Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting 24”, 20ga — what are my options

Was its receiver drilled and tapped from the factory?

I would recommend taking a look at the Weatherby SA459.

For covering some ground I'd much rather have a single shot or double barrel. Last year I built a Midland Arms 22" single shot 20 gauge. I had Sumtoy make a custom FF3 base for it and tap the receiver. It weights 5 lbs. I shoot Apex GT20 #9 TSS in it and put up almost 350 pellets in a 10" circle at 40 yards. I've been thinking about putting together a 28 gauge CZ Bobwhite SxS. The Savage 301T is becoming very popular, that is a single shot available in 410 and 20 gauge.

Those are the routes I would go for a mobile set up.

Another vote for the Franchi Affinity. Mine is a 26" 20 Ga. and hammers turkeys with the Federal Premium #5's

I've also taken Quail, Grouse, Doves, Ducks and Geese with this gun. I love the light weight and the shim kit makes it shoot where I'm looking.

I have gone to a youth Mossy 500 with a 18 1/2" and Indian creek 555 choke. Short,Sweet,and Lite. With #9 TSS and 1 5/8 oz load. Been getting 360-370 pellet counts in 10" circle at 40 yards and is drilled and tapped for FF2. Been good to go for me.

I can't remember needing a second shot on a turkey. I exchanged the old 12ga semi for a 20ga TC Encore and it works as well as the old 12 did. Just got me barrel back from my gunsmith. It was a 26". I had him shorten it to 20" and re-tap it for the original choke tube. It shoots Fed Hevi13 into a great pattern. Single shot, light, short, great patterns, quick to the shoulder, easy hold. Love IT!
Jim

Me either, but a second shot is one of those things that never matters, until it does.....fast. I’m more about having the two choke/load option that an O/U gives, for <20 and >20, due to the size of patterns up close, and TSS being unnecessary inside 20, mostly......that, and the coyotes that sometimes run up at fly down, are often in pairs.

My son has the affinity compact, it won't cycle a target load to save its life, but turkey loads are not an issue. I've only patterned it with carlson and hs strut turkey chokes with heavy weight 7s, they pattern about the same but not overly impressive. Gun did shot straight out of the box, i've never had a higher end benelli do that.

These are excellent points each. I remain confident with a single shot 20ga as an option. Takes birds just fine.
Jim

I can’t remember needing a follow up shot yet but as stated earlier I think I will keep toting a Au͏to most of the time, and pump occasionally.
I did buy a 301 savage 410 that I may carry some, but I’m skeptical about that for the same reason.
Not saying anybody is right or wrong just my two cents

That is not an easy task.

This^^^^

The SA20 Turkey Thug is a Mossberg branded, Turkish made shotgun that checks a lot of boxes!
Camo synthetic stock. Auto loader for 3” shells. 22” barrel with excellent ghost ring rear and front fiber optic sights.
Factory drilled/tapped for optics. Sling ready. Spacers to adjust comb angle if you so desire.

I mounted a red dot reflex sight on mine, but found the fiber optic sight to be so good that I went back to them.
I also picked up a modified and IC choke to go with the factory turkey choke, to use on upland game and steel shot. The only add on I did was a McCarbo spring to drop the trigger weight. Super easy to install and dirt cheap...and it works.

It’s darned near the perfect 20 ga for the turkey woods.
BT53

I should add that I looked at most of the other shotguns posters have offered up.

The SA20 is also branded by at least two other companies, Winchester and TriStar for sure with very little changes.

There’s some really good video reviews online that you can pull up.
Randy (Weaver.....not sure that’s right) does a good side by side shoot off with all of them and the SA20 was his favorite.

BT53

Another voter for the franchi affinity 3 in 20 gauge. I have one with a 26inch im setting up with a FF3 and sumtoy mount. It will probably be a dedicated turkey gun after this or bird hunt with the red dot turned on.

I have 3 franchis.. an older affinity 12 and a newer ones in 12 and 20. The 12's run flawless.
A newer affinity 3 in 12 gauge that I was setting up for turkey hunting until I banged up my shoulder and bought the same thing in 20 gauge. My shoulder is better now so I'm at a cross roads if I set both up for turkey now. The older 12 may be sold, but its nice to dedicate that one to the duck boat because its scarred now.

My only complaint... the 20 gauge wouldn't fully seat the bolt back sometimes trap shooting with light loads. I'm hoping a diet of heavy 3 inch and frequent cleaning will break it in.

Finding a used BPS upland 20 gauge with a 22 inch barrel is an option. I have one, but I like the franchi better the triggers are much better.

Found it.......

Randy Wakeman, battle of the 20 gauges.
There’s two videos for your viewing pleasure. 👍🦃

No need to drill and tap with the Burris Speed Bead mount.

https://www.burrisoptics.com/blog/mounting-systems/fastfire-3-mounting-tricks

I sold my Like new Franchi Affinity last year and bought a used 24" barreled Montefeltro.
Why ?
I just prefer wood stocked shotguns.
If I ever decide to go with optics it will be a FF3 and Speed Bead mount.

Last springs bird with the 20 ga. Franchi.