Help Me Pick a 20-Gauge for Doves

[Whackumstackum]

I mean, it is possible. I tripled on teal on a solo hunt this year with an O/U.

I set the field record at Lawton Hayes place that’ll never be broken because I killed 2 with one shot on my 12th and 13th bird one morning and he forgave me. That being said, I’m no purist in the dove field and I’ll water swap 3 teal or whatever is swimming in a second. And I’m name dropping because you can ax him and he will confirm it.

[Highstrung]

I have several 391s, all wood. I don't hate the newer ones, I just think the 391s are sexy. I like the way they feel. I do have a pretty urika 2, in nice wood in a 30 inch. That stops me from buying a teknys in it. I'm good for autos, hopefully won't buy another.. except finding my son some so he doesn't borrow any of mine anymore. I will buy one more double gun.

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I say that, but I probably would buy a Beretta ugb25 in wood if one passed by me..

[willk]

I set the field record at Lawton Hayes place that’ll never be broken because I killed 2 with one shot on my 12th and 13th bird one morning and he forgave me. That being said, I’m no purist in the dove field and I’ll water swap 3 teal or whatever is swimming in a second. And I’m name dropping because you can ax him and he will confirm it.

That's awesome. I love a scotch double. Those teal I killed weren't swatted though.

[JABIII]

I mean, it is possible. I tripled on teal on a solo hunt this year with an O/U.

Were there a statue of limitations on wildlife violations, I might tell some tales...

[Whackumstackum]

That's awesome. I love a scotch double. Those teal I killed weren't swatted though.

I apologize for inferring you might water swat a couple. That was meant for me. I have and would again. I went 3 for 3 on gadwalls last year in the air and it was a great moment in my life. I woulda chopped them at water height had someone not started shooting before they landed. That was with a 12gauge though so it doesn’t count.

[willk]

Haha. Bart, that gun that JAB suggested is one of the finest weapons ever made.

[willk]

I apologize for inferring you might water swat a couple. That was meant for me. I have and would again. I went 3 for 3 on gadwalls last year in the air and it was a great moment in my life. I woulda chopped them at water height had someone not started shooting before they landed. That was with a 12gauge though so it doesn’t count.

Ha. Oh I'll pancake one in a heart beat, that triple just wasn't part of one.

[Carolina Counsel]

Opening few hunts at our place I'm not happy if I shoot more then 16 shells, right around there. First season, I'll shoot 12 for 12 a time or so.. a hunt a couple years ago, I did shoot a scotch double once, killed 12 with 11. There have been a plenty on here see me shoot, I'm not trying to be smug.. it comes off that way though, don't care though.

We'll have a field of half decent shooters, and several terrible shots, just because who we're made of. It's disgusting some times. After the first few hunts, it shapes up and is fun. Winter hunts, I don't mind missing.. those birds get me going.

Hunting fields you're familiar with is big.. just figuring out range and where you can drop a bird, I'll miss a few with without being mad at myself.. if I didn't shoot at the ass of a bird, or some stupid long passing. I've actually had 2th sit behind me for an afternoon just so he could point and laugh at the first one I missed.

Didn’t think you were being smug- was honestly just curious about the typical hunter you see on your fields. 12 with 11 is ridiculous. I also think a lot of it has to do with how often you’re shooting- not at clays, but at doves. I probably only hunt 2-4 times a year, even with my own field. I will get my limit if the birds are there and I won’t take more than two boxes on a hunt. I do, however, regularly break into that second box. I think I’ve mentioned it here before, but in Argentina, I was able to get into a rhythm where I shot something around thirteen one shot doubles in a row. Not flock shooting, just timing crossers. The point being that with volume (and frequency), you can vastly improve your field shooting. I suspect I will always be a well above average, but not great, dove shot. Give me a kicking’ chicken though, and I rarely miss. Also deadly on a wild pheasant with over and under 20, but now I’m just bragging.

[Buckin Bronco]

Didn’t you just buy a shotgun? But the same one in 20

[Rubberhead*]

https://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...n_id=102549302

[Model12]

Same here............

[FEETDOWN]

K-20 Sporting

[SilverFox]

I used to carry an A400 or A300 until last year. I bought a cheap $300 over and under Stoeger last summer from Palmetto and carried it one morning when it was raining. I shoot so good with it I ended up hunting the entire season with it and also shooting ducks with it. I don't hunt fields where people go to look pretty or socialize.

[Palmetto Bug]

I'd prefer an auto if it weren't for the fact that they sling hulls everywhere. I now shoot a double for doves and ducks just because I hate to litter.

I have a nice 20 that I shoot about as well as my 12 but every time I knock the pajamas off of one and he doesn't fall, it makes me feel like I'm trying to ultra light hunt. Ultra light is for fishing, not hunting. I still have birds fly off when shooting a 12 but I feel like I did everything I could to not wound birds.

Sent from my SM-S926U using Tapatalk

[huntinghagen#12]

Didn’t think you were being smug- was honestly just curious about the typical hunter you see on your fields. 12 with 11 is ridiculous. I also think a lot of it has to do with how often you’re shooting- not at clays, but at doves. I probably only hunt 2-4 times a year, even with my own field. I will get my limit if the birds are there and I won’t take more than two boxes on a hunt. I do, however, regularly break into that second box. I think I’ve mentioned it here before, but in Argentina, I was able to get into a rhythm where I shot something around thirteen one shot doubles in a row. Not flock shooting, just timing crossers. The point being that with volume (and frequency), you can vastly improve your field shooting. I suspect I will always be a well above average, but not great, dove shot. Give me a kicking’ chicken though, and I rarely miss. Also deadly on a wild pheasant with over and under 20, but now I’m just bragging.

I'm the same way. I'm a minimum of 30 shells to kill a limit of dove in the US, probably closer to 2 boxes on a normal day, I will admit I'm not a good shot on dove. Quail/pheasant/grouse or any other flushing bird I hardly miss, same with mallards in the timber. I went on a 29 bird streak in Argentina one time, but I'd been shooting for 3 days straight at that point.

[scdiver]

30in barrel, Sidelock Purdey is what you need.

[scatter shot]

I have handful of 12 gauge semis to choose from (Bennellis, Remington, Ithaca) and a 20 gauge Montefeltro.
My go to for doves is a 12 gauge Winchester 1200 pump that I bought from a pawn shop in 1982. It swings well and ease of function are the primary reasons I use it.
1 1/2 boxes for a limit if the birds aren't flying great. With lots of birds I can do it with less than a box if I pick my shots.

[Gunning Bird]

If you simply must have a 20 gauge, here are some options at Cox Gunsmithing (Greenville, SC area) as of this afternoon:

Beretta 686 O/U - $2350

Beretta A300 auto with Kickoff recoil reducer - $800-900

Retay (Benelli clone) - $900-950 (camo vs. wood)

Lots of Browning O/U's on the innerweb too.

Or you can try out my Remington 1100 LW that I keep around for coaching kids.

[Duck cutter]

I had a fella call me this morning and offer to trade me an 8wk old cur pup for a 20gauge shotgun I have. Good looking pup. Had it been a male I would have been plus a dog and minus a shotgun today

[Carolina Counsel]

Black Bart- has this thread cleared things up for you. BTW, that 686 is my favorite O/U. And PSA has been running a deal on Beretta 300s for $600 and change. I like the 300/400s pretty well and they’re very reliable.