How many of you shoot a 20ga for turkeys? Last year was my first year out for turkeys. I took a Win 20ga with undertaker choke and Rem Nitro shells (it is my only gun without a fixed barrel) I hit a big Tom, he rolled and flew away. The guy I was with said it was about 30yds. I stepped it of and it was closer to 40-45yds. Is the 20ga just to small for shots over 30yds?
20ga
- Thread starter Otterman
- Start date
TLRanger
Well-Known Member
A 20ga shoots just as hard and just as far as a 12ga. The difference is the number of pellets in each. With fewer pellets, you will have much larger holes in the pattern. If you use a 20, be sure to use a three inch magnum.
BTW, I use a 12ga because I need all the help that I can get!
BTW, I use a 12ga because I need all the help that I can get!
spitndrum
Well-Known Member
12 is what I use and will be what I use I'd rather em die graveyard dead, 20 should kill em though kills everything else
TNTomtaker01
Well-Known Member
Good luck.
20 will kill 'em but I opt for the 12. My nephew used my Winchester youth model 120 20 gauge a couple of years ago and killed one between 20 and 30 yards if I remember correctly. He had been shooting it with 2 3/4" shells and my brother slipped 3" in and he never knew. I looked at a Mossberg 500 Bantam youth today in 20 gauge for my son's birthday in March.
TNhunter
Well-Known Member
It all depends on the gun, the choke, and the shells. My son's 20 gauge 870 has an 18" barrel on it. I put an Indian Creek choke tube on it last year and shot Hevishot #6 3" shells. It will put more pellets in a 10" circle from 40 yards than my 870 super magnum with a Comp-N-Choke XXF turkey choke shooting 3" high velocity #5 winchester shells. And I've killed several turkeys from 40 to 50 yards with this 12 gauge setup. I wouldn't hesitate to take his 20 gauge on any hunt and shoot a bird out to 40 yards.
Mississippi Boy
Well-Known Member
Get you some Hevi-13 3" 1.25 oz #7 shot or Federal Heavyweight 3" 1.5 oz #7 shot with that gun and you should be able to kill turkeys 40-45 yards with ease. The best thing to do is pattern your gun on large sheet of paper and as long as it is putting at least 100 pellets in a 10" circle it will kill a turkey. Start at 40 yards for a baseline and see if you are over or under 100 pellets. Generally, both the loads I listed will give 120-150 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards.
Jimmy1320
Well-Known Member
I use a 20Ga as my turkey gun, with 2 3/4 in number 4 hevi shot. i got a 21.5lbs bird on a 40 yrd shot last year and my father-in-law got a 20lb bird on a 30yrd shot last year with the same gun. Shot pattern does have bigger holes in it than a 12Ga, but if you use a full choke and pattern the gun you can make an accurate head shot. I don't believe there is that big a difference in the 12 and 20 except that after you kill a bird you have a little lighter gun to carry back with the 20Ga....
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
I've been REALLY IMPRESSED with these #7 shot.Mississippi Boy said:
Last year used the Hevi-13 #7's for first time, and the pattern density was just incredible. Would have preferred the Federal Heavyweights in #7, but just couldn't find them.
My take is if you're going for head shots only, shooting these "heavier than lead" #7's in a 20 gauge puts them in the same league as most 12 ga turkey guns when loaded with #6 lead. In fact, THOSE #7's fired from a 20 gauge will penetrate as well or better than #6 lead fired from a 12 gauge.
Of course, a 12 gauge loaded with these #7's might be even better.
Biggun4214
Well-Known Member
A 20 gauge 3 inch mag has the same load as a 2 3/4 high powered 12.
I had an old time turkey hunter tell me the way to pattern a gun. He said a gun will kill a turkey as far as you can consistently break a beer bottle. His reasoning was the bottle was as thick or thicker than a turkey's skull and about the same size as the preferred kill zone.
I had an old time turkey hunter tell me the way to pattern a gun. He said a gun will kill a turkey as far as you can consistently break a beer bottle. His reasoning was the bottle was as thick or thicker than a turkey's skull and about the same size as the preferred kill zone.
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
That's about right, but I believe many 20's loaded with "hevier than lead" #7 shot "turkey loads" will exhibit comparable pattern density to many 12-ga 3 inch mag "turkey guns" using #6 lead "turkey loads".Bigg'un4214 said:
These #7 pellets are packing a punch closer to a #5 lead.
My point is that today, with the new heavier than lead options, you can make a 20 gauge perform comparably or better to what many have been killing turkeys with for years in their 12 guages.
Grizzly Johnson
Well-Known Member
Wes Parrish said:
From what I have read here and there.... the Hevi Shot size has basically the same energy as the next shot size bigger in lead.
The Hevi #7's would be comparable to lead #6's..... but there would be the benefit of more pellets from the smaller size.
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
Having the "same energy as the next shot bigger in lead" is a good rule of thumb, and probably "spot on" with the Winchester Extended Range loads, as their pellets are 10% heavier than lead. I've experienced very good pattern testing, penetration, and results on birds with the Winchester Extended Range loads. Never mind that most of my turkeys have been taken under 30 yards, and choice of shells (and/or guns) has seemed to matter very little at closer ranges.Grizzly Johnson said:
But the "Hevi-13's" are supposed to be 20% heavier than lead.
The Federal "Heavyweights" supposed to be 30% heavier than lead.
In the case of the Federals, I believe THEIR #7's might penetrate deeper in a phone book at 40 yards than #5 lead pellets. Read quite a bit about this last year, just have forgotten the exact details. The idea with the #7 Heavyweights is you're packing the per pellet wallop of #5 lead with a much denser pattern than you would get with a load #6's!
bvoss
Well-Known Member
I use a 12 g , but my little brother has a Mossberg 500 yth model 20 g that kills them dead as dirt out to 40 yds. When I get old, and my shoulder cant take the kick anymore, I will go with that very set up ( with a set of strait sevens of course).
