20ga 3in Pheasant loads
 

is there an actual advantage to using 3in shells over 2 3/4's in a 20ga or is there a trade off of poor patterning and no real gain in speed not worth it?

There is always a benefit to more shot in the air, and your pattern may stay the same or tighten up some with same shot size used. Why are you really asking? cost?
When I do pull my 20 gauge out I use 3" shells more than 2 3/4 when hunting other than preserve birds, I use a double blackpoder mostly now.
Remember get up to that 1 1/4 oz and you have the eq. of a 2 3/4" 12 gauge, yea some of you will disagree, look at the velocities of both in standard loading, they are pretty much equal, one just has more shot= more killing power.

I agree w/ Flyer

i was wondering not because of cost, but i just want the most range out of my 20. i was thinking remington express long range? theyre only 2 3/4, but the velocity is 1220fps, and shooting 5s, i think that would be my best bet. fiocchi 3s were the other choice, but im not sure their velocity.
and let me back track a little. i hunt state stocked birds in nj. they arent the greatest, smartest birds out there. i usually hunt with anywhere from 2 to 6 guys without a dog. these other guys arent the greatest shots, and when a bird gets up and they miss, i dont want to be too far away to drop it. i hunted with a 12ga last year and dropped 9 out of every 10 they missed. i got a great deal on a new browning citori white lightning 20ga, 26" that im going to use for birds and rabbits. and thats why i was wondering about the shell size

20 ga is not gun for pheasants even with 3 inch .it is rabbit gun but we all use 22 cal for rabbits.
not bad grouse gun as its light to carry .i would keep it for grouse/rabbits.

12 ga is by far best all around gun and shells are cheaper and put more bb in air.
go shoot clay birds with your 20 ga.then pick up a 12 ga. let me know how you do!:groupwave:

new jersey guys most cant hit anything.:party0005:

sproul has spoken

I have used a 20 for yrs and use 3 inch 4s and see no problem with it at all.

The Remington Nitro mags is the brand I use.

JW

new jersey guys most cant hit anything.:party0005:

hahaha. thats rough.

I prefer the 20 guage to the 12. ive seen alot of birds that were shot by 12s that were so damaged they werent even edible. You wont get quite the distance with the 20 guage as you would a 12 but the 20 knocks them down just as good at reasonable distances.

the one day year hunters are ones that blow birds away.usually they are ones DRIVING for pheasants.i see it all the time. yes, those people should use 20 ga as they are shooting birds at 10 yds.
after birds are hunted your shots will increase.normal could be 25 to 35 yds.20 ga will not cut it.in the hands of great shot,person who shoots clay birds and HAS right 20 ga shotgun, yes it can be done.

but MOST dont shoot that much. i do, i go thru 25 claybirds a week.but you will see NO ONE with 20 ga doing it.
i do like 20 ga on grouse but i like 28 inch barrel not 26 inch.only because the longer barrel swings better and it will reach grouse at 30 yds.

take care sproul;

picked up the 20ga today. broke some clays, 32 days until rabbit season opens, and a few months until pheasants are stocked. i cant wait.

keep practicing my boy:wave:

hahaha. will do. someones up awful late...

:fighting0007:

eh, I used to able to shoot 21 out of 25 average at the skeet range using a .410 full choke when I was a youngster. Now, being decrypted as I am, I would probably forget my shotgun before arriving at the range.

I've always used a 20ga for pheasants and anything smaller. Ducks and turkeys you would need a 12. Ducks are hard to knock down and turkeys are just big.

Spoulman has not had the opportunity to see some of the older skeet shooters that regularily break 25 with a 20 gauge. I must admit I am not one of them having never broke 25, but I have broke 24 more than once in a while. I knew a gentleman that rested the bbl of his ou on the toe of his boot, called for the bird, snapped the action closed and broke 25 more that once. Admit, not too safe, but anyone should try doing that. Quite the shooter and field hunter.
A few days before dove season, we would hop in his cessna tail dragger and fly out to the agriculture areas and buzz the cut fields looking for doves to come up behind us. With several fields in hand, them drive to the locations and drop off a spotter to see how many. If good, would then obtain permission. Seldom was he turned down. Great shooter and gentleman. Good ballroom dancer also.

my point was HOW MANY HAVE TIME TO SHOOT LIKE BENILLI GUY?not most of us.soooooooooooo,we all need the 12 ga with extra bbs and power on tough birds like a pheasant.
yes,if you practice a lot with 20 ga, NO DOUBT YOU CAN KILL A PHEASANT.
but todays birds run ,then fly and shots are over 30 yds mostly after birds are hunted............

you know, a 12 ga only weights 1 pd more than a 20 ga and shells are cheaper.
20 ga beretta is 6/ and1/4 pds and my 12 ga beretta is around 7 pds.

i still use over/under 222/20 gauge on TURKEYS.i use 3 inch shells 4 shot.
works fine on turkeys.barrel is very short too.it is savage 24 v.
i would say i shot 9 turkeys with the shotgun and 5 with 222 above it.

20 gauge 3''
 

Hunted from mid-October 2009 in SD to January 31st in Kansas. Almost every week-end. Used a 20 gauge Montefeltro(silver) and Fiocchi Golden Pheasant ammo in 3" #5 shot. Had no problem with knocking them down up 40-45 yards away. Some longer! Also nice to carry a gun that only weighs 5#6oz.

I AGREE WITH YOU 100% but most dont practice and here in pa we are shooting thru tree limbs ,not open like SD.
i do like feel of 20 ga over a 12 ga.but i dont want to buy 2 GUNS.

12 ga can do it all for 1 pd heavier and SHELLS ARE CHEAPER .

Sproul, this is funny! :happy0157::happy0157:

The only reason to use a shotgun larger than a 20ga or 410 for birds is if you are a bad shot. I would put my son or grandson up against anybody with a 12 ga and they would smoke em. I taught my kids with a 28 ga and they can out shoot most who use a 12 ga. Not braggin, just disagree with your post.

Learn to shoot right and you don't need the extra shot!:wink:

i agree with you.but most of us dont practice including sproul.just too expensive to shoot now.
but a pheasant at 30 yds or more is one tough bird to knock down with 20 ga.,

yes there are advantages but its not really worth the extra money

Sproul, Thats why I hunt with a Lab, He catches the runners!

Toby must do so too, don't he?:arms::s1:

:s2:
i am looking at POINTING LAB for future.dont know if thats right move yet as flushing dog does work better on runners.grouse today are running do to coyotes we have now.they used to sit and hide, not now they run then fly away.
almost all my shots on grouse after leaves drop are over 30 yds.

this is why even 20 ga is hard on grouse after leaves come off unless you have a long barrel with FULL CHOKE.i like 28 inch barrel on 20 ga and 12 ga too.those 24/26 inch barrels are quicker but they dont BALANCE as good as 28 inch does and better sight picture.


a light 20 ga is sweet when hunting.i almost got the 20 GA BERETTA URICKA FIELD in the 28 inch barrel. 1 nice gun, for sure.
but after looking at 12 ga beretta,it weighted 1 pd more,shells are more powerful,more bbs,and MUCH CHEAPER than 20 ga.
you can use LOW BRASS with 12 ga and have to use HIGH BRASS with 20 ga .

with 12 GA you can hunt everything up to goose.

if i was goig to buy 2 guns ,I WOULD BUY BOTH 20GA/12GA. but 1 gun to do it all, ONLY BERETTA URICKA FIELD 12 GA.........
right now i am putting plastic stock on my 12 ga uricka. this will make it as light or lighter than 20 ga and i dont have to worry about wood getting scratched by thorns etc hunting grouse.

so now i have 20 ga in a 12 ga that is as light BUT packs more shot for those long shots.

Another Magnum-itus disciple?

Maybe in Kansas or Iowa over birds that flush wild and shots are at 40 yards, the 12 will have some advantages, but a 20 is fine for pheasants over pointing dogs. Shot size and choke selection is more important sometimes than how many pellets you are putting in the air.

Check out Randy Wakeman's article on his website about using 3" 20 ga. for pheasant. Pretty interesting.

being good shot or great shot a 20 ga is fine.yes, if you have pointing dog and pheasant holds close, 20 ga is fine.i use flusher,toby my lab and first day a 20 ga would work.after first day, no way ,your shots will be long and 12 ga is better.

with 12 ga shells cheaper and only 1 pd heavier i dont know why anyone would want a 20 ga.

come here with me on grouse hunt in pa. you carry a 20 ga and i will carry my 12 ga beretta uricka field.
after that,then write your comments.:wave:

I reload so shell costs are a moot point for me. I too grouse hunt in ME, NY & PA. And for for that kind of walking, especially in some of the thicker hillisides where you always feel like you are walking with one leg on the upside or downside of a steep hill; I take my 6 lb. 20 ga. every time.

It's not about how much you can lambast your quarry but it is about the art of the hunt too. If you require food that bad, then use a 12 ga. I you want to be artistic about how you hunt, take a smaller gauge and challenge yourself.

My 83 year-old uncle, who carries a 28 ga., refers to my 20 ga. O/U as a "cannon." :wave:[/QUOTE]

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i agree. weight is terrible on shotgun hunting grouse.
until i found the BERETTA URICKA FIELD 12 GA,i hated carrying a 12 ga.
this gun is unreal how it feels at 7 pds,it feels like 6 pds.it was so light for me i got the 28 inch barrel,not 26 inch.

it swings better with the longer barrel.
BENILLI/FRANCHI are good ones too on weight of 12 ga.
but for me to carry a REMINGTON/MOSSBERG/WINCHESTER,no way i could do it.
the BERETTA URICKA FIELD 20GA. is unreal how light that baby is.
if not using those 3 guns,I WOULD USE A 20 GA ALMOST FOR ALL UPLAND.
you get chance go try a BERETTA URICKA FIELD 12 GA.gander mtn lets you hold them and so does most big outdoor stores.
their gas system i feel is best on recoil and does not jam like 391 did.

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i still use an old stevens 410,works good too. i use it for about all my bird hunting

I'll admit that 20 years ago, my favorite grouse gun was a light Beretta 12 ga. 686 with 1 oz. loads of #8's and CYL/SKT tubes. Being a Beretta, it weighed 6 3/4 lbs., so it wasn't too terrible to hunt with all day. (Still not as trim as their 20 gauge though.) It made a dandy pheasant gun too. My hit percentage on game with it was pretty good. 25 years later, I just like toting my lighter 20 O/U's all day. Payload and shot selection is still the biggest key for an edge on long range pheasants.

Interesting article on 20 ga., shot selection, and long yardages:
http://randywakeman.com/Pheasants_Pa...y_%20Yards.htm

thanks for article,that was interesting.when i bought my BERETTA URICKA FIELD 12 GA. i was grabbing the 20ga a LOT.i agree it felt better do to the smaller dia barrel.i picked up 12 ga and noticed the barrel was bigger.

weight was noticable too between the 2 so 1 pd does make difference.but i wanted just 1 gun that could do it all.
after reading the SHOTGUNWORLD hunters, they all agreed that i was foolish to get 20 ga .

their reasons were this.
more bbs
cheaper shells and more available
can be used on all game
swings better on bird
better on clay birds
only 1 pd heavier but not that noticable
most rec 26 inch barrel, i went with 28 and feel its better.

not 1 rec that i get a 20ga, not 1.funny, i did like feel of 20 ga better too,it was sweet .
i hunt with toby for about 4 hrs 3 times a week on grouse/pheasants.i really dont notice the weight of my 12 ga.
but my REMINGTON 1187/MOSSBERG i have I DO....
i hate both those 12 ga but love my BERETTA URICKA FIELD.
to me it feels very close to 20 ga remington.

i am 56 and wanted my last gun. as you get older ,you cant take recoil .semi -auto BERETTA takes up so much recoil,its unreal vrs a o/u,s/w or single shot.this is why i went with a SEMI-AUTO ,recoil to shot.

I will admit that a 12 ga. is a better "all-around" do-everything gauge. Some of the Beretta semi-auto's I've hefted are nice and light. I have a pair of 11-87's and they are NOT bird guns. They are cumbersome and ill-balanced in my opinion. They are okay on a skeet field or trap field, and fine in a duck blind or in a pocket of woods adjacent to a field crow hunting, but the 11-87 is not a grouse gun.

I have thought about getting a Beretta semi-auto for a while now. I have a Browning gas auto (B2000) that's light but I don't use it much, and 20 & 16 ga. A5's which are light and I like toting them. Maybe I will look into one someday. Thanks

i agree with you. i just sold my REM 1187,it was awful gun.compared to BERETTA URICKA FIELD .
look at BERETTA URICKA FIELD 20 GA.boy what a light semi-auto that is but it does not swing like the 12 ga does according to EXPERTS at SHOTGUNWORLD,boy they test the beretta bigtime.they have forum just on the BERETTA.
i sold 4 guns to get my BERETTA and very happy i did.
if i loved the 20 ga,NO OTHER GUN WOULD I BUY BUT THE BERETTA URICKA FIELD 20G WITH THE 28 INCH BARREL.
most buy the 26 inch,they are making a boo boo.
that extra 2 inchs adds no weight too the gun but it allows you a better sight picture and swings and balances better.
pick up 26 inch in store and swing it ,THEN PICK UP 28 INCH.

you will see difference.some like 26 because its FASTER.no bird is that fast that you need faster unless you are hunting those little quail birds .
in my opinion the BERETTA system /balance is better than benelli/franchi.
i paid 800 for my BERETTA .they are higher now and going higher.
you can always get your money out of them ,the name keeps price up.
benilli/franchi name does not keep price up.benilli is close.

take care sproul