Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns 20ga shotgun advice

I would like to buy a nice 20ga auto shotgun. This would primarily be my gun used for dove and upland. However, I have a daughter age 10 and a son that will be shooting it at times. The daughter will be shooting it at a couple of dove shoots, likely 25 or under rounds for her per shoot and about the same at skeet practice time.My son is only 5 now but the point is that I want something that we can all shoot or grow into.

This is my pick so far.
http://www.eurooptic.com/bennelli-m...t-includes-youth-and-adult-stock-26.aspx

I need light weight because my daughter isn't strong enough to hold up the barrel and fore end of a heavy gun. I do however want low recoil. I realize a gas gun would be softer shooting but I haven't found an option that offers a shorter stock as well as an adult stock.

Is there any other options you would suggest in a light weight 20 ga that would offer both adult and youth stocks?

I also like the Benelli M2 20 ga and I like the idea of the recoil reducing stock and the extra durability of the camo finishes but I haven't been able to find out if they make a youth stock for it.

I just purchased a really clean 1100 lt 20 for $400. They are nice guns and being plentiful you can pickup a second butt stock on ebay for a song and have it cut for the kids. even spare barrels are plentiful so you can buy a short one for them to use. Shop around and you should be able to find a good deal.

Hey R H. Go the full Monte and don't look back. Extremely durable and a very simple design. I have literally shot the $hit out of my 12 gauge Montefeltro and it still looks and functions as new. For your intended use I truly can't think of a better field gun. The M2 is essentially the same action, just cheapened up and lots more plastic instead of steel & aluminum. Great guns, I own three. M1 S90 12GA slug gun, 12GA Monte & the kid has a 20GA Monte. If you are looking for that kind of action on a budget Beretta makes the ES100 Pintail and Stoeger has a similar action semi-auto. Hope that helps.

Scott

Thanks Scott. I have a 12 ga ES100 Pintail. I handled the new Stoger 3020 which feels very similiar the M2 but I have read some bad reviews on the Stoger 3000 guns. Not many reviews on the 3020.

Do you know exactly what is different about the Stoger 3020 action and the M2? They are both inertia but I've read they are exactly the same and I've read that they are compltly different.

I actually like the feel of the Montefaltro 20 ga better than the M2 or Stoger 3020

I thought that Weatherby offered the SA-08 in youth version.

Yes, it is. Thanks, I just checked it out but I think the 24" barrel makes it unattractive for me even if I got another full size stock.

I would actually prefer the Monte in a 28", which makes the SA-08 28 ga attractive if I could get a youth stock in walnut. However that puts me close to the price of the combo Monte.

The Benelli Monte 20 ga or consider the Beretta A400 in a 20. The Benelli will cost less and is just a great gun!

Do you guys have any idea what I could expect to pay for a second stock to cut down if I bought a Beretta 686? how hard is it to change stocks on a 686? I've always wanted one and I might could find a used 20ga in my price range but it would be a no go if I couldn't change stocks for my daughter and son.

I just bought a 20 ga. franchi affinity auto.Wonderful light weight shooter.

If you cut down the stock on a regular sized gun, you will make it even more difficult to hold as it will become far more muzzle-heavy. It may work for a short man, but will be next to impossible for a 10-year old girl.

Get a youth gun. I've got a Youth Rem 11-87 in 20 ga., and both my 10 year old girls handled it fine. Recoil is not a problem.

My X is a short woman (5') she had her 26" barrel Wingmaster cut down to a 13" LOP including the Limbsaver and it balances just fine, or if it doesn't no one thought to tell her she's deadly with it in the marsh and upland and breaks 25 straight fairly consistently on thetrap range

Are you talking about a short barreled 24" gun? How does cutting the stock make it impossible to hold up? I can see how a shorter barrel might help but I will be using this gun a large portion of the time and I do not want a 24" barrel.

If she shows enough interest I'll get her a dedicated gun, but even then I'm not a fan of short barrels.

Go with your gut. the Montefeltro is an excellent light shotgun the kids can handle. The gas guns are a little softer shooting, but the inerta is not bad. If needed, a better pad would work.

I bought my little 20 with a 24" barrel on a hunch. The Benelli receiver is a little longish and the shorter tube counteracts that. I love my set up!

I am going to get a Legacy 28 ga. Lots of folks say the longer tube is needed on the 28 to compensate for light weight and over swing? Daughter and SIL both use them. they have a 26" and a 28". Im going to shoot some clay pigeons with both before deciding. I may go 24" with that one also - if available.

Best wishes, Jack

Well, I bought the Franchi Affinity Max 4 camo with compact and adult stock. It offered the most versalitity as far as stock adjust-ability and I liked the all weather finish. I may do some duck hunting as well and get my daughter into it.

This Affinity is made on the same assembly line as the Benelli M2 and has a very similar inertia system. By all reports it has a better trigger and better CS. Many reviews say it's very comparable to the M2.

It's done now for good or bad and I hope I made the right choice.