Best 20g Semi Auto In Your Opinion?

[KrisisOD]

I'm stuck on shotguns. I'm looking around, and I really liked the way the Benelli Montefeltro felt, but I'm ideally looking for a synthetic stock, which seems to be almost impossible to find in a 20g.

I'm going to be using this for dove hunting, just as a fyi.

Should I be looking at Benelli's M2, or the Beretta A400 Xcel Sporting shotgun?

I'm really open to any opinions on your guys' part, as I'm unsure where I'd like to go from here. I've been to most of the gun shops in Tulsa, and still haven't pulled the trigger.

I'd like to stay under $1500, I was looking more in the $800 range, but I'm not completely against raising my price range if I can't find anything in the range I was looking that I like.

 

[bubbaokie]

can't go wrong with either the Benelli or the Beretta....I had both and gave one to each of grandsons. Then I replaced with Ruger Red Label 20 gauge. I will probably get another either benelli or beretta, just depends on find a nice one for the right price. You could spend more, but probably wouldn't be a better gun.

 

[Sanford]

Weatherby has several synthetic models in 20ga, both gas and inertia operated. All are in your general price range or less.

 

[Okie4570]

Do you have a particular reason for wanting a 20g over a 12g? Ammo is cheaper for the 12g. IMO 1oz loads traveling at 1150ish is the same whether it's from a 20 or a 12. The recoil in the Beretta A400xcel is VERY minimal in the 12g as well. Been shooting one of those for the last few years. You'll really open your options up for synthetic stocks if you move to a 12g..........but a guy has to shoot what he likes

 

[sedona]

Hard to beat a montefelltro especially in 20 gauge.The M2s are nice but the rib is high compared to the montefelltro.Not much help I prefer the wood over synthetic.

 

[KrisisOD]

Do you have a particular reason for wanting a 20g over a 12g? Ammo is cheaper for the 12g. IMO 1oz loads traveling at 1150ish is the same whether it's from a 20 or a 12. The recoil in the Beretta A400xcel is VERY minimal in the 12g as well. Been shooting one of those for the last few years. You'll really open your options up for synthetic stocks if you move to a 12g..........but a guy has to shoot what he likes

Being a female I'm a bit smaller of frame, and I also have nerve damage in my right arm, so a stronger kick is a more likely scenario of me losing feeling in my arm during hunting, and that's not a reason to cut my hunting trips short, if it can be helped.

Hard to beat a montefelltro especially in 20 gauge.The M2s are nice but the rib is high compared to the montefelltro.Not much help I prefer the wood over synthetic.

This is hopefully going to be an upland and waterfowl gun at some point so I need it to be able to take a beating, and I just hate to get a nice wood grain just for it to get scratched all to hell. But I do personally like the look of a wood grain better.

I found the M2, held it, and it was the one that I had that perfect feeling about, so I am attempting to purchase it. 3 day hold on buying, so I guess we'll see if they let me buy it.

 

[Okie4570]

I see, 7/8oz light loads, and ported choke tubes will help on the recoil a bunch as well. I've seen many new 4H shooters with the Weatherby SA-08 with ported tubes and 7/8oz loads and the recoil is next to nothing.

 

[BigBoreOkie]

Best I've had is a Benelli M1S90 in 20 gauge. I love that shotgun. It's the precursor to the current M2.

Having said that, what I love about it is it is 5 1/2 pounds, about, so dove hunting with it is a dream. Same could be said for quail. I pheasant hunt with it too but this is where the problem will occur. If you intend to hunt waterfowl with a 20 gauge it is going to kick. The Benelli is the best, in my opinion, but it will kick being so light with waterfowl loads. Just my observation, I do absolutely love the Benelli 20 gauge.

Good luck

 

[dlbleak]

I was on the lookout for an M2 20 to mate with my M2 12. Came across an older Beretta AL2 with fixed IC. That thing is awesome! not a quail in range got by me last year(ok,maybe a few). It's in near pristine condition and the best 400 I ever spent.

 

[farmer17]

Everyone seems to love Benelli's but there are a zillion Remington 1100s out there for a whole lot less money that have worked just fine for decades for hunting birds. They have beautiful wood but if they do get a few scratches you can get replacements pretty cheap and you still won't have that much money in the gun and they have very light recoil because of the gas operated action. If you are talking side by side shotguns THEN you have to spend some serious money to get a good one.