I'm looking for a 20 ga to mostly hunt mearns quail. Looking for walnut, under 7 lbs, contenders would be a Wingmaster, Orion various double barrels. Let's say budget is $1000. Are Wingmasters even being made anymore. In searching i only see " sold out".
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The Remington 20 ga Fieldmaster just as well made as the Wingmaster….I have a Wingmaster to compare it to and believe me, I would take the Fieldmaster. I use mine for turkey hunting…26” and 6.7# dream to carry. Beautiful satin walnut no shine steel like the Wingmaster. Same twin action bars as Wingmaster and just as smooth. Here’s the kicker….out the door for $499 if you can find…LGS can’t keep them in stock. There is a Video comparing the two…you need to see it…probably on You tube. I have taken it apart and compared the parts and they are made just like the Wingmaster. Bought the spring to reduce trigger pull to 3.1 # just like Wingmaster….from Mcarbo for like $15 I believe.
Wingmasters are being made again. But they sell out quickly, and I don't know if they are making them in 20 gauge yet.
As Winnie says, the Fieldmaster IS being made in 20 gauge. It's a matte finished Wingmaster, essentially, and is far nicer than the older Remington Express. I've handled them and they are very slick, well finished shotguns.
I think this is the video Winnie is referring to
By the way, tte Target Focused Life youtube channel is great. Tons of really good shotgun reviews.
You may also want to look into the Franchi Affinity 3. It get every good reviews across the board.
An old timer but a wonderful semi-auto is the Franchi AL -48. I hunters rabbits in my youth with one. My hunting buddy brought the Montfeltro and just loves it. If $ is a big concern the Stoeger 3020 might be an option.
SxS options are few that I would buy. I keep a CZ Bobwhite around to shoot steel if needed, it works but just doesn't have the appeal of a true sxs. I do have a reasonably priced LaFever Nitro Special in 20ga that fits me.like a glove and shoots great.
SxS's are hard, I find I have better luck with lightweight 12s shooting 7/8-1 oz. loads. I have a couple that are.sub 6 lbs. and a couple in the 6-7 lb range. All fine upland shotguns that are easy to carry.
I would say a Benelli Montefeltro 20. I’v used that gun succesfully on bob white and black throated quail in Mexico.
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I have a 2012 Franchi Affinity 20 gauge. I've put over 2k of trap loads and a couple hundred waterfowl loads through it. Grandkids killed a lot of ducks this year with it - they like the light weight and slimness. I'm happy with it and it has held up well.
i would buy a decent over / under with choke tubes , a o/u never jam.
Rarely, but I have an A400 with 30K out of it and less than two handfuls of jams...All with the same brand of shell. The jam issue with good semi-auto''s is mainly a thing of the past.
I'm partial to plain (ie non-vent rib) barrels in Wingmasters. Makes for a light, nimble gun. Look for a vintage one with a corn-cob fore and you'll be happy
i would buy a decent over / under with choke tubes , a o/u never jam.
I've had more trouble with SxSs and O/Us with inertia triggers than I have with pumps and semi-autos while hunting quail in the desert. The blowing desert sand and brush finds its way into the action and have had more than one model of gun stop consistently firing the second barrel until the stock is pulled and action cleaned. I prefer a semi-auto or an O/U with mechanical triggers for this reason. Some guns with inertia triggers seem to do fine and some do not do so well.
I've had Berettas start running a little slow in these conditions and squirt a little oil in them and they start running normally. Never had any issues with a Benelli, 870 or Model 12 in those conditions. Once as a kid on my first quail hunt, even tripped and jabbed the barrel of an LT20 1100 in the side of a sand hill. After my dad's friend took a stick and cleaned the 18" of sand out of the barrel, the gun kept running.
The Montefeltros are a pretty good deal and should please anybody. A guy could do far worse. The Beretta A300 20 comes in under budget but I only see them in camo. I prefer doubles but good ones in 20ga probably bust the budget. Cheaper doubles are better avoided IMO. Careful searching might find a good used 20 double but night not.
I would get something with the Benelli inertia system. From my research they have fewer mechanical issues overall than other autos. I have a 12 and 20 with nary an issue but neither have had more than a few hundred rounds through them. Check the magazine loading as some are difficult to load.
I prefer doubles but good ones in 20ga probably bust the budget. Cheaper doubles are better avoided IMO. Careful searching might find a good used 20 double but night not.
I can tell you first hand that any O/U under 1K are not very well made. Most good ones are going to be starting in the $1500+ range. I use to coach the SCTP for our county for the skeet and sporting clays part of the program. I would try and get parents to steer clear of the cheaper O/U's but usually one or two would buy them anyway. Never and I mean never would one of them hold up for the whole practice season. In many cases, they would send them back to be repaired and 3 or 4 months later, they would get them back only to have them break again.
Last edited by pullit; 01/26/23.
I may not be smart but I can lift heavy objects
I have a shotgun so I have no need for a 30-06.....
There is no way I would buy that before a Montefeltro, or any $1000 O/U or SXS. If you want to spend $2500 get a Beretta 686, which is about the entry point for a decent 2-barrel shotgun.
I have an older Winchester 101 20 gauge that I really like, though I purchased a little above your stated budget. I also had an older Browning Citori 20 gauge that I liked. The Browning was an 80s gun in like new condition that didn't move on Gunbroker I suspect because of out-of-favor 26" barrels, no extra choke tubes and a poor description by the seller. I think I paid $1,000 and not sure it had ever been fired. The Citori 12 gauge is pretty heavy but the 20s can be nice.
I also picked up a really nice Charles Daly (Miroku) 20 gauge with a semi-pistol grip (Browning Lightning style) in the Cabelas used rack for around $600. This gun is the same as a Citori but without the Browning name. It was a 28" M/F and seemed lighter than most Citoris and handled great. The feel was really similar to my above mentioned 101 but I was able to buy it at less than 1/2 the price. That gun falls into the rare category of shotguns I wished I'd kept.
I've never hunted AZ but have spent more days than I could count in Southern NM hunting quail and the not firing the second barrel on inertia trigger guns has been a problem for me when the wind and sand blow with certain models. Sand, sage and chamisa (rabbitbrush) get in there and cause problems. I've not seen this problem as of yet with a 101 (mechanical triggers I think) or a Browning Citori, BSS or Miroku, which are inertia triggers but don't seem susceptible to this.
Some gun designs seem to be worse than others regarding this issue in those conditions.
I have an older Winchester 101 20 gauge that I really like, though I purchased a little above your stated budget. I also had an older Browning Citori 20 gauge that I liked. The Browning was an 80s gun in like new condition that didn't move on Gunbroker I suspect because of out-of-favor 26" barrels, no extra choke tubes and a poor description by the seller. I think I paid $1,000 and not sure it had ever been fired. The Citori 12 gauge is pretty heavy but the 20s can be nice.
I also picked up a really nice Charles Daly (Miroku) 20 gauge with a semi-pistol grip (Browning Lightning style) in the Cabelas used rack for around $600. This gun is the same as a Citori but without the Browning name. It was a 28" M/F and seemed lighter than most Citoris and handled great. The feel was really similar to my above mentioned 101 but I was able to buy it at less than 1/2 the price. That gun falls into the rare category of shotguns I wished I'd kept.
I've never hunted AZ but have spent more days than I could count in Southern NM hunting quail and the not firing the second barrel on inertia trigger guns has been a problem for me when the wind and sand blow with certain models. Sand, sage and chamisa (rabbitbrush) get in there and cause problems. I've not seen this problem as of yet with a 101 (mechanical triggers I think) or a Browning Citori, BSS or Miroku, which are inertia triggers but don't seem susceptible to this.
Some gun designs seem to be worse than others regarding this issue in those conditions.
If the OP could find a Winchester, Miiroku, Browning, or even an SKB for $1000, that would do just fine, I bought a nice Merkel model 8 for $600 about 10 years ago, but I fear those days are over.
I bought an Affinity 3 for my grandson and it’s a keeper. It’s camo though, so I can’t speak to the wood-stocked models. Have handled, but not shot the Benelli, and it looks very nice too.
For myself, I stumbled onto a like-new Browning Gold Hunter made in 1995. Needed a couple of plastic internal things replaced, but parts are easy to come by, and now it’s like-new inside and outside. Only paid $750, and I get a lot of compliments on it. If you’re considering used, add it to the pile. I also bought a very pretty M12 20ga from a friend who’d expertly refinished the stock. That one’s very nice, and I’d also look at older Ithaca 37s.
I had a $1000 O/U, and won’t have another. $2000 is my starting point now. I wasn’t crazy about the looks of the Fieldmasters I’ve seen (2). Have yet to see the new Wingmaster in the flesh.
You said your budget is $1000 or less and I don’t think you can buy a new Monte for that now, you would have to search for a nice used one, and the brand new restyled/upgraded Montefeltro introduced at 2023 SHOT retails for $1499 (Probly $1299 or so street price) BUT if you can afford a Montefeltro it would be by far my top recommendation otherwise the new Remarms 870 Fieldmaster is a lot of shotgun for the money and would be my best bang for the buck shotgun....Good luck...Hb
I'm looking for a 20 ga to mostly hunt mearns quail. Looking for walnut, under 7 lbs, contenders would be a Wingmaster, Orion various double barrels. Let's say budget is $1000. Are Wingmasters even being made anymore. In searching i only see " sold out".
I spend a lot more time on Shotgun World than here and am mostly a bird hunter. So, I will probably refer to discussion had on the SGW forums in answering you.
First, there are options in all 5 types of shotguns: Pump, Inertia Semi-Auto, Gas Semi-Auto, Over/Under, and Side-by-Side. I will mostly focus on the Semi-Autos.
In Pump there is really only the Remington 870. Production probably hasn't caught up yet.
For Semi-Auto, it's mostly going to be Turkish guns. There are some REALLY good Turkish options though.
Gas Semi-Autos: - Beretta A300 Ultima - No walnut models made. Also, customer service is essentially non-existent. Luckily Cole's does warranty work for Berettas now. - Mossberg SA-20/Tristar Viper G2 - These are the same gun and made by Armsan in Turkey. Both have essentially the same warranty. The Viper has a Bronze Cerakote model that is really good looking.
Inertia Semi-Autos: - Impala Plus - Turkish made. Not YET offered in 20 gauge, but allegedly will be by summer. A lot of people are really impressed with this $500 shotgun. Compares very favorably to, or better than, Benellis - Retay Gordion - Turkish made and another Benelli competitor. Most of the shotgun reviewers rank it slightly below or even with Benelli shotguns - Franchi Affinity 3 - Basically the same inertia system as Benelli and are owned by Benelli.
For O/U and SxS, the only options will be the cheaper Turkish guns. Specifically the Yildiz HP/HPS/SPZ lines which are available at Academy. It's a $500 O/U and your chances of getting a lemon are much higher than a Beretta or Browning. But, it's $500 and there are a lot of people who really enjoy them and have no issues. Also, a huge plus is that Briley is the warranty work provider in the U.S.
Huglu/CZ has pump, semi-auto, O/U, and SxS offerings all under $1000. They aren't as well known or talked about as other guns, but people that own them seem to like them. There are all sorts of other brands/imports as well that I likely missed. I tried to cover the major players in the sub-$1000 space for new guns. Used guns open up a lot of other possibilities.
I'm looking for a 20 ga to mostly hunt mearns quail. Looking for walnut, under 7 lbs, contenders would be a Wingmaster, Orion various double barrels. Let's say budget is $1000. Are Wingmasters even being made anymore. In searching i only see " sold out".
I spend a lot more time on Shotgun World than here and am mostly a bird hunter. So, I will probably refer to discussion had on the SGW forums in answering you.
First, there are options in all 5 types of shotguns: Pump, Inertia Semi-Auto, Gas Semi-Auto, Over/Under, and Side-by-Side. I will mostly focus on the Semi-Autos.
In Pump there is really only the Remington 870. Production probably hasn't caught up yet.
For Semi-Auto, it's mostly going to be Turkish guns. There are some REALLY good Turkish options though.
Gas Semi-Autos: - Beretta A300 Ultima - No walnut models made. Also, customer service is essentially non-existent. Luckily Cole's does warranty work for Berettas now. - Mossberg SA-20/Tristar Viper G2 - These are the same gun and made by Armsan in Turkey. Both have essentially the same warranty. The Viper has a Bronze Cerakote model that is really good looking.
Inertia Semi-Autos: - Impala Plus - Turkish made. Not YET offered in 20 gauge, but allegedly will be by summer. A lot of people are really impressed with this $500 shotgun. Compares very favorably to, or better than, Benellis - Retay Gordion - Turkish made and another Benelli competitor. Most of the shotgun reviewers rank it slightly below or even with Benelli shotguns - Franchi Affinity 3 - Basically the same inertia system as Benelli and are owned by Benelli.
For O/U and SxS, the only options will be the cheaper Turkish guns. Specifically the Yildiz HP/HPS/SPZ lines which are available at Academy. It's a $500 O/U and your chances of getting a lemon are much higher than a Beretta or Browning. But, it's $500 and there are a lot of people who really enjoy them and have no issues. Also, a huge plus is that Briley is the warranty work provider in the U.S.
Huglu/CZ has pump, semi-auto, O/U, and SxS offerings all under $1000. They aren't as well known or talked about as other guns, but people that own them seem to like them. There are all sorts of other brands/imports as well that I likely missed. I tried to cover the major players in the sub-$1000 space for new guns. Used guns open up a lot of other possibilities.
excellent post cannot argue a bit with anything you put. without a couple of my opinion TriStar tt15 over and under is a very good gun for the money they have some cheaper options which are viable but not to the quality of the TT series is. CZ 1012 is also in a inertia gun that is very well made.
excellent post cannot argue a bit with anything you put. without a couple of my opinion TriStar tt15 over and under is a very good gun for the money they have some cheaper options which are viable but not to the quality of the TT series is. CZ 1012 is also in a inertia gun that is very well made.
Oh, I agree that the TT-15 and CZ 1012 are both good guns. The TT-15 is likely the best Trap gun under $3000. Only issue with the TT-15 and CZ 1012 are they are both 12 gauge only and the OP is looking for 20 gauge.
Best choice would seem to be the 20 gauge Montefeltro, and they are good guns.
Similarly, my Benelli 12 gauge Ultra Lite weighs in at 6# even with 26” barrel and is my favorite chukar gun. My 12 gauge Montefeltro weighs 6.5#, and is excellent also. I like the dynamics of all of these Benellis; they are quite shootable and reliable.
excellent post cannot argue a bit with anything you put. without a couple of my opinion TriStar tt15 over and under is a very good gun for the money they have some cheaper options which are viable but not to the quality of the TT series is. CZ 1012 is also in a inertia gun that is very well made.
Oh, I agree that the TT-15 and CZ 1012 are both good guns. The TT-15 is likely the best Trap gun under $3000. Only issue with the TT-15 and CZ 1012 are they are both 12 gauge only and the OP is looking for 20 gauge.
confession I missed the 20ga part , but they do have a TT-15 field in 20 ga .
I ALMOST pulled the trigger on this a few weeks ago. LGS quoted me $810 OTD if I paid cash. But I wanted something with a 24" barrel, no more than 26" in a 20 ga. I ended up leaving a deposit and they ordered me a Benelli M2 in 20 ga and a 24" barrel. Price was $1200 OTD for cash. Should be in within a couple of weeks.
To ME it was worth $400 to get inertia operated and a shorter barrel. Might not be worth it to everyone.
I already have longer barreled guns for wing and clays shooting. I wanted a light weight turkey gun that could double as a woods bumming gun for shots of opportunity on squirrel, rabbit, or quail.
Most people don't really want the truth.
They just want constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.
"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated." Thomas Paine
I ALMOST pulled the trigger on this a few weeks ago. LGS quoted me $810 OTD if I paid cash. But I wanted something with a 24" barrel, no more than 26" in a 20 ga. I ended up leaving a deposit and they ordered me a Benelli M2 in 20 ga and a 24" barrel. Price was $1200 OTD for cash. Should be in within a couple of weeks.
To ME it was worth $400 to get inertia operated and a shorter barrel. Might not be worth it to everyone.
I already have longer barreled guns for wing and clays shooting. I wanted a light weight turkey gun that could double as a woods bumming gun for shots of opportunity on squirrel, rabbit, or quail.
Nice! Is your new M2 going to be the newly upgraded model introduced at 2023 SHOT?....Hb
I have a Yildiz O/U 20ga that just keeps on ticking without a hiccup. It has had several thousand rounds through it and all I do is clean it occasionally. I bought both my kids the same. Theirs have not had an issue either but they do not use them a ton. They are duper light and shoot well.
I'm looking for a 20 ga to mostly hunt mearns quail. Looking for walnut, under 7 lbs, contenders would be a Wingmaster, Orion various double barrels. Let's say budget is $1000. Are Wingmasters even being made anymore. In searching i only see " sold out".
In Pump there is really only the Remington 870. Production probably hasn't caught up yet. .
Pumps do not begin and end with 870's. There is also the Ithaca 37; a 20 or a 28 would be your huckleberry, although I hear that new production is slow. Plenty of used ones around, at least in 20 gauge. A Browning BPS would also be a sound choice, again in 20 or 28. A 20 gauge Model 12 would be classic, if you can tolerate the safety location.
Get the one that fits you best.
The biggest problem our country has is not systemic racism, it's systemic stupidity.
I've got a 20 gauge BPS with 26" barrel. It comes in at just a whisker under 7lbs. They're well made, durable and arguably the best deal going in a currently produced pump gun.
i would buy a decent over / under with choke tubes , a o/u never jam.
I agree but his budget is 1k. Agree the BPS is the best made pump currently. Carrying a gun more then shooting it for desert quail a Turkish made gun would be ok
Current production Browning BPSs are very nice. Current production Ithaca Model 37s are better. You do pay a premium for them, though, and presently they sell for a bit higher than the OP's budget. And they also are hard to come by right now, with a big back order on guns. The ones I bought in 2018, were 12 gauges. Ithaca was kind enough to send me sequentially numbered guns. They are built the way they ought to be built - all forged steel. The barrels are outstanding. They are the only shotguns I have that hit exactly to point of aim and shoot 50/50.
No such thing as a “standard” A5 20 gauge. All are light, regardless of markings. Earlier guns were marked “Twenty”, later ones marked “Light Twenty”. All have the receiver lightening cuts visible from the bottom of the receiver, as well as lightening holes in the barrel ring.
The only exception to this are the Magnum Twenty guns, and they are marked as such.
I prefer doubles but good ones in 20ga probably bust the budget. Cheaper doubles are better avoided IMO. Careful searching might find a good used 20 double but night not.
I can tell you first hand that any O/U under 1K are not very well made. Most good ones are going to be starting in the $1500+ range. I use to coach the SCTP for our county for the skeet and sporting clays part of the program. I would try and get parents to steer clear of the cheaper O/U's but usually one or two would buy them anyway. Never and I mean never would one of them hold up for the whole practice season. In many cases, they would send them back to be repaired and 3 or 4 months later, they would get them back only to have them break again.
It seems the Weatherby Orion might be an exception. I only have about 500 rounds through my new 20 ga. But it has been flawless so far.
I spent some time with a clays coach a couple weeks ago. He coaches High School and highly recommends this Weathertby as a "fine entry level shotgun". Though mine was the first he had seen in 20 ga.
Mine is the Orion Sporting model with adjustable comb. Priced at $999 at Sportsmans. Other models are a bit less expensive.
People who choose to brew up their own storms bitch loudest about the rain.
well.. I spent the money on a Bennelli Super black eagle 3 and while waiting at the ffl got lucky found and bought a Remington 1100 sporting 20 guage looks in great condition. Get them both Monday. Can wait to try them both!
well.. I spent the money on a Bennelli Super black eagle 3 and while waiting at the ffl got lucky found and bought a Remington 1100 sporting 20 guage looks in great condition. Get them both Monday. Can wait to try them both!
You done good! That pair covers about all the bases. Even some bases that don’t yet exist. 🤭 Now it’s time to get shooting! Try your best to wear them out. You never will, but it will be fun trying.
Suggest you go around to shops and handle as wide a variety of price acceptable guns you can. Find the one that feels best, points best, etc. Perhaps go to the local shooting range and see if you can persuade other shooters, with guns that you might be interested in, to allow you to handle theirs. I grew up with Ithaca 37's. My dad rarely missed but I never could hit anything with them. Same with 870's but I know 870 shooters that are absolutely deadly with them. Try to find what fits you. I would agree with comments about low cost O/U's and durability but would point out that occasionally you'll see something like a Beretta 686 in some of the basic models that are not far off you price range.
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