20 vers 12 recoil.

[Country Boy]

Yesterday a guy told me the Remington 870 20 gage kicks almost as much as a 12. I've got a 12 for turkey hunting and it rattles me from head to toe so I don"t shoot it anymore unless I'm shooting at a turkey. I was thinking of buying a 20 thinking it would have less recoil. I jusyt don"t believe a 20 would kick the same as a 12 in the same gun (870) 3" mag  The 12 I have is a real beast. I would like to have a semi Remington 1100 but money is tight hence thinking of another pump gun.

[Graybeard]

It really depends on the load you shoot. The 1100 or 11-87 clearly will have less felt recoil in either gauge. If you insist on shooting 3" or 3.5" shells in that 12 gauge 870 it's gonna stomp on your shoulder big time. Shoot light 7/8 or one once loads and it's not bad. Same with the 20 gauge if you insist on shooting 3" once and a quarter loads it's gonna hurt as it is after all lighter than the 12 gauge gun so max loads in it are gonna hurt similar to but perhaps a bit less than max 12 gauge loads.

If you just gotta shoot those max loads in either then chose an 1100 or 11-87 and make sure it has a Simms or Remington R3 pad on it. Some extra weight in the stock also helps.

Settle for 7/8 oz 20 gauge loads or once or once and an eighth 12 gauge loads and push them to 1100 to 1125 fps and you'll get more similar recoil from both and both will be lighter on the shoulder.

These days both my shoulders need rotator surgery which I'm trying to avoid. I shoot pretty much only the .410 and 28 and more and more even the 28 with 1200 fps loads is beginning to hurt.

[FLNT4EVR]

I don't understand why everyone is going to these magnum super powerhouse loads. the 20 ga. 2 3/4 slugs have been doing the job for years.  Punishing yourself with more recoil and more expense makes no sense to me. This is just my opinion,but I have been killing deer for over 40 yrs with 2 3/4  shells .

[Country Boy]

I'm talking turkey hunting andit isn"t uncommon around here to kill a 25 or 30 lb one. Also my wife might shoot it sometime. But mostly it would be for me . I would like a 20 autoloader but the budget is tight right now. Guess I should save my pennies. I too have shoulder problems,and a broken back plus had open heart surgery last year in Sept. So I'm looking for something that isn"t too heavy and doesn't kick much.

[Graybeard]

A 20 gauge pump or even single shot could of course fill the bill. I realize too many associate turkey hunting with huge amounts of large shot but that's evidence mostly of their lack of understanding of how turkey hunting is supposed to be done. The idea is to call one to you and take it cleanly with a single shot to the head/neck area.

Too many use huge shot like #4 or even larger as if they were shooting the body and who knows maybe some are. Use #6 or even #7-1/2 and you'll get adequate penetration of the head/neck area for sure kills. Even a 20 gauge with 7/8 or one ounce of shot is plenty for such out to 35 yards or more. If you can't call one in that close to you then you're really not that much of a turkey hunter anyway and yeah you'll likely not bring a lot home. Folks think they need to be able to shoot to 60 or 70 yards like many do goose hunting but that's really not what turkey hunting is supposed to be about.

I have a friend in PA who calls them in so close he really should be using a .410 skeet gun rather than his 12 gauge on them. He won't shoot if they are over 20 yards away.

Still my recommendation to you is a gas operated semiauto 20 gauge.

[Country Boy]

Yes the closer the better. I once had one so close that the shot wad didn"t open and I missed the first shot when he got to 25 yds it was a different story and that long beard went home with me. another time same place, I had a big one hang up at 57 yds and was about to turn and run, it was my longest shot ever but he also came home.  You don"t have to be the greatest turkey caller in the world to get one in to 25-30 yds. Just patience. I called a turkey in a couple of years ago 1/2 mile or more away off a mt. across a river and a huge open field. and I only used a few yelps and clucks.(I was proud of that one) Many times I've had a turkey answer at dawn then shut up. I stay where I'm at and wait, the turkey will come after he finishes with his hens. We can only hunt 1/2 day in Mo. Beginners are opten afraid of messing up on a call. If a turkey is hot he will come in, if not you can be the best caller in the world and he won't Have you heard of Walter Parroy ? I taught him how to turkey hunt when he was a student of mine in High School. He is the best caller in the US but keeps it simple when he is hunting. I've chased turkeys in Mo. since 1960 the first years were lean but I learned. I use #6 for the first and #4 for the second if necessary.(sledomis) My best turkey gun ever was a sears single shot 12 with a 30 inch bbl. One shot one turkey, unfortunately I sold it.

[mogwai]

Yesterday a guy told me the Remington 870 20 gage kicks almost as much as a 12. I've got a 12 for turkey hunting and it rattles me from head to toe so I don"t shoot it anymore unless I'm shooting at a turkey. I was thinking of buying a 20 thinking it would have less recoil. I jusyt don"t believe a 20 would kick the same as a 12 in the same gun (870) 3" mag  The 12 I have is a real beast. I would like to have a semi Remington 1100 but money is tight hence thinking of another pump gun.

My 20 ga weighs about 6 1/4 lb w/ 21" barrel.  My 12 ga weighs 7 1/4 lb with 20" barrel.  Recoil is a function of gun weight, total shot weight, powder weight and shot velocity.  A light gun might recoil harder with a lighter load of shot, but you need to do the math.

[Cat Whisperer]

Borrow a 10ga.   Get used to it.  Then the 12 or the 20 is just a pop-gun, problem solved.   

[Redhawk1]

I have to agree with FLNT4EVR, there is no need for a shells over a 2 3/4 inch.

You do not gain anything but recoil going to a 3 and 3 1/2 inch shells, and a little more shot.

The 20 gauge has a lot less felt recoil than the 12 gauge. If you are compairing like guns.

I have taken Turkeys with quit a few 20 gauge shotguns using 2 3/4 inch shells with 4 shot.

Having a chock that gives you the best battern is key here also.

Even in my slug guns, I only use 2 3/4 inch.

But I like my 12 gauges more than my 20's

[coyotejoe]

I don't think you need a new gun, just a new load.  You can easilly get 20 gauge recoil from a 12 gauge gun if you are willing to accept 20 gauge loads. Forget those super duper "turkey" loads and just shoot 12 gauge trap loads of 7 1/2 shot.