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Which 20 Bore? CG or Beretta


farmer7
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I'm looking at buying a 20bore game gun, just for a bit of fun on the farm really. 

Two options I have narrowed down to are a Caesar Guerini Woodcock 20 bore 30" barrel which I haven't handled as I don't live anywhere near but would be prepared to take a punt on. Its a 2008 gun but only bought new a couple of months ago for someone's wife who is not interested. Its fired 20-30 shots apparently. Cased, multichoke, colour hardened, semi-pistol grip, wooden heel-plate, plain-ish wood for a CG but not bad. Weight is around 6lbs 9oz. I checked the serial no with Anglo Italian and its not steel proof.

 

The second option is a 30" multichoke Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon Field which i was able to handle. It felt good to mount and fit was good. Again it's as new and fired less than 250 shots. Plain, boring wood. It felt very light, 6 lbs 2oz apparently. 

 

Where would you folk with more experience suggest I put my money? Beretta or CG. Would the age of the CG and the fact its not steel proof put you off from "future proofing/resale" point of view? Only £80 difference between them.

I've never fired a CG let alone a 20 bore CG. Anyone any experience on that front? With either gun in fact.

Any input gratefully received to help make my choice. Thanks.

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Been there myself and would defiantly go for the silver pigeon as you handled it and liked it, my kids loved the same gun, which is 6lb 8oz as I have just weighed it. didn't need to go to too much effort as i was out all day using it today!!!!

It was for my 3 kids but is now my most used shotgun.....love it with 28g 6 shot for everything or 21g on the clays.

Beretta SPs come with a nice soft pad which will definitely be needed for the kids when they miss-mount, they will notice it!!

Assuming you use less than 1/2 choke steel shot will be ok regardless, it will come eventually!

The extra £50 a thousand is worth it, I wouldn't be without my SP 20b 😁

Edited by Goldfish
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If you have handled a gun, it feels right and fits its the one to go for.
That said if you just want an opinion on CG I have one with 20 and 28 bore 32” barrels and get on very well with it. It will do everything I want of it and handles well. Went back to CG for a service this summer and slight play in fore end sorted. Excellent service overall.

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1 hour ago, Goldfish said:

Been there myself and would defiantly go for the silver pigeon as you handled it and liked it, my kids loved the same gun, which is 6lb 8oz as I have just weighed it. didn't need to go to too much effort as i was out all day using it today!!!!

It was for my 3 kids but is now my most used shotgun.....love it with 28g 6 shot for everything or 21g on the clays.

Beretta SPs come with a nice soft pad which will definitely be needed for the kids when they miss-mount, they will notice it!!

Assuming you use less than 1/2 choke steel shot will be ok regardless, it will come eventually!

The extra £50 a thousand is worth it, I wouldn't be without my SP 20b 😁

Is yours a field version? Does it take the same microcore pads as other Berettas. I have a couple of different sized ones from my 692 sporter.

58 minutes ago, Dave at kelton said:

If you have handled a gun, it feels right and fits its the one to go for.
That said if you just want an opinion on CG I have one with 20 and 28 bore 32” barrels and get on very well with it. It will do everything I want of it and handles well. Went back to CG for a service this summer and slight play in fore end sorted. Excellent service overall.

Thanks for that. I think on looks/style I'm leaning towards the CG but again difficult to ignore the Beretta!

45 minutes ago, figgy said:

The cg 20bore with 32" tubes gets very good reviews.

Why limit yourself to only the two guns? Go try more when you can, buy at haste repent at leisure. I said no more 32" guns but in a 20 they do get very good comments from all who shoot them.

I'm limiting myself by price really, not many 32" 20 bores around at the £1000-£1100 mark. I would buy a 32" if it was an option but haven't seen any.

4 minutes ago, Westley said:

See the other channel  😉

Yeah just heading there! Thanks.

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47 minutes ago, farmer7 said:

Is yours a field version? Does it take the same microcore pads as other Berettas. I have a couple of different sized ones from my 692 sporter.

Thanks for that. I think on looks/style I'm leaning towards the CG but again difficult to ignore the Beretta!

I'm limiting myself by price really, not many 32" 20 bores around at the £1000-£1100 mark. I would buy a 32" if it was an option but haven't seen any.

Yeah just heading there! Thanks.

Bettinsoli do a 32" 20 bore for under a grand

 

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3 hours ago, farmer7 said:

I'm looking at buying a 20bore game gun, just for a bit of fun on the farm really. 

Two options I have narrowed down to are a Caesar Guerini Woodcock 20 bore 30" barrel which I haven't handled as I don't live anywhere near but would be prepared to take a punt on. Its a 2008 gun but only bought new a couple of months ago for someone's wife who is not interested. Its fired 20-30 shots apparently. Cased, multichoke, colour hardened, semi-pistol grip, wooden heel-plate, plain-ish wood for a CG but not bad. Weight is around 6lbs 9oz. I checked the serial no with Anglo Italian and its not steel proof.

 

The second option is a 30" multichoke Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon Field which i was able to handle. It felt good to mount and fit was good. Again it's as new and fired less than 250 shots. Plain, boring wood. It felt very light, 6 lbs 2oz apparently. 

 

Where would you folk with more experience suggest I put my money? Beretta or CG. Would the age of the CG and the fact its not steel proof put you off from "future proofing/resale" point of view? Only £80 difference between them.

I've never fired a CG let alone a 20 bore CG. Anyone any experience on that front? With either gun in fact.

Any input gratefully received to help make my choice. Thanks.

Wouldn't a short-ish barrelled English SbS weighing in at about 5&1/2 lbs qualify as that?

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23 minutes ago, Mr grumpy said:

I have a browning 12 but a beretta 20.theres isnt much weight difference between a browning 12 or there 20.

In my opinion a 20 should be light and used with light loads,otherwise whats the point in using one? A guy i know shoots 30&32 gram through his 20.ouch!

I’ve handled all my mates 20’s and shot a couple, and can’t comment really on their weight in comparison to a 12, apart from the sporter model feeling heavier and ‘chunkier’ than the game model, but they are a true scaled down version of the 12. 
Some 20’s are just 12 bore frames with 20 bore barrels. 

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10 hours ago, button said:

Not if you want an over and under

I draw your attention to the OP's first and last sentences, but in so doing acknowledge that he has looked at a couple of guns that have taken his fancy. If we take my last purchase to be a necessity on medical grounds and is simply a lighter version of a model I already owned and put that to one side, then never in a million years would I have considered my final/penultimate purchase. 20 bore? Over and under? You have to be joking. But with double triggers (sorry), 26&1/2" barrels (sorry), 5lb 9oz (sorry) and fixed choke (ever so sorry) and I love it. I didn't -  as I simply spotted it on the rack - but sometimes, just sometimes thinking outside of the box has its advantages.

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49 minutes ago, London Best said:

Most of today’s 20 bore set use guns weighing more than a traditional 12 bore and shoot 12 bore loads through them. I just don’t see the point.

Entirely agree ........ and 20 bore cartridges are both slightly more expensive and slightly less choice.

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A lot of Americans shoot 20 bores at both clays and game.

They seem to be gaining popularity over here, as much as I like a light fast handling game gun. I just can't see what a 20 can do a nice light 12 can't.

One of the nicest 20 over and u fees I've handled was the Browning Crown.

Best luck to the op finding one he likes in budget

Edited by figgy
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35 minutes ago, wymberley said:

I draw your attention to the OP's first and last sentences, but in so doing acknowledge that he has looked at a couple of guns that have taken his fancy. If we take my last purchase to be a necessity on medical grounds and is simply a lighter version of a model I already owned and put that to one side, then never in a million years would I have considered my final/penultimate purchase. 20 bore? Over and under? You have to be joking. But with double triggers (sorry), 26&1/2" barrels (sorry), 5lb 9oz (sorry) and fixed choke (ever so sorry) and I love it. I didn't -  as I simply spotted it on the rack - but sometimes, just sometimes thinking outside of the box has its advantages.

I also have two 25" 12 bore side by sides, which are an absolute joy so I can see the attraction but they are certainly what I would class as marmite guns 

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1 hour ago, wymberley said:

20 bore? Over and under? You have to be joking. But with double triggers (sorry), 26&1/2" barrels (sorry), 5lb 9oz (sorry) and fixed choke (ever so sorry) and I love it. I didn't -  as I simply spotted it on the rack - but sometimes, just sometimes thinking outside of the box has its advantages.

Just sounds like a normal, proper 20 bore to me. 
Might we ask what make?

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