Semi Automatic 20 Gauge Recommendations

joeg said:
They are made by Armsan in Turkey. Not my first choise in gun makers. (they also make Tristar)
However, after watching a Randy Wakeman vid. I decided to take a chance.

What I like
1. It fits me perfectly (just lucky)
2. Easy to load. My Benelli's are thumb busters. Combination of cold hands and being over 70 y/o it was a killer.
3. Very light, carry it all day long.
4. Gas, so the recoil is minimal. I shoot 3'' # 5's and it's a non-issue
5. Never had a hang up of any kind. It's been 100% reliable

What are minor issues
1. It's gas, so it needs cleaning
2. The metallurgy. Some of the components seem to be of softer metal. If used on a dove field or other high volume shooting it may be a problem over time.
For me, I use it for pheasant. A box or two a year if I'm lucky.
3. Mossberg won't sell you replacement parts. You have to send it to them. Tristar (same gun) will sell parts.
4. Is the overall quality of the gun equal to Benelli, Browning and Beretta. No, but in my opinion they have taken a step down.

So far it works for me
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I’ve got the TriStar stamped version. I’ve killed a pile of doves and used it for a day in South Dakota last year.

I like it enough I’ll likely buy a 28 gauge to play with.

If it were my only shotgun, would I have bought it? Probably not. I bought it as a curiosity to go with all my others. I like it. $600 for the bronze when I bought it.

Pictured here with my boy with his first dove.


What would I buy today as one and only? Maybe a new Beretta 400? Older 391 (shot a 12 as my primary gun for 20 years now) One of the new Franchi or SX4 upland embellished ones? Heck I don’t know, too many choices.
 
Sorry to burst bubbles…..but I must be a lucky one……I have 3 Mossbergs, 935, 930, SA-20. While the 935 is heavy, it’s an absolute turkey sniper machine as well as a great goose gun. My 930 has 1000s of rounds through it and is my “poor weather” go to that has never failed me. And the SA-20 I bought for kicks…..love the gun as stated for the advantages already listed above. I’ve had all guns for 10 plus years. While I have prettier guns and other guns with more popular names, these 3 fit me very well and I have no regrets other than getting razed by my friends for carrying a Mossberg…..
 
Prophet’s Pop said:
Sorry to burst bubbles…..but I must be a lucky one…… I have no regrets other than getting razed by my friends for carrying a Mossberg…..
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I think there is only one bubble you're bursting on here, several others on here that have actually used the Armsman made guns that like them just fine.

Same gun my boy is holding in the above picture after a cattail push last year in South Dakota with a 40 mph head wind.

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I have both the Retay 20ga Masai Mara and the Retay 12ga Gordion. The Gordion is my every day shooter and it is an absolute pleasure to hunt with. I have used it the past three seasons on sharptails, sage grouse, and Huns in Montana and pheasant in South Dakota. I have NEVER had a click or failure to load a shell. I use a carlsons light modified and it kills em dead until late season when the shots tend to get farther and I switch to a modified.
 
Ive had a Franchi 620 vs with a 24 inch barrel for 22 years or so and will never part with it. Have bought/sold/traded a few 12’s over the years and never gave much thought to another 20 until I handled a Stoeger 3020 upland with the wood/cerakote. Weighs roughly 5.5 lbs I think and has sling studs front and back. While some may not think much of an upland gun with a sling, having the ability to sling a gun and be hands free without laying my gun on the ground for a dog to jump on is pretty damn nice. The gun fits me like a glove and even has an oversized safety, which makes its God awful location behind the trigger a little more manageable. The synthetic versions are cheaper and they feel that way as well. Not a huge fan of the recoil pad as it seems slippery.
 
I have a Remington 1100 light weight 20 that is a dream, old school like me.
 
1100 sp 21” barrel. 2 drawbacks. It is a little heavier than the benelli & only shoots 2 3/4 “. I wish that benelli made or makes the 20 g in a shorter barrel
 
1100 sp 21” barrel. 2 drawbacks. It is a little heavier than the benelli & only shoots 2 3/4 “. I wish that benelli made or makes the 20 g in a shorter barrel. I have someone who makes my english stocks for me if I buy a gun with a “pistol” grip. I am an old short guy & in order to shoot well I need a short stock & short barrel gun. I hunt with some guys that are over a foot taller than me, & they cannot shoot those short barrel guns at all. When the one guy mounts the gun, his left hand reaches all the way to the end of the barrel
 
I shoot a older m1 super 90 20 gauge and I wouldn't trade it for the latest and or greatest. So light. Compact. Easy to carry. I put a heavy Wolff spring in it and it never ever fails me. If it does its my fault.. left one stove piped or forgot to put one in the chamber. I havnt done a search for one similar but I'm sure if a guy looked you could pick one up for pry half the cost of a new one .
 
captainshotgun said:
1100 sp 21” barrel. 2 drawbacks. It is a little heavier than the benelli & only shoots 2 3/4 “. I wish that benelli made or makes the 20 g in a shorter barrel
Click to expand...
A lot of the Benelli guns are available with a 24" barrel.
 
I had a Stoeger M3020 that I sold to my brother about four years ago. Never had an issue with it. Brother came up this week for a wedding from Florida with his stepson and brought along that 20 gauge. I took it apart cleaned it and we went out and did a round of sporting clay with it. Gun still preforms flawlessly. Still prefer my Browning Sweet 16.. (new model) ;)
 
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