Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Semi auto 20ga options

Guys I’m looking for a semi automatic 20 gauge that would be able to accept a slug barrel as well. My goal is to have one platform that I can hunt predators, deer and turkeys with. So of course on the smoothbore I would need to be able to swap chokes, on the slug barrel irons or a scope are fine. No preference

I don’t need (or want) anything fancy. It’s going to be hunted hard and my only concern is reliability. Let me know what you’d recommend or what you’d be willing to part with

My son has a Remington 1187 Compact, in 20 gauge. So far, it has functioned very well. I actually enjoy the heck out if shooting it myself. In just the last few months, he has used it on squirrels, ducks, and clays. I’d recommend the Remington for sure. In doing some research before buying it, I ran across good reviews of the Turkish made semi-autos (Mossberg, Weatherby, Tristar). I tend to try American when I can, though. Aftermarket barrels, chokes etc. should be easy to find with a Remington.

If I was going to use it as a big game and turkey gun I go with a 12 gauge. Why the 20?

Not the cheapest, maybe in the upper end of pricing for an auto. But Benelli seems to me to be the utmost dependable semi auto shotguns on the planet.

The M-2 is the most expensive in a field grade 20 of the line & the Montefeltro is next. You can go up from there.Extra barrels aren't cheap. Models are available in with synthetic stocks. All have interchangeable chokes as well as adjustable stock rise & pitch.

I broke out in a sweat when I bought mine, but haven't regretted a day owning it since.

Tell me your reasoning for a 12? One does nothing at the other cannot. 20 gauge has less recoil. That’s reason enough for me

In my experience over the years I've found 20ga/28ga good for quail/doves, but larger birds and deer fell more readily to the 12 at distance. Just my observation. Recoil is definitely less with the 20, but I grew up shooting a 12 as a youngster, so it is really no big deal to me.

Plenty of combo guns packages out their.
You might want the cantilever option for the slug barrel.
Easier to switch to a bird barrel.



Or



Find a semi bird gun by itself.

And get yourself a savage 220 which is basically a 20 gauge savage 110 rifle.
And highly and I mean highly accurate....

+1

I was fairly impressed/surprised at how the 20 gauge did on mallards this year. We were using good ammo, though. Hammered em good!

I would agree. But I have an in-line muzzleloader that I would choose over a slug gun any day of the week. My main focus with this shotgun purchase is to have a close range predator gun and a solid turkey killer. Every one of my turkey kills has been less than 35 yards so there will be no handicap here. I have no interest in killing anything at long distances, I like getting close

Ttt

If money's an issue, and you're looking at the lower end of the food chain, don't be afraid to consider a Mossberg 500. Definitely go with a rifled, ported cantilever barrel. Mine wears an old Weaver 1.5-4.5 and likes Hornandy SST slugs. Shoots 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards off the bench, and I haven't had a deer walk away after being hit with it yet. I'd avoid the Charles Daly's of the world. Just not a real good gun.

I just picked up a LT20 1100 with smooth bore, open sights from GB.
Have only test-fired, no sighting in yet. Hoping it pans out well.
All done I am in it for about $400.
I may end up getting a 26" MOD or IC barrel and using it more for birds than deer, but of course there are a lot of options.

I guess I’d consider a pump too, preference leans towards a semi though

Wilkeshunter is correct, Remington will likely be your best best for easy barrel swaps. I prefer my Benellis but their barrels, if you can find them, are obscenely priced.

I bought 2 of the 1187 compacts for my boys so they had lifetime 20ga guns. Stocks, barrels, chokes are easy to find. Other makes, not so much except for maybe Mossberg pumps.

I got a Remington 11 in 20 gauge made in 1946 for $61 on 7-24-1999 at a gun show.




I hunted with it in 2001. Lousy shots like me should hunt with 12 gauge shotguns.

Nice Model 11

Just went to the gun shop and handled a Charles Daly, a Pointer, and a Tri-star. All three felt like solid guns. Any feedback on those?

I also handled a versamax, as well as pumps from several manufacturers

Parts on the Daly would give me pause.

I just checked and Remington doesn’t list a 20 gauge slug model in the 1187. A combo 20 used to be cataloged. I would look for a used one. I guess they weren’t selling.

I agree on downsizing to the 20 I have myself. I also like using less shot in the 12 gauges I have. Just because you have the capabilities of a 3 or 3.5 inch chamber doesn’t mean you can’t shoot less. Sometimes I don’t mind an extra pound or so.