Pheasant Gun: 20 gauge or 12?

[BrentD]

The leather pad is wonderful. Nice refinish! I'm sending your email addy to my wife so you can help her with my christmas present.

You would not be the first to do this.

BTW, I recently saw a similar gun for sale somewhere. Can't remember where though.

That's my 3rd leather pad so far. They are not too hard, once I built the jigs.

 

[2rocky]

Also, who gave @2rocky's wife the password to his account? Some BS right there.

 

[Ben Lamb]

A person can never have too many dogs or shotguns in their life.

B. Kenobi Lamb.

 

[Gunner46]

I got my 1st 20 ga when I was 12. A single shot Stevens. At age 14 I bought a Moss 500 20ga with my paper route money. I was 19 B4 I bought my 1st 12 ga, another single shot Stevens (just for deer hunting with Buckshot).

The only 12 ga I have was my Dad's. It stays in the safe. I have no need of it for hunting.

Pellet/per pellet a 20 and a 12 hit exactly the same. Given equal shot weights the only difference is the spread diameter/length. Instead of going for a tighter choke for the 20, just open it up a bit and you'll never see a difference between a 20 and a 12.

Go forth and hunt joyously with a lighter/faster handling shotgun! SLAY CRITTERS !!!

 

[BrentD]

Here is the solution to the OP's conundrum, or anyone else that is stuck between the 20 and the 12, or already has a few 20s and 12s, or just about anyone else as well.

Ben, put this on your christmas list, but tell her to hurry. It may not be available for very long. I might buy it myself if it tempts me much longer.

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[Falcon75]

For wild birds that could be out there a bit more than your 25-45 i will take 12 gauge all day long. Still think about a wild pheasant in Iowa that got up and was 50-60 yards when I moved it on second shot and then flew for miles. We were shooting pen birds mostly over pointers and the experienced guys had 20 ga to not tear the crap out of the birds. I have a reducer that shoots 20 ga in 12 for the kids and am thinking more about switching over for everything except geese. Ballistics are way better on 20 ga than 12 for slugs. But all that to say my dream gun for pheasants is either a 20 ga benelli Montefeltro lightweight or an old 16 ga that is on a true 16 frame an Ithaca 37 16 ga.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Here is the solution to the OP's conundrum, or anyone else that is stuck between the 20 and the 12, or already has a few 20s and 12s, or just about anyone else as well.

Ben, put this on your christmas list, but tell her to hurry. It may not be available for very long. I might buy it myself if it tempts me much longer.

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Alas, the cheek piece & cast make this your firearm and not mine. I missed a nice little British 16 cast correctly for about 1/2 that. I really should have just bought the damned thing.

 

[BrentD]

Alas, the cheek piece & cast make this your firearm and not mine. I missed a nice little British 16 cast correctly for about 1/2 that. I really should have just bought the damned thing.

I didn't notice a cheek piece, and if you don't like the cast, just bend it! It's not too hard to do and Euro walnut bends pretty well. American, not so much, however.

 

[Foggy Mountain]

A person can never have too many dogs or shotguns in their life.

B. Kenobi Lamb.

An interesting note, many guys worry their wife will be upset they get another gun, bow, fishing rod, dog, etc.
They don’t have too many. They don’t have enough.
let me explain. If you have 2 fish in a tank, adding 1 is obvious. If you have 50 even adding 10 is unnoticed.

To the op, every gun has effective range. So do chokes, loads, etc. That’s all gotta be considered. I don’t shoot far and even 20 ga unnecessary. I use a 28 so a 20 would be my answer but again consider what’s best for you regarding weight, availability, range needed, etc

 

[MtnHuntin]

I'm looking to get my first and long-awaited over/under shotgun. I have a slew of other shotguns, all 12 gauges, except for a single shot 20 I started with. 90% of the time, this gun will be used for wild pheasants over flushing dogs. It will see limited use for dove/grouse/quail. My head says just go with the 12, but my heart wants a 20. I only want the 20 for some variety in my collection and a little lighter gun to carry, BUT this will become my primary upland gun, so I don't want to limit myself either. It will likely be awhile before I purchase another over/under. Most shots are between 25-45 yards on wild birds. What would you do?
* Edit* most hunting takes place where non-toxic shot is required.

In my opinion, you can't go wrong with either, as long as you get the reps in to feel comfortable.

 

[Bird dog 3]

The best shotgun for me is the 20 gage because of recoil and weight. Over time they both play a roll on your ability to stay in the the game,