20 Bore or 12 Bore Ultralight?

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ChrisPackham

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Jan 6, 2015
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Location
North Essex
I would ready appreciate help with this conundrum as i am still new to shooting. I will be buying a Game gun in time for my Game shooting to start in October and i am unsure as to whether to get a 20 Bore or a 12 Bore Ultra light.  The syndicates i have joined are a mix of walked up and driven shooting and although my clay gun (686 Evo E) would be OK for driven even then its still heavy, I have considered an SXS which is what i have been using for rough pigeon and vermin shooting (cheap AYA Number 3) but the sxs i like (Beretta 486) is out of my budget.

I like the idea of a 20 bore due to the weight saving but am a little nervous that as a relative beginner my risk of winging something is increased with 20 bore over 12 bore, however i would appreciate honest feedback from people that use them and sadly the internet seems to only hold magazine marketing BS.

I would be looking at one of Beretta Ultralight Gold, Beretta SP1 Classic, Beretta 690 iii Field or Browning 725 Hunter in black and gold, all guns are similar in fit.

All thoughts appreciated

 
both calibre`s are about the same, shoots the same almost ,same amount of shot, ie 1oz or whatever,,ammo is more expensive for a 20g, and not as much choice. depends if you make 15  shots a day or 200,, my money is on a 12g

 
Unless your shooting very high birds requiring big payloads and shot size i would look at the SxS or a 30" O&U 20bore.

The 20b is every bit as capable as the 12b. 28gram/30ram is exactly that no matter if its from a 20 or 12. If you go 20 O&U I would recomend a 28/30gram load and my favorite game 20bore load is Gambore pure gold ! 

The SxS does sit nicely over the fore-arm if you wanted to stay 12b, but I would stick to a 30gram load of 5`s or 6`s if you went this route. 

ATB

Matt

 
salop sniper said:
Unless your shooting very high birds requiring big payloads and shot size i would look at the SxS or a 30" O&U 20bore.

The 20b is every bit as capable as the 12b. 28gram/30ram is exactly that no matter if its from a 20 or 12. If you go 20 O&U I would recomend a 28/30gram load and my favorite game 20bore load is Gambore pure gold ! 

The SxS does sit nicely over the fore-arm if you wanted to stay 12b, but I would stick to a 30gram load of 5`s or 6`s if you went this route. 

ATB

Matt
Click to expand...
​Hi, thanks for your advice, 28g 6 is enough for most things around here, if anything 26g 7 will be sufficient for decoying to avoid things getting too shot up ... looks like 20 bore is the favourite, now to connive myself the prettier ones are worth 700 or 800 over an SP1...

 
[SIZE=10.5pt]If its not going to be used much other than the game season and not as a peg gun, but a walking gun etc, then why spend the higher money if it risks getting damaged ![/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]My Mrs has just bought a Lincoln Premier with a black action and gold inlay which is very nice, 30" MC and a joy to use. She’s paid £300 second hand [/SIZE]for it in as new condition having done little work as the guys wife didn’t like guns in the house, so he sold up having put just shy of a slab threw it. 

[SIZE=10.5pt]Granted its no CG, MK, Browning, Berretta but she didn’t pay big money and isnt going to cry if it picks up a mark or two. It would only take a slip/ trip/stumble or a sprung branch being let go to cost you a bit to put right.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]My only reason for 5`s is that we are a DIY shoot with no beaters, we just share it out as walking guns and are well spread. With only a few of us but big grounds we do get some long shots to cover! On one wood guns are 100/150 yards apart. On top of that if safe we do take going away rabbits and fox so it is nice to have some.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]If its just Pheasant, Partridge, snipe, woodcock yes I agree stick with 28 gram 6`s if there isn’t the longer than normal shots. Gambore pure gold is what the 3 20 bore users on our shoot use almost exclusively![/SIZE]

 
That makes sense, I have a cheap aya sxs no2 that I use for very rough shooting which I don't care if it gets knocked, only paid about 250 for it.

This new gun will be used for all live shooting, including on the peg, I will be keeping sxs for when I need to shoot bigger cartridges now and again and if I am pretty sure it could get knocked.

Wow that is a well spread gun line!

 
salop sniper said:
Unless your shooting very high birds requiring big payloads and shot size i would look at the SxS or a 30" O&U 20bore.

The 20b is every bit as capable as the 12b. 28gram/30ram is exactly that no matter if its from a 20 or 12. If you go 20 O&U I would recomend a 28/30gram load and my favorite game 20bore load is Gambore pure gold ! 

Matt
Click to expand...
​Agree entirely. I shoot the above loads and they are more than capable. The Beretta 20 bore I use with 30" barrels is also a pleasure to carry if I'm  a walking gun.

 
Yes 30" over 28" barrels and there is still very little weight difference although IMO the 30" is more pointable. IMO 28" just feels stubby now. I dont think there is any other noticable difference.

 
salop sniper said:
Yes 30" over 28" barrels and there is still very little weight difference although IMO the 30" is more pointable. IMO 28" just feels stubby now. I dont think there is any other noticable difference.
Click to expand...
​Agreed. Also the 20 bore stops swinging quickly due to relative lack of weight in the barrels. You really have to make an effort to push through.

The 30" barrels cure that to a certain extent. I shoot my 20b better with the 30" that I traded in for the 28" barrels.

 
Thanks Guys, looks like a 30 barrel beretta sp1 will be finding a new home next week, just need to travel to a shop not too far away that always seems to have better figured stocks.  Which cartridges would you suggest for practicing on clays?

 
The Hull 24 gm clay shells are effective and don't recoil too much.

 
Any of the regular suppliers:

Hull Pro twenty, Gamebore Comps, Express supers, Eley CT, Fiocchi Top 20.

Myself given the choice I would go for the Hul Pro twenty or Gambore comps. Although I seem to see more Eley CTs than any other !

21 or 24 gram will be fine.

ATB

Matt 

 
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