20 Ga. Shotgun for Skeet?

Old cop · Jun 21, 2015

I'm thinking of taking up skeet shooting, looking at a 20 gage instead of beating myself up w/a 12 gage (shoulder problems) and I'm familiar w/the pump action from my LEO days. I'd appreciate any recommendations on brands and models. A friend is going to loan me his 20 gage pump for next week.

Thanks all.

bentcam · Jun 21, 2015

i think i would look for a rem. 1100 skeet, shoot a little softer than a pump and cheaper than a over/under. jim

Ivan the Butcher · Jun 21, 2015

My brother uses a 870 20 gauge and one in 28 on skeet and Sporting Clays. The new Wingmaster isn't as pretty as they used to make them but out of the box they are much smoother than an 870 Express! I have used pumps clear down to 410. 2 weeks ago our low house trap broke and we didn't want to go home, so we shot report and following pairs from the high house. Big Brother had a 24 on the second round. It just takes getting used to. Most LEO shotgun training these days isn't conducive to fast moving targets, so no armpit mounting! When starting, most clubs will let you have a extra bird or 2 in a round, so work on those misses and have a good time. Ivan

Bill Bates · Jun 21, 2015

Okay, recoil is a function of payload and velocity. Felt recoil has some other components like weight of the gun, stock dimensions, etc. Heavier guns often feel like they don't kick as much. A sub 6 lbs. 20 gauge shotgun can sure wear on you after 50 or so rounds down range.

You can find 12 gauge target loads that equal the standard 20 gauge 7/8 .oz to 1 oz. loads. Also, 12 gauge shotguns tend to weigh more than the same model in 20 gauge;so, 12 gauge shotguns launching the same weight payload at the same velocity often feel like they kick less.

If I were to take up skeet with a passion I would look at an over under 12 gauge with 20, 28 & .410 tube set.

When it comes to pump shotguns give me an older Remington 870 Wingmaster.

venomballistics · Jun 21, 2015

Try a 20, but bring along a 12 as well.
Listen to what your shoulder is telling you with both.
There's some counter intuitive functions at play, that you should let yourself objectively evaluate

DGT · Jun 21, 2015

If you're going to be shooting simply for fun and not serious competition, go with the 20ga. I switched to a 20ga. years ago for sporting clays and have never thought about going back to a 12ga.

jtcarm · Jun 21, 2015

20s compete against 20s in skeet.

The 20 gives up very little to the 12 gauge in skeet (I'd have to dig into my Bob Brister library to say how much.)

If recoil is a problem, a good, heavy autoloader and 1 oz loads in a 12 should be comfortable and more versatile in case you want to try trap or sporting clays.

DWalt · Jun 21, 2015

You can use a 20 in a 12 gauge event, or a .410 in any event. Most any good 20 gauge pump or semiauto will work well. Years back, my son used a Winchester 1500 20 gauge semiauto with an IC choke barrel for registered shoots, in both 12 and 20 gauge stages. He did fine with it, never had any problems with the 1500. A Remington semiauto (or about any other brand) would also be OK. I always used the Winchester 1200 pump for skeet, I had two 1200s in skeet grade, 20 and 12. Some people have difficulty with a pump gun, but with practice and familiarity, a pump gun will work as well as any and does help in timing on doubles. Neither of us shot in 28 and .410 events, only 12 and 20.

2152hq · Jun 21, 2015

Unless you shoot in competition and use the standard 1 1/8 load in 12ga, most folks shoot lighter payload rounds these days. 1oz, 7/8, 3/4 in a 12ga aren't uncommon at all. Mostly reloads, but there are over the counter low-recoil loads in those sizes.
Believe me they break birds just as well as the heavier loads

Plus,, a lightweight 20ga gun, and most are built that way because the market wants them that way,,can be a brute to shoot with over the counter WallyWorld gameloads after a while. Even w/ 7/8oz loads they are pretty snappy and your shoulder will get the message.

I like the 12. Lots of guns to choose from. I shoot the older stuff and most are choked full. My favorite ,,just let 'em get out there a bit.

You don't really need anything fancy to just have fun at it. Most anything will do. I shoot a lot of pump shotguns and SxS's. None were ever actually built for skeet, but so what.

A Remington 1100 is always a good choice for someone that has an issue with recoil. They are built to shoot softly and are nice handling, easy to shoot guns. Easy to maintain and parts all over the place if needed along w/ extra bbl's for other hunting or target games.

REM 3200 · Jun 21, 2015

bentcam said:
i think i would look for a rem. 1100 skeet, shoot a little softer than a pump and cheaper than a over/under. jim

^^^ This ^^^

The 1100 is much softer shooting than any fixed breach gun (of the same gauge).
Use the most open choke you can get for it. Skeet is a short range game.
Targets are normally broken in the 20 to 25 yard range.

shouldazagged · Jun 21, 2015

As for efficiency, I took tons of doves with a 20 gauge double and a Browning Light 20 A5. Especially the double.

A twenty should be fine for skeet.

Cooter Brown · Jun 21, 2015

A lightly used Beretta 391 in either gauge can be found. They are gas operated and soft shooting and have the added advantage of shim-adjustable stocks.

As far as 12 vs 20, take your pick. Both will cost about the same to shoot and at the competition level at least there is a negligible difference in scores.

I picked up 12 ga. 391 for $750 a couple of years ago, and it came with a flat of shells. I've been using it as my dedicated target gun. It's been dead reliable with all shells and I can shoot four rounds of skeet or a 100 shot clays course and want more.

Before that all I shot was my 6 1/4 lb game gun (SxS that fits me well) and after 60 rounds or so I was getting fatigued.

The Beretta autos are great guns and have been used to win world championships.

Edit to say--if I were only going to use the gun for target shooting, I'd opt for the 12. It's a little heavier which is an advantage on targets.

ColbyBruce · Jun 21, 2015

If you live near metro Atlanta I will be happy to meet with you and let you shoot a few rounds of skeet with my 28 gauge Remington 870 skeet gun. It is wonderful.

Model 19 6" · Jun 21, 2015

Do you plan to reload? If so do you feel like picking up empties. It gets old in a hurry. Look for a over and under empties never hit the ground.

Dennis The B · Jun 21, 2015

I used a Remington 1100 SA Skeet, and put around 150K rounds through it, replacing only an O ring. I loaded up to 1 oz, and competed against 12ga shooters.

I knew a couple of "old timers" who could shoot a pump gun fast enough, but it takes a lot of practice, especially off stations 2 and 6.

When I went back to shooting skeet in 2008, I bought a Browning XS Special O/U in 12ga. I hate picking up empties.

If you get serious about skeet, be sure to have the gun fit to you. A proper fitting shotgun takes a lot of discomfort out of recoil.

Rastoff · Jun 22, 2015

Felt recoil has nothing to do with gauge. As Bill Bates said, it's all about payload and velocity. One thing to add to that formula is gun mass. The heavier the gun, the less recoil the shooter will feel. This is because the inertia of the shot must overcome the inertia of the gun before the gun will move into the shoulder of the shooter.

So, if you have a 12ga gun and shoot a 1oz load traveling at 1200fps, it will feel like it recoils less than the same load out of a 20ga gun. Why? Because the 20ga gun will have less mass.

Most starting out shooters don't reload. The most common load off-the-shelf for a 20ga is 7/8oz. The most common load for 12ga is 1 1/8oz. Therefore, because 7/8oz is the most common load, it's likely a new shooter will end up with that shot weight. This means that the 20ga will have less felt recoil.

Confused yet?

One thing is certain, a semi-auto will have less felt recoil than a pump or breach loading gun.

Have you purchased a gun yet? If not, what's your price range?

jtcarm · Jun 22, 2015

Model 19 6" said:
Do you plan to reload? If so do you feel like picking up empties. It gets old in a hurry. Look for a over and under empties never hit the ground.

That's one reason I'm a revolver and O/U guy. Never chase plastic or brass.

The Yildiz O/Us made in Turkey and for sale at Academy are actually good guns for the price. You sure can't complain about those Turkish walnut stocks.

You can also look for an older SKB 500 (aka Ithaca) skeet gun, but a 20 may be hard to come by. They're great guns for the money.

DWalt · Jun 22, 2015

Don't go overboard on buying a gun for skeet if you are new to the game. Any field-grade shotgun (pump, semiauto, or O/U) will be fine, just make sure it has an IC or an open cylinder choke. A gun which uses choke tubes will allow more versatility. And a shorter barrel, say 26", will be advantageous. It should fit you properly, so try a number of different shotguns and pick one which feels good and balances well. One friend of mine who was an excellent skeet shooter used only a pair of cheaper Mossberg 500 field grade pump guns, in 12 and 20 gauges. O/U guns are fine, but will be more costly. Most shooters will do as well with a 20 as with a 12, and some do better. I always reloaded my own shells, and for 20 gauge, I used 3/4 ounces of shot. Those worked fine. For 12 gauge, I used 7/8 or 1 ounce, usually the latter.

If you really like skeet enough to keep at it, you can always upgrade your shotgun when the time comes.

H Richard · Jun 22, 2015

I started with a Remington 870, with a fixed Mod. choke. I learned the game and then went with an over & under. I've been through several ones, but have settled on Browning as a great compromise in high quality, and lower price. Get a gun with changeable choke tubes in whatever gun you decide on. A few years ago I had an opportunity to purchase a like new older SKB 20 gauge O/U. It is quite fun to shoot, and even with a hard plastic but plate the recoil is mild with 7/8 oz loads. I shoot my 1 Oz. reloads in my 12 and the recoil is equal to or less than the 20.

EQGuy · Jun 22, 2015

Old cop said:
I'm thinking of taking up skeet shooting, looking at a 20 gage instead of beating myself up w/a 12 gage (shoulder problems) and I'm familiar w/the pump action from my LEO days. I'd appreciate any recommendations on brands and models. A friend is going to loan me his 20 gage pump for next week.

Thanks all.

After I had shoulder and then neck surgery recoil became a problem for me. I have never shot skeet but I do shoot sporting clays every week. I now shoot 3/4 oz loads in my 20 ga and 7/8 oz loads in my 12 ga. I reload these. Win makes AA 12 ga loads that have 24 and 26 grams of shot. These are pretty light loads for 12 ga. I bought an 1100 sporting model in 28 ga and it is a real pleasure to shoot. The problem is that it flung the empties out there a ways but I learned the trick of placing a rubber band over the ejection port and the empties now land much closer. If recoil is a problem then I would recommend a good semi auto gas gun such as the 1100. The 3/4 oz 20 GA reloads are just as comfortable to shoot in my over under as the 7/8 OZ factory loads are to shoot in my semi auto Browning Silver Hunter.

20 Ga. Shotgun for Skeet?

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