Benelli 20 Gauge Questions

UGUIDE

UGUIDE

Active member
I have hunted with an SBE 12 for years and love it. If a 20 ga 3" packs same leathality of 12 I may be interested in toting a 20 in the filed as opposed to the 12. If Benelli makes one that holds 5, 3" shells that would be the dingles since mine only holds 4.

Seems like they have a lot to choose from. any gurus of the 20 out there?
 
all Ive ever used,I don't shoot 3in, a quality no. 5 shell will do the trick, good luck, you shouldn't have any problems.
 
There is no way a 3" 20 ga. packs the same punch as a 12 ga. That 1 1/4 oz. of shot is moving a little slower and the long shot string of a 3" 20 ga. tends to not pattern well. I think your better off with a 2 3/4" and 1 oz. of shot in something like a Federal Premium shell. Or buy a Benelli Ultra Light in a 12 ga.
 
I'd say if you want to carry a 20, go for it. If you want to shoot 3"ers, just find a load that patterns decent from your gun. 20's, whether 3" or not, are fine for pheasants in a lot of situations. What I, personally, would not do is let magazine capacity be the determining factor if you've found a gun you really like.
 
3" 20 gauge loads kill way better in the field then they do online. That's based on actual in the field experience with lead and non toxic loads for pheasants plus waterfowl and turkeys.

With that said an ounce of 5's is hard to beat for most pheasant hunting.
 
I shoot a Benelli M-20 ga and have taken turkey , Canada geese , ducks , pheasant , quail , doves , prairie Chickens . The little gun shoots where I look and it's handy to pack . I have spent a fair amount of pattering time with it to find the choke and loads it likes best .

Across the board for pheasant all my 20's have like Kent's 1 ounce # 5 shot they ( Market it as diamond shot ) Winchester Super x has done well also . Put the shot on the front end of'em and there not a lot to worry about . Past 40 yds Hevi-shot or heavier than lead loads can help . 40yds is a good wase out there though .

Closer is always better !!!
 
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I'm thoroughly impressed with the prairie storm shell and can see that a 3" 20 would be as lethal as a 12 2 3/4".


Here's the ballistics data comparison. 20 is 200 fps slower but has 6 more pellets than 12 ga.

PART # USE GAUGE SHELL LENGTH
IN / MM
WEIGHT
OUNCES
SLUG TYPE / SHOT SIZE MUZZLE VELOCITY BALLISTIC COEFFICIENT BRAND
PF154FS 5
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail, Woodcock 12 Gauge 2 3/4 / 70 1 1/4 5 1500 - Prairie Storm®
PF258FS 5
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail, Woodcock 20 Gauge 3 / 76 1 1/4 5 1300 - Prairie Storm®
 
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I have shot a 12 gauge Montefeltro for over 20 years...now I have the BUL 12 gauge. I did buy a 20 gauge Monty about 18 years ago...found it to be too whippy, personally. Then I won a beretta AL 391 20 gauge about 16 years ago...like it, shoot it pretty well. One December hunt in about 2001 I was shooting Hevi Shot 2 3/4" #6's out of that Beretta...knocked down 20 roosters on that hunt, retrieved 19 of them...that stuff is LETHAL! after losing too many birds with steel over the years, I did buy 60 rounds of Hevi Shot for classic 16 gauge guns that i will shoot out of my AH Fox when I hunt public ground...only about 1100 fps, but it will kill!!! About $2.50 per round, which is cheap for that stuff. Be careful with that whippiness in the 20 gauge Monty...I would go for the 12 gauge BUL quite frankly...6 lbs even....yes, only holds 3 shells total...but whatever....I have knocked down a lot of roosters over the years with the 4th shot...even the 5th shot...usually on a different bird than what I was shooting at with the first 3 shots...but you know, harder to find birds after that kind of mayhem ensues...but I am only speaking for myself.
 
Chris--

I have three 20ga. A couple pretty nice one's--love them--Found the 20 Benelli to whippy as well
How ever if I could only have one gun it would be my 12ga. BUL for me the do every thing shotgun-including waterfowl
JMO-
 
very hard to pull up on a bird in a stable fashion...barrel pretty unstable, moving around side to side...probably why trapshooters shoot guns that are fairly heavy. I know why I shoot my 25 year old Montefeltro 12 gauge fairly well...it is over 7 lbs, probably closer to 7.25 or 7.50...when I pull up, it is pointing where it should be, if that makes sense...I sold my 20 gauge monty to a grouse hunter...probably a better use. If I still had that gun I would get it into your hands to shoot for the fall...you are welcome to my beretta AL 391 20 gauge, but that has a forward safety on the trigger guard, vs. the benelli on the rear of the trigger guard...that one difference goofs me up every fall on at least a few birds..I concur that the BUL 12 gauge is the way to go, despite the 3 shot limitation...at 6 lbs, it doesn't seem whippy to me, but it is close to it!
 
benelli-banger said:
very hard to pull up on a bird in a stable fashion...barrel pretty unstable, moving around side to side...probably why trapshooters shoot guns that are fairly heavy. I know why I shoot my 25 year old Montefeltro 12 gauge fairly well...it is over 7 lbs, probably closer to 7.25 or 7.50...when I pull up, it is pointing where it should be, if that makes sense...I sold my 20 gauge monty to a grouse hunter...probably a better use. If I still had that gun I would get it into your hands to shoot for the fall...you are welcome to my beretta AL 391 20 gauge, but that has a forward safety on the trigger guard, vs. the benelli on the rear of the trigger guard...that one difference goofs me up every fall on at least a few birds..I concur that the BUL 12 gauge is the way to go, despite the 3 shot limitation...at 6 lbs, it doesn't seem whippy to me, but it is close to it!
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Thanks for the details and the offer. I can see where a shorter lighter gun can be overswung and unstable. My old SBE was like a glove and the new one is just as comfy. Did not like the front safety which kept me from going to the vinci.
 
Put the bead on the bird, shoot reasonable distances and a 28 gauge with 2 3/4" shells and a 7/8oz payload of #5 will fold birds up DOA. That is what I have learned. Shot 20 gauges for 15 years and now moved to a 28 gauge. At the end of the day, or better yet, at the end of day 4 my arms are not worn out from toting a heavy gun, and extra weight of pockets full of 1 1/4 oz shells.
Cheers,
Wolf
 
wolfcreeknc said:
Put the bead on the bird, shoot reasonable distances and a 28 gauge with 2 3/4" shells and a 7/8oz payload of #5 will fold birds up DOA. That is what I have learned. Shot 20 gauges for 15 years and now moved to a 28 gauge. At the end of the day, or better yet, at the end of day 4 my arms are not worn out from toting a heavy gun, and extra weight of pockets full of 1 1/4 oz shells.
Cheers,
Wolf
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With all due respect. The birds I am talking about downing are 5 pounders, naturally produced, fair chase, in Dec., after 100 hunters have gone thru the place, they flush far and the wind is 20 mph. most make the mistake of under gunning these birds. I am thoroughly impressed with the move from a high brass federal 12, 2 3/4 to a Prairie Storm 12, 2 3/4. Definitely reduces lost birds good dogs or not. Made mistake of not shooting IC choke first time. Started to believe a 20 could deliver same effects as 12 based on research. Speed kills so 200 FPS is still debatable. The luggability and extra shell cap is ++.
 
Ive settled on a light s auto 12ga 28" at 6.2 pounds . I shoot hot 2 3/4 #2 steel. One gun one load and leave the other 10 guns at home LoL. Check out PF's fall mag page 76 L.P. Brezny on #2 steel shot :thumbsup:
 
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Well I took a little gambit to Cabillies. Shouldered the monti and some other benelli 20's. Big difference is the low rib in monti vs the other ones have high rib like SBE.

I swear the first one they gave me was the compact because it felt short but the other one I put up was standard 47" length and came up ok. It certainly was lighter and felt like it would be a good dove gun too.
 
UGUIDE said:
With all due respect. The birds I am talking about downing are 5 pounders, naturally produced, fair chase, in Dec., after 100 hunters have gone thru the place, they flush far and the wind is 20 mph. most make the mistake of under gunning these birds. I am thoroughly impressed with the move from a high brass federal 12, 2 3/4 to a Prairie Storm 12, 2 3/4. Definitely reduces lost birds good dogs or not. Made mistake of not shooting IC choke first time. Started to believe a 20 could deliver same effects as 12 based on research. Speed kills so 200 FPS is still debatable. The luggability and extra shell cap is ++.
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Ah, very important criteria not mentioned before. "Fair chase" birds fall just as hard with a load of #5 at a reasonable range from any gun but late season birds in strong winds would suggest I take a 12 gauge out.
 
Cordoba

I own many shotguns in all gauges and a lot of them are higher end guns. If I have to choose one gun to hunt with it would be my Benelli Cordoba 20 gauge with a 28" barrel I have hunted upland birds in 5 or 6 states I very seldom shoot 3" shells in it as I find 1oz of nickle plated #5's pattern well. In my opinion the Benelli auto's are the best you can strip them down in no time, adjust the comb height and recoil pad length in seconds, and they wing really well.
 
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