20 guage for turkey

[FINGRIN]

Anyone use a 20 guage for turkey? My 12 year old son drew a tag and he is a little shy of the 12.

[Greybeard53]

I wouldn't hesitate a bit. I started my son with a Mossberg Bantam 20, with great results. As with any gun, pattern it, know the distance limitations and it will perform just fine. Many big Tom's have fallen to a 20 gauge.

If your son is comfortable with the gun, it's one less thing to distract him when his heart is pounding like a drum and that big bird is gobbling like crazy.

Good luck!! I hope he nails one.

[Hotspotter]

A 20 gauge is a very viable option for turkey hunters nowadays. While the copperplated lead and other older lead loads would kill a turkey well in a 20, I really like the hevi-type shot now in a 20 gauge. It's denser and patterns very well, providing the person toting a 20 quite a few load options that will kill very nicely.

Remember to pattern and use a good turkey choke still. Match the choke with ammo your 20 likes to shoot, and you'll have a turkey killing machine!

Borch and others here might have specific recommendations, as I do not personally own a 20.

Joel

[Borch]

Given the right load choke combo you'll not be undergunned at all. In fact there's a growing trend of guys moving away from the 3 1/2" guns to the little 20 gauge. I can give you the combos that work well in my daughter's 20 gauge 870. Using a Hastings .566 turkey choke paired with Federal 3" #6 1 5/16 oz lead loads she got 15+ bone hits at 35 yards. With a Primos tightwad .570 and Rem Hevishott #6 load she got 20+ bone hits at 40 yards. Enery wise the 20 gauge is equivelant or better than the 3 and 3 1/2" 12 gauge pushing those heavy turkey loads.

Check out the nitro loads as well if you're really wanting to stretch to 40+ yards with the right choke.

Good Luck!

[FINGRIN]

Thanks for the info. I have never been turkey hunting yet so this will be a great adventure for the kid and I.

[river huntfish]

I used a 20 gauge for a while tell i could handle the big gun.

I never got anything because it was my dad and i first hunts but i know people that use them. Hey if a 20 can take down a deer why not a turkey

[Wallydog]

The .410 will work if you know and understand it's limitations.

[Powerstroke]

Although true of anything, the .410 is illegal for use as a turkey gun in MN. Shotguns for turkey hunting in MN must be 20ga or larger.

[HNTNBUX]

I too will be taking my daughter on her first turkey hunt with a 20 guage we just picked up yesterday. Has anyone tried patterning with a regular full choke? The little Rem 870 20 guage only came with a modified choke and I am concerned the turkey choke might be to tight for close range shooting. We will be using a double bull blind and shooting sticks and looking to keep the shots close based on patterning after I get the choke. But at $30 a choke I don't want a handfull of them.

[Powerstroke]

Get the full choke and pattern it. If it works and is not too tight then you might have a winner. You can always hang onto it for other uses. If it doesn't work then its time to move on to a different size.

[sachem longrifle]

I have shot Geese and divers with a 20. The 20 is the 30-30 of the shotgun world

[outfishedagain]

20ga. Would be perfect. My younger brother took this first turkey with a 20ga. and Remington #4 Hevi Shot at 55yrds. It was one of those over excited times. A group of four jakes were working our way down a fence line and he just shot out of no where. I still to this day can’t believe he hit the bird.