Actually I used a 12 ga for almost all my hunting of small game, upland birds, waterfowl, and turkey. However now that I've gotten a bit older and wiser I went out and purchased a 20 ga youth model 870 for my grandson. I liked it so much that I got another one for myself. It is small, light and easy to carry. Over the past 3 years I've used it successfully for upland birds (grouse and pheasants) and turkey. Believe me when I tell you that a big old eastern gobbler does not like being thumped with a load of 3" 4 shot from my little 20 from 25yds. Now my big old 12 is used only for waterfowl and coyotes.

i see a lot of people recommending using 6 shot for squirrel, which i used to do, but i read somewhere last season of using express 4's for squirrel and i liked that a lot better. By using the 4's they seem to reach out a little farther, and they also go thru squirrels a little better (less chance of biting down on a shot when youre eating them). I aim a little off the front of the squirrel so it doesnt get a full blast of shot, give it a try

I love the 20ga for all types of hunting from deer, squirrel, doves, and waterfowl. I take my Browning O/U and Remington 11-87 to Wisc. to hunt geese with Hevi-shot and slay them!!!!!!!! If I were to go back to using a shotgun for deer hunting I would use the 20 again w/o question. I used one for several years and then went to an in-line. I am going to have my wife using a 20ga for turkey hunting this spring.

I think a young hunter is better off shooting a 20ga than anything smaller myself.One has to be a pretty good marksman to be able to hit game with .28ga and 64ga's. The smaller size shells mean less powder, fewer pellets mean more likely to miss or wound at any range, cause the hitting power won't be there, and fewer pellets
will be reaching the target carpared to a 20ga.I think the 20 ga combined with interchangable choke tubes is perfect for both upland and alot, not all, but alot of fowl hunting especially over decoys.
But yeah nothing wrong with the 20ga.

question- how do chokes work? my dad always took care of them, and i never learned how they work. do you just use a shot shell choke for "bird" shot, and a slug choke for a slug?

I think you'll find this helpful;

http://www.trulockchokes.com/cgi-bin/eShop/index.cgi


Call George Trulock..................

I'd recommend to always buy extended chokes - no wench/tools needed to change chokes

sheridan-

hey thanks alot- that's a great link you gave me. much appreciated :0)