Don't know much about 20 gauge, but you can find 7/8 and even 3/4oz low velocity loads for 12, probably similar for 20.
If one shops carefully, Ithaca 37, Beretta, some single shots, and loads right, you can get a nice light 12.
What results is a gun that weighs just a bit more than a garden variety 20.
Add 20ga level loads, and you get a gun that absorbs the recoil, isn't too heavy, and probably patterns better.
Put turkeys on the list, and look at the numbers, then forget all the bullshit.
A normal 1 1/4 oz 12 load, matches a 3" MAGNUM 20. With less recoil, and noise.
They are not available in the premium Turkey style. But very good loads are available.
I don't know where you're getting that a "normal 1 1/4 oz 12 gauge load" kicks less than a 3" 20 unless you're shooting the 12's out of a significantly heavier gun ? The standard 1 1/4 oz 12 gauge loads here are the high brass 3 3/4 dram equivalent 1 1/4 oz. at 1330 fps. The 3" 20's are 1 1/4 oz at 1185 fps. No way the 12's kick less unless you're comparing the 12 gauge to a significantly lighter 20 gauge gun. Heck, even the 3 1/4 dram equivalent 1 1/4 oz. low brass 12 gauge loads would kick slighly more than the 3" 20's in equal weight guns.
