Remington 1100/1187 Youth 20 gauge.

[arnisandyz]

Considering this for competition and just wondering if anyone has a Youth model or an LT-20. 20 gauge is the minimum required. I'm currently using a 12 guage pump.

20 Gauge semiauto would be:
Quick handling with the light weight (6.5 lbs) shortened stock and 21" barrel
Light recoil = faster split and transition shots
Low(er) cost...add an extension and EZloader and it should be good to go.

On the negative side:
Would have to run a tighter choke than a 12 so you have to "aim" more.
Ammo isn't as readily available, slugs are hard to come by.

Do you think the speed of the 20 would be enough to overcome the wider shot pattern of the 12? It would be an interesting project. My nephew has one and I was able to shoot it scarily fast and accurate playing around.

 

[Grenadier]

What are you shooting?

I know this doesn't exactly answer your question, but have you thought about getting a shotgun shell loading press? You could tailor your own loads to give you the minimum velocity needed for hitting your targets and to reliably cycle the action of the semiautomatic shotgun.

A reduced charge of Alliant Red Dot might be what you are seeking.

 

[arnisandyz]

Right now I'm shooting a 12 gauge HK FP6 Pump shotgun I use in Heavy Metal class. It shoots anything I feed it, usually use the el'cheapo Winchester Superspeed 1 oz. 7 1/2 shot from Walmart. Looking to get a semiauto for tactical/limited. The new 1100 tacticals would fit the bill, just have to get over that green color! Benelli M1/M2 is a bit out of my price-range. The SX2 practicals are nice but also pricey. The 20 gauge in competition is just an idea I might experiment with. There was one at Walmart not to long ago for under $500. I like the light weight and the size, its very fast handling. If it doesn't workout it would make a nice gun for my wife or daughter in a couple years. I know a guy that prefers the 20 over the 12 for upland bird hunting but don't know how this translates to competition steels.

I reload for pistol and rifle but never considered loading for shotgun. I just don't shoot enough of it. The Lee Load-All looks like a cheap entry into shotgun reloading though (if it actually works).

 

[modarnis]

I shoot lots of skeet and lots of quail and pheasants. For skeet, I tend to like the 20g for all around practice and shoot it in 12 and 20 events and doubles. For bird hunting, I prefer the 28g . With the right load/choke, you can get great patterns in any gauge. The lighter weight of a smaller gauge gun makes a huge difference when using it all day or where a quick mount is necessary

You can test pattern choke/load combos easily by shooting at big white sheet of paper with a single dot in the center Draw a 30" circle around the outside and you can compare the pellet count at a fixed distance between different chokes/loads and gauges. For competition, Winchester AA or Remington STS are worth the extra $$

For a servicable reloader, you can pick up a progressive MEC on Ebay for under $100 They last a lifetime and are versatile in their range of load recipes

 

[Grenadier]

You can test pattern choke/load combos easily by shooting at big white sheet of paper with a single dot in the center Draw a 30" circle around the outside and you can compare the pellet count at a fixed distance between different chokes/loads and gauges.

Solid advice.

You can get cheap paper from the local butcher shop. Just ask them if you can buy a roll or two of butcher's paper, and most will be more than happy to sell you some.

Much cheaper than buying dedicated paper targets.

 

[arnisandyz]

Thats what I was wondering...the relationship of spread pattern and shot density. The butcher paper would do well in showing the spread as well as the density. The 20 works well for hunting dove or shooting clays - you can get a spread that is close to a 12 WITHOUT needing the density. For a 20 to be effective on steel I think I may have to sacrifice using as wide a pattern as 12 just to get enough pellets on target. I need to see if that sacrifice in spread can be made up for in speed and quick handling. I most likely will stick with the 12 because in many cases if the shot allows, I shoot the edges of the steel to get 2 targets with one shot, but I think it would be an interesting experiment.

 

[modarnis]

One other thought on the 20g option: you could use bigger #4 #5 shot in your loads for striking steel. You would get a slightly smaller spread overall, but they would retain a bit more kinetic energy. The theory seems to work well on longer shots at pheasants in the later, colder part of the season when the shots get 5-10 yds further out.

 

[arnisandyz]

One other thought on the 20g option: you could use bigger #4 #5 shot in your loads for striking steel. You would get a slightly smaller spread overall, but they would retain a bit more kinetic energy. The theory seems to work well on longer shots at pheasants in the later, colder part of the season when the shots get 5-10 yds further out.

That would work...but at the range I shoot at, we're limited to #7.5 or #8 on steel and slugs on paper. I think its more of a safety concern of mutiple projectiles hitting falling steel ricochetting (sp?), they have a no double-tap rule on steel when shooting it with handgun as well.