DuckSouth.com

I'm in the market for a 3" 20 gauge. I'm looking to make it a combination dove gun and turkey gun after seeing what these tss shells are doing. Plus I am going to say its for my fiancé so it'll go over better. That said, what would you get? I know a 28" barrel is going to be long in the turkey woods, but haven't ruled it out. Maybe a 26"? I've been looking at the Benelli M2 and Cordoba. Out of the two, who has experience with either? Any other option you'd think of? I'm not looking for the stoger or tri star or Charles daly either.

Bought my wife a 20ga 3" Beretta. Don't remember the model, but it is upper end as far as quality goes. Very nice shooting gun. Super light, even with 3 - 3" shells. I think you/her will be happy with either the Benelli or the Beretta

I've been anting a 20 gauge over and under for years. never pulled the trigger on it

Youth model 870. Light and deadly. Love it in the timber and 20 with TSS with a good choke and pattern on turkeys is like shooting them with as good a 12 as you'll find.

I was gonna recommend a good double barrel, but I've seen you shoot.

I bought a Weatherby 20 Gauge 3" last year. While it is a Turkish made gun (similar to Stoeger, Tr-star) but it has all the parts polished out, great fit and finish. I bought the synthetic stock model.

It did great on doves last year in brutally hot dusty conditions, and did just as well last duck season, hunting seven straight days in the timber with the only maintenance being a few sprays of Breakfree CLP . Several minor dunkings didn't affect it. When I say it did great, I mean it funtioned flawlessly and killed birds.

I require a 28" gun, that's what I've always had, so not interested in learning a new sight plane of different lengths. Weatherby offered a 28" barrel in a nice soft shooting gas auto at a reasonable price, so what the heck. It'll be the go to gun on this dove opener too.

JaMak84 wrote:I was gonna recommend a good double barrel, but I've seen you shoot.

Says the guy who went click click on a Kansas turkey. You've got to load it for it to be effective.

I bought my wife a M2 in 12G with a petite frame for ducks and she really likes the gun. I imagine it would be great in a 20G.

Look at a Franchi 20G. I went the same route and bought it for my wife for Valentines day years ago. We were big into quail hunting at the time. I really like it but it was an older model with a fixed choke so it wouldn't suffice for what you want but today it's still one of my favorite guns. I try to shoot it whenever I can. I imagine the news ones are nice too. I bought my son a Franchi affinity last year in a 12G for ducks and it performed well

I was going to suggest the Benellis you mentioned. I'd also look for a Auto-5 Mag 20. The later production guns had screw in chokes and would do all you need. Not to mention shoot smooth and look good. But, will be kind of hard to find.

A REAL auto 5. not one of them want-a-bees

and a5s are a dime a dozen the trick is not to get ripped off

hntrpat1 wrote:A REAL auto 5. not one of them want-a-bees

They don't make the A5 in 20ga yet do they? Just 12 and 16 judging by the website. You can find an Auto-5 if you search the net enough. Just have to be willing to pay for it.

And a note of clairification, I do not use Auto-5 and A5 interchangeably anymore. The gun produced from 1998 prior is known as an Automatic 5 (Auto-5 for short). The new one is an A5. So I no longer use A5 to name the older gun. Lots of folks do, and there can be some confusion because of it.

I bought a Franchi affinity compact for my daughter last year. I will tell you it is a dang nice gun. I have taken it several times just because it feels so good to me. I would highly recommend it.

I have the M2 in 12 ga. A good friend has it in 20ga. Outstanding gun. That 20 is a dream to shoot. I wouldn't hesitate to buy that 20 M2.

teul2 wrote:I was going to suggest the Benellis you mentioned. I'd also look for a Auto-5 Mag 20. The later production guns had screw in chokes and would do all you need. Not to mention shoot smooth and look good. But, will be kind of hard to find.

^^This^^
Only gun I ever regretted selling...inherited a Light Twenty from my uncle in 68, still sick I sold it.