Does anyone here use a 20 gauge for pheasant? If so do you use 2 3/4" or 3" shells and what sie shot? I've always hunted with a rifle and a handgun except for when I was younger I use to hunt small game with a .410. I am a small person and looking around most shotguns they just feel to bulky and clumsy to me. I really like the feel and balance of the Remington Express Youth gun. It comes in 20 gauge only. The company I work for has a membership at a local pheasant farm and the guys at work have been bugging me to go hunting there with them. They all use 12 gauges and seem to think the 20 would be okay but none of them have used one for hunting only for clay. Any feed back would be appreciated, Thanks.
20 gauge Pheasants?
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knight0334
New member
2-3/4" is plenty enough for pheasant. Just mind your shotsize and the advertised velocities. The 3" will only give you maybe 1/8 or so of an ounce more shot at nearly the same velocity.
The only time you may need 3" shells in any gauge above .410bore is when you're trying to get high flying ducks and geese, which even then a 2-3/4 will due most of the time. 3" shells are more for wasting money than harvesting critters.
The only time you may need 3" shells in any gauge above .410bore is when you're trying to get high flying ducks and geese, which even then a 2-3/4 will due most of the time. 3" shells are more for wasting money than harvesting critters.
Drummer101
New member
I found the 20ga. youth to be so light that the recoil was about the same as a 12ga. Just something to consider.
Rampant_Colt
New member
As a kid, I used to use a 20ga 870 Wingmaster Improved Cylinder using 2-3/4" and 7-1/2 trap loads for pheasant
oneounceload
Moderator
20 gauge, 2-3/4", and either #6 or #4. although the Fiocchi #5 looks REAL good as well............out of a IC/M SxS they will drop like rocks
Even Smaller
Last season I used a 28 gauge on a planted pheasant hunt. One person on the hunt had a 20 and all the others had 12's. All the birds, regardless of the gauge used, ended up just as dead.
If I can kill a thunder chicken with a 28, a 20 should be a no brainer.
There is an added advantage of smaller shotguns. You can shoot a little earlier and have enough bird left to eat.
Last season I used a 28 gauge on a planted pheasant hunt. One person on the hunt had a 20 and all the others had 12's. All the birds, regardless of the gauge used, ended up just as dead.
If I can kill a thunder chicken with a 28, a 20 should be a no brainer.
There is an added advantage of smaller shotguns. You can shoot a little earlier and have enough bird left to eat.
Absolutely and that would be my Remingtom 1100. My buddy uses a Browning 20 SXS and that's pretty sweet. Both of us use 2-3/4" and we may alternate between 5's and 6's, depending on how smart they are getting. Someday I'd like to try a 28 but that may never happen. ...
Be Safe !!!
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I enjoy using a 20 gauge on pheasants, 2-3/4" with #6 shot. I love shooting my 1957 Browning A5 in 20 gauge. Works just as well as a 12 gauge and doesn't weigh as much. About the only time I want to use my 12 gauge for pheasants is when I hunt in waterfowl areas and have to use non-toxic shot.
I always use 20 ga. for pheasants, and I hunt with a lot of people that use 12 ga. In my experience (and there are a LOT of birds here), the 20 is all that's needed for pheasants. I like to use an 1100 LT-20 (better than Benelli M2 
) 6 shot @ the beginning of the season, working down to 4's and 5's later on.
) 6 shot @ the beginning of the season, working down to 4's and 5's later on.20 and 28
I've used one oz.# 6 copper or nickel plated shot in both 20 and 28 ga. guns on pen raised pheasants for over 20 years. The 20 is an AYA sxs with fixed ic and mod. chokes. The 28 is a Ruger with screw in chokes and the skeet and modified work best for me shooting over a pointer.
This may sound silly but several of the 12 ga. shooters where I hunt use one oz high speed loads of #5's with good results.
As a rule pen raised birds are easier to knock down and kill than wild birds.
I've used one oz.# 6 copper or nickel plated shot in both 20 and 28 ga. guns on pen raised pheasants for over 20 years. The 20 is an AYA sxs with fixed ic and mod. chokes. The 28 is a Ruger with screw in chokes and the skeet and modified work best for me shooting over a pointer.
This may sound silly but several of the 12 ga. shooters where I hunt use one oz high speed loads of #5's with good results.
As a rule pen raised birds are easier to knock down and kill than wild birds.
There's pheasants and there's pheasants. Planted reserve birds can be killed with 410s. Wild ditch dragons and preserve birds out long enough to toughen need a bit more, but the 20 will work.
3" loads are not essential. A GOOD 2 3/4 load of 4s, 5 or 6s will do the job nicely when placed correctly. I like 6s in the open barrel or first up in a repeater, then 5s.
Chokes, IC/Mod is a good place to start, with LM good for single barrel guns. If your hunting area is in the Midwest or later in the season, be ready to go tighter.
3" loads are not essential. A GOOD 2 3/4 load of 4s, 5 or 6s will do the job nicely when placed correctly. I like 6s in the open barrel or first up in a repeater, then 5s.
Chokes, IC/Mod is a good place to start, with LM good for single barrel guns. If your hunting area is in the Midwest or later in the season, be ready to go tighter.
Raven Armament
Moderator
All I've ever used is a 20ga. 2 3/4 inch only usually between #4 and #6 shot with a IC or light MOD choke. I use a Remington 870 express. Have for years. 
Pheasnt dream gun...
....A semi automatic 20 gauge with a properly fitted stock (can't underscore the importance of stock fit), and #6 shot and yes, even a 3" shell to put a bit more pattern on there.
It'll be very soft shooting, effective, and with screw in chokes you can step it up for ducks or notch it back for dove, quail, or rabbits.
If you buy quality, there are some 12 ga semi's that are almost as light as heavy 20 ga guns and the recoil can be great with low brass #6's.
I have the 20 ga youth remington and love it but it does kick more with some loads than a properly loaded 12 ga semi. It's true.
Still I love an 870 pump!
Mine has screw in chokes and I got it to hunt snow shoe's in thickets and swamps a 100 years ago. Killed many a woodcock with it too in real thick stuff!
But make sure the stock isn't too short or you won't get a good cheek weld and you'll shoot over the tops of more than a few birds (ask me how I know
)
Wish to God I still lived in a place where I could still hunt pheasnts!
Gideon
....A semi automatic 20 gauge with a properly fitted stock (can't underscore the importance of stock fit), and #6 shot and yes, even a 3" shell to put a bit more pattern on there.
It'll be very soft shooting, effective, and with screw in chokes you can step it up for ducks or notch it back for dove, quail, or rabbits.
If you buy quality, there are some 12 ga semi's that are almost as light as heavy 20 ga guns and the recoil can be great with low brass #6's.
I have the 20 ga youth remington and love it but it does kick more with some loads than a properly loaded 12 ga semi. It's true.
Still I love an 870 pump!
Mine has screw in chokes and I got it to hunt snow shoe's in thickets and swamps a 100 years ago. Killed many a woodcock with it too in real thick stuff! But make sure the stock isn't too short or you won't get a good cheek weld and you'll shoot over the tops of more than a few birds (ask me how I know
)Wish to God I still lived in a place where I could still hunt pheasnts!
Gideon
unleaded shot for a 12 ga 2 3/4 on pheasants?
I've been invited to take my old pre 1955 Ithaca 12 ga. with Herter variable choke, to hunt pheasants in S.Dakota where lead shot is a no-no. What do you guys who live there or hunt there recommend for shot size in 12 ga 2 3/4, and brand of shot?
I've been invited to take my old pre 1955 Ithaca 12 ga. with Herter variable choke, to hunt pheasants in S.Dakota where lead shot is a no-no. What do you guys who live there or hunt there recommend for shot size in 12 ga 2 3/4, and brand of shot?
On the Herters choke,I can't say.They are from a time before steel shot.A conservative wild guess,Bismuth or Classic Doubles shells.Expensive!Set the choke mod or looser.
On the 20 ga:As a kid,I did not know any better so I killed a lot of Canada Geese with a 2 3/4 in 20 ga(Chicopee Falls Stevens 530 A ST)
My experience,pen raised birds will be close shots.Hopefully,you will be hunting over some fine dogs.IMO,the dogs are the real justification for planted birds.As a shooter,you are along to help give the dogs a good time.Typically,the birds will hold and the dogs will hold and you will flush the birds.They will be trying to get some altitude,They are not of the same constitution as wild birds.As the ranges are typically quite short,I do not feel a need for larger size shot.I prefer the pattern density of 7 1/2s,and likely a looser than modified choke.
If you get to go after wild birds that are spookier,flushing at longer ranges,take what you have,maybe 6's or 5's,good shells like Fiocchi Golden Pheasant.No sense shooting at unrealistic shots.Be the guy ready in the corners,bush patches above gullies,a tumbleweed by a fencepost,or tight birds that get walked past.Get the ones that take folks by surprise.your light gun is quick.
Focus on the head,not the whole bird.The rest is mostly feathers.If you shoot,watch the head.If the bird loses a bunch of feathers and rolls,watch the head.If the bird still has control of his head,shoot him again.
On the 20 ga:As a kid,I did not know any better so I killed a lot of Canada Geese with a 2 3/4 in 20 ga(Chicopee Falls Stevens 530 A ST)
My experience,pen raised birds will be close shots.Hopefully,you will be hunting over some fine dogs.IMO,the dogs are the real justification for planted birds.As a shooter,you are along to help give the dogs a good time.Typically,the birds will hold and the dogs will hold and you will flush the birds.They will be trying to get some altitude,They are not of the same constitution as wild birds.As the ranges are typically quite short,I do not feel a need for larger size shot.I prefer the pattern density of 7 1/2s,and likely a looser than modified choke.
If you get to go after wild birds that are spookier,flushing at longer ranges,take what you have,maybe 6's or 5's,good shells like Fiocchi Golden Pheasant.No sense shooting at unrealistic shots.Be the guy ready in the corners,bush patches above gullies,a tumbleweed by a fencepost,or tight birds that get walked past.Get the ones that take folks by surprise.your light gun is quick.
Focus on the head,not the whole bird.The rest is mostly feathers.If you shoot,watch the head.If the bird loses a bunch of feathers and rolls,watch the head.If the bird still has control of his head,shoot him again.