.20 gauge good enough for quail?

A

Arizona Fusilier

New member
Would like to hear from folks with experience with this in particular.

I've got .12 gauge out the whazoo, but I am thinking of starting my wife in on a .20. She's definitely intimidated by the .12. We might graduate up someday, but right now, the question is, will .20 do the job, especialy on Gambels and Scaled Quail here in Arizona.
 
I have a Mossberg 20 gauge with an extra slug barrel and a scope mount that I got off ebay. Has a tasco bantum 2 1/2x scope. I have used mine with imp/cyl and mod with good success on quail and grouse. Put in the xfull choke and take it turkey hunting, put on the rifled slug barrel for deer hunting. With 3" shells, I honestly can say that my 20 gauge will do anything my 12 will do with 2 3/4" shells. If you can't kill it with a 20 gauge, you don't need to be shooting at it. I think it would be an excellent choice. Shucks you may even want to carry it a little yourself. Samantha ann.
 
There's lots of quail hunters that use nothing else. Quail do not need a tea cup fuill of 2s to kill. Some folks do well on small birds with the 28 gauge and its 3/4 oz of shot.

A caveat. While 20 gauge shells usually have just 7/8 oz of shot, 20 gauge guns are usually lighter than 12 gauges. This means they can kick just as hard. I suggest your spouse handle and shoot some 20s before buying.

HTH....
 
It will, but a lot will depend on how heavy a gun your wife wants to carry.

A 7/8 oz or 1 oz load will recoil much softer out of a heavier 12 than a 20.
 
To me, a 20ga is the perfect quail gun. A lot of guys like 28ga as well. I think your wife will be well served with a 20ga
 
Why wouldn't it kill quail? I've used my 20ga on ducks and grouse, have taken it deer hunting many times (without firing any shots though) and would take it turkey hunting if the desire ever arose. I have a 12ga and a 20ga 870 sitting in the safe, and the 20 gets the most use.

But I also recommend you have her try some out. With field loads my 20 kicks as hard as a 12 tossing 1 1/8oz loads, or so it seems. Chuck a 3" into the little 20 and it can get downright unpleasant after a handful of rounds. (But not as bad as a 3.5" 12... :D )
 
O.K. everybody, thanks for your feedback. You would have to understand that one of the biggest influences on my life "Survival Guns" by Mel Tappan, pretty much persuaded me that .12 ga was the only way, and everything else was a drain on logistics. That, and I did not grow up in a hunting, let alone bird hunting, house. Consequently, I have absolutely no experience with .20.

Of course, being older and wiser now, I know that guns are now fun too. Given I'm getting more involved in the sport of hunting courtesy of my new hunting dog, having my wife share that, and getting something she's comfortable with starting out is a worthwhile deviation from my doomsday purchases:D

Got a used Mossberg 500c today for $100.00; we'll see where this takes us.
 
A 20-gauge would be perfect. I've got a couple of 12's, and they work OK for me. I suspect a 28-guage wouldn't be a bad choice, either. Forget the 16 gauge (just about obsolete) and the .410 (too small).

Go with the 20.
 
There are lots of people here in Texas switching to the 28 gauage I have used one myself on quail and it has no problem. My basic gun case on a hunt has my 2 12's my 20 and my 28 and I ussaly stick with the lighter guns until I start wearing down and my shot is not the best.:D :D :D
 
Absolutly. I tend to shoot WAAYYY too soon on quail with a 12 gauge and poof- many feathers, not much dinner. I actually think a 410 - with a lot of practice- would be a great quial gun. A mate of mine has "thumper" a O/U winchester .410 and that is great on birds. On the other hand, he represents new zealand at trap shooting, so can hit things rather well.
 
I used to live in Tucson for 25 years and have shot more Gambel than I can remember. My favorite gun was a 20 ga, O/U. I never had a problem whatsoever, if I was on them, they went down. I finally went to a 28,, just for kicks.The 28 is a great gun, just not as good on the ones that jump up out there a ways. You will never go wrong with the 20. or a 12,, or a 28
 
20 ga is just a smidge 'too much' for quail really. 28 ga is perfect. But 20 guage, being much cheaper, is still a good choice for many. They have quail in New Zealand?
 
20ga has been good enuff to take down quail chucker ducks pheasnt doves and many more. also i think the 20qa is good gun to start it helps to improve accuracy imo.
 
Personally, I've never used anything BUT a 20 gauge for birds/small game. kills 'em just as dead as a 12. I have a 12 for HD and deer, but if I have to traips around the wood/fields all day, prefer the 20, as its lighter (even 1 lb. make a difference on a long day in the fields.)
 
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