I started feeling pretty silly last year shooting a 12ga auto at quail and even most of the roosters I shot, so I pledged to pick up a 20ga break gun before this season. I ended up buying the CZ Drake over the weekend. I'm pretty impressed with it so far for an inexpensive O/U. I haven't shot it yet, but the fit and finish is nice, it comes with a full set of chokes, and a nice carrying case to boot. It's no Browning Citori, but it's pretty sweet for $600.
Anyways, I haven't shot a 20ga at birds since I was a little kid shooting my dad's single shot Winchester which was also his first shotgun. So, for those of you who use a 20ga for upland hunting, what choke combinations, shell size, loads, etc. do you prefer? Do you use the same strategy as a bigger bore shotgun or switch it up?
First off - congrats! I have 3 CZ shotties (all double-trigger SxS's) - 2 of them in 20 & 28. I have several other CZ firearms & I am impressed with what I purchased and with the way CZ USA supports owners (I had an issue with one I purchased used & CZ fixed it with no quibbling - THAT is fine service!). All are very good shooters & are reliable. Like any other double guns, I keep the barrels & ribs well-oiled & break them down setting them out to dry thoroughly after a wet hunt, and then I oil them again.
I use 2-3/4" shells. Center a bird in the pattern & it WILL go down.
Lead shot: I typically shoot #6 shot. The 20 is choked improved & modified. In the 28 I use skeet & modified.
Steel shot: Again, I use #6 shot. Both are choked skeet & improved for Pheasants. I hunt Quail in a non-tox shot area with the 28 & I choke it skeet & skeet in that case.
During the late season when Pheasants tend to not hold as well & wild birds have toughened-up, I step-up to #5 lead shot in the 20 & choke it modified & full. The 28 stays home. I don't hunt Pheasants in many non-tox areas, but if I do in the late season I prefer to use non-tox NICE shot shells.
Do use a bit of choke lube & check tightness & remove and relube the choke tubes every so often. A guy I know stopped by the other day seeking help in removing a stuck choke tube from his Remington. He had NEVER removed it or lubed it. Unless he buys another barrel, he's stuck with a modified-choke 870 because it is stuck but good.
Jim , have you tried warming the choke area with a hairdrier & touching the end of the barrel with a beeswax candle , the wax will suck into the treads just like solder does when doing plumbing(capillary action) often lubing the treads enough to remove the stuck choke tube. I have had great success with this method on frozen bolts & such.
I have tried that successfully on stuck wheel lug bolts & also on the acquaintance's stuck choke tube, although that time it didn't work, Mike. Coca-Cola will dissolve rust also (my Dad used to pour that on old, rusty, split-rim tires to good effect back in the day prior to breaking the rubber free from the rim. The poor shotgun choke tube had been neglected so long that it was effectively "corroded-in-place."
Yep, Extrema II's that two of my hunting buddies bought at the same time. Both of these guys are good shooters and they couldn't hit anything with their new guns. I mean they couldn't hit a barn if they were standing inside of it.
One of them was a "this doesn't add up guy" so he disasebled the stock. He did some research on the cast on/cast off shim, figured the wrong shim thing, reversed it and the birds started dropping. He adjusted the other guy's gun and it was raining ducks.
I've never heard of this problem before. I wonder how many thousand Extrema II's were assembled wrong and now hated by their owners. It was probably a Benelli "mole" in their factory who did it.
I love my CZ Canvasback 12-26. I spent considerable time looking for the right one some years ago as many of the early model years have gorgeous burled wood. I finally found it at Cabela's Gun Library in Sydney. I'm now looking for the 20 gauge to go with it.
Yep, Extrema II's that two of my hunting buddies bought at the same time. Both of these guys are good shooters and they couldn't hit anything with their new guns. I mean they couldn't hit a barn if they were standing inside of it.
One of them was a "this doesn't add up guy" so he disasebled the stock. He did some research on the cast on/cast off shim, figured the wrong shim thing, reversed it and the birds started dropping. He adjusted the other guy's gun and it was raining ducks.
I've never heard of this problem before. I wonder how many thousand Extrema II's were assembled wrong and now hated by their owners. It was probably a Benelli "mole" in their factory who did it.
I recently bought a used Browning Maxus and the pattern was offcenter for me. I took the stock off, checked the book and the shim set that was sent with it. It appeared the shim was reversed. I also swapped the shim out for one that raised the POI and had the cast off/on (whatever right handers use) set for me. Three shots at ducks before things froze up over here and two ducks came down dead, needing no finishers.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Washington Fly Fishing Forum
1.8M posts
21.3K members
Since 2000
A forum community dedicated to fishers, anglers and enthusiasts in the Washington area. Come join the discussion about safety, gear, boats, tackle, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!