Can you justify a 20ga for me?

[I quit using a 12 gauge ten years ago]

More like 20 years, for me.

I've found out that there's nothing I used to do with a 12ga, that I haven't been able to do with one of my 20's (yes, I have more than one) - only now it gets done easier (lighter gun/less recoil), and faster (swinging/pointing).

As I age, I find myself spliting my trigger time between my 20 ga's and my .410's (Yeah, I have more than one of them, too).

The game still gets into my bag/freezer, regardless - and that's my bottom line.

.
 
Some days i use the 20ga BPS for chukar. I can also put a few slugs in my pocket for cougar or some 3" kent fast steel in my pocket for a duck. It is great for climbing the rims chasing chukar. I bought it because i wanted one.
 
re:Brandy

Yeah they are cute, but with the variety of 12 bores available (both guns & loads) there is just no reason to buy a 20 bore. 12s also pattern better.
Click to expand...

Is that your final answer?

How many of each have you patterned?

Does the term shot column ring a bell?

Last pheasant hunt I went on I used a 20 and the other hunters used 12's. I hit more birds on my first shot then the other guys did. They also winged several birds, every bird I shot hit the ground dead or unable to run.

The best wing shot I know uses a 28 gauge. This guy rarely misses anything that flies in range. I have seen dove cross over several hunters using 12's and 20's, then the bird comes near him with his 28 and the dove's flight ends quickly.

A 12 gauge will not make a lousy shooter good. A good shooter will bag more game with a 20 gauge then a poor 12 gauge shooter will.
 
Well, you guys have convinced me that I had at least better try one. I won't pony up the $700+ for a new wingmaster but I'll hunt around for a cheap used one that's still in good shooting shape (though probably not pretty) and let it bang around my arsenal a while to see how I like it.

I do skeet a few times a summer, and I plan to reload shotshells, so I guess I can give it a good try out and see how it does with regular loads and with some more creative ones...there are 12 ga shells out there that hold Only 3 massive balls, I could probably load something similar for the 20ga using 4 or 5 .36 caliber balls and see how that patters. But I suspect the idea of slugs instead of my usual "just in case" load of 12ga 00 buck could be just the answer to those pesky big whitetails and bear that sometimes thoughtlessly interupt my bird hunts.
 
12 ga 7/8 oz lead loads....

are what I shoot for clays, trap & grouse.

If you REALLY want your eyes opened try shooting some Kent fast steel loads. Lead (as in leeeed) is almost obsolete and they will go right through a big Goose.

Once steel gets affordable as a component I'll be switching my clays load to 1 oz of 7&1/2 steel @ 1500 fps. NO flyers, pattern looks like perfection but still too expensive when you're popping 400 per week.

Isofar as a 20 being faster and handier....well here are two twelves that will do as well or better.

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