Shotgun for "ranch rifle"

[mountain_man]

My probably worthless comment: why a 20 gauge? A 12 is more versatile and you can shoot very lite loads in it. Ammo is cheaper and more available. Call me a heretic, but except for upland hunting where you carry your gun for miles, why would an adult man use a smaller gauge (except of course that the are beautiful, fun, and sexy!) Just my 2 cents.

Cause I got a 20 gauge youth from my younger years but no 12. I'd like to end up with a Mossberg 930 one day but too many other priorities at the moment. I don't do a whole lot with a shotgun, no skeet, trap or bird hunting. I do a little turkey hunting and the 20 hasn't let me down yet but its so infrequent that I don't feel like I can justify spending on a new shotgun. And the compactness of the 20 youth model help with mounting to a atv

 

[Micro]

Find yourself an H&R or NEF single shot 20 gauge. There's lots of really nice examples out there that can be had for a couple hundred dollars. They are very well made and about as perfect a handling gun as you will ever come across. And they are just a hoot to shoot.

Here's my NEF Tracker II 20 gauge

And my H&R Topper 20 gauge

 

[roo_ster]

A 20ga shotgun that you already own sounds just dandy. I might play with some turkey loads to "reach out & touch" with pellets at distance. And slugs for big stuff. Unless you have to go over 100 yards, a shotgun can;t be beat for utility.

 

[leeroy71]

I have taken more groundhogs with a shotgun than anything else. But mostly 12ga with 5 or 6 shot. Farthest was probably just over 30 yards.