20 bore

ESetter

Does anyone here hunt with a 20 bore..how do ye find it on pheasant/duck etc?

What cartridges are popular? Sorry for all the questions but im tempted to get one.

Grizzly 45

Got one ,a single shot Savage Combination 20 GA/22 mag. Its a fine little calibre if you are of slighter build and don't like a 12 GA in recoil or you do a lot of walking and shooting over rough ground. It will drop anything a 12 GA will ...Within reason... A bit of practise with one and remembering to shorten your distance in range, and it's as good as any 12 gauge. One of my mentors was a slight build Kerryman, and ALL he shot was 20 GA of various types. The guy was lethal on woodcock and snipe over dogs with them.

JUST MAKE SURE if you get one to keep its ammo far away from all things 12 GA!. It's too easy, even with 20 Ga ammo being bright yellow in colour,from mistakenly dropping one into a 12 ga chamber and loading a 12 GA shell on top of that with deadly consequences. If you do have both calibres , it's advisable to use totally separate bags, ammo belts, slips, and even jackets...Just to be sure to be sure.;)

ESetter

Thanks Grizzly..I have a couple of 12 bores and have shot for 35 plus years..its all roughshooting with me so i was thinking of a 20 for the lighter weight..the auld knees/hips are burning oil!! The safety issue would be a concern alright.

JP22

For the size and species of game we shoot here, a 20 Bore with the right cartridge will work just fine. You do have to be aware of distances though; overall you must let your quarry get nearer.

Plenty of info on 20 Bore at the following link.

https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/tag/20-bore

J.R.

ESetter wrote: »

I have a couple of 12 bores ................................... so i was thinking of a 20 for the lighter weight

Lighter weight:.....why not consider a Beretta Ultralight O/U or similar?...it weights just 6lb 2 oz or a Benelli Ultra Light Semi-Auto Shotgun at 6lb 1oz and in 12 gauge you could continue to use the ammo you have for the other guns.

useurowname

My biggest worry buying any 20g presently is the impending lead ban. If you are reduced to using steel or very expensive non lead shells you’ll need every ounce you can get, I’d be forgetting about duck in that case. Also if you buy a 20 it will have much lower resale value should a lead ban be introduced as planned. Certainly I’d be looking at the market in the uk for second hands as an indicator as they are ahead in terms of transitioning away from lead.

Excavo

useurowname wrote: »

My biggest worry buying any 20g presently is the impending lead ban. If you are reduced to using steel or very expensive non lead shells you’ll need every ounce you can get, I’d be forgetting about duck in that case. Also if you buy a 20 it will have much lower resale value should a lead ban be introduced as planned. Certainly I’d be looking at the market in the uk for second hands as an indicator as they are ahead in terms of transitioning away from lead.

Good point. 20 bore ammo is already expensive even in lead shot.
Plenty of lighter weight semi autos out there as already stated. Browning Maxus in a composite stock for example is another gun that doesn't weight much.

ninja7848

I bought a 20g semi auto for last season.it will shoot everything a 12g will shoot. 32g 6 is still a 32g 6 just a little less shot in the air. It’s light as a feather for all morning walking and over ponds for duck it’s fast to move. A little wand. Obviously it does shoot lighter loads but equally heavy loads available. I bought it mainly as my son is at the age for a training licence. And it’s smaller with a shorter stock for shorter arms. I love it.

ESetter

ninja7848 wrote: »

I bought a 20g semi auto for last season.it will shoot everything a 12g will shoot. 32g 6 is still a 32g 6 just a little less shot in the air. It’s light as a feather for all morning walking and over ponds for duck it’s fast to move. A little wand. Obviously it does shoot lighter loads but equally heavy loads available. I bought it mainly as my son is at the age for a training licence. And it’s smaller with a shorter stock for shorter arms. I love it.

What cartridges do you use?

tudderone

Had a 20 bore mossberg pump years ago and loved it. I used to use it for decoyed pigeons, no trouble knocking them at all. Ever consider a sweet 16 (16 bore).

ESetter

tudderone wrote: »

Had a 20 bore mossberg pump years ago and loved it. I used to use it for decoyed pigeons, no trouble knocking them at all. Ever consider a sweet 16 (16 bore).

I'd love a 16 bore but they are scarce as hens teeth in o/u or semi auto. its strange they are not more popular.

ninja7848

tudderone wrote: »

Had a 20 bore mossberg pump years ago and loved it. I used to use it for decoyed pigeons, no trouble knocking them at all. Ever consider a sweet 16 (16 bore).

Friend of mine has an old 16 bore side by side for duck over ponds. Smashing gun. And it always amazes me just how well he shoots with it. I’ve never used a side by side. And when I look down the barrel it just feels weird to me. But hey we’re spoilt with all the choice now I guess

Grizzly 45

ESetter wrote: »

I'd love a 16 bore but they are scarce as hens teeth in o/u or semi auto. its strange they are not more popular.

Try Germany or Egun for the16s. They were the std shotgun calibre in Germany until the post-war era when the 12 gauge started making inroads.Have seen 16 GA Browning A5s and Merkel O/Us on Egun recently.Like the 40 cal,its kind of a twixt and tween caliber. If you want heavy-hitting go a 12 ga,if you want lighter go a 20 ga. . It doesn't do anything better or worse than the ones above or below it.

tudderone

I think most of the major manufacturers still do 16's. Browning certainly do. I wouldn't worry too much about what you choose if you are only rough shooting, you walk lots and shoot little in that game.

https://en.browning.eu/products/shotguns/over_and_under/b525_hunter/A-525GAMETRAD16.html

https://en.browning.eu/products/shotguns/semi-auto/a5/A-A5WOODCOCK16.html

ESetter

I think i will go with the 20 bore. I handled a silver pigeon recently and it felt like a gun i could do damage with. It felt very pointable and light (6lbs)

SureHowBad

ESetter wrote: »

I think i will go with the 20 bore. I handled a silver pigeon recently and it felt like a gun i could do damage with. It felt very pointable and light (6lbs)

Go with the 20, I’ve shot different ones over the years and love the caliber. Unlike what some of the previous posters have stated, from experience, you will kill anything at the same range as the 12. I would have no problem in stating that I’d stand in a field with anyone shooting a 12 and kill the same birds they can with my 20. What you will find is the 20 is less forgiving in terms of accuracy. You are firing a smaller pattern, and as such, you need to be a little more accurate with your shot placement. I use a beretta semi 20 for all my pigeon/crow shooting and wouldn’t use anything else for the job; lightweight, way less recoil, and like a toy to shoot!

ESetter

SureHowBad wrote: »

Go with the 20, I’ve shot different ones over the years and love the caliber. Unlike what some of the previous posters have stated, from experience, you will kill anything at the same range as the 12. I would have no problem in stating that I’d stand in a field with anyone shooting a 12 and kill the same birds they can with my 20. What you will find is the 20 is less forgiving in terms of accuracy. You are firing a smaller pattern, and as such, you need to be a little more accurate with your shot placement. I use a beretta semi 20 for all my pigeon/crow shooting and wouldn’t use anything else for the job; lightweight, way less recoil, and like a toy to shoot!

Would i be right in saying with such a light gun you would stick to a maximum of 28 gram cartridges?

SureHowBad

Also 28grm load is plenty heavy enough. I use 5’s and 6’s for pheasant, duck, pigeons etc, and 7s or 8s for snipe and woodcock. There’s no need to try and shove too much lead down the barrel, the shot size is far more important.

ninja7848

ESetter wrote: »

What cartridges do you use?

I use 32g 6 black gold for game. I use 24g 6 Rc which are sweet as a nut with zero recoil. Black gold kick very hard mind.

SureHowBad

ESetter wrote: »

Would i be right in saying with such a light gun you would stick to a maximum of 28 gram cartridges?

Yes ESetter, 28 gram is plenty as stated above. I’ve fired up to 36 gram through a 20 but, unless you are trying to shoot geese with one, I can’t see the point.

useurowname

ESetter wrote: »

I think i will go with the 20 bore. I handled a silver pigeon recently and it felt like a gun i could do damage with. It felt very pointable and light (6lbs)

Silver Pigeon is an excellent choice, 20g is a cracking little gun.

ESetter

Got the 20 bore..sorry i didnt get one years ago. As good as a 12 and day and light as a feather. Amazed at the killing power of it.

DogfoxCork

i shoot a 20 bore O/U and there i shoot much better with the 20 than the 12. i shoot solely woodcock/pheasant and duck with it. absolutely nop problem folding high duck with 32g 4s. Gun is so light and if you want low recoil if youre carrying a shoulder injury etc you can go 24g. i shoot 28g 6s and 28g 7.5s for woodcock and pheasant. The freezer can vouch for me on their effectiveness.

ESetter

i use 28 gram 6 and 28 gram 7.5's for crows pigeon and 28 gram 6 for pheasant. I just think its a lovely gun to carry around roughshooting..6lbs silver pigeon. The only thing is the cartridges are hard to get in the 28/7 and 28/6.

Cass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118121598#Comment_118121598

Have you done a pattern test with it and a 12g? Would be an interesting comparison.

ESetter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118125274#Comment_118125274

Just a rough comparison firing at opened out cattle meal bags.... and i see no difference