ok guys this may be a can of worms. ive always shot 12 gauge and it is what it is. but my buddy shoots a 20 and outshoots me almost everytime. so i swapped with him lastnight and shot like 10 times better.. whats the deal? it swung faster and felt better overall. he has a sxs and i have a pump but i gotta tell ya it was good. so what loads do yall use in your 20's to get the same umff for it to be competitive with a 12? im only hunting dove, quail and maybe pheasant later in life.. ideas?

I like a 20 ga. now after years of shooting a 12 on dove. For me I think it's all about recoil. It's not just the size of the bore or the pellet count..it's your technique, and the fit of the shotgun. I have a few 12 ga. SXS and a 20 ga. SXS. I prefer the 20, it just feels better.

Shoot what works best for you...a 20 and a 12 will have almost identical patterns with the only difference being pellet count. Prices for shells are about the same. If you decide to start reloading at some time you will save more on the 20 vs. the 12.

P_102

i traded my 12 gauge pump in last week after messing around with a sxs 20 gauge.

my dove hunting buddies both shoot 20's, they kill as much or more than i do so theres not a disadvantage imo.

i just really believe that you don't have to have a 12 to knock down a dove or quail

It really boils down to how good the shooter is and how the shotgun fits them!! I like my 12, because it fit's me like a glove.

Thing is it's not that the 20ga. Is better than the 12ga at all...from what your telling me the 20ga that your buddy let you shoot just felt alot better. Having a gun with a good fit and feel is the most important part of a gun.

20ga are usually lighter and easier to pick up and swing on a bird. But keep in mind the right 12ga is out there. Some people like a little heavier gun, some people like a lighter gun. I personally like a little lighter gun that when I pull it up I'm already looking down at the sight. I shouldn't have to adjust my head or crunch my neck down to see the bead. I collect shotguns and the one that fits me is the Benelli M2...although I can hit things with my others, this gun does fit me best...I didn't buy this gun for the benelli hype...I simply bought it because I fell in love when I shouldered it. Glad I did too...also keep on mind your comparing a sxs and a pump. 2 totally different guns...trust me there's a gun that fits you.

Hope this helps you a little.

Let me know how it goes.

Corey

+1 thats why I bought my 525

Love my 20's lighter to carry and less recoil.

As far as loads pretty simple stuff... 7 for dove and quail.... Steel 2 or 3's for ducks....4,5,or 6 for pheasant.

If you duck hunt a lot a recommend a 3in chamber for the 20ga... just because it easier to find 3in steel loads for a 20 ga then 2 3/4.


the 243 is a great tx deer rifle not just beacuse of it ballistics, but b/c many people can shoot the hell out of it, and be a lot more accurate with it then say a 300mag...

Same thing goes with 20 vs 12

good response guys, his is a cz bobwhite which is a completely different feel.. i mean its a straight stock and weighs almost a pund and a half less than mine.. with that said i shoulder it better and shoot it better because of that. he uses the shurshot heavy dove 7s and that works for him. ive heard 8 shot is better and get 1 ounce shot.. just the 20 is new to me but im definitely liking it. now i gotta sell my 12 gauge

They do make 12s that feel like 20s these days. But if you just do upland game and doves a 20 is still fun. I just can't bring myself to get a 20, then again I hunt ducks geese quite a bit. Go shoulder some guns out there. You will surely be surprised with what you can find. Not sure what your budget is but you can pick up a yildiz o/u at academy for around 400 bucks and the 12 gauge is very light. They also have a 20 that feels like a feather. Their out there

The 20 gauge probably fits you better. Gun fit is the most important thing when it comes to accuracy and felt recoil.

yeah that gun fits me super well and feels great. i realize there are 12's out there that feel like 20's both in weight and in recoil. ive always liked the sxs and love a double trigger dont ask me why i just do. prob same reason i hunt deer with a revolver. but im mainly concerned about getting a good load on the shells i buy. like i said ive heard both that i would need bigger and then smaller size shot and that 3 inch over 2 3/4 and vise versa. just kinda lost on that one. also i have a shotgun for sale now lol

99 percent of your new 20 ga well be chamber to fit 2 3/4 to 3 in shells... its your older ones or browning citori featherlights that wont be chambered for 3 in

ok so on your dove, quail and crows what loads do yall use?

its not about kick and or weight just about comfort. i really enjoyed the way the 20 shot overall. mine is just a gun i shoot and it is what it is, i wanted better

Yep, if it feels good to you, it's only going to make you shoot that much better.

410 for me , more of a sport......lol shoot what ever feels best..

wow 410, that is a challenge

In a 12ga I usually just shoot 1oz. #6, 7 1/2, or 8s....if I'm hunting crows I usually get a little more powerful shell, #4s or heavy #6s

yeah 12 i got, but 20 whats the loads?

I would simply shoot the same shell but only in a 20ga. I don't change my shells regularly because I'm used to what I shoot. If you shoot Winchester super speeds 12ga 7 1/2s...then just buy the same shell in a 20ga...not sure if I'm any help or if I'm answering any of your questions correctly

acninja, Featherduster has it right, use the same loads that you like in the 12. Many people lose sight of the fact that the ballistics (velocity, etc.) are identical whether you're shooting a 12, 20 or even a .410, the only difference is the amount of shot your are putting in the air. Standard 20 guage field loads will have 7/8 oz. of shot vs. the 1 to 1/18 in 12 but don't let that bother you, unless you're taking long shots you still have plenty.

P_102

They both serve different purposes for me.. .12 ga for Turkey, waterfowl and when the whitewings are flying high. .20 ga. for quail, dove and the like (also when walking around a lot as it only weights about 6 pounds).

I shoot a 20 with 9 shot and a full choke....it's deadly on dove

i've been out a few times since i made the previous post.

knock the snot outta dove, didn't change my kill ratio one bit between a 12 and a 20.