Looking for a new 20

S

spotdog14

New member
I'm currently using the same 1100 LT20 that I was given when I turned 12 so I figure its time to start to think about an upgrade (I'm currently 31).

I'm somewhat of a brand loyalist to Remington so I have been looking at their current offerings and am a little underwhelmed. My main reason for wanting an upgrade is to be able to chamber 3 inch shells and my only reasonable option from Remington is an 11-87 or wait till possibly they release the new V3 in a 20.

Is the 11-87 my best option right now? At least a benefit would be that I could field strip it with my eyes closed as its basically just an upgraded 1100 from my understanding.
 
Would assume several 20 ga guns accept 3" shells. My Browning Gold 20 works with 3" - the gun is 13 years old.

However, because it is lighter than my 12 ga. a 3" shell kicks hard so I seldom use 3".
 
An 11-87 will be able to satisfy your desire to shoot 3" rounds, but if you compare fit and finish to your LT20, I think you will be very disappointed.

A friend of mine has a 11-87 20ga field. It functions well, but he was aware that it wasn't going to be a "looker".
 
I'm a Browning Guy but I'm looking at the Benelli line of Montefeltro, Legacy or Ethos in 20GA
Thick them out. Pricey but really sharp looking.
 
a Beretta A400 or Franchi Affinity in 20 Ga are nice too. If it's just for upland hunting have you considered an O/U?
 
I inherited a LT 20 and have enjoyed it , like yours 2 3/4 only .

I bought on a friends suggest 5 years ago a Benelli M-2 20 Ga 3'' capable ,

Shot an Honest triple on Canada geese over decoys / shot my limit of them that day , All kinds of ducks doves .

Upland Quail , pheasant , prairie chicken, Turkey .

I have on in a 12 that I now only use in the Snow Goose conservation season .

I would consider the Monte , Affinity , the V-3 when it gets here , An old favorite Beretta Silver Mallard Anything Beretta is good !!!
 
I have 3 Remington 1100's & 2 Remington 11-87's. I have a 20 ga 11-87 and it's a Limited Edition model Quail Unlimited and it is a very good gun. I shot Skeet with it this summer.
If you are just wanting a newer looking gun go for it, but the Remington 1100 is a Excellent Gun also.
Every once and a while a 11-87 20ga 3 inch Mag Quail Unlimited comes up for sale and so does some Ducks Unlimited models on Gunbroker.com as some 1100 20ga 3 inch Mag in Mint condtion or new unfired old stock.
In 20ga I would be happy with either 1100 or 11-87, I would buy the one with the best looking wood. Good Luck.
 
wapsijim said:
a Beretta A400 or Franchi Affinity in 20 Ga are nice too. If it's just for upland hunting have you considered an O/U?
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I'm not a big fan of O/U, I do have a side by side that ill use in bad weather since its easy to clean. It kicks like a beast though.
 
spotdog14 said:
I think I just might have to bite the bullet and get a used 1100 Ducks Unlimited 20.
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When I looked up the DU 1100 20 ga. I found at Cabelas they have 2 3/4" chambers. Kind of a lot of money to buy the same gun you've got with some inlays that to my eye look out of place on a great utilitarian gun like the 1100.
I had the chambers of my 20 ga. O/U lengthened to 3" but mostly to shoot steel for water fowl. I can now put a 1 1/16 oz. load in it instead of 3/4oz. with the 2 3/4' chambers. In lead for pheasants you gain 1/8 oz. giving 1 1/4oz. loads. I shot a load of pheasants with the 1 1/8 oz. 2 3/4' maximum and don't notice a huge difference with the 3", however, a friend gave me a case of 3" shells which was another reason for the chamber lengthening.
 
In looking at the Remington Society of America's site they show a Rem. 1100 Lightweight made in 1971 with 3" chambers. Looks rare but if you want to go on a quest...

1971
In this year Remington added a Model 1100 20 gauge Lightweight in 3" magnum gun, weighing 6lbs/12oz. Plain 28", full choke barrel guns cost $214.95, and vent rib guns cost $239.95.
 
I just picked up a Weatherby Sa-08 20ga, my first semi. It seems pretty nice so far, especially for the price and it comes in 3 trim levels depending on what you want.:thumbsup:
 
spotdog14 said:
It kicks like a beast though.
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My O/U is a very light Citori Upland model that came w/o a recoil pad. The heaviest loads did not seem to "kick" as hard as the low base 7/8 oz. loads using Red Dot, a faster powder than the 1 1/8 oz. that used Blue Dot, a slower powder. I cut the stock and put a recoil pad on it and don't really notice recoil anymore.
 
If you're willing to look at guns outside of Remington, look hard at a used Browning Gold (discontinued) or the current Browning Silver. They're the same gun mechanically. I did a lot of research and handled a lot of guns with no real budget in mind when upgrading from an inexpensive pump gun. I figured when I found what I wanted I would know and cross the price bridge then. Ended up with the Gold (lightly used) in 12 and the Silver in 20 when all was said and done. I paid less for the Gold than a new 1187. I wasn't impressed with the fit and finish of the 1187, also the bolt seemed rough to me. The Montefeltro was also in the running. A lot of gun there too.
 
One of the nicer points of going to a small bore is going to a lighter gun to carry in the field. I like my 20 ga guns to be sub 7 lbs, some I've had were around 6 lbs even. Stuffing a 3" shell in a 20 ga is unnecessary for pheasant. A 1 oz load of #5, whether the Golden Pheasant Fiocci or the Nitro Pheasant Remingtons, will plow a rooster.
 
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