Field Grade 20 Gauge...

1681 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by MOONDAWG, May 18, 2009

Discussion Starter · Apr 11, 2009

Been wanting one of these for a good long while. Managed to trade into this one. It is a Mossberg Silver Reserve line in 20 gauge field grade. The old broken shoulder is unable to handle a Magnum 12 gauge anymore and this is pushing it for me. But I was overcome by the siren song that it sang...and she promised to be gentle...

giz

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Leighton

· #2 · Apr 11, 2009

Very nice!! I have one just like it for the same reason. For the money they are hard to beat.

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Bob K

· #3 · Apr 11, 2009

Giz, Even the 20 ga. has quite a kick, especially with the High Brass Pheasant loads (#6's) that I love to get . They carry 1 oz. of shot, making it as effective as a 12 ga.. But, they kick like a std. 12 ga. 1 oz. load. If your shoulder is that bad, maybe you should get a Remington 1100 or 11-87 in 20 ga.. Those over/unders lock up pretty solid, and transfer the recoil. Just a thought, but you did good on that trade. What did it cost you in trade bait??? Bob

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kritter

· #4 · Apr 12, 2009

i have the same one but in 410.. nice little guns,a blast on bunnies
but wishing i would have gotten a 20 also.....

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xtimberman

· #5 · Apr 12, 2009

Giz,

Do you have a 20ga. reloader? If not, you need to get one, and set it up to shoot 3/4oz. instead of 1oz. or 7/8oz. shot.

Also, you need to quit shooting the cheap promotional junk that's sold in WalMart and other places. I know that it appears to be economical, but they use crappy components and it's only good for hard-kicking backyard clay shooting, IMO. The promotional stuff offered by Rem., Win., and Fed. are the hardest-kicking rounds in the manufacturers lineup in whatever shot payload/gauge combination they are offered in. They use the fastest-burning powder they can find - cheap - to burn as cleanly as possible, the cheapest wad/shotcup (that frequently has no cushion), and the crummiest, softest, most un-uniform shot they can find or make - cheap. The only time I buy this stuff is when I see some Rem. Game loads in 16ga. - just to shoot it up and have the hulls to reload...and those sorry 1 oz. rounds kick noticeably harder than my own 1oz. loads. I'm always glad when they all get shot up so I can get some relief.

I have a ~100 year-old 20ga. Parker shotgun that I will shoot 1oz. and 7/8oz. loads in, but most of my casual shooting is done with a lower-pressure, slower, progressive-burning powder (GreenDot) and 3/4oz. shot - a 28ga. payload. This limits the battering of my shoulder and the gun, but the load is no pipsqueak. It moves fast and hits hard. Since the pattern holds together so much better, clays and doves can't tell that it isn't a 7/8oz. or even a 1oz. load.

Another factor is conditioning. Try to toughen up your shoulder by shooting at clays more frequently. Long periods of time between shotgunning is rough on a shoulder - even one that isn't problematic. It doesn't take much to toughen it up - just try to shoot your 20ga. frequently and quit long before you experience discomfort and pain. And no, shooting BPCRs will not do the same thing. You are not using the exact same place on the shoulder, or the same set of muscles when shooting a rifle - particularly on the bench. You need to be standing on your hind feet like a man and swing - using many of the same muscle combinations as a golfer.

xtm

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Bob K

· #6 · Apr 12, 2009

I f I am going to subject my shoulder to some abuse, I usually take a couple Aleve (Naproxin Sodium) that seems to work pretty darned good! I get my shoulder acheing form yardwork, snow shoveling, and from being too stupid to realize that.....I ain't as young as I used to be!!!!! :roll: lgfhj happyroller Bob

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Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 12, 2009

Got a chance to shoot her yesterday...Man, that gun is sweet.

This is the second Turkish shotgun import that I have bought. Guys, I have to say that is extremely well made and the Turkish walnut is 2nd to none. I do not believe American companies can do the metal finish that you get on these guns...due to the EPA. Fit and finish is outstanding for a modern gun.

And the most important part...she is light and lively

giz

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azmick

· #8 · Apr 12, 2009

Good for you Giz!
When I started my quest for an over/under, it seemed nothing stood in the way. Except price :lol:
Sold off some that I no longer shot or would not shoot because accuracy was too marginal. It took me three years to take it quail hunting but it gets used for what it was made for now.

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MOONDAWG

· #9 · May 18, 2009

This is the second Turkish shotgun import that I have bought. Guys, I have to say that is extremely well made and the Turkish walnut is 2nd to none.

I have to totally agree here.

I was in Academy Sports one day shopping for some folding chairs when I saw a short 20 gauge semi-auto with some of the most awesome figured walnut I'd ever seen.

It turned out to be a Turkish made Hatsan "Escort" SA.

MSRP is $535 but they had it on sale for $299 and it went home with me that day.

Hatsan is a ISO 9000 rated company with state of the art CNC work stations and high quality craftsmen.

Many of the finest Italian (Beretta, Bennelli etc.) and American (Mossberg, Stoeger etc.) shotguns are being made in Turkey now.

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