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For me, it's hard to beat a Citori Lighting w/ 28" barrels for upland work. I have both 12 and 20 gauges in that configuration and use the 20ga mostly for upland work, but I do shoot the 12 on occasions so it doesn't feel left out!

Grit -- I prefer Brownings (Citori Lightnings) for their fit to me but Browning or Beretta are both good choices. A 20ga with 28" or 30" barrels with choke tubes should serve you well. My favorite for hunting and some clays is a 20ga Citori Lightning w/ 28" barrels.

I've done a good amount of that too since the majority of my pheasant and grouse shooting is done with my 20-gauge. I normally have a 2 3/4" 1-ounce #6 lead reload in my open-choked barrel and backed up by a 3" 1 1/8-ounce #5 lead reload in a tighter-choked barrel. They possess adequate...

Bilbo -- You're free to shoot what you like or what the marketing folks tell you, but here is some info that I've posted before comparing Federal High-Velocity loads against their normal-velocity loads and some heavier Winchester loads. Hope this helps, good Luck! Are you really getting any...

Short story. Walking a tree row... bird gets up... my buddy shoots and knocks it down... my dog goes to the area of the fall and starts hunting... I it's a runner so I headed that way too... she focuses in on a critter hole and starts digging her way in... I'm thinking I won't letter her go any...

I agree with the others. Keep your shots inside of 40 yards and you'll be fine with your 20ga. Try to find some 1-ounce #6 or #5 lead loads. Here are a few of my pattern numbers to give you an idea of the kind of patterns you might get with those chokes. Patterns from a 20-gauge Browning...

You're welcome and I know it is a little overload but after doing all this patterning (150+ patterns!) just figure I'd post all the lead loads to hopefully help other turkey hunters with their load selection. I'll be after them before long and I'll do my best to get one. Hope you have some...

Locate birds on the roost, get close without spooking them, sit and call sparingly, hold still and get them inside of 30 yards and it's a done deal! Here's a previous post of mine with some pattern info on several lead turkey loads. With the spring turkey season upon us and hunters discussing...

To me, a #6 lead load is an appropriate load for prairie chickens, sharp-tailed grouse, and even huns. Here are 20- and 12-gauge reloads that I've shot all those birds with. Of course, you need to choke your gun for the normal distance of your shots. Here are a few of my pattern numbers with...

A5 -- I agree with you!

I'm sure it will handle pheasant killin just fine if you can put the pattern on their front end! If you think high-velocity or heavier loads perform "better" (whatever you think better is) at killin pheasants, here are a few of my pattern numbers for you to ponder. Are you really getting any...

It depends on the state. It is a federal migratory bird regulation that all states must comply with for migratory birds (except during the snow goose conservation order season). I believe some states apply it to all bird hunting and some don't apply it to resident upland birds. You need to...

The only way to really know how your gun/barrel/choke/load combo performs is to pattern it at the distance of your shots. Here are a few of my pattern numbers from some commonly used low-cost steel loads to give you an idea of how they perform in different chokes. Patterning results from a...

Here are a couple previous post of mine on 12-gauge pheasant loads that may be of interest to some. Inside of 40 yards, which is the max that most of us should be shooting birds, most any pheasant load will kill them IF you can put the pattern on their front end! 1st post. Are you really...

Drbranso -- Here is some info on pheasant ammo that I've posted before that may be helpful. If you’re shooting lead shot, then a No. 6 lead pellet is adequate for pheasants out to ~40 yards, but when shots start getting on the long side of 40 yards, you’ll be better off with the No. 5 lead...

Short story... About any 12ga 2 3/4" or 3" with 1 1/8- to 1 1/4-ounces of #3 or #2 steel will handle pheasant killing if you are choked for the distances you take your shots. Here's some info that I've posted before on this topic. When using steel on pheasants, it is best to go with loads that...

Hockey -- That shell should take care of any duck or pheasant, IF you can put the pattern on their front end! When using steel on pheasants, it is best to go with loads that contain #2 or #3 steel pellets. Steel shot lethality research conducted on pheasants by Tom Roster showed #2 steel to be...

Black labs, of course!

Are you really getting any benefits from the more expensive premium high-velocity pheasant loads? Well, let’s see what the pattern board can tell us about these two loads and how they performed in my gun/chokes. Patterning results from a 12-gauge Browning Citori with 28" Invector-plus barrels...

Waterfowl gun, sling! Upland gun, no sling! I like all my upland hunting buddies to have a sling on their gun, so it will be on their shoulder when the cock gets up!