Any recommendations for a 20 / 12 gauge semiautomatic that is good for the field? My oldest boy wants to go hunting more often this Fall. I have a 12 but it doesn’t have a choke. I don’t do much deer hunting these days but love bird hunting. I would also love to try turkey hunting. What I don’t want to do is have a shotgun that is too nice to take in the field. I automatically think of a Remington 870, but wondering if there are other solid options.
20 / 12 gauge semi-auto for the field
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I have a Mossberg SA 20 Bantam. Short stock, 20 ga semiauto. Very reliable, shoots all 20 ga loads. Five chokes included. I’m short-statured and it fits me well. Be a great gun for a kid.
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The shotgun is for me. My kids are grown. However, I am will keep this in mind when I have grandkids.
The SA-20 is also available as a full size gun.
I’d look for a buy a used Remington 1100.
I've been pleased with the reliability of the Winchester SXP (made in Turkey) 20 gauge but it's not a semi-automatic.
And before there was a Remington 1100 ...
... my Remington Sportsman 48.
And before there was a Remington 1100 ...
... my Remington Sportsman 48.
I would look for a used Beretta, maybe a AL391. They came in camo or black for the field if you don't want to bang up nice wood.
I have a 391 Sporting I sometimes use for clays. It's 10-12 years old. Never been properly cleaned. Never had a failure to feed. It just runs and runs.
It's my rainy day gun.
I have a 391 Sporting I sometimes use for clays. It's 10-12 years old. Never been properly cleaned. Never had a failure to feed. It just runs and runs.
It's my rainy day gun.
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If you are going for turkey, I'd definitely go with a 12 ga. A 20 ga. will suffice for most other shooting if you are adverse to recoil, but a 12 ga. would probably be the most versatile, YMMV greatly. That being said, I don't own a 20 ga., but if I were more of a shot gunner, I'd have one in my arsenal. I'll defer to others with more experience than I have for specific model recommendations, but I'd take a hard look at Mossberg's semiauto line up, you may want a camo model, particularly if you are going for turkey and that finish will be the most weather resistant. Red dot sights are becoming more popular on shotguns these days, you may want to keep that in mind as well.
I use 12s and 10s. My first were Remington 1100s or SP10 for geese. Back in the Late 90's I swapped to Beretta and have not looked back. I have 12s in 390, 391 and a couple A400s. The A400 3 1/2" and my age has put my 10 gauges in the safe permanently. I hunt in the Rice fields and the Marsh, dependable has always been a must. I don't care how they look, my shotguns are tools and need to take abuse. I need a gun, paddle, walking stick hybrid. Beretta fits the bill and never disappointed me.
I started all my boys on 12s at about 8 or 9. If they couldn't use a 12 they could not hunt with me. I was not buying a 20 for them to use just a few years.
My Girls were a different story, I picked up a 20 gauge 870 and they used that until they could handle a 12 gauge +/- 14 or 15 years old.
I started all my boys on 12s at about 8 or 9. If they couldn't use a 12 they could not hunt with me. I was not buying a 20 for them to use just a few years.
My Girls were a different story, I picked up a 20 gauge 870 and they used that until they could handle a 12 gauge +/- 14 or 15 years old.
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Thanks for the replies. I want to make a purchase well before hunting season to avoid higher costs. I am not opposed to used, in fact I would prefer used. My current 12 ga. was purchased used around 30 years ago for $100.
A 20 has plenty of power for any game except waterfowl. And they’re so pleasant to shoot
I have a Beretta A400 Xtreme KO 12 GA. From doves to ducks and geese, bird hunting with it is totally unfair. I would buy it again without thinking twice. In fact for his 16th birthday, I purchased one for my son as well. Expensive but not too expensive for what it is.
Don't know how well it would do in the field but this is on my do want list
What do you mean by "it doesn't have a choke". It will technically have a choke, even if it is what is called a cylinder bore. It may be a fixed choke, that is one where you cannot change choke tubes for different chokes.
A Remington 870 is not a semi auto, but is a pump action.
I have a couple of older Remington 1100's. A 12g I bought with a fixed choke barrel back in 1972 while I was overseas in the military. While there I got a skeet choke barrel and a slug barrel( with rifle sights) for it. A few years back I also got a barrel that would take interchangeable choke tubes so it is very versatile.
I also have a 20g, built on the Lt frame, a smaller frame. They did make some 20 g guns on the larger 12gaa frame but they are bigger and heavier. I also ended up getting a barrel that take interchangeble choke tubes for it.
If your son can handle the size and recoil of a 12 I would go that route, it is more versitile, better for turkey and deer. You can get a wider variety of ammo, and often 12g ammo is the same or lower price than 20 g.
Look for a used over/under if talking birds. 12 or 20. Beretta or Browning. Both are fine shotguns but each has a different feel. 26 inch barrels for upland or longer for waterfowl.
The Winchester pump looks a lot like my 20-gauge Model 12 (actually a 1912).
Lots of good recommendations!
My personal favorite would be the Winchester SPX, as they are just incredibly smooth.
Stepping up in price, and going semi-auto, I like the Stoeger M3000.
The Mossy 930s/940s are nice, but can be a gamble and I would not recommend them unless you're inclined to detail strip, detail the action and maybe do some tinkering.
My personal favorite would be the Winchester SPX, as they are just incredibly smooth.
Stepping up in price, and going semi-auto, I like the Stoeger M3000.
The Mossy 930s/940s are nice, but can be a gamble and I would not recommend them unless you're inclined to detail strip, detail the action and maybe do some tinkering.
I don't understand peoples logic in saying, "I don't want anything I would be afraid to take in the field". You're not going to buy a bespoke shotgun from Holland and Holland for about $50,000, you're going to o buy something we'll under $2,000. We pay 35 or $40,000 for a car and drive it in traffic, but are afraid to have a weed brush against a shotgun?
What do you mean by your 12 ga does not have a choke? Is it capable of using interchangeable choke tubes? If not it most likely has what is called a fixed choke. I have several older shotguns that have fixed chokes, in fact two that would fit your criteria quite well, both Remington 1100 semi autos. The 12 Ga I bought at a NATO rod and gun club in Izmir Turkey back in 1972, the other a 20 ga LT model, a smaller frame lighter weight model I acquired a few years ago, also with a fixed choke. I have since gotten barrels for each that will take interchangeable choke tubes, making them both more versitile.
I have an old Winchester 101 over/under 20ga. Shoots great but honestly I like a side by side better. Too me they handle and carry better than any type shotgun. Any double barrel sxs or o/u for a given barrel length will be quite a bit shorter than a semi auto or pump, and much lighter in weight. My favorite is a little Darne 28ga, a sliding breech French sxs
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