12 Gauge vs 20 Gauge
 

Is there a big disadvantage with the 20 gauge as far as grouping and distance compared to the 12 gauge?

Yes, but due to improvement in turkey loads and chokes, it's not very much. With a hevi-shot load and a good choke tube, you should be able to take a bird at 40 yd. with a 3" 20 ga.

Im sure you can get a 20ga to kill out to 40 yards... But Im sure what ever you can do with a 20ga a 12 ga will do better...

If you can handle the 12... I'd get the 12ga

The only reason I'm even considering the 20 gauge is because I have some young daughters that are interested in turkey hunting, which I am thrilled about. So I'm sure the recoil is not near as bad with the 20 gauge.

I have a friend thats a nurse that kills birds regularly with a super Black eagle 20g

A few things to consider - a semi-auto shotgun recoil is far less than a pump which is less than a single shot - so keep that in mind.

A 20 ga will do just fine at 40 if you pattern. My daughters used a Remington 1100 with 3" #4 copper shot with no problem at all. I even added a Tru-Glo sight to help them concentrate on the hit zone.
And we always tried to get the bird in at 20 yards or so as that is how I hunt.........

What a 12 does bring is more payload as far as number of shot per shell fired

........but a 20 will kill just as dead......

JW

I agree with the others. There is no need to beat her up with a 12. Just call them in range. It's waaay more fun to have them in your lap.

A Rem 11-87 20ga is what my daughter uses. My gun dealer advised me to buy a regularly sized gun and purchase a youth stock on Ebay, separately. It is less expensive than buying the youth model. Plus, we have a full sized gun later on. But, if I were doing it all over again, I would look into something with a thumb hole stock. Wow, they tuck right in there. My daughter picked one up the other day and loved it.

Well said. I have shot some 20 guage pumps that kicked more than some 12's I have shot. With a decent semi-auto, they have very, very low recoil. That's what I'd recommend. Even a semi-auto 12 over a pump 20. If you went with a semi-auto 12, you could have your daughters shoot lighter loads and have less recoil than a 20 ga pump with more pellets sent down range. Just an idea.

I understand what you guys are saying about the semi-auto, but I don't have the funds to get one. Been looking at the H&R and Mossberg Maverick.

You 12 gauge chest pounders make me laugh...