you are a lefty.

 

[Macintosh]

You can get lefthanded versions, or a new stock for not that much money, but its a consideration If you are a leftie. its harder (and in some cases extremely difficult or impossible) to bend a o/u stock becasue they use a throughbolt and because theres usually a lot mor emeat in the wrist than a sxs or gamegun that is typically bent to fit, fitting these often involves re-inletting the stock which is much more involved—so yes, lefties beware. Virtually everyone will shoot better with a gun that has a little cast for them, but as a leftie you will drive yourself crazy trying to shoot a gun that’s cast off for a right-handed shooter, or vice versa. Many of the higher-end autos come with shims that fit between the stock and action and allow you to adjust the stock to fit. If its a clays-specific gun an adjustable comb can be tough with the handling of the gun, but it allows some adjustment as well.

 

[rhaas90]

Beretta a400 upland. Shoots great! My wife handles the minimal recoil well. Also a beautiful gun!


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[Mosby]

This thread has motivated me. I went and got out my old Browning A 5 light twenty that's been sitting with my other guns for years. I think it has a 22" barrel. Bought it over 25 years ago in a gun shop in Oklahoma City brand new. Never saw another before or since with that short barrel. I can still remember seeing it sitting on the gun rack at the store. It was love at first sight. At the time, I thought it would be perfect for grouse hunting in the woods of PA. Truth be told, I've never hunted it....until this year. It is going with me on my trips to Iowa for pheasant. I bought a case of lead and I'm ordering a new Carlson light modified choke for it. Going to clean it and wipe it down today and apologize for neglecting it. Good times.

 

[Campaignhat]

It seems with the more modern ammo a 28 gauge might do what I am looking for as well. Any experience vs 20 gauge ?

You mentioned ducks, so I don’t think a 28 gauge will serve you well in that capacity. Ever seen 28 gauge steel duck loads? Me neither. For my vote, I’ll throw in my recommendation for a Browning OU in 20 gauge if you can take the recoil (not much, but more than a semi). Brownings are excellent guns, hold their value (and then some), and aren’t sensitive to ammo. Steel shot is more available, though you are limited to 2 shots instead of 3, but that third shot is usually ill-advised anyway. There are several ways to reduce felt recoil if you desire. I’ve never regretted buying a Browning anything.

 

[Chaseboost]

Beretta a400 lite 20. Has the kick off recoil reduction.

Wait, did we just become best friends?

 

[mnort]

Like many have said 20 gauge doesn't mean less recoil. A lite 20 gauge inertia gun still has plenty.

 

[SpringM1A]

Benelli M2 would be my first go to if not worried about how much I spend. Currently I shoot a Franchi Affinty 3 compact in 20 gauge. It has been impressive so far.