Mite

If you are looking to buy another gun, first thing is to test the gun to see if it fits you. A poorly fittedgun will be useless to you andcause youfrustration over the easy misses.

I find that shoot steel shot the distance is alot less. The effective range is around 25-30 feet everything else is just hope and a prayer. I've tried finding other non-toxic shot for 20ga but there don't seem to anywhere locally that sells them. In my o/u, I use full/modified along with 28" barrels.

sproulman

guns are like dogs,we all have our favorites..
here we go..
i also like a light gun to carry.
i hunt grouse/pheasants,turkeys,ducks,no rabbits..


the only gun i would use is 12 GA.
i use 2 and 3/4 inch shells ,low brass 7 and 1/2 for grouse.
pheasants i use no.5 high brass.
ducks, no.4 high brass but i move up to 3 inch shell.
turkeys no.4 high brass..

now for guns, here are 3 best.
BERETTA,FRANCHI,BENELLI..

which do i like, BERETTA..
i could talk for hour on why..

now, i like semi-auto,why, it does not kick,feels fairly good..
my favorite is BERETTA URICKA FIELD 12 GA. ,28 inch barrel.
this gun weights around 7 pds BUT does not feel it because its balanced..


this gun is about the ALL AROUND GUN for those 4 birds..
now, o/u has advantage in 1 area over semi auto..
you have 2 chokes, thats nice, you have a modified/i/c on one and full on other..

with close shot on semi auto you have to let bird get out a bit so you dont blow bird apart OR as i do, i shoot bird in head but mostly i let it get out to 20 yds ,then shoot..


no way i would own a 28/20/16 UNLESS i shot a LOT of skeet etc and was dead shot..
also 12 ga shells are available, not expensive.

someone said about using 3 inch 20 ga is like 12 ga..

studys which i will not get into have proved that is not correct, no insults intended..

no way 20 ga will come close to 12 ga..

stay with 12 ga and i highly rec the 12 ga over the others..

here is site that will help..

www.shotgunworld.comenter BERETTA in search forum to read about the URICKA FIELD..

we all pay big money for a truck to hunt,25,000/38/000 but most will buy a cheaper shotgun,not the 3 i mentioned.
what do you have after 5 years in that truck,maybe 15,000 on its value or less..

if you buy a BERETTA,in 10 years it will be worth more than you paid..

i use that camo tape all over my beretta barrel /stock,i dont like scratchs on it and i tested that tape this year,it was great,never came off and no scarcths..

you can get it at wal-mart..take care

kevin2

I was at Cabelas today. Shouldered dozens of guns. The M2 felt the nicest. I ordered a rifle, so I'll be back there next week looking to spend more money! I'll take a look at the Beretta you've mentioned...thanks

Mite

Beretta is a good gun but I probably wouldn't purchase it. I shoot a SKB, made in Japan. I grew up shooting one when I was a youngster. My first shotgun was an Ithaca featherlight pump in 20ga. I would love to own one of those also.

My take on hunting is not to get as many birds as possible but to enjoy watching the dog work, enjoy being out there. I wouldn't want tobring downevery bird I aimed at. Those that get away sometimes are more memorable than the ones you bring down. Hitting 25/25 everytime in skeet will becomeboring after awhile. Its knowing that you're improving that makes it worthwhile. Just like knowing that I can bring down a pheasant using a 20ga along with steel shot but its still challenging that keeps me hunting.

sproulman

light 20 ga is dream to carry all day in woods,i agree on that.

the 20ga BERETTA URICKA FIELD is sweet gun to carry,much better than 12 ga,yet it only is 3/4 of a pd lighter.

now, you hit nail on head..

if you have time to shoot at skeet etc you can get good at using the 20 ga.
you never see 20 ga at range shooting, always 12 ga.

AVERAGE hunter does not practice much,so from my experience over 40 plus years, the 12 ga throws more lead at what you are shooting at.
it makes up for your bad shooting.

as you said, average hunter if he /she is not interested in getting birds and just wants to have fun, 20ga is one to get.shells are more expensive than 12 ga shells also,that is something to think about too.

12 ga being only 3/4 of pd heavier in BERETTA,is way i would go and you will get more birds than 20 ga.

but you can feel difference between 20/ga and 12 ga..
20 ga does feel much better, to me but that 3/4 of pd difference does not bother me ,not yet anyhow..

if it does someday i will be getting plastic stocks for my beretta which will lower me down to 6 pds like 20 ga.

so, you can make 12 ga LIGHTER with new plastic stocks if that weight difference is problem.

wobschall

I went with the Benelli Ultralight 12 gauge. Not only is it the lightest 12 gauge auto out there, but with the raised rib it shouldered and pointed the best of any gun I tried. Very simlar feel to the M2, but the lighter weight makes a big difference after a day in the field.

sproulman

BENELLI is fine gun.
the different gas port system is why i choose the BERETTA.

Phil from Maine

I have hunted for 32 years and have hunted with the 20,16,and 12 gauge. I have no complaints to hunting with anyone of those when it comes to shooting birds. The 16 is hard to get the shells for up here but was a great shotgun non the less. I currently hunt with a 12 gauge but the 20 will do the trick nicely. I also know a few people that will only hunt with a 410 so to each their own.

For as far as dogs we all have our choice of dogs so perhaps you may want to study up on them a little. Also watch a few different ones hunting if you can get a chance. They all have a different way of hunting as well as style..

sproulman

i have 2 .410 shotguns
3, 20 ga.
2,16 ga.
4 ,12 ga.

almost impossible at times to find 410 shells and EXPENSIVE.
20 ga,almost as expensive as 12 ga and not real available.
16 ga, ha, shells are collectors items.

now,12 GA ,shells are available and at times cheaper than all 3 of above.

410 is shotgun of road hunters ,very hard to kill bird in woods in flight.
20 ga,still hard to shoot grouse and very hard to get pheasant EVEN with 3 inch shell.
16 ga, real nice,will kill grouse/pheasant .
12 GA,well, it does it all...

now, if you are a great shot,practice a lot, shoot skeet/clays etc. that 20 ga in right hands will be fine for grouse/pheasant and are real pleasure to carry in woods BUT, how many of us are GREAT SHOTS, i used to be but do to price of brass today , shotgun shells are going up..

my dealer said,SPROULE get ready for another price increase on your shotgun shells..

i hate china...........

MinnFinn

Look at a Benelli M2. It's a very reliable autoloader. Not too heavy with a synthetic stock. Ithink the recoil with the inertia bolt/ejection system is very tolerable. You say you don't hunt waterfowl anymore because it's "too wet". Try field hunting ducks and geese with field decoys. It's a blast!