I know 12 gauge is the most popular, but I was usually only hunting dove/quail back when I bought my shotgun so I've got a 20 gauge. Thoughts?

As long as you're realistic with your shots and use proper ammo you'll be fine. Look at the shot weight and velocity on the loads and you'll see that there isn't an enormous difference on the same length shell. In dove loads usually a 12 throws 1/8 oz more shot 100 fps faster.

I shot plenty of ducks with 3" #4 20 ga growing up.

Yes.

Yes. Have shot ducks with my m2 20 from S texas to Canada, never a problem

I saw two turkeys at the same time killed in tracks with #8 20 gauge. If you hit them it works fine

With tungsten shot, yep; with steel... only out to a limited range. Modern shells work pretty well within a given envelope.

Yeah

Yes,

I killed a ton of ducks in my high school days with a 20.
Lived in Rockport and we duck hunted a lot..

my buddy's ole lady has put down plenty with a 20

I Teal hunt with a 20 gauge, works fine.

Yes, although it has a little less shot than the 12 gauge, if you aim correctly, everything should be just fine. You can also get a modified choke if you like.

no, cause i am a bad wing shooter

hit several ducks with my Beretta 20 #4 shots, half the time
I see feathers flying and ducks went flying away

a few times they dive deep under and escaped me

I now hunt with a Benelli SuperSport .12, the reach and
power afforded makes up for my limited shotgun skills

I've killed a lot of ducks with an old Mossberg 500 20 gauge. Wore them out. Wore it out too.

I was given an a5 browning in 20 that has killed many, many limits on Caddo/Murvall/Lake O the Pines/Wright Patman/ Black Bayou when I was younger. My grandfather killed with it as did I.

As a matter of fact I gave away all of my 12 gauge duck loads because I no longer own one. About 2 cases of Remington steel loads. That kid hunts more than me anyhow.

within reasonable range it absolutely works.

If you shoot ducks the way you're supposed to, feet down over the decoys, a 20 can easily get the job done!

So, A 12 gauge has more range than a 20? Whats the difference between 12 & .410 other than pellets down range? Don't they all have comparative velocity if using the same type shell? Would you use maybe a slightly tighter choke on the twenty if you were worried about shot coverage down range since the smaller the gauge, the less pellets? How does a 3" 20 gauge shot shell compare to a standard 12 in pellet capacity?

Don't shoot them in the arse and they won't fly away.

If you are worried about more pellets on target choke down...or pattern to different ranges so you know what your guN is doing. 410, 26, 20, 16, 12 are all effective especially in the hands of some that shoots a lot with that gun and knows where to aim.

There is an old man on THF that hunts with red dogs any way i think he is part viking part indian, he will smoke 90% of guys on this forum with a SXS 20ga. Grant it he been shooting it since the parker brothers made it for him in 1889

Certainly. Heck, you could hunt with a .410 if you wanted to. It really wouldn't matter. The thing is Steel shot sucks. No doubt about it. It is harder to kill with steel. But it is very much possible.

Some guys on a duck hunting forum have tried hevishot and TSS shot reloads in .410. They say that they work okay but with a 30 yard max range (and 25 works better) and $2.50 per shot, one wonders what the point of using a 410 is.

As long as the duck isn't swimming too fast and you can sneak up to the pond real close then all is OK.

x2

since the 12 is still out of commission, I used my daughters 20 last year....and LOVED it! I didnt have an issue putting birds down