Which 20 bore shotgun to buy? which length barrell 28? 30?

[jonnyoftheboy]

Gents

 

my dad had his 1st clay lesson yesterday, absolutely loved it....

 

he used a 20 bore beretta in his lesson, which he handled very well.

 

He had a go with my 28" beretta 686 12g & he felt he wouldn't be able to manage walking around a 80 or 100 bird shoot carrying & then handling that size of gun. so he wants to look at a 20 bore...

 

what advice would anyone of the "older generation" give ref. a suitable 20 bore?

 

My own personal preference is for browning shotguns over a beretta now having handled/owned both, but that is from a 12 bore perspective (& I am fairly new to shooting myself... so maybe not the best judge).

 

heard that a browning 20g will be heavier than a 20g beretta? significantly? I suppose that is better from a recoil perspective, but are we talking a massive difference - ie make a real difference to carry around?

 

I did think about looking at a semi auto, but I don't think he'd get on with fiddling around with loading the carts side & bottom....

 

any other advice? good guns to look at? I was thinking of looking at a browning 525 sporter......

[RC45]

He might want to try a semi auto, I think the recoil is slighly less and not too heavy.

 

Phil

[mallet]

20 bore Beretta silver pigeon fixed choke 30 inch barrells. Multi chokes make the barrels heavier and i find give less control when trying to keep gun swinging, and 30 inch barrels make it more pointable. I think in general when i looked into it the Brownings were heavier in general too. Gun fit is a very personal thing though so definatly wait till you find whats comfy and don't just rush and buy the first thing thats close. (When you pick it up and swing it you'll know)

[Baldrick]

I am not an OAP by any stretch of the imagination, but I am a 20-bore nut. I'm also a Browning fan through and through, but with one exception: the Beretta Silver Pigeon 20-bore, with 28" barrels. Various members of the gun-mad Baldrick family use Beretta 20-bores, including my ancient grandfather, who carries a 20b 687 EELL with 28" barrels.

 

The Beretta is a joy to use, and far more slender and nimble than the equivalent Browning. Recoil is not an issue with cartridges up to 28g (heavier loads defeat the point of a carrying a lighter gun). I put a lot of rounds through my Beretta during the partridge season and for the early part of the pheasant season, sticking pretty religiously to 25g Hull Cartridge Sterling Game. Barrel length for rough/driven shooting is a pretty subjective issue: I prefer the fast handling of 27"-28" barrels for the majority of things.

[garyb]

For clay or game ?

[The Burpster]

Whilst I only own Berettas I would seriously advise you check out the 20g Browning Cynergy (the wood one) with 30" barrels.

 

It weighs the same as my Beretta 20g Onyx and handles like a dream..... I'm not kidding they are really that good - It would make a perfect all rounder....!

 

Put it this way if I hadnt just bought a new Semi I would have traded by Beretta for one, and that is saying something as I have some great history with my Onyx.....

[jonnyoftheboy]

sorry guys.....

 

forgot to say, thanks for reminding me Gary B... for sporting clays..

 

thanks for the replies so far.... interesting....

[Harnser]

Jonny ,

Iam from the older generation and would go for the beretta 20 gauge ,super shooting gun with the 25 gram shell . If the weight of the gun is a factor for your dad ,then forget a self loader as it would defeat the object as the self loaders are generally heavier than other guns ,although much smoother shooting for somebody sensitive to recoil ,but not a beginners gun in my opinion .

Harnser .

Edited May 19, 2009 by Harnser

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

I had a trapped sciatic nerve last year, and as a result cannot carry the weight that I used to (too many game bags with 15 rabbits!).

 

So, I swapped my 12 bores for 20's, and now have a beretta 687 with 28" barrels and a 391 semi.

 

The lighter weight does take some getting used to , and the chokes seem tighter than a 12g for the same size.

 

However, they are a delight to use and all I need to do is get in more practise.

 

Don

[jonnyoftheboy]

thanks for the responses guys.....

 

thanks for the post Harnser.... agreed on the 20b over a semi auto

[JonnyR]

New Beretta SV10 perennia with their kick off system if recoil is a problem, or a semi auto - benelli I handled the other day was very light. I also have 2 x 20g Silver pigeon's. Fantastic.

 

Simple answer is he needs to try a few different options and see what works for him. One of the big game fairs might be worth a visit especially of they have a 'have a go' stand.

 

Jonny.

[malkiserow]

You might not like this, and it is just food for thought. My old s/s weighs 6 1/4 LB so very light indeed and I am guessing lighter than the 20 bores stated above. Pop a 24gram 12 bore cart in this and you have a cheap easy to use gun. Some will argue that s/s is not so good on the clay ground but is he looking to win prizes or have fun?

[Ferret Master]

Another vote for the 20 bore Silver Pigeon. I use mine for everything and I LOVE IT.

 

FM

[flytie]

I sold a Beretta 687 EEL 20g to buy my silver pigeon III 12g that I use now and wish I hadn't done it. If I were starting again I would buy a Beretta 687 20g silver pigeon III with 30" barrels. I used to use mine for clays and game shooting. When I was injured and decided to concentrate on duck flighting (it was all I could do), I bought a 12g.

 

The 20g will be perfect for him, mine weighed 6.25lbs and was bored 1/4 and 1/2. There is no better value for money than the Beretta 20g.

 

ft

[Hewey]

As with any Gun it is not a matter of which is best it's a matter of what fit's the best and how he feels with it.

 

Both Brownings and Beretta's are very good guns but you usually find that people fit one better than the other, he really needs to go to a good Gunshop preferably with a shooting ground and try a few out.

 

I know it's a long way from you but Oxford Gun Company were great when I was looking for my last Gun spent about 2.5 hours there going through various ones and got a really good deal too.

 

Also don't rule out an Auto, a 12 bore will be a better/easier gun for a beginner to shoot at clays, although from a safety perspective Auto's for beginners aren't always a good thing.

 

I have 2 Beretta Auto's, a 391 Urika Sporter and a 391 Tekny's Field, the field is a surprisingly light gun which has minimal recoil, if fact these days my Father (now 69 years old) uses it all the time with no problems at all.

 

I also have a BSA Regent 20 bore, I this bought after selling my Silver Pigeon III as just couldn't get on with it. This for the money is a very nice little gun, slightly heavier than the beretta but I get on much better with it, it's great for game and walked up shooting but for Clays I either use my Auto's or more often my Browning 525 Advance 12G.

 

So don't rule an Auto out but he really needs to handle a variety of guns and find which fit's the best with someone that know's what they are talking about before you decide to part with any cash.

 

Good Luck with whatever you decide on.

 

Hewey

[beatingisbest]

Boss has a Miroku MK60 20b with 30" barrels and its a cracking gun, he shoots very well with it, nice and light and well balanced too.

[jonnyoftheboy]

gents....

 

many thanks for all your replies / advice... some very interesting food for thought.

 

think a trip to oxford gun may be an idea to try some things out?

[Hewey]

Jonny,

 

Obviously give them a ring to see what they have in stock before you go but they had a very wide range when I went up.

 

After 2 hours I decided on a Browning 525 Advance 12G, I then had a choice of about 7 different ones to get the one that fitted and looked the best.

 

Oh and don't be put off if a Women Serves you, when I walked in and a women said "how can I help" I thought Oh no this is a waste of time, how wrong could I have been, think her name was Shirley, (sure someone will put me right if not) she was great, think she used to shoot for England, amazingly helpful, not only did she fit me for the right gun it was more like receiving a lesson in shooting, changing how I stood, asking about what cartridges I use etc. etc. etc. I've been shooting 28years but what she told me has helped me no end.

 

After choosing the Gun she then got one of the Shooting teachers there to take me out onto the range with it, suppled me with a jacket and cartridges (at no cost) and I had a go with it before I parted with my cash. She told him what I had been doing wrong with stance etc. and he then basically gave me a lesson. Excellent Service, know it's a long way to travel (I live between Chelmsford and Colchester) but was well worth it.

 

And No I'm not on commision.!!!

 

Hewey

Edited May 21, 2009 by Hewey

[covlocks]

Hey guys - the guy may be 68 but it no-way makes him incapable of making a decision by himself, or carrying a gun weighing 7lbs. Just take the guy to a shoot, let him try different guns and decide for himself.

 

All these ideas are great, and the suggestions are useful, but doesnt mean that particular gun will fit the guy.

More useful is finding a store that will let you have a shot from various guns to check out fit etc.

[WGD]

Have a serious look at the Beretta Ultralight 12G, it's lighter than a lot of 20's. If he's shooting clays a 21 or 24gm load will do the job fine and the cartridges will be a lot cheaper than for a 20.

[jonnyoftheboy]

Have a serious look at the Beretta Ultralight 12G, it's lighter than a lot of 20's. If he's shooting clays a 21 or 24gm load will do the job fine and the cartridges will be a lot cheaper than for a 20.

 

 

yeah interesting.....

 

main points looking at -

 

he will only shoot clays

20b vs 12b - cartridge price, weight of gun to carry around, recoil issues, cost of gun initially.

 

he is mainly concerned with not having to lug a heavier gun around a ground.... so like the weight etc of a 20b, but has a concern that 20b cartridges are that much more exp. I thought about a 12b beretta ultralight, with a 21g hull comp x cart.... but don't want him to be black & blue from recoil (cos that will end up more of an issue rather than the weight!).

 

anyone else have experience of a beretta ultralight?

[steyrman]

the ruger red label in 20 bore is also well worth a look at

[groach1234]

Ok my brother has an ultra light and he is about 6ft 3 and literally weighs 10 stone, just skink and bone (he never had quite a full recovery from a bad case of salmonella). He puts 30g cartridges through it for game and will get through 100 carts a day okay. I would highly recommend it with 21g carts he will be fine. i am on anti-coagulation and am fine (for those who don't know what i mean it means i bruise like a 90 year old lady) and would recommend if you are worried about the recoil get a 'past field pro recoil pad', i got one off fleabay for £20 and it goes under your shirt and you can't tell you have one on and would recommend one. Hope this helps George

Edited May 22, 2009 by groach1234

[The Burpster]

anyone else have experience of a beretta ultralight?

 

Yep had one for game for about 4 years before going down to 20g, GREAT gun but even with the Gel-tek pad and 3/4oz loads it was not a clay gun. ( I actually bought a 682 Gold E for that because of teh pain of teh UL on clays)

 

 

My advice FWIW is go 20g they just feel more lithe and spritely, be more economical with your shoots to keep cost of shells down (or buy them in BIG lots - way cheaper).

 

No way would I go back to 12g now, they feel like field artillery after using 20g.

[jonnyoftheboy]

No way would I go back to 12g now, they feel like field artillery after using 20g.

 

lol..... cheers the burpster.

 

if not tomorrow... then next w/e, hopefully going with dad to try a 12b ultralight (with 21g loads) & a 20b Silver pig III....

 

have to say though, the cost of carts rather puts us off the 20b!!! £110 per 1000 for as 21g hull comp x plastic.... vs £165+ for 20b carts...... jesus!