20 gauge semi-auto for turkeys

Billy

Billy

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I'm interested in getting a 20 gauge semi-auto turkey gun for my grandsons to hunt with. I want a 20 because of reduced recoil, and that's also the reason for the semi-auto vs single or pump. I've done a little looking and haven't found many options. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks,
Billy
 
n.d.woods

n.d.woods

Eight Pointer
I got my son a .20 gauge TriStar youth auto that actually isn't bad for an adult to shoot as well. He whacked his first bird with it this year. Just get a good turkey choke to go with it and some good shells. It was $400 and has been a great gun.
 
wturkey01

wturkey01

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Rem 11-87 with 3" Federal HW #7's thru a 0.560 non-ported choke and there's lots of dead turkeys in their future!!

I'll never carry another 12 mag to the turkey woods. I get 12 ga mag performance thru a 20 ga.
 

dhsten

Ten Pointer
There are lots of options. It just depends on what ya want to spend. Is the gun just for turkey? You can get Benelli M2 compact for around $1300 , a Franchi Affinty compact for around $800 probably lower, Remington 1187 youth for around $700. If it doesnt have to be youth model I would look for a Winchester SX3 20. My brother purchase the Mossberg ma-20 to turkey hunt with and he loved it. They make it in youth also. It was $450ish.
 
Billy

Billy

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
dhsten said:
There are lots of options. It just depends on what ya want to spend. Is the gun just for turkey? You can get Benelli M2 compact for around $1300 , a Franchi Affinty compact for around $800 probably lower, Remington 1187 youth for around $700. If it doesnt have to be youth model I would look for a Winchester SX3 20. My brother purchase the Mossberg ma-20 to turkey hunt with and he loved it. They make it in youth also. It was $450ish.
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Some of those are a little out of my price range. I have an old 11-87 SP that has served me well for almost 30 years, so that option is interesting to me. I tried to find the Mossberg ma-20 like your brother is using, but couldn't find anything on it. Is this it http://www.mossberg.com/product/mossberg-international-sa-20-turkey-75790/ ? I really like the looks of this and it appears to be ready for a scope and sling, if desired.
 

dhsten

Ten Pointer
Billy said:
Some of those are a little out of my price range. I have an old 11-87 SP that has served me well for almost 30 years, so that option is interesting to me. I tried to find the Mossberg ma-20 like your brother is using, but couldn't find anything on it. Is this it http://www.mossberg.com/product/mossberg-international-sa-20-turkey-75790/ ? I really like the looks of this and it appears to be ready for a scope and sling, if desired.
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He is using this one http://www.mossberg.com/product/mossberg-international-sa-20-all-purpose-field-75772/. You can find them for cheaper than listed on the mossberg site.
 
turkeyfoot

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
wturkey01 said:
Rem 11-87 with 3" Federal HW #7's thru a 0.560 non-ported choke and there's lots of dead turkeys in their future!!

I'll never carry another 12 mag to the turkey woods. I get 12 ga mag performance thru a 20 ga.
Click to expand...

This is what I would say for semi. I would also add that Rem 20 gauge pump with hevi 7 has very little recoil you can also add a limbsaver recoil pad as well as ported choke and most any kid can handle that. May want to check it out little cheaper and very reliable gun than semi
 
turkeyfoot

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
bfowler97 said:
How does the 20ga compare to the 410 ?
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The 410 with factory loads is not the gun to kill birds at any distance the 20 gauge on other hand wit a quality choke and hevi shot is legitimate 40 yard gun. There really is no competition. Now f you hand loaded TSS either would work
 
Billy

Billy

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Thanks for all the suggestions. What are your thoughts on the 22" vs 26 or 28"? The Mossberg SA-20 Turkey in my link above really looks good to me, but only has a 22 inch barrel. My 12 ga 11-87 Turkey gun has a 22" barrel and I've been very happy with it, but I don't know if the 20 needs a longer barrel or not.

Mossberg.jpg
 
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dhsten

Ten Pointer
Billy said:
Thanks for all the suggestions. What are your thoughts on the 22" vs 26 or 28"? The Mossberg SA-20 Turkey in my link above really looks good to me, but only has a 22 inch barrel. My 12 ga 11-87 Turkey gun has a 22" barrel and I've been very happy with it, but I don't know if the 20 needs a longer barrel or not.

View attachment 51260
Click to expand...
Turkeys won't know the difference.
 
turkeyfoot

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
I myself like the shorter barrel 22 is fine with 12 or 20 just match up choke and shell and you'll be killing birds
 
hawglips

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
CRC said:
A 3 inch 20 gauge doesn't even compare to a 410
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...unless the .410 is loaded with TSS and the 20 ga is loaded with lead or hevishot ... then the 20 ga takes a back seat in performance to the .410.

Here's comparing a Winchester Double X 1-5/16 oz 20 ga 3" load of #5s and #6s to both a Hevi-13 1-1/4 oz #6s, and a .410 loaded with 13/16 oz of TSS 9-1/2 and 9s (all at 70 deg and sea level):

20 ga 1-5/16 oz lead #6s, 1200 fps MV
291 pellets
1.25" ballistics gel penetration at 55.6 yds yds

20 ga 1-5/16 oz lead #5s, 1200 fps MV
227 pellets
1.25" ballistics gel penetration at 65.4 yds yds

20 ga 1-1/4 oz Hevi #6s, 1090 fps MV
258 pellets
1.25" ballistics gel penetration at 61 yds

.410 13/16 oz TSS #9-1/2, 1071 fps MV
325 pellets
1.25" ballistics gel penetration at 67.8 yds

.410 13/16 oz TSS #9, 1071 fps MV
290 pellets
1.25" ballistics gel penetration at 74.1 yds

And if the shells are taking to the range to evaluate and compare patterns, the superior performance of the .410 TSS loads is even more apparent.

In fact, when I first came up with the 13/16 oz TSS load of #9s for the .410, I was amazed that I got much better patterns with it than I got with my Federal 12 ga 1-7/8 oz of copper plate #4s. And they compare favorably ballistics-wise also:

12 ga 1-7/8 oz lead #4s, 1100 fps MV
255 pellets
1.25" ballistics gel penetration at 73.9 yds

.410 13/16 oz TSS #9, 1071 fps MV
290 pellets
1.25" ballistics gel penetration at 74.1 yds


So, it just goes to show - unless you are clubbing the turkey over the head with it, it ain't the gun that kills, it's what comes out of it.
 
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nccatfisher

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
CRC can't find that info. readily on the .net so he is in essence clueless. He has to revert back to "what he has heard" over the years.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
nccatfisher said:
CRC can't find that info. readily on the .net so he is in essence clueless. He has to revert back to "what he has heard" over the years.
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I shoot copper plated lead shot out of a 3 inch 20 gauge.

Copper plated lead is all I shoot so I really don't care about other types of shot.

But shoot what you want.
 
wolfman

wolfman

Old Mossy Horns
Billy said:
Thanks for all the suggestions. What are your thoughts on the 22" vs 26 or 28"? The Mossberg SA-20 Turkey in my link above really looks good to me, but only has a 22 inch barrel. My 12 ga 11-87 Turkey gun has a 22" barrel and I've been very happy with it, but I don't know if the 20 needs a longer barrel or not.

View attachment 51260
Click to expand...

I would say your load is more important than barrel length. After using a 28" barrel my entire turkey hunting career, I switched to a 24". I really like the shorter barrel. The longer barrel helped with pattern and velocity but now that I'm shooting TSS, a shorter barrel does great and is more maneuverable in the woods.
 
Billy

Billy

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Thanks for all the advice. I've been at North Topsail all week and stopped in at the GunShop at Sneads Ferry yesterday. They had the Mossberg SA-20 Turkey in stock at a very good price, so I picked it up. I'll probably see how it does with the Fed HW and Hevi-Shot first, then see if I can get Hawglips to help me get started with TSS. I would have preferred the 11-87, but this Mossberg comes with all the stuff I would want to add to the 11-87.
 

cassga

Guest
I use a weatherby SA08 compact 20 gauge. I believe it was in the $500 range. Paired it with a SumToy choke and Federal Heavyweights #7's. The gun is 4 for 4 on turkeys.
 
Billy

Billy

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
cassga said:
I use a weatherby SA08 compact 20 gauge. I believe it was in the $500 range. Paired it with a SumToy choke and Federal Heavyweights #7's. The gun is 4 for 4 on turkeys.
Click to expand...

That's encouraging. I bought some of the HW 7's and Hevi-shot, but haven't shot it yet.
 

dhsten

Ten Pointer
Price180 said:
what is considered maximum shot distance on a 20 gauge for turkeys
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The maximum lethal range is generally considered where you can get 100 adequate penetrating pellets in a 10" circle. Once you drop below 100 hits in a 10" circle you are losing sufficient pattern density to make clean kills 100% of the time.

The shell/load you use can make a huge difference in your maximum range.
 
hawglips

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
Price180 said:
what is considered maximum shot distance on a 20 gauge for turkeys
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It varies quite widely.

In the days when I shot 20 ga 1-1/4 oz of #6 lead, my max 100% lethal range (defined as how far I got both 100 in a 10" circle AND 1.25" of ballistics gel penetration), was aprox 35 yds. Today, with TSS I get a 100% lethal range of approx 70 yds.
 
Price180

Price180

Spike
I have been shooting the 12 gauge 3 1/2" loads for a while now out of my 870...and have had very consistent success with 50 even 60 yard kills on turkeys.....but when i shoot a birds 10-25 yards...it can be overload...especially if i am planing on taking them to a taxidermist
i was considering trying to find the "ultimate" 20 gauge to try and tone down the damage but was worried i was loose my ability to consistently kill at 50+ yards
 
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