Jump to content

20 bore; yes or no


ollie
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi guys, 

I have been thinking quite a lot recently about getting a 20 bore over & under. As I have never owned one what are the pros & cons to it? Is the cartridges still as expensive as they used to be? I would be using it for summer decoying, walked up woodcock shooting and the odd outing on my pheasant syndicate.

Finally which make & model? I have always been a Beretta man.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fabarm Elos (de Luxe if available) Build quality as good as a Beretta/Browning and with the benefit of the Fabarm Tribore barrels (Google search) The Americans rave about them. 

Fabarm are the only shotguns to be proof tested to 1600 kgs plus the ability to use steel shot with a full choke tube fitted.

Cartridges alas, are not as cheap as 12's but the variety is much the same.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

FIL has 3 or 4. I used them driven shooting. Shooting 26g 6’s I think and it was killing birds the same as the blokes using 12’s with heavy loads. I have killed by far some of the best birds I’ve ever shot with the 20’s. He’s got 2 silver pigeons with 30imch barrels they’re light, comfy and swing well and a browning 525 I think. It’s got 28inch barrels it’s heaviee fractionally but very pointable when when I last used it i found I was poking at birds with it rather than swinging through. They’re both nice guns, way out of my price range. If I had the money I’d buy a tidy 20 they’re much less fatiguing than a 12 I found. But then my 12 is cheap and nasty. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cartridges are still more expensive than 12g but not as much as they used to be.  I use RIO Top Target 24g (£5.40 per 25) for clays and Gamebore 21g fibre (£5.90 per 25) for pigeons and rough shooting. There is a much wider range of cartridges available now right up to 34g, but why anyone would want to shoot 34g from a 20g beats me. I have a 1920 Thomas Bland SxS 20g weighing 5 1/2 lb and can carry it all day with ease. I find my 12g gets little use now as I use the 20g inland and the 10g on the marsh.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, CaptC said:

Fabarm Elos (de Luxe if available) Build quality as good as a Beretta/Browning and with the benefit of the Fabarm Tribore barrels (Google search) The Americans rave about them. 

Fabarm are the only shotguns to be proof tested to 1600 kgs plus the ability to use steel shot with a full choke tube fitted.

Cartridges alas, are not as cheap as 12's but the variety is much the same.

The proof testing is largely irrelevant.

I also use full chokes and steel through several different guns, so that is not a usp for that gun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, ollie said:

Hi guys, 

I have been thinking quite a lot recently about getting a 20 bore over & under. As I have never owned one what are the pros & cons to it? Is the cartridges still as expensive as they used to be? I would be using it for summer decoying, walked up woodcock shooting and the odd outing on my pheasant syndicate.

Finally which make & model? I have always been a Beretta man.

Then buy a Beretta  and have fun .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, motty said:

The proof testing is largely irrelevant.

I also use full chokes and steel through several different guns, so that is not a usp for that gun.

I bow to your knowledge of using steel with a gun with full chokes. I was using the information from Fabarm's website. The thought of using steel shot through any choke is to me a little scary!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nothing like a nice silver pigeon.

i was recently kindly invited to shoot on a peg on a driven day and for one of the drives swapped Guns with my mate to have a go of his 20 Bore. 

Dropped a pheasants 40+ yards away on the second shot as it was turning and going away from me. 

Might be the best shot I’ve ever made (I reckon it was a fluke) lol. 

Lovely Guns that are capable of you put it in the right place! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cartridges are a little bit more expensive and typically there will be a smaller selection relative to 12g in most gun shops purely as a result of supply and demand.

If you want a 20g and can afford it then get one, if it makes you smile and makes you want to get out and shoot it then that is all that really matters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still turn to my B525 20 bore for all of my game shooting apart from the extreme days. Killed plenty of long range birds with it including geese on the foreshore back when it was my only gun. I got given a slab of 32g black gold for it and they knocks feathers out of stuff more than the 12 seems to - buy one they are brilliant

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, tomaddy525 said:

I still turn to my B525 20 bore for all of my game shooting apart from the extreme days. Killed plenty of long range birds with it including geese on the foreshore back when it was my only gun. I got given a slab of 32g black gold for it and they knocks feathers out of stuff more than the 12 seems to - buy one they are brilliant

What loads do you use for geese on the shore in a 20?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like most things 20 bores have changed over the the years. They used to be a "boy's gun" or at best a "lady's gun" nowadays  they are something different.

I have a few different ones over the years. Off the top of my head an A391 Beretta semi, a Guerini Maxum, a Rottweil etc.

I couldn't resist a 31in  Kemen K4 M/C with a 15in LOP which i really enjoy shooting. Throws lovely consistent patterns using RC JK6 T3 26g in No6.

Very good on pigeon too. 

          

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a silver pigeon 20 with deluxe wood. I changed to 20 bore two years ago. A lot of what people say about 20 bore is wrong. I can shoot just as well with it as the 12 and have shot some exceptional birds. I purchased a 1950's English side by side for not a lot of money this season and I really enjoy shooting with it. Especially woodcock and walked up. Only weighs 5 lb 4 oz.

As for cartridges, well how many game shells will you use in a season? and clay carts 24gr   71/2  are not that expensive if you buy in bulk.

Go for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, but dont' be tempted to put heavy loads in it as you might as well stick with a 12. All they will do is knock you about due to the lighter gun weight. A load of 24 or 26 gms will do fine on game. I shot a John Macnab side plate, lovely lightweight, pretty and well balanced. Have kept them in 12 and 28 bore.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...