Anybody else shoot 20bore?

[Sprocket]

Most of the topics on here seem to cover 12bore.

I tend to use a 20 myself as I find it lighter for shooting over dogs.

Great gun to use in the hide and seems to have equal dropping distance as a 12.

Any body else shoot 20? How do you find comparison with 12?

I use 6s for pigeon ,Crow and Game- no probs what do you use?

Sprocket.

[WelshLamb]

I shoot a 20 bore on game, clays and vermin. I absolutely love it! Not a massive difference between my 20 and my 12's, if I'm honest

[colin lad]

Most of the topics on here seem to cover 12bore.

I tend to use a 20 myself as I find it lighter for shooting over dogs.

Great gun to use in the hide and seems to have equal dropping distance as a 12.

Any body else shoot 20? How do you find comparison with 12?

I use 6s for pigeon ,Crow and Game- no probs what do you use?

Sprocket.

i have 2 identical guns only one is a 12g and the other is 20g 9 times out of 10 i take the 20g i think they are great guns have not noticed any loss in knock down power of loss of distance

 

colin

[30-6]

I have an Investarm cheap and cheerful "fun gun" in 20g. I have recently been using it more due to forearm / shoulder problems with 7 1/2 shot 21 gram and 25 gram cartridges on jackdaw, pigeon and squirrel, normally i use 25 gram 6 shot, which will take all the usual quarry.

 

The secret i have found is to keep about 30 yds, but i find as a fixed choke, probably 1/2 and 3/4, it can be a bit tight. If cartridge prices were better i would think about getting a "proper" multichoke version.

 

I also use a 25 gram load in a 12g, but the weight of the gun sometimes hinder.

 

All in all though i do find a 12g an "all rounder", but like you say a lovely calibre to carry around.

[angrymallard]

I have 20g AL391 stonecoat gold, I think its a brilliant gun. It's a dream to shoot pigeons with from a hide however the gun seems to be locked up for much of the game season when i stick with the 12g. As for cartridges i still tend to stick to 28 and 32 gram loads for the pigeons and carry a few 36g 2's incase something else presents itself.

[twenty]

Can`t fault the twenty bore,use mine for 90% of my shooting.

 

30grm / 5`s for game, 28grm /7`s for pigeon.......Through 28" barrels.

 

Same stopping power as a 12 (IMO), but lighter (6lb).

 

Only drawback is the cartridge price.

[AlistairB]

Yep, i use mine if i think i'm going to be doing a lot of walking and dont want to carry my 12 all day, brings birds down very well.

 

AB

[Bobba]

I've a Miroku Mk 60 which I had multi choked by Nigel Teague and a Beretta Silver pigeonI multi choke. Both 30" barrels. Both weigh in around 6 lb. The balance on the Miroku is superb.

 

Normally I fire Lyall Vale 28grm 6's for both Pigeons and rabbits without a problem but neither gun seems to like Ely VIP's because the kick is greater.

 

Both guns do all I want from them and walking many field when rabbiting their light weight is a great help.

 

Horses for courses. But I've no plans to move to 12 bore.

 

Bob

[BerettaSV10]

I used to have a 20 bore but in the end sold it, and just use 12 bore. Saves having to stock both sizes of cartridges and the 12 is cheaper to feed. If I want a lighter gun I use a lighter weight sporter the s/a.

[30-6]

Went out on Friday to a local farm that has a lot of jackdaws. Took a 12 and a 20 ( yes, i know the cartridge dangers ), as i am still "trialling" light load 20 bore cartridges.

 

In the 12 i was using 28g 7 1/2's in both barrels, 1/4 and 1/2 chokes, in the 20 i was using 21g and 25g 7 1/2's in 1/2 and 3/4 chokes.

 

I set up a hide next to some wrapped silage bales in the back of the farmyard which conviniently has a sitty tree at 30 ish yards away. The field drops away from the yard, so i was nearly level with the top of the tree. Put some lofters in the tree and a couple of decoys on the floor, with two bouncers and one flapper.

 

There was very little wind, and they were coming in like rockets, shot out to just past the tree around 40 yds with the 12 and kept to within me and the tree around 30 yds with the 20. All of the different cartridge loads had them dead in the air, with only three walkers for 42 jackdaws and 1 magpie.

 

EDIT to add - for 43 birds shot there was 51 cartridges shot.

Edited July 29, 2012 by 30-6

[Cranfield]

I have a lightweight 20bore Benelli semi auto and love it for shooting pigeons from the hide.

My preferred cartridge is Gamebore Traditional Game in 28gm, felt wad, No6 shot.

 

I do a great deal of shooting and whilst I can pick up 12 gauge "pigeon" cartridges on offer frequently (plus freebies from Farmers and VAT refunds), I am stuck with paying £240 per 1000 for 20 bore felt wad.

Thats the main reason why my 12 bores all get a more regular outing than the Benelli.

 

I find no difference between the 20 bore and the 12 bores for shooting winged targets.

[welshwarrior]

My wife shoots my 20 bore now and I found it very capable it's made a great girls gun I now use a boys gun for mey shooting (28 bore).

 

For eithe 25g of number 5 seems to kill cleanly for me.

[Scully]

My Section 1 Winchester Model 12 is a 20.It's choked full,and great for trailing about as it's so light,and is also superb in a hide.I use Gamebore Gold 6's.

[Rimfireboy]

I sold my 20 bore remmy 1100 a few years back and I missed it more than I expected so replaced it with a beretta teknys stonecoat gold 20 bore. I think it's great to shoot and my o/u 12 will usually sit in the cabinet until September. I normally use express super twenty 28 grm 5's and they work well for me. 👍

[Salop Matt]

I have a 12g Benelli M2 and also have a Mossburg 500 in 20g, I just wish the mrs didnt mind me having so many guns as i would love a beretta 20g semi auto !

 

I always use fibre wad and 28 gram in the 20g, but shot size:6 for pigeon and rough and size: 8 for clays. (Do have some 4`s as well should i ever get the chance at some duck with it or for fox as its the largest shot size i could find for the 20G) Would love some BB`s in 20g aswell !

 

Am equally happy to shoot 12 or 20 !

[bicykillgaz]

I'm a recent convert to 20b but really like it so far, I use gamebore traditional game 28g no5's for me but have got a variety of 23g, 25g and 26g(I think) 6 & 7's which I got for my mrs to try she preferes 23g no7s, so the rest are now mixed in with my 28g 5's and can't say I notice much from one cartridge to the next, I still miss more than I hit then manage to amaze my self with a couple of decent shots

 

I don't find them that much dearer I think I paid £59 for my 28g no5's and last slab of 32g no5's I got in 12b was £55 which I didn't think was too bad.

[hawkfanz]

i use a 20 on our game shooting days,but use it for inland duck flights as well,only reason i use 12g is we get better deal on ammo for pigeons.

[Anth6568]

I use a Browning 525 20 bore with 28in barrels. Its a nice light gun and very suitable for long days out rough shooting. I use Eley VIP 28G no6 cartridges that seem to work great. It has accounted for double figures of pheasant last season and also a mallard using Hull Cartridge Steel No 4.

 

I have started to use it in a hide recently too against pigeons and a few crows. Its seems ideal as its light,small and very quick to point. The stopping power is very similar to the 12 bore.

 

I was out recently shooting rabbits over my pointer with a mate,now he wants one now too!

 

Overall i cant complain!

[RossEM]

I use a Medallist 20 bore for most of my shooting, only use a 12 for foxes and geese.

[Whitebridges]

I'm shooting more and more 20 bore. I use a Beretta Urika 2 S/A from a hide and a Caesar Guerini Maxmum for walked up and driven shooting, really pleased with both guns. Mainly use Hull Sterling Game or Eley VIP in 28g No6. Both guns are a good deal lighter than my 12 bores and do the job just as well.

[ironhorse]

I have shot 12 bore for 40 years but always had a hankering for a 20 bore, never had a shot with one or even held one, about 18 months I was looking through sporting gun and there was a write up on the Yildiz 20 bore multy choke, I liked the whole look of this gun and arranged to view it at my local gun shop Chichester Armoury, well as soon as I held the gun I knew I could shoot it I paid for it and took it out pigeon shooting the next day, A lovely gun to use, light, well balanced a treat to shoot I have fitted full and ¾ chokes and I use a fast cartridge Hull Stirling Game No5 28gram, I am very impressed with the distance kills I get with this gun, far better than any 12 bore I have ever shot, the power this gun effects is amazing , I will never go back to a 12 bore again mine is now redundant.